*Chapter 288: Sasuke, I'm Coming for You*

"Leave now! From now on, keep yourselves hidden, and even change the family name of your children!"

"If there's nothing urgent, don't reveal the Sharingan."

Fugaku had approached the remaining two or three clansmen.

He was about to leave, but he couldn’t take his clansmen with him.

These people would have to carry on the Uchiha will and continue living in the ninja world.

As for what would happen to them in the future, Uchiha Fugaku didn't dwell on it.

The Uchiha clan had fallen so far already, how much worse could things get?

With their strength as Jonin, they could at least survive in the ninja world for another ten years or so.

As long as they weren’t discovered by Konoha or the other hidden villages, there wouldn’t be much of a problem.

Unlike the Uzumaki clan with their distinct red hair, the Uchiha didn’t have any obvious identifying features.

If they truly wanted to hide, they’d blend in with ordinary people.

As long as they didn’t reveal their Sharingan, even the Byakugan wouldn’t be able to tell them apart.

If they wanted to, they could live out their lives peacefully.

"Clan leader, are you leaving us?"

One of them stared at Uchiha Fugaku in shock.

Hadn't they agreed to rebuild the Uchiha clan together, to one day return to Konoha and take control?

To let the Uchiha flourish again within the village?

Why was the clan leader suddenly planning to abandon them?

"I'm leaving because my youngest son, Uchiha Sasuke, has appeared. But I fear this may be a trap set by Uchiha Raijin."

"Even if it’s a trap, I need to go and face it. I need to know what Uchiha Raijin is really up to."

Fugaku didn’t hide anything and explained everything he knew.

He wanted to meet Uchiha Raijin and find out his true intentions.

And...

If Raijin wanted the Mangekyou Sharingan, Fugaku would willingly give up his own eyes, as long as his son Sasuke remained unharmed.

"Uchiha Sasuke!"

The few remaining Uchiha looked alarmed. They knew that Sasuke and the others had been taken by Uchiha Raijin.

For Fugaku, this was clearly a trap—a one-way journey with no return.

Who knew what awaited him?

"From now on, don’t get involved in the affairs of the ninja world! Find a place to hide."

"Once the clan has grown stronger, then you can think about the future."

With that, Fugaku turned and left, leaving behind the bewildered Uchihas.

They watched his retreating figure, feeling like the man had found some sense of relief.

But!

Uchiha Fugaku, you might be free now, but we aren’t.

The remaining Uchihas were simmering with frustration.

Why had they even supported this clan leader?

What good was it to follow him?

He was abandoning them now, to go after his son.

If they'd known this earlier, they would’ve sided with Uchiha Raijin instead.

At least then, they’d be living better lives.

Now they were homeless, without even a stable place to stay.

And Fugaku, just like that, was walking away from them.

What a complete bastard.

Their anger boiled inside, but there was nothing they could do.

"What now? Should we leave Takigakure?"

One of them asked. It wasn’t as though they were attached to Takigakure.

This wasn’t their home; they had only stayed because the village leader was easy to manipulate.

They had been able to live here and use the village’s intelligence network to gather information on the ninja world.

Takigakure, after all, was a village with a tailed beast, which made it more valuable than some of the smaller nations.

Though it couldn’t compare to the great nations, it had provided them with convenience.

But before they could enjoy those benefits, their clan leader had decided to run away.

"Let’s leave! There's no reason to stay here any longer."

The three Uchiha looked grim and began planning to leave with their families.

"Hello!"

Suddenly, a white head emerged from the ground.

It called out to the three Uchiha.

Immediately, their expressions changed, and they eyed the newcomer warily.

"You're from the Uchiha clan, right?"

The white creature, Zetsu, lifted its head and looked at the three.

"Who are you?"

The Uchiha surrounded Zetsu, raising their kunai.

If Zetsu made a single wrong move, they would slit his throat.

They had been hiding for so long in the ninja world, always aware that many coveted their bloodline.

"Me? I’m White Zetsu, from Lord Raijin’s side! I happened to be passing through! Would you like to come back with me to see Lord Raijin?"

Zetsu wore a goofy smile as he looked at them.

He had just stumbled upon this area and sensed the presence of unusual chakra.

With Fugaku gone, bringing these Uchiha back to Raijin would earn him some merit.

Maybe even a few days off!

Well, assuming he didn’t die in the upcoming war between the ninja world and the White Zetsu army.

"Lord Raijin?"

A few people exchanged glances, seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.

They had been wandering for so long, and finally, they had found an organization.

They felt like crying!

In their hearts, they kept thanking Lord Fugaku!

If Lord Fugaku hadn’t abandoned them, they wouldn’t have had such a fortunate opportunity.

Although Lord Fugaku's actions were not honorable,

he gave them a new life!

"We've been wanting to join Lord Leiren for a long time!"

"Exactly! After wandering for years, following Fugaku for so long, we realized Fugaku couldn't save the Uchiha."

"Please, give us a chance. We want to meet Uchiha Leiren right now."

The three knelt before White Zetsu, their faces full of excitement.

Life in the ninja world was pure torment.

Previously, they still had some hope in Fugaku,

hoping he could revive the Uchiha clan in the ninja world.

But Fugaku crushed their hopes time and time again,

never giving them a chance to reignite their dreams.

Now Fugaku was gone, off to find his younger son,

leaving them behind without a second thought.

They thought they’d have to continue wandering.

But unexpectedly!

At this moment, Uchiha Leiren appeared,

becoming the only light in their hearts.

"Ah, really!"

White Zetsu was stunned, his first time receiving such a grand gesture.

They had just met, and these people were already kneeling before him, making White Zetsu a little embarrassed.

Why are they so enthusiastic!

"Alright, alright! Follow me, and soon you’ll meet the others."

White Zetsu snapped out of his daze and quickly nodded.

These three represented thirty-three people, after all.

Each one could add eleven more Uchiha to Dressrosa.

After all, thanks to Kakashi's efforts, the Uchiha men were practically required to marry and have ten children each.

Now most Uchiha men had five or six wives, working day and night.

At this point!

White Zetsu could already imagine the countless rewards waiting for him when he returned.

"White Zetsu, any other information?"

That night, Sasuke sat by the campfire, poking at the flames, and asked.

The ninja world was so vast that finding one person was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Sasuke’s sharp gaze was fixed on the fire. He had been searching for information on Uchiha Fugaku for days,

but whether it was Konoha or others, no one knew anything about Fugaku.

It was as if these people had vanished into thin air, and Sasuke felt his patience wearing thin.

"We found it! One of the White Zetsus saw a few Uchiha in Takigakure."

"As for Uchiha Fugaku, he’s already left Takigakure. It’s said he discovered your whereabouts and plans to find you."

"Sasuke, who would’ve thought your dad still cares about you?"

White Zetsu said, shaking his head.

They originally had no leads, but now Uchiha Fugaku had surfaced, which was a good thing.

Their White Zetsu had spread across the world, and even though they hadn’t synced perfectly with Obito’s White Zetsu,

they had agents throughout the ninja world. Any information would reach them in no time.

But for a ninja like Uchiha Fugaku, if he didn’t want to be found,

even White Zetsu would have a hard time tracking him.

"Uchiha Fugaku."

Sasuke’s expression changed, and he snapped the stick in his hand.

"If he’s coming to find me, then you give him a message!"

"Tell him to come to the Land of Waves to find me. I’ll be waiting for him there, and then..."

"I will personally kill this traitor of the Uchiha clan."

Sasuke’s eyes were filled with killing intent, his aura terrifying.

It was because of the two traitors in his family

that he and his mother had suffered so much abuse.

He had even nearly been beaten to death at the ninja academy.

"No problem! I’ll pass along the message!"

White Zetsu grinned and nodded before sinking into the ground and disappearing.

By the campfire, only two people remained, and Ace hadn’t said a word the entire time.

During this period, he hadn’t been idle either; he’d been gathering some information.

After learning about the Uchiha clan’s reputation and history,

Ace fell silent!

Sasuke had clearly made up his mind, and Ace wasn’t planning to stop him.

It might be hard to accept, but if he interfered, Sasuke's hatred would likely remain unresolved.

"I’ll stand by your side and make sure no one interferes."

Ace finally broke the silence after a long pause.

"Alright."

Sasuke too fell silent, his memories flooding back.

Back to before he was six years old.

At that time, nothing had gone wrong within the Uchiha clan,

and his family was still harmonious.

"Sasuke is in the Land of Waves?"

"Whatever, Leiren didn’t ask me to interfere, so I’ll just do what I need to do."

"Miss Kushina, I’ll need your help next."

Zephyr muttered to himself, not planning to meddle further.

His next task was to capture a tailed beast.

Dressrosa was in need of some energy resources,

and everyone who came on this trip had a role to play.

Some were tasked with capturing tailed beasts, others with collecting metal.

"Of course! Capturing tailed beasts is my specialty."

Uzumaki Kushina rolled up her sleeves, brimming with excitement.

It had been a long time since she had fought. Day after day in Dressrosa, she had been researching sealing techniques,

and it was driving her crazy. Finally, she could get some fresh air.

Although they had returned to the ninja world, she could accept it for now.

"Sanbi has been located by White Zetsu; it’s living in a lake."

"Seems like the Hidden Mist Village couldn’t find a suitable jinchūriki, so they haven’t sealed it yet."

A ninja beside Zephyr spoke up, his Byakugan scanning the lake continuously.

He had already taken in all the details of what was under the water.

When his Byakugan caught sight of the massive creature, it was like seeing a blazing fireball.

The amount of chakra in it was terrifying.

"Let’s capture the Sanbi first."

Zephyr nodded, his eyes scanning the group.

But he couldn’t pick anyone suitable for the task, feeling a little helpless.

Did he bring a team that was too weak?

"Zephyr-sensei, how about I go?"

At that moment, a young, delicate-looking boy stepped forward and spoke.

Though he had a soft face, he was undoubtedly a boy.

It was Haku, who possessed the Ice Release kekkei genkai.

"Alright, you just need to lure the Sanbi out. Don’t overdo it!"

"And be careful!"

Zephyr nodded.

"Got it!"

Haku smiled gently before turning and running toward the lake.

In one swift leap, he dived into the water, swimming downward.

Moments later, boom!

A massive splash erupted on the lake's surface, and soon, a huge, terrifying head emerged.

Its gaping maw opened wide, aiming to devour the small figure.

One wrong move, and Haku would become its next meal.

"Hahaha, this big guy isn’t much different from the Sea Kings!"

At that moment, a hearty laugh rang out, and a towering figure leaped over Haku.

With a giant fist wrapped in Haki, the man charged straight at the monstrous beast.

A wild grin spread across his face.

Even faced with a creature as large as a mountain, he showed no fear.

The Sanbi opened its jaws wide, aiming to bite the man in half.

But in the blink of an eye, he vanished.

The Sanbi scanned its surroundings, only to find the man running on air,

rushing at incredible speed toward it.

Boom!

The mountain-sized figure was sent crashing into the lake,

causing a massive wave that shook the ground.

"Lord Zephyr! The Sanbi is trying to escape!"

A Hyuga clan ninja shouted in alarm.

"Kushina, it’s your turn!"

Zephyr was a bit surprised but quickly turned his attention to Uzumaki Kushina.

He thought the tailed beast might put up more of a fight, giving him a bit of a warm-up.

But to his surprise, it was already trying to flee.

Were all tailed beasts this cowardly?

"Leave it to me!"

Kushina nodded, and six golden chains instantly shot out from her back,

racing toward the fleeing tailed beast at the lake’s bottom.

Snap!

In an instant, it was bound tightly.

(End of the chapter.)