It was dusk. Outside the Uchiha Clan Compound in Konoha, a youth no older than eleven or twelve stood motionless.
Two figures knelt behind him. Judging by their uniforms, both were members of Konoha's Military Police Force.
After a brief silence, the boy—Shimoku Uchiha—spoke coldly,
"How many are willing to leave?"
"Just over half. A total of 426 people."
One of the men behind him answered promptly.
"A little over half, huh? Seems like our clansmen really have grown tired of Konoha after all."
"Lord, all preparations for the evacuation are complete…"
Shimoku: "Good. Then let's begin."
"When you see my signal, act immediately. Organize everyone and evacuate without delay. No hesitation!"
"Yes!"
"Oh, and take that girl Quan and her family with us as well!"
The two behind Shimoku exchanged a brief look of surprise but obeyed without question.
"As you command!"
"You may go."
With a wave of his hand, the two vanished into the night.
Only he remained, slightly raising his head.
He turned to glance at the vast village of Konoha behind him, murmuring softly:
"It's been ten years already… before I realized it."
"The weight of prejudice... In any world, it feels like an unconquerable mountain."
"Konoha? Hmph... If you still cannot accept the Uchiha clan, don't blame me for hurting you!"
"Tonight, I will rewrite this history!"
Then, Shimoku withdrew his gaze.
Stepping forward, he strode straight toward the main mansion and pushed its doors wide open.
…
Inside the mansion.
The front courtyard was empty, devoid of onlookers.
Yet the figure he sought had already been waiting atop the steps leading to the main hall, as if expecting him.
Fugaku Uchiha—the current head of the Uchiha Clan and captain of Konoha's Military Police Force.
"You're here."
Fugaku opened his eyes, piercing Shimoku with a sharp stare.
He truly lived up to his title, *Fugaku the Menacing*.
"So, clan leader, you already know why I've come?"
Shimoku Uchiha smiled faintly, not surprised in the least.
After all, the man was the great head of the Uchiha Clan, wielding authority over Konoha's police forces.
Discovering his secret maneuvering within the clan—*forming factions, plotting rebellion*—was nothing surprising.
But just as Shimoku expected,
Even though Fugaku had discovered his plans,
He hadn't stopped or reported him.
In fact, he had even quietly covered up many of the loose ends!
Otherwise, his escape plan would surely have already been exposed to Konoha's leadership.
"Your plan is reckless," Fugaku said. "I won't let you drag most of the Uchiha into destruction."
Fugaku stared intently at Shimoku, speaking firmly, his words deliberate and forceful.
"I must stop you."
Shimoku smirked slightly, scoffing,
"Do you really think the Uchiha can survive if we just stand by and do nothing like you?"
"Right now, we're no match for the entire Konoha. We must wait for the right opportunity..."
Fugaku snapped back fiercely, a flicker of inner struggle flashing in his eyes.
No one understood better than he did the vast gap between a single clan and the whole village.
Such a reckless rebellion, even if successful,
would end with the clan crushed under Konoha's endless pursuit.
Only through meticulous planning and an unexpected strike might there be a chance.
That was why he had sent Itachi into Anbu as a spy,
to gather intelligence and wait for the perfect moment to stage the coup!
"If we can't stand up to them now, do you think we ever will?"
"Or is your entire plan relying solely on Itachi within Anbu?"
"Perhaps you haven't heard yet?"
"Right now, your son, Itachi Uchiha, has already received orders from Root and should be on his way here."
"And those orders are to wipe out the entire Uchiha Clan, to ensure his younger brother Sasuke's survival!"
"Do you think that's fair?"
"Is it worth trading hundreds of lives for just one?"
"Are we truly supposed to offer our necks willingly for Itachi and his little brother?"
Shimoku roared furiously, openly challenging Fugaku.
Upon hearing this, Fugaku's body trembled violently.
He seemed both shocked by Itachi's decision and enraged at how cold-hearted the Konoha elders were to issue such a brutal and extreme command.
The air fell silent briefly.
Mikoto Uchiha, gentle and graceful, had somehow walked over and wrapped her arms around Fugaku's shoulders, sharing the weight of his burden.
"Hmph—"
"If this is Itachi's choice, then I choose to support him!"
Fugaku sighed deeply, firmly grasping his wife's hand as he declared resolutely.
No one knew Itachi's talent better than he did.
In his eyes, Itachi must have struggled immensely before finally deciding upon what he believed to be the best possible solution.
Even if it was for the sake of his young brother.
As a father, he could only give in, only support Itachi...
"Clan Head, I didn't come here seeking your approval."
"No matter whether you agree or not, you won't be able to stop me."
"I am Shimoku, a member of the Uchiha Clan! I'm no docile lamb waiting to be slaughtered!"
"If you insist on standing against me, then I'll have no choice but to deal with you first!"
Shimoku bellowed.
Chakra surged violently within him as he launched his attack without hesitation.
Fugaku, frowning heavily, responded just as fiercely.
