46-50

Chapter 46: Justice Executed, No Kin Spared 

When Uchiha Onigawara saw his spy-ninja contact killed, and heard Uchiha Akainu's utterly remorseless words about family... Onigawara knew his only chance was to fight his way out as fast as possible! 

He took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and unleashed a massive fireball, surging upwards. The raging flames scorched the wooden house walls to charcoal. The firelight cast an orange glow on the lower half of Uchiha Akainu's face. 

Uchiha Akainu formed a hand seal with one hand. Instead of dodging or evading the incoming Great Fireball Jutsu, he leaped downward, right into the heart of the fireball. The flames instantly swallowed him, but in the blink of an eye, his figure burst through the searing inferno. 

When Uchiha Akainu landed on the ground below, a few drops of lava slid from his body, melting shallow pits into the earth, which still emitted faint white smoke. But as far as his eyes could see, Uchiha Onigawara was nowhere to be found. Only the corpse of the spy-ninja he had killed remained. 

Uchiha Akainu glanced down at the footprints on the ground. He narrowed his eyes and pursued in the opposite direction of the tracks. 

"How can that brat Akainu awaken the Lava Release Kekkei Genkai... We're blood relatives, yet I only have the Sharingan, while he's a genius with two Kekkei Genkai!" Uchiha Onigawara muttered, grinding his teeth in envy as he moved swiftly. 

He naturally didn't think a Fire Style jutsu could harm Uchiha Akainu. He'd only used it to obstruct him, believing even a second of delay would be enough for him to escape. 

But... 

"Uchiha Onigawara is here!!!" Just as he managed to evade Uchiha Akainu, he ran right into Konoha Military Police Force ninjas. 

Hearing the shout, Uchiha Onigawara's face darkened significantly. His Sharingan swiftly tracked the trajectory of incoming projectiles. He immediately sidestepped, and several shuriken whizzed past his cheek; one even grazed his face. 

A Military Police ninja, katana in hand, was already closing in. Uchiha Onigawara agilely ducked, dodging a strike, then punched the opponent's wrist. He then grabbed the wrist, twisted it back, and with a sickening snap, the Military Police ninja screamed. Onigawara snatched the katana, hooked the ninja's ankle to unbalance him, and then thrust the blade downwards. 

"Hm?!" Just as the blade was about to pierce the ninja's chest. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan's superior dynamic vision caught something unusual to his right. 

Uchiha Onigawara saw a flash of molten light. He hurriedly retreated a step. Then, to his horror, he found that the blade of the katana he had just seized was gone! From the broken hilt, glowing red molten iron dripped down! 

"...Lava Release?!" 

The person he least wanted to see reappeared in his line of sight. 

Uchiha Onigawara gritted his teeth and said, "Akainu! Is it really necessary to ruthlessly kill your own blood relatives!?" 

"Justice will be executed." 

"No kin spared." 

Uchiha Akainu's right arm had completely transformed into lava, the surging molten rock causing it to continuously swell. The smell of sulfur in the air made Uchiha Onigawara's pupils constrict slightly. 

Uchiha Onigawara suddenly felt a blur before his eyes; Uchiha Akainu's figure vanished, and by the time his eyes caught him again, they were less than three meters apart! 

Too fast!!! 

"Water Style—" Uchiha Onigawara swore this was the fastest he had ever performed hand seals in his life. 

"Grand Waterfall Jutsu!!!" 

A terrifying torrent of water surged towards Uchiha Akainu, while Akainu's swollen lava arm simultaneously thrust forward. With the swing of his arm, the lava arm rapidly swelled further, until it formed an astonishingly large lava giant fist, colliding with Uchiha Onigawara's fearsome water torrent! 

The lava... 

It devoured the Water Style! 

The utterly horrifying scene made the Military Police ninja, whose katana was taken, scramble away in a panicked retreat. Even so, the splashing hot water and the even more lethal splashing lava still reached him. His facial skin was scalded by the boiling water, the intense pain almost making him grit his teeth to dust. A few drops of lava brushed past him, melting the protective vest of the Military Police due to its terrifying heat. This scared the ninja into quickly shedding his vest. 

