Zeldris?!
The Zeldris who got kicked out of Konoha?!
Why was he strolling into Konoha like he owned the place?!
And why—out of all places—did he come straight to the Uchiha compound?!
The guards stood frozen, their backs instantly drenched in cold sweat.
One of them recognized the silver-haired young man wrapped in a flowing black robe, his aura calm… too calm.
Wasn't this the guy who caused chaos before vanishing without a trace?
And wait a second… didn't he just say something about helping the Uchiha?
That thought alone nearly made the guard choke on his own spit.
"…W-Wait, did the clan leader… send you?"
one of them asked nervously, his voice cracking like dry twigs under pressure.
Zeldris chuckled, brushing silver strands from his face with one hand, his other toying idly with a kunai.
"Oh, uncle, you've misunderstood," he said with a casual grin.
"I'm here…"
"…to help you Uchiha escape this place!"
Before either of the guards could scream "What?!", Zeldris moved.
Sharp flashes of steel split through the night air—two swift, precise arcs.
By the time their eyes caught up, blood was already spraying from their necks.
Silence.
They collapsed, lifeless, before their minds could process what had just happened.
Zeldris looked down at the bodies, then at the kunai in his hand. He turned it slightly, letting moonlight glint off its edge, and sighed.
"Man… I haven't used one of these in ages. My technique's gone soft. Should've just used the Tremor Fruit… but no, Obito had to assign me this mess."
He crouched and tapped the kunai against one boot, grumbling more to himself than anyone else.
"Honestly, this isn't what I signed up for."
Then, standing tall, he raised his gaze toward the night sky. His pupils shimmered with an unnatural purple light as he muttered with a smirk:
"Well, this was getting boring anyway. Two loyal Uchiha guards… that's no fun."
"How about I stir the pot a little?"
White energy surged across his arm, wrapping around his fist like divine fire.
Elsewhere…
Uchiha Itachi stood alone.
His face was splattered with blood, glowing faintly in the pale moonlight. His blade—once pristine—was now soaked in crimson.
He glanced down at the final body beneath him, his expression unreadable.
This was the last one.
Too late to turn back. Too late to hesitate.
The cold wind brushed past him, carrying the scent of blood through the air like some twisted lullaby.
He took a slow breath, his mind drifting back to Sasuke—his eyes, his fear, his trembling voice.
That memory pierced deeper than any kunai.
"…Forgive me, Sasgay."
"…This really is the last time."
He closed his eyes, as if trying to trap the memory. When he opened them again, the Sharingan had vanished.
That's when it happened.
A swirling vortex appeared behind him. A masked man stepped out, voice low and dry:
"You finished everything already? Huh… faster than I expected, Itachi."
Itachi didn't respond. He wasn't in the mood.
The masked man shrugged like a disappointed coach.
"Well, guess there's only one left."
Itachi gave a short nod. "Let's go."
But just as they were about to leave—
BOOM!!!
The earth shook violently beneath their feet.
A massive explosion echoed across the village, shattering the eerie stillness of the night.
The epicenter?
The Konoha Security Base.
Zeldris's turf.
The masked man and Itachi froze. Their eyes widened in sync like some horror movie cliché.
"…Did he get caught?" Itachi asked sharply, voice tense.
The masked man was silent, eyes narrowing. He wasn't sure whether to be impressed or extremely concerned.
That unmistakable explosion—it was definitely Zeldris.
"…That idiot," the masked man muttered under his breath.
"Always has to be flashy."
He turned to Itachi, smirk creeping beneath the mask.
"Forget it, Itachi. He just rang Konoha's entire alarm bell system. You leave first—I've got a mess to clean up."
Without another word, he disappeared into the swirling vortex.
Itachi watched the spot where he vanished.
His gaze drifted toward the direction of the explosion.
He stayed still for a second longer.
Then, without a word, he turned and melted into the shadows of the night.
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