He wanted to see for himself—
just how much of Itachi's brilliance this young nephew truly had.
How far he had gone to gather so many clansmen and dare to challenge him directly.
[FIRE RELEASE: GREAT FIREBALL TECHNIQUE!]
Two enormous fireballs, each the size of a tall building, erupted forward and collided head-on.
"Boom—!"
A massive explosion shot into the sky, scattering flames in all directions, its blazing light illuminating nearly half of Konoha Village.
A fierce battle erupted in an instant.
The commotion stirred half of Konoha, prompting countless Anbu ninja and top village leaders to rush toward the source.
At the heart of the fierce battle stood Fugaku, deeply astonished and dumbfounded.
He had never imagined—
His nephew Shimoku's Great Fireball Technique would possess such incredible power.
It wasn't even slightly weaker than his own!
Keep in mind—he was already forty years old.
His ninjutsu, chakra reserves, and experience far surpassed those of nearly every other ninja in Konoha.
Yet this boy, barely over ten years old, had mastered the Great Fireball Technique to such a degree!
How vast must his chakra reserves be?
What level of understanding and mastery over ninjutsu did he possess?
Just how monstrous was he?!
And yet this kid had kept such a low profile all along, hiding his true abilities like that!
What devious scheming!
What profound plans!
Even so, admiration didn't make Fugaku hold back even a bit.
After all, he was the head of the Uchiha Clan—having survived two Great Ninja World Wars. His strength was naturally extraordinary.
[Great Fireball Technique]
[Phoenix Sage Fire Technique]
[Bird Flapping Fire Sparks]
[Great Flame Annihilation]...
Fire Release after Fire Release poured effortlessly from his hands. Wave after wave of searing flames crashed toward Shimoku without end.
The countless dazzling flames nearly engulfed the entire Uchiha District.
Merely watching sent shivers down one's spine.
Shimoku's side, however, showed none of that flashy complexity.
Only one [Great Fireball Technique] after another.
Big enough!
Numerous enough!
Fast enough!
One enormous fireball after another blasted forward, colliding head-on with Fugaku's various fire techniques, annihilating each other upon impact.
In any other battle, the variety of techniques might have had unexpected effects.
But here, in this direct contest between two Fire Release masters,
Shimoku proved through sheer force: a single sufficiently powerful technique could indeed overcome a thousand methods!
Just like Madara, the legendary ancestor of the Uchiha—
A single [Great Flame Annihilation] could easily overpower countless [Water Releases].
...
The battle raged on.
Flames from the fire techniques illuminated nearly half the sky.
Within just one or two minutes,
Dozens of homes across the Uchiha Clan district had already been swallowed by an inferno.
At the same time,
Konoha's Anbu and top leaders soon arrived at the scene as well.
Witnessing this battlefield ablaze with furious fireballs flying everywhere,
Every ninja who arrived was utterly stunned.
Originally, they had assumed Konoha was under invasion, hence such intense conflict.
But now they saw clearly—
It was the Uchiha Clan's leader Fugaku locked in combat with a young, immature Uchiha boy!
This sight left everyone speechless.
What in the world is going on here?
An internal Uchiha sparring match? But why fight so fiercely?
Or could it be a split within the Uchiha Clan itself?
Even if it were internal strife, should a mere child lead the charge?
Of course, these questions were secondary.
The real problem for the gathered ninja? They didn't know which side to back—and choosing wrong could be deadly.
Supporting Fugaku in quelling the rebellion would mean letting him continue plotting the Uchiha Clan's coup.
Helping that Uchiha kid take on Fugaku? That'd mean going after the head of the Military Police—with no justification at all.
Either choice would end up being a death sentence!
Plus, the power behind their Fire Release battle was off the charts!
Each attack alone equaled at least an elite jonin's full-strength strike.
A regular Anbu operative rushing in would only seal their own fate!
So despite more and even more Konoha ninja gathering at the scene,
they all hesitated, none daring to rashly enter the fray.
They could only stand outside watching and maintaining vigilance,
or deflect some stray sparks to prevent the fire from spreading further.
...
At the same time, as more and more Konoha ninja arrived on the scene,
even many Anbu operatives originally assigned to monitor the Uchiha Clan had been drawn over.
Now, Shimoku judged, was the moment to act.
Although his Great Fireball Technique indeed carried immense power,
when it came to chakra reserves, he likely couldn't rival Fugaku—a standard Kage-level powerhouse.
Prolonging this battle would only put him at a greater disadvantage.
It was time to go all out!
"Great Clan Head, show me your true strength!"
"Show me your ultimate technique!"
"Don't disappoint me now!"
"Tonight, let Konoha taste pain once more!"
[Mangekyo Sharingan]—Unleashed!
[Susanoo]—Unleashed!
In the next instant,
yin and yang inverted, surging ocular power roared outward.
A blinding scarlet radiance erupted from Shimoku's eyes.
Then, a colossal blood-red skeletal Susanoo rose from the earth, towering into the heavens, radiating overwhelming intimidation in all directions.
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