His pupils trembled with lingering fear. "Is this jonin-level combat...? I probably don't even have the right to interfere. How did I even dare to try and stop Uchiha Onigawara on my own just now?" If Uchiha Akainu hadn't suddenly saved him, he probably would have died at Onigawara's hands. 

"The commotion came from over here! Uchiha Onigawara must be here!" 

A group of Uchiha Military Police Force ninjas quickly arrived from all directions. Pairs of Sharingan furiously scanned their surroundings, making sure Uchiha Onigawara didn't slip past them unnoticed. 

Fugaku, the head of the Military Police Force, also arrived in person, leading the charge at the very front. Just then, as a gentle breeze swept towards him, Uchiha Fugaku's nose twitched. He smelled a pungent, yet incredibly familiar scent. 

"It smells a bit like sulfur..." 

"...Akainu?!" 

"Hmph... hmph... The difference..." 

Uchiha Onigawara stumbled back a few steps, staring in horror at his suddenly missing ten fingers, feeling intense, searing pain radiating from his hands. He spoke haltingly, cold sweat streaming down his face. "The difference... is it really this vast?" 

Uchiha Onigawara let his arms fall, gazing at Uchiha Akainu, who was slowly walking towards him. The veins on his forehead pulsed as he roared, "Your power is no less than anyone in the village, including the Hokage, isn't it?! Why would someone like you... still work so hard for Konoha?!" 

"Do we proud Uchiha really have to be the Hokage's dogs? Are you going to be like Uchiha Itachi, who, despite being Uchiha, betrayed us from within?!" 

Whoosh— 

Uchiha Fugaku arrived at this crucial moment, quite by coincidence. He indeed saw Uchiha Akainu, who was confronting a disheveled Uchiha Onigawara. Fugaku instantly understood the situation. This child, Akainu... he really wasn't just reliable; he was truly dedicated to executing justice without mercy! His "Absolute Justice" wasn't just empty words. It was the ninja way he lived by! 

But in the next second, Fugaku heard Uchiha Akainu's voice. 

"I have never served Konoha. People like Uchiha Itachi are not like me either." 

Uchiha Akainu said with a profound tone, "Give me a chance to solo the Hokage, and I wouldn't hesitate. Unfortunately, while he trusts me in some ways, he also seems very wary of me, always surrounded by many Anbu." 

Fugaku: "...???" 

Chapter 47: As Long as There Are People, Evil Will Continuously Breed 

For a moment, Fugaku truly wished he was having trouble with his hearing, rather than Uchiha Akainu actually harboring such a dangerous thought. 

—Wanting to kill the Hokage but not finding the right opportunity! 

Is that something you can just casually blurt out in broad daylight? 

Even a composed person like Fugaku nearly lost his composure. 

Just then, a lot of Uchiha Police Force members started arriving. 

They quickly blocked off all the exits, giving Uchiha Onigawara no chance to escape. 

They also cast wary glances at the two figures in front of them. 

But when they saw Uchiha Akainu was also there, they visibly froze. 

"Uchiha Akainu? He... isn't he Uchiha Onigawara's relative? If I remember right, he's his nephew?" one Uchiha Police Force member muttered in surprise. 

Uchiha Onigawara was just as shocked as Fugaku. 

He'd believed that, as Uchiha Akainu's blood relative, he understood Akainu's extreme personality very well. 

Only now did he realize... 

His understanding of Uchiha Akainu was far too shallow. 

This kid is extreme beyond belief! 

He'd kill Uchiha clan members, he'd kill his own blood relatives, and he'd even kill the Hokage himself! 

In this vast ninja world... 

Is there anyone he wouldn't kill? 

The intense pain from his ten fingers blurred Uchiha Onigawara's vision. Every step Akainu took forward, Onigawara stumbled a step back. 

