In the evening, Uchiha Fugaku still hadn't returned home. The deaths of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Sarutobi Shinnosuke weighed heavily on his mind.
At the high-security prison, even the prisoners' most private parts had been thoroughly inspected, and the area was sealed only after confirming everything was secure. Under such strict conditions, how could someone die from ingesting such a potent poison?
What made matters worse was that the cases of Hiruzen and Shinnosuke weren't even brought up until the final day of the interrogation. Now, aside from Uchiha Itachi, no one had come to see the Sarutobi father and son. Although Anbu wanted to investigate Itachi, Uchiha Fugaku stopped them.
Fugaku didn't know exactly what Itachi had done, but he was certain that anything suspicious wouldn't escape Anbu's eyes. Regardless of how reserved Itachi usually was, he was still his son.
So Fugaku vouched for Itachi in his capacity as the head of the police force and assured the Anbu he would investigate the matter personally. In the end, Anbu relented—partly out of respect for Fugaku's accomplishments over the years, and partly because of Uchiha Shisui's influence.
Itachi was strictly forbidden from leaving the village. The rest of the investigation would be reported to the Hokage upon his return.
Currently, nearly all the village's decision-makers were at the Daimyō's residence. Though messengers had been dispatched, Anbu wasn't sure if the Hokage would be able to drop everything and return.
By midnight, dark clouds had blotted out the stars, though streetlamps still lit the roads of Konohagakure, preventing the village from falling into total darkness.
Fugaku didn't make it home until then. He was still suppressing his frustration when he stepped through the door and immediately asked Mikoto, "Where's Itachi? Is he back?"
"He came back early and went straight to bed. Skipped dinner," Mikoto replied, momentarily stunned by his tone. Then, sensing something was wrong, she asked in a low voice, "What happened? Did something happen with Itachi?"
"A rebel…" Fugaku almost shouted, but catching himself for Sasuke's sake, he gritted his teeth and stormed past Mikoto toward Itachi's room.
He pushed open the door forcefully—only to find the room empty. The window was open, and the wind fluttered the curtains.
Mikoto hurried over, and upon seeing the empty room, she gasped, covering her mouth. "Itachi didn't leave through the front. Fugaku, what's going on?"
"It's nothing. Watch over Sasuke. I'll handle this."
His expression dark, Fugaku leapt out the window and disappeared into the night, determined to find his son himself. He didn't want to alert the rest of the security force just yet.
He had a hunch Itachi's actions were tied to the deaths of the Sarutobis. He needed to get to the bottom of it—personally.
At the same secret meeting spot, Uchiha Obito appeared beside Itachi and spoke, feigning ignorance.
"You're here. How'd the conversation go? The whole police force looks like it's under martial law today. What were you doing in there?"
Obito was certain that Hiruzen hadn't revealed anything about him. While controlling Hiruzen with genjutsu and preventing others from noticing was difficult, planting subtle suggestions was easy enough.
Itachi replied quietly, "There's no need anymore. Lord Third is dead. I'll uphold my end of the deal—so you don't need to worry."
Obito nodded. "Good. Now I just need to find that Uchiha clan member. But I can see it—you've tasted that power, haven't you? It's intoxicating, isn't it? Like being completely immersed in something greater."
"No matter how powerful a technique is, it's just a tool—a means for a shinobi to accomplish their mission. And I will complete mine."
"Whatever you say. I just need to find that person. I haven't investigated deeply yet, but your father and Uchiha Shisui are very suspicious. Help me gather information on them. That should be fine."
As Uchiha Obito spoke, he carefully watched Itachi's expression. When he mentioned Fugaku's name and saw no reaction, he felt relieved.
So, there really is no emotional response. No—once someone awakens the Mangekyō Sharingan, it's not about being emotionless, but this... is this how he treats even his own family? Truly, a special kind of Uchiha.
Suddenly, Obito's gaze shifted to the side. "Someone's coming. I'll leave for now."
With that, he vanished into the Kamui dimension.
Less than a minute later, Uchiha Fugaku appeared before Itachi using the Body Flicker Technique. He scanned the area, then narrowed his eyes and barked, "There was someone else here just now. Who was it? Where did they go?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about, Father," Itachi replied flatly.
"Don't play dumb!"
Fugaku shouted, his anger breaking through. "Because you're my son, I've gone out of my way to protect you. But now you're colluding with outsiders. Do you have anything to do with the deaths of Hiruzen and Shinnosuke? And who was that person just now?
"If you don't start talking… not even I—as Captain of the Konoha Police Force—will be able to protect you, Itachi!"
As he spoke, Fugaku's eyes turned blood-red. The tomoe in his Sharingan began to rotate slowly, and a heavy sense of pressure descended upon Itachi.
"Father, I—"
Before Itachi could finish, Fugaku's expression shifted. He suddenly spun and struck behind him with his right hand. But it passed through empty space—an illusion?
No. Fugaku was certain he'd felt someone's chakra presence behind him. And yet, his arm had passed right through the figure like mist.
Just then, his palm landed squarely on a shoulder—on someone real. Fugaku's eyes widened in surprise.
It's supposed to be a phantom. Why can I touch him now?
"I was going to leave," said a calm voice behind him. "But since you came alone… why don't you stay a while, Chief Uchiha Fugaku?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Obito's right eye transformed into the Mangekyō pattern. Space began to distort around Fugaku—Kamui had been activated.
"Sharingan?! No… that's a Mangekyō! Which clan are you from?!"
In that critical moment, Fugaku's eyes also shifted—his Sharingan evolved into the Mangekyō. And with it, he activated his exclusive technique: Omigogami.
A genjutsu-enhancing pupil technique that multiplies the potency of illusions fivefold. Combined with the Mangekyō's innate power, Fugaku's illusions surpassed even those of Shisui, long regarded as the Uchiha clan's greatest genjutsu user.
"So… the Uchiha clan head was hiding his Mangekyō all this time," Obito muttered, struggling.
Despite his resistance, Obito couldn't withstand the strength of Fugaku's illusion. He ceased Kamui's absorption, his arms dropping limply at his sides, trapped within the genjutsu.
"Hmph. Even with Mangekyō, our abilities can cancel each other out," Fugaku said coldly.
He knew that with pupil techniques like his and Shisui's, it was often a matter of who landed the first strike—who caught the other off-guard. However, powerful shinobi usually had some resistance to genjutsu.
Fugaku knew there were exceptions… like Nawaki, who seemed completely immune to illusions. Against someone like that, even his Mangekyō was uncertain.
Just as Uchiha Fugaku reached out to remove Obito's mask, a sudden gust of wind rushed from behind. Fugaku reacted instantly, leaping back—just in time to avoid several shuriken that embedded themselves in Obito's body.
Those few shuriken were enough to disrupt the illusion. Obito broke free—partly because Fugaku hadn't used his full strength, and partly because Obito had an unusually high resistance to genjutsu.
"Itachi! What are you doing?!"
Fugaku was furious, nearly speechless. His own son had just aided an enemy—against his father.
Itachi hesitated for a moment, then said quietly, "Father... I no longer want to be part of this suffocating family. You're blinded by power and unable to recognize my strength."
"And your answer to that is to betray your family? To help an enemy attack your own father?!"
Fugaku's voice trembled with rage. He had come out in such a rush that he hadn't even brought his ninja pouch. Without hesitation, he formed hand seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball roared toward Itachi and Obito, engulfing everything in its path. The searing flames scorched the earth and air, threatening to incinerate anything alive.
But when the fire cleared, both Obito and Itachi stood unharmed. The only noticeable movement was Obito's hand resting on Itachi's shoulder.
"We're out of time," Obito said calmly. "That Fire Style will attract others. Now that you've made your decision, we move."
At his words, Itachi's eyes shifted—his Sharingan transformed into the Mangekyō pattern, resembling a large spinning windmill. Without hesitation, he activated his illusion technique.
"Tsukuyomi."
One of the most powerful genjutsu in existence. Fugaku never imagined that his son had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan—and before he could react, he was pulled into Itachi's illusion world.
Inside the Tsukuyomi, time stretched—what lasted only an instant outside felt like 24 hours within. When Fugaku finally emerged from the illusion, he collapsed to one knee, clutching his eyes in agony.
"Itachi... you traitorous son. Do you mean to betray both the Uchiha and Konoha?!"
Fugaku cried out, struggling with the searing pain in his head. His Mangekyō technique enhanced genjutsu and ninjutsu, but it offered no defense against powerful illusions like Tsukuyomi. Even though Itachi's Mangekyō was newly awakened, it had already inflicted severe mental trauma.
"We need to leave," Itachi said, turning to Obito. "ANBU and the guards will arrive soon."
But before he could finish, his eyes widened in horror.
From Obito's hand shot a wooden spike—Wood Style: Insertion Technique—which pierced Fugaku's abdomen. Shock flooded Fugaku's face. A moment later, multiple thick wooden stakes erupted from his back, growing explosively from the point of impact.
"What are you doing?!"
Itachi's voice trembled with disbelief and fury. He had only meant to stop his father, not kill him.
But Obito cut him off. "For the sake of our goal, any sacrifice is acceptable. Once you join the organization, I'll explain everything."
"Captain Fugaku!!"
A voice shouted from the distance.
Obito frowned slightly. "So fast. As expected of Konoha's Security Force."
He wasted no time. Walking over to Fugaku's body, he absorbed it into the Kamui dimension, then turned to Itachi.
"Don't concern yourself with temporary sacrifices. Once the plan is complete, everyone will be revived. Now—come with me."
Without waiting for a reply, Obito pulled Itachi into the Kamui space and vanished.
Moments later, twelve members of the Konoha Security Force arrived. One Hyūga from the branch family, his Byakugan active, frowned and said,
"They vanished just now. Captain Fugaku seems to have died right here. There were two enemies... and one of them appears to be Uchiha Itachi."
His Byakugan had seen everything from afar. As he approached, he reported continuously. Itachi had visited the prison earlier that day, and now Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shinnosuke were dead. The connection was becoming obvious.
"Report to the Hokage immediately! It looks like Uchiha Itachi is responsible for the deaths of Sarutobi and his son... and now, Captain Fugaku as well. He escaped with another man!"
Uchiha Yatsushiro spoke with an angry expression. He had never imagined that Uchiha Itachi—usually so reserved and obedient that he barely drew attention—would do something so unforgivable: kill his own father and defect. It was truly unthinkable.
One of the guard members asked, "Captain Yatsushiro, what about Captain Fugaku's home?"
"I'll go inform them myself. You don't need to worry about that," Yatsushiro said coldly. "Now notify the ANBU immediately, and begin the pursuit."
Uchiha Yadai frowned slightly. The patriarch's family had once been ideal—a loving wife and two sons. But now... everything had fallen apart.
Bang!
The sound of a tea tray hitting the ground echoed through the house. Uchiha Mikoto stood frozen, her face pale and filled with disbelief. The tray she had been holding slipped from her trembling hands.
"Please don't joke like that, Yadai-kun... Itachi would never do such a thing. It's impossible. Absolutely impossible!" she cried, shaking her head desperately, as if denying the truth could change it.
Even though her attention had shifted more to Sasuke after his birth, Itachi had always been a thoughtful and disciplined child.
"What about Fugaku... Tell me he's not—"
"Madam, please forgive me," Yadai said softly. "You still have Sasuke. We've reported the matter to the Hokage. You will have an answer soon."
His voice was heavy with guilt. Fugaku had worked tirelessly to reform and uplift the Uchiha clan in recent years. He had even made great efforts to pave the way for Shisui.
Though it was hard to believe, the pool of blood at the scene, and the Hyūga branch member's confirmation that Fugaku's chakra had vanished... left little room for doubt. Fugaku was dead, and his son—Uchiha Itachi—was one of the murderers.
"I must return to the guard station, ma'am," Yadai added. "There is still much to do. Please take care of your health—for the sake of Sasuke, the last of the patriarch's bloodline."
After giving a respectful bow, Uchiha Yadai took his leave.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Uchiha Mikoto collapsed to the ground. Her body lost all strength, as though her bones had vanished. Grief overwhelmed her. In just one night, her entire world had been destroyed.
The news quickly reached Nawaki, and Kain learned of it at the same time.
The deaths of Sarutobi Hiruzen and his son, the assassination of Uchiha Fugaku, and Itachi's defection—these three events were cataclysmic.
Tsunade was devastated upon hearing of Hiruzen's death. After all, he had been her teacher.
Nawaki, by contrast, was furious.
The deaths of the Sarutobi father and son had shattered their strongest lead. Although Uchiha Itachi was now the prime suspect, the death of Fugaku shifted suspicions away from the Uchiha clan as a whole.
The incident would likely be seen as the actions of a rogue individual, rather than a clan conspiracy.
"We'll handle the situation," Nawaki said firmly. "Shisui and I will return immediately. Let Hiashi oversee the remaining affairs."
It felt natural for him to refer to Kain as his brother-in-law now—after all, he stood to gain much from that relationship.
"Very well," Kain nodded. "Tsunade is already here, so there's no need for me to see her off again."
After Nawaki, Shisui, and their team departed, only Tsunade and Kain remained in the tower.
Kain wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her chest.
Tsunade blushed instantly. After glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she gave him a light smack and whispered angrily, "What do you think you're doing?"
"OK!"
She blinked in confusion. "What's 'OK'?"
"Nothing. Just remembered something you need to handle—those two new medical centers Nonō is overseeing," Kain mumbled. His voice was muffled against her body, making it tickle.
Tsunade sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll go as soon as I speak with Nonō about the situation. You really do owe me, you know…"
Kain lifted his face and smiled. "Then let's collect your reward!"
Without waiting for a reply, he scooped her into his arms and Apparated them to her room.
As the lights in the room dimmed, Tsunade's embarrassed voice rang out:
"Idiot! You misunderstood what I meant again! If you want to repay me, pick a different way… Ah! Don't~"
…
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