41-45

*Chapter 41: Sarutobi Shinonosuke Dies, Meets Fugaku*

"Captain, it seems like something just dropped," whispered one of the Anbu to Sarutobi Shinonosuke.

"Quick, go check it out," Shinonosuke said with a frown, a growing sense of unease creeping over him.

The Anbu ninja nodded and moved forward, but suddenly, a pure white blade pierced through his chest.

With a scream, the Anbu ninja died instantly.

"Shimada!" Shinonosuke gasped in shock, quickly pulling away from the fallen Anbu named Shimada. Two remaining Anbu members immediately drew their swords, standing ready for whatever was coming.

Just then, Shinonosuke felt something underfoot. Looking down, he saw his wife's severed head, her eyes bulging with terror, lifeless beyond any hope.

"Shizune!!!" Shinonosuke roared, his eyes bloodshot. He glared at Shimada's impaled body and demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

"Ora ora... You were just looking for me, weren’t you? Well, here I am." Slowly emerging from the shadows, Aizen wiped his blade clean, his face hidden behind a smiling mask.

"It's you, Fujiwara Aizen!" Shinonosuke was enraged, murderous intent clear in his eyes. But years of experience as a seasoned Konoha jonin kicked in, and he quickly regained his composure. He exchanged glances with the two Anbu beside him.

The two Anbu nodded, forming hand seals rapidly. They planted their swords into the ground, chakra building up in their throats.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

"Wind Style: Gale Slash!"

The Sarutobi clan was known for their expertise in Fire Style, and these Anbu were no exception, on par with most Uchiha clan members.

Shinonosuke, proficient in Wind Style, leaped behind them, his left hand forming seals quickly. He exhaled a wind pressure that enveloped their blades.

The fire jutsu served as a feint. The plan was for Shinonosuke to use his Wind Style to finish Aizen off while he dodged.

They had honed this strategy for years, taking down countless strong enemies with it.

"Too slow."

Before they could unleash their jutsu, Aizen had already appeared in front of the two Anbu. With a single slash, their heads rolled, and the Fire Dragon technique fizzled out.

Shinonosuke's face darkened. This level of speed far surpassed what he could handle. It reminded him of the late Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

But there was no time to dwell on that. While Aizen was busy killing his comrades, Shinonosuke swung his wind-imbued sword at him.

Aizen stood still, watching the wind blade approach.

Just when Shinonosuke thought Aizen had no chance to dodge, Aizen calmly raised his left hand and extended his index finger.

Ding.

The wind blade was stopped, caught by Aizen’s bare hand.

"Impressive Wind Style. You've mastered wind chakra manipulation to a remarkable degree. But unfortunately, it’s useless. A ninja's fight is one of chakra. With the weak wind pressure your chakra generates, I only need to gather fire chakra in my hand to neutralize it."

Aizen curled his finger and pinched the blade. In Shinonosuke’s stunned gaze, he effortlessly slashed downward.

Swoosh!

Blood sprayed everywhere.

A massive, gruesome wound ran from Shinonosuke's right shoulder to his left hip.

"This… can't be..." Shinonosuke murmured weakly, his sword falling from his hand as he collapsed, unwilling to accept his fate.

"Well, that took long enough. Hopefully, I’m still on time. I can’t miss out on Fugaku's Mangekyo Sharingan," Aizen thought as he flicked the blood off his blade. Without another glance at Shinonosuke, he vanished into the night, rushing toward the house of the man he was seeking.

After Aizen left, a large plant-like figure slowly emerged from the ground. It was Zetsu. White Zetsu remarked, "That guy’s way too strong. Catching a wind blade with one finger? Even Lord Madara before awakening the Rinnegan wouldn’t dare try that."

"It seems he’s mastered a ninjutsu similar to the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Armor," Black Zetsu speculated.

"So what now? Should we follow him? Itachi was ordered to kill Aizen, and he doesn’t know yet that Aizen’s joined Akatsuki. If either one of them dies, Akatsuki will lose a valuable member," White Zetsu said.

Black Zetsu thought for a moment before replying, "Let’s go find Tobi. A battle between Mangekyo Sharingan and Sage Techniques isn’t something we should get involved in."

With those words, the giant plant-like creature sank back into the ground, disappearing from sight.