Uchiha Onigawara suddenly contorted his face into a sneer, his voice turning vicious: "...Akainu, honestly, isn't your so-called Absolute Justice just an excuse for you to kill? Besides, you've probably killed just as many people in Konoha as I have, haven't you? You and I, we're actually the same! We're connected by blood! We're both bloodthirsty!" 

"Akainu! Sooner or later, your mask will be torn off! Sooner or later, you'll become exactly like me! No, you'll be even more extreme than me! This is the fate dictated by the Uchiha bloodline between us!" 

In the blink of an eye, Uchiha Onigawara's vision was completely consumed by rolling lava. 

With his ten fingers melted by the lava, he was powerless to resist. 

The distance between them closed so fast he didn't even have a chance to dodge. 

"Akainu! I'll be waiting for you in the Pure Land!!!" 

—BOOM!!! 

A body, its head now missing, instantly lost all strength. 

And slumped straight backward. 

Uchiha Onigawara. 

Dead! 

[Ding! You have successfully killed a 'Red Name' villain! Your chakra has received a slight boost! Congratulations, you successfully dropped: 'Uchiha Onigawara's Sharingan Eye Power'!] 

Uchiha Akainu's arm, which had turned into lava, returned to normal. 

He stood perfectly still, his eyes closed. 

He could clearly feel a surge of eye power being rapidly absorbed and assimilated into his own Sharingan. 

This change lasted for only two brief seconds. 

To outsiders... 

He simply stood in deathly silence after slaying his own blood relative who had fallen into the abyss of evil. 

"This guy..." One Uchiha ninja wanted to go forward and check the situation, but hesitated. "He actually killed his own blood relative for his 'Absolute Justice'?" 

Another police force ninja was silent for half a second, then slowly whispered, "They say Uchiha Onigawara was Uchiha Akainu's only surviving blood relative." 

"This..." 

"No wonder he's called a rare genius in the Uchiha clan, perhaps once in decades. With such capacity, he'll surely awaken the legendary Mangekyo Sharingan someday, won't he?" 

"He seems to be closing his eyes... Hey, hey, I remember he had three tomoe. Is he really about to awaken it?" 

"No way..." 

"Tch, that 'Absolute Justice' he keeps spouting isn't just made up after all. Uchiha Onigawara tried to shake Uchiha Akainu's ninja way even as he died. He was probably thinking too much. How could someone like that be swayed?" 

During the lull in the hushed whispers, Izumi, accompanied by Kikujiro, arrived in a hurried rush. 

She leaned on her knees, panting, her small face pale. 

"Meow, Akainu-sama really did 'destroy evil for the greater good,' didn't he..." 

Izumi suddenly heard Kikujiro's shocked tone from her shoulder. 

She quickly looked up and saw Akainu-senpai standing silently before a headless corpse. 

A little lava was still flowing on the ground in front. 

She gasped in shock: "That... that corpse, could it be?" 

Kikujiro said, "That's Uchiha Onigawara. His head's missing, and his neck looks charred and blackened. No need to guess, he was definitely killed by Akainu-sama's Lava Release, meow." 

"Meow, this was Akainu-sama's only surviving blood relative. Now, Akainu-sama is truly all alone in the world." 

Izumi pursed her lips. 

"Akainu-senpai, is he... in a lot of pain right now?" 

She murmured. 

Izumi couldn't imagine how she would feel if she had to kill her own blood relative. 

Sadness? 

Pain? 

Regret? 

Sorrow? 

"Ah—" She quickly wiped the dampness from the corners of her eyes, and when she turned her head, she was met with Kikujiro's disdainful gaze. 

"Rookie, your empathy is way too strong. Good thing Akainu-sama didn't look over here, or you'd lose points, meow." 

Izumi whispered back, defending herself, "But... perhaps only those with strong empathy can truly understand how hard-won justice and fairness are." 

She took a deep breath, and while none of the police force ninjas, including Fugaku, took a step forward, she actively walked towards Uchiha Akainu. 

"...Akainu-senpai?" Izumi came to Uchiha Akainu's side, gathering her courage to prompt him. 

"Rookie, perfect timing." 

She noticed that Akainu-senpai's tone held no sorrow; it was as calm as ever, almost as if he were numb. 

Uchiha Akainu asked, "Which lesson did I teach you this from?" 

Izumi quickly stood straight and replied, "The fourth lesson! No matter what high-sounding excuses others use to commit evil, one must unswervingly carry out Absolute Justice! Even if..." 

Her memory was excellent. 

She could remember anything Akainu-senpai said after hearing it just once. 

Izumi's voice dropped a little in emotion, but then she remembered that the people around them had never understood the justice her senior believed in, so she immediately raised her voice and shouted, "Even if the blade of justice must be wielded against those you know best, those closest to you!" 

"You must not hesitate! You must strike without indulgence!" 

"You must execute justice with absolutely thorough means!!!" 

"To purge the evil of the ninja world!!!" 

Uchiha Akainu glanced at Izumi, whose small face was slightly flushed from shouting, then turned to Uchiha Fugaku who was not far away. "The rest is for you to handle." 

Fugaku's ears still echoed with the girl's resolute shouts. 

He looked at Uchiha Akainu and Izumi with a complex gaze. 

Akainu had finally passed on his "ninja way" to the new generation, it seemed! 

But could the "evil" of the ninja world truly be purged? 

—Akainu, as long as there are people, evil will continuously breed! You understand that better than anyone, don't you? 

Fugaku didn't say these words out loud. 

But he knew that after today, many in the Uchiha clan would likely have a change of heart about Akainu. 

Chapter 48: Uchiha Akainu's "Capacity" 

Night fell. 

In just half a day, the story of Uchiha Akainu killing his sole remaining blood relative, Uchiha Onigawara, despite their familial ties, spread rapidly through word-of-mouth. It caused quite a stir, especially within the Uchiha clan. 

After finishing his duties for the day, Fugaku returned home to find his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi, also back from the Anbu. At that moment, Itachi was playing with his younger brother, Sasuke. Of course, it was mainly Sasuke clinging to Itachi. 

"I've heard," Uchiha Itachi said, gently prying Sasuke's small hands away. He looked at his father, with whom he often disagreed, and continued, "Whether it was Uchiha Akainu killing the Hokage's eldest son a while ago, or Uchiha Akainu killing Uchiha Onigawara today... I know all about it." 

Fugaku also looked at his son, who always filled him with such pride, even if their views sometimes differed. He believed that Uchiha Itachi would eventually shoulder the burden of the Uchiha clan, leading it to a more glorious future. 

Then, Uchiha Itachi continued, "Shisui once told me that Uchiha Akainu's 'capacity' far exceeds anyone's imagination. Looking at the current situation, Shisui was right." 

"After today, there might be quite a few extreme Uchiha individuals who will want to follow that man's 'Absolute Justice.'" 

"Father." Uchiha Itachi gazed at the silent Fugaku, speaking earnestly, "This isn't good for either the clan or Konoha. Uchiha Akainu's 'Absolute Justice' is indeed admirable and respectable. However..." 

"His kind of justice, which disregards the village's overall situation, is too extreme. Uchiha Akainu's stance is independent of the village; you must see that clearly, Father, right?" 

After more than a minute of silence, Fugaku, who had been listening intently to his eldest son, finally nodded slightly. 

Fugaku asked, "What are your thoughts, Itachi?" 

Uchiha Itachi lowered his gaze. "Father, as the clan leader, you should restrain Uchiha Akainu's actions. Today, his blade of justice was turned inward, towards the Uchiha clan, so it won't cause too much upheaval for the village for now." 

"But if he, like before, turns his blade of justice outwards, towards Konoha, he might be able to bear the resulting turmoil, but the Uchiha clan won't. The balance will be broken." 

A hint of relief flickered in Fugaku's eyes. This was one of the few points where he and Uchiha Itachi shared the same opinion. Neither of them wanted the balance to be broken; they both hoped for peaceful coexistence between the village and the Uchiha clan. 

However... the word "peace" felt particularly heavy to both father and son. 

"Itachi, but I can't restrain him," Fugaku sighed. This was his greatest helplessness. While Uchiha Akainu showed no hostility towards him, he had never truly acknowledged him. Fugaku didn't even understand why. 

"Father." Itachi remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Sometimes, for the greater good, for Konoha, you need to be decisive." 

Fugaku's eyes suddenly narrowed. He stared at Uchiha Itachi, took a deep breath, and said, word for word, "Itachi, you are my chosen successor for the Uchiha clan. As long as Akainu does not betray the Uchiha clan, does not betray Konoha, you must never, ever harm your own clansmen!" 

Itachi lowered his head but remained silent. 

On the other side of the Uchiha compound, a gathering of Uchiha hawks, led by Uchiha Setsuna, who advocated for confrontation with Konoha's higher-ups and a coup d'état across the village, were all assembled. The radical hawk faction, encompassing old, middle-aged, and young Uchiha ninja, numbered well over a hundred, nearly filling the entire hall. It was precisely their large numbers that compelled the clan leader to accept some of their views. 

"Tch, that Uchiha Akainu, he really has some 'capacity.'" A young Uchiha, arms crossed, remarked. "I used to scoff at his so-called 'Absolute Justice.' But I never expected him to actually wield his blade against a close relative for it. I saw him kill Uchiha Onigawara with my own eyes; I even felt he didn't hesitate for a moment." 

Another young Uchiha enthusiastically added, "Isn't this what our Police Force should be doing? Whether it's a blood relative or the so-called Hokage standing in our way, we should wield our blade against them without hesitation!" 

"Actually, we should try to bring Uchiha Akainu over to our side. We can't let those weaklings get to him first." The "weaklings" he referred to were the moderate faction within the Uchiha clan, who advocated for peaceful coexistence with the village. The two factions had been at odds for a long time, sometimes even resorting to physical conflict due to their differing opinions. 

"Uchiha Akainu's capacity is indeed sufficient," someone nodded in agreement. "And his strength is also formidable. With him joining us, our power will completely overwhelm those softies." 

"..." 

Uchiha Setsuna, kneeling on a soft cushion, frowned, listening to the discussions of the younger generation. He felt an inexplicable anger bubbling inside him—Uchiha Setsuna still resented Uchiha Akainu for preventing him from accessing the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He clearly remembered the chilling killing intent in that young man's eyes at the time! For years, he hadn't felt his life threatened, but he felt it from Uchiha Akainu. 

Tap! Tap! Tap! 

Uchiha Setsuna gently tapped the ground with his fingertips, gradually quieting the heated discussions in the hall. All eyes turned to him. 

"Have you forgotten? Uchiha Onigawara, who was cruelly murdered by Uchiha Akainu, was once one of us! He killed our comrade! Our elite Uchiha!" Uchiha Setsuna's grim gaze swept over them, causing some excited young Uchiha hawks to hastily lower their heads. 

Uchiha Setsuna's voice was hoarse as he characterized Uchiha Akainu's "kinslaying" act: "Uchiha Akainu has, from beginning to end, never considered our side!" 

"You think he'll stand with us? Hmph! Naive! His blade will, sooner or later, even turn against us!" 

"An Uchiha who turns his blade against his own clansmen is disloyal to the Uchiha clan!!!" 

Uchiha Setsuna's cloudy eyes gleamed with a chilling light. 

"While the weak people within the clan are certainly stumbling blocks to the Uchiha's progress, Uchiha Akainu..." 

"He is a burning explosive tag." 

"He will blow us all up!" 

Chapter 49: Endorsement of Absolute Justice 

Meanwhile, as dusk fully settled, Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his aching temples and let out a heavy sigh. However, the gloomy expression lingering on his old face wasn't so easy to shake off. 

He had wanted Shinnosuke to have a peaceful final journey today. But who would have thought that Uchiha Akainu would suddenly appear out of nowhere? Hiruzen felt incredibly conflicted about Akainu's actions today. 

From an official standpoint, he should support Akainu in upholding justice. After all, Yamada Toshijiro's actions had utterly violated the Land of Fire's laws. Even if Akainu's methods were extreme, directly having his subordinate kill the man... Hiruzen still felt that Akainu hadn't done anything wrong. 

But, on a personal level, he was Sarutobi Shinnosuke's father. For a father, such a deeply jarring incident at his eldest son's funeral was a huge provocation and source of pain. Not to mention, it was Akainu who had killed Shinnosuke! 

"Hmph..." 

Hiruzen murmured, "But Konoha can't afford an unprepared civil war. The pillars of the village are dwindling... Akainu, he's one of the few young shinobi capable of shouldering that responsibility." 

"Even if an Uchiha can't become Hokage, in the future, he could replace Danzo, or Homura, or Koharu." 

This kind of single-minded, conflicting dilemma made even him unsure of his own emotions. 

Hiruzen shook off his grim mood, preparing to leave the Hokage's office. Just then, an Anbu ninja suddenly leaped in through the open window. He knelt before Hiruzen and quickly reported, "Lord Hokage, Uchiha Akainu killed his only living blood relative, 'Uchiha Onigawara,' today." 

Hiruzen's steps faltered. "Uchiha Onigawara... is that the one suspected of brutally murdering two Anbu comrades during a mission outside the village?" Hiruzen was familiar with the name Uchiha Onigawara because he had once been an Anbu member. It was also Hiruzen who had ordered Onigawara's temporary suspension for investigation. 

"Yes," the Anbu ninja nodded. 

Hiruzen mumbled, "Since Akainu killed him, that means I didn't misjudge him." He suddenly thought of something and asked directly, "Was Uchiha Onigawara Akainu's only living blood relative?" 

"Yes." The Anbu's answer was the same as before, though with a subtly undetectable tremor in his voice. Clearly, Akainu's actions had shocked even the battle-hardened Anbu ninja. 

Hiruzen fell silent as well. "Unforgiving 'Absolute Justice,' huh..." It was unclear how long he remained silent before he finally uttered those words with a complex expression. Hiruzen vaguely understood what Uchiha Akainu's "Absolute Justice" truly entailed. 

"Hmph..." 

"Akainu, it's precisely because you're so exceptional, and so truly committed to justice, that I can't let the hatred from Shinnosuke's incident turn you into my enemy..." 

"Hmph! Just as I thought, he's a naturally evil Uchiha brat! Someone who won't even spare his own blood relatives is nothing but an emotionless killing machine. The evil blood flowing through the Uchiha clan shouldn't even exist in this world!" 

Elsewhere, Danzo had also received word from his Root ninja. "The Uchiha eyes conceal an evil power unimaginable to ordinary people. This power requires immense emotional stimulation to have a chance of being activated." 

Danzo's eyes narrowed, his gaze flickering with suspicion and danger. He was interpreting Uchiha Akainu's actions in the most malicious light possible. He suddenly thought of Uchiha Shisui. Shisui's eyes possessed what was rumored to be the most evil power of the Uchiha clan. It was precisely because Uchiha Shisui was "guilty by possession," and his "guilt" was so great that the entire Konoha leadership feared him, that Danzo couldn't resist attempting to assassinate him and seize his Mangekyo Sharingan! 

Now... Danzo began to suspect if Uchiha Akainu had awakened a Mangekyo Sharingan similar to Shisui's. Did he also possess that kind of terrifying, evil power? Feeling the occasional slight sting in his left ear, Danzo's apprehension turned into rising fury. He gnashed his teeth and whispered, "Monkey, if you hadn't stopped me that day, I would have already crushed this evil Uchiha brat, who threatens the village, in his cradle!" 

His anger wasn't just directed at Akainu; it also extended to Hiruzen Sarutobi. Even though Danzo knew that the probability of Akainu awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan wasn't very high—otherwise, he wouldn't have had to wait so many years to find only one Uchiha Shisui. But once this suspicion surfaced in his mind, he couldn't suppress it. It spread like weeds, taking root and growing within Danzo's mind, making his expression fluctuate between dark and uncertain. 

"Uchiha Akainu..." 

"Sharingan..." 

"Today's the second time I've killed someone!" Izumi submerged herself entirely in the bathtub, her hair floating on the steaming water. Only a small part of her head was visible, and her mumbled words sounded like "gurgle, gurgle." 

The first time she killed, Izumi remembered it clearly; she was anxious all night. Even after returning home, she worried she'd be captured by the Anbu. Now, she felt somewhat used to it. She realized she no longer felt any apprehension; in fact, the discomfort of killing had long since vanished. 

"And..." She lightly clutched her chest, her head emerging from the water as she murmured to herself in confusion, "Why do I feel a sense of secret joy? I'm not some crazy killer; it can't be because I killed someone that this strange feeling popped up, right?" 

Izumi stood up, stepped out of the bathtub, and after lightly rinsing off the soap, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind. She suddenly understood. 

"—It's approval!" 

She realized that the reason she felt secret joy was because she discovered that within the Uchiha clan, there were now people other than herself who approved of Senior Akainu's Absolute Justice! And there were quite a few of them! After all, on her way home after saying goodbye to Senior Akainu today, she had heard many people discussing him. And it wasn't negative discussion! Even if their admiration was just a strange reverence for his extreme methods, born from a desire for strength. 

But... at least it was a good start. 

"Father, I want to meet Uchiha Akainu." At the dinner table, Uchiha Itachi said with a serious expression to Fugaku. 

Author's Note: Recommending a friend's new Naruto book! "Naruto: Starting as Tsunade's Golden Finger" Hakumoku transmigrated to "Naruto," but lost his physical body. Fortunately, his soul can bind to a host. As long as the host completes his missions and works for him, he can acquire everything in the heavens and earth, restore his body, and embark on an invincible path. 

Chapter 50: Uchiha Akainu and Uchiha Itachi 

Itachi Uchiha's single sentence instantly plunged the dinner table into an awkward silence. It wasn't until a bewildered Sasuke Uchiha reached out with his chopsticks for a piece of tempura that the stillness was broken. 

Sasuke suddenly realized something was off, and his small hand froze. He looked left, then right, noticing that his father, his mother, and even his beloved older brother were all completely still in their chairs. Sasuke also observed that his brother was looking at his father, and both his father and mother were looking at his brother. 

"What's wrong with you guys?" Sasuke swallowed, unable to resist breaking the silence. 

But his father ignored him, speaking directly to Itachi. "Itachi, I told you this afternoon, at such a critical moment, I absolutely won't allow you to harm our own clan members without a proper reason." 

"Furthermore..." 

Fugaku said gravely, "You and Akainu are both prodigies who can shoulder the Uchiha clan's future. If you two clash, how will others view our clan? We're already heavily ostracized; if they discover severe internal discord, the Uchiha's situation will become even more precarious." 

"Itachi, even though you're only twelve, you should understand what I'm saying. You're a mature child for your age." 

Itachi shook his head. "Father, I won't clash with him," he stated expressionlessly. "I just want to talk with Uchiha Akainu." 

A moment later, Itachi added, "I promise." 

The next day, before dawn, Itachi Uchiha stood before a modest two-story house. There were faint dark circles under his eyes, a clear sign he hadn't slept well. He looked up, his gaze falling on the doorbell. 

"Ring it." 

A slightly deep voice sounded from behind Itachi: "Didn't you say you just wanted to talk with Akainu?" 

It was Fugaku! 

Fugaku believed that since Itachi had given him his word, he absolutely wouldn't use force against Uchiha Akainu. He prided himself on understanding his eldest son, whom he was so proud of. 

However... 

He also prided himself on understanding Uchiha Akainu quite well, and Fugaku wasn't entirely sure if Akainu would attack Itachi. After all, Akainu had made a move once several years ago. Although Akainu seemed to have "calmed down" since then, even occasionally crossing paths with Itachi only resulted in a brief exchange of glances, Fugaku still didn't want to risk it. 

So he followed. 

But just then, both Itachi and Fugaku simultaneously shifted their gaze upwards. They both saw an orange ninja cat perched on the second-floor balcony railing, its eyes watching them. 

Such a fat cat. 

That was both father and son's first impression. 

"It's Akainu's ninja cat," Fugaku told Itachi. "A very formidable ninja cat. It's been with Akainu since the Third Great Ninja War, accompanying him on the battlefield. It's said that even elite jonin find it hard to catch this ninja cat." 

"I recognize it," Itachi said indifferently. "The day Uchiha Akainu and I had our physical confrontation, this ninja cat left three deep claw marks on my ankle. The scars are still there." 

Fugaku fell silent. It seemed that even the ninja cats around Uchiha Akainu were no ordinary creatures! 

"Lord Fugaku." 

Kikujirō (the cat) still gave Fugaku some respect. But it showed no such courtesy to Itachi, not even greeting him. Kikujirō licked a paw, then added, "Lord Akainu is already in the living room downstairs, and the tea's ready, meow. No need to ring the bell; the door's open, just push it and come in." 

Fugaku was startled. He quickly realized that his eldest son had been standing at the door for over three minutes without ringing the bell. It was clear that Uchiha Akainu had detected them the moment they arrived. 

Itachi stepped forward and pushed the door open. This was his first time entering this place, and it was the first time in several years that he stood face-to-face with Uchiha Akainu—this young man, several years his senior, was Shisui's peer, perhaps even a little older than Shisui. His reputation within the Uchiha clan had once rivaled Shisui's. 

Fugaku followed him in. Fugaku found himself the most nervous of the three. He feared that the two young men before him might resort to violence. He was ready to intervene. Even if it meant revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan, he couldn't stand by and watch two Uchiha prodigies destroy each other in an internal conflict. 

Itachi Uchiha didn't sit down. He walked over to a sofa, looking at Uchiha Akainu, who sat there dressed in casual home clothes. 

"I thought the first thing that would greet me upon entering would be a surge of molten lava. I was prepared for a death match." 

Itachi glanced again at the steaming cups of strong tea on the coffee table. The tension in his mind eased slightly. What he said wasn't just polite talk; it was his genuine thought. Facing a man who was once as renowned as Shisui, Itachi wasn't careless in the slightest. Even with his legendary eyes, he wasn't overconfident—because he wasn't sure if the man before him, whose "capacity" was equally astonishing... also possessed such eyes, like himself and Shisui. 

Itachi unfastened his ninja blade from his waist, placed it aside, and spoke without inflection. "There's something about that incident years ago that has always puzzled me. As far as I can recall, I never offended you." 

"So, why did you want to kill me?" 

Meanwhile, not far from the house, Izumi Uchiha, who had learned her lesson from being late before, had woken up before dawn and rushed to Senior Akainu's residence. 

"Ah, finally here..." 

But just then, she suddenly noticed that the door to Senior Akainu's residence was open! The young girl was momentarily stunned. The absurd thought that "Senior's house was robbed" flashed through her mind, and she quickly dismissed it. Izumi figured there wouldn't be anyone foolish enough in Konoha to try and steal from Senior Akainu's house, right? 

With a hint of curiosity, Izumi patted her sleepy, listless face. She quickened her pace and walked over. 

"Senior! Uchiha Izumi, Military Police cadet, reporting for duty!" The young girl raised a hand and shouted energetically from the doorway, drawing all three gazes from inside. 

"Eh?" 

"Eh!" 

Izumi hadn't expected to find Clan Head Fugaku and Itachi-kun at Senior Akainu's house! 

Gulp! 

Was she here at a bad time?