Meanwhile, Aizen had arrived at the house of the grieving Uchiha family.

Sensing the chakras of Fugaku, his wife Mikoto, and Itachi in the distance slaughtering the Uchiha clan, Aizen murmured, "Looks like I made it just in time."

With that, he pushed open the door and walked inside. He found Fugaku and Mikoto kneeling on tatami mats, waiting for their son to end their lives.

"You?" Fugaku said, surprised to see him. Mikoto was equally taken aback.

Fugaku then asked, "Did the Third Hokage and Danzo send you to kill us? You don’t need to. If possible, I’d prefer to die by my son’s hand."

"Who said I was here to kill you? You just used a shadow clone to meet with that traitor Itachi, didn’t you? Have you seen me kill any Uchiha?" Aizen rolled his eyes. In his mind, he added, At most, I’ll just take your bloodline and Sharingan after Itachi kills you.

"Then why are you here?" Fugaku asked, realizing that what Aizen said made sense.

"Nothing much. I’m just here to claim your Mangekyo Sharingan after your beloved son kills you."

"It’s better for your eyes to end up with me than in the hands of Danzo or someone with malicious intent. At least, because of Izumi, I won’t harm the Uchiha."

Aizen spoke frankly, casting a glance at Mikoto.

She had long, sleek black hair that cascaded over her shoulders, giving her a soft, graceful appearance. She wore a form-fitting lavender dress that perfectly outlined her mature curves. Her snow-white legs gleamed beneath the dress, and her slender waist was accentuated by a white belt, emphasizing her delicate figure.

She truly embodied the image of a traditional Japanese beauty.

To someone like Aizen, who had never experienced maternal love, Mikoto exuded an overwhelming sense of warmth and vulnerability.

He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. What a beautiful woman. It’s such a shame she’s about to die.

---

P.S. Second update. Please vote for recommendations and monthly tickets!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 42: Fugaku’s Mangekyō, He Saw the Future*

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Fugaku activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and froze for a moment. Then, a smile of understanding spread across his face. "I see. It looks like you're planning to leave this village with Izumi."

"How did you know? Is it because of your Mangekyō Sharingan's ability?" Aizen removed his mask, already having a guess in his mind.

In the original story, Fugaku once showed the heir a blurred glimpse of the future through his exposed Mangekyō Sharingan.

As expected, Fugaku’s Mangekyō ability was similar to the prophetic dreams of the Great Toad Sage from Mount Myoboku.

He could vaguely see a glimpse of the future.

Thinking about it, it wasn’t impossible.

The Sharingan is revered as the Eye that Reflects the Soul.

Shisui wished for peace between the village and his clan, so his eye gave birth to Kotoamatsukami, the ability to change a person’s will.

Sasuke, driven by anger towards the Leaf Village, manifested Amaterasu and Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi, powers that could burn anything.

Itachi, torn between his loyalty to the Leaf and his Uchiha heritage, became confused and lost himself, leading to the birth of Tsukuyomi; later, while in the Akatsuki, when Kisame protected him by fending off a Tailed Beast Bomb, Itachi awakened the power of Amaterasu to defeat the Three-Tails Jinchūriki.

As for Fugaku, he was constantly worried about the future of the Uchiha Clan but powerless to change things.

Thus, it wasn’t surprising that his eye awakened an ability to foresee the future.

Fugaku's next words confirmed Aizen’s suspicions. "The name of my eye technique is Takamagahara. The left eye sees five seconds into the future, while the right eye sees events from the last five minutes. When used together, if luck is on my side, I can catch a blurred glimpse of the distant future."

"Aizen, it seems you’ve killed quite a few from the Sarutobi Clan."

Aizen chuckled softly, "Not just a few—I'd say I wiped out the entire Sarutobi Clan. Only Hiruzen, Asuma, and Konohamaru are left. And by the way, I didn’t spare the Shimura Clan either. Aside from that old geezer Danzo, I’ve exterminated them completely."

"Those two old men dared to use Izumi as a bargaining chip, expecting me to destroy the Uchiha Clan in exchange for her. At the same time, they ordered your beloved son to kill both Izumi and me."

"Since they dared to target me, they should be prepared to pay the price."

"And besides, this could be seen as avenging your Uchiha Clan, couldn't it?"

"I see... If the Third Hokage and Danzo find out, they’ll probably be furious," Uchiha Fugaku laughed, a look of relief on his face. "Aizen, on behalf of all the fallen Uchiha, I thank you."

Saying this, he bowed low to Aizen in a kneeling position.

But then Fugaku’s expression changed. His smile faded, and he asked, "Aizen, do you know why I trusted you back then, even though I knew you were a spy sent by the higher-ups of Konoha?"

"Isn’t it because of your brainwashed son, who's destined to kill you and your wife?" Aizen sneered.

Fugaku laughed bitterly, "That’s part of it. But more importantly, I saw hope for the revival of the Uchiha Clan in you."

"Hope for the Uchiha’s revival?" Aizen was taken aback. Almost all of the Uchiha Clan was dead now. Even by the end of the story, the Uchiha never truly revived.

Only one son was left, lonely and missing an arm.

(P.S. The "end" refers to the conclusion of Shippuden. Garbage like Boruto will not be acknowledged by the author, nor will its setting.

Furthermore, Hinata has already been claimed by the protagonist, so Boruto won’t happen.

To repeat three times for emphasis:

Boruto is not Naruto!

Boruto is not Naruto!!

Boruto is not Naruto!!!)

"Back then, I saw you surrounded by many children who had awakened the Sharingan. At first, I thought they were Uchiha survivors you rescued. But now I see..." Fugaku's face twitched as he glanced awkwardly at his wife, Uchiha Mikoto.

Moments ago, he caught a glimpse of the future, where Aizen had a large family, with many wives, including his own wife, Mikoto.

Mikoto, listening quietly to the conversation between the two men, did not interrupt. To her, it was perhaps pleasant to listen to this interesting young man speak in her final moments.

Noticing Fugaku's strange look, as though she were an unfaithful wife, Mikoto blushed and asked, "Fugaku, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing..." Fugaku shook his head, thinking of Sasuke, Itachi, and the future happiness he had seen for his wife.

He knew that if he didn’t act now, his wife would die.

His elder son, ordered by the village leaders, would also die fighting Aizen.

And even his younger son, deprived of Itachi’s protection, would eventually meet a tragic end.

After much thought, Fugaku made his decision and spoke to Aizen. "Aizen, I want to make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?" Aizen asked, intrigued.

"Itachi should arrive soon. After my death, I’ll give you my Sharingan and the Uchiha’s collection of ninjutsu. In return, I hope you can take Mikoto away from Konoha," Fugaku said, bowing once more.

As Fugaku finished speaking, Aizen's system activated, offering him options:

*Ding! Congratulations, host, for unlocking a loli option. As the strongest loli enthusiast, how could you let such a beautiful, wife-type loli die before your eyes?*

*1. Accept all of Fugaku’s conditions, reward: 1kg of pure gold from the world of One Piece.*

*2. Violate her in front of Fugaku, reward: Wind Release Chakra and nature transformation.*

*3. After Fugaku dies, violate her in front of the dutiful son, reward: Rasengan series ninjutsu.*

*4. Do nothing and let Uchiha Mikoto die, reward: a loyal Shiba Inu.*

What’s with pure gold from the One Piece world? Anyone familiar with One Piece would know it well.

It’s a unique metal that grants a form of immortality.

By consuming pure gold, one could extend their lifespan and heal from various ailments. As long as someone remains in contact with it, their aging process is dramatically slowed, allowing life to continue almost indefinitely.

There’s no way Aizen wouldn’t be interested in such an item.

But agreeing to all of Fugaku’s conditions would be a delicate situation.

What if he asked for something outrageous?

And what was up with the second and third options?

Aizen's face twitched as he considered it. Then Mikoto spoke, "Fugaku, no. If we die, we die together."

*P.S. First update.*

*(End of Chapter)*

---

*Chapter 43: Finding a Stepfather for Sasuke*

Fugaku looked at Mikoto and sternly said, "Mikoto, you should understand that the Uchiha clan is finished. As the clan leader, it’s my duty to go down with it. But you're different. You're not only a member of the Uchiha clan; you're also Sasuke’s mother. I don’t want that child to live the rest of his life in darkness."

In reality, Fugaku didn’t want to be "cuckolded." However, if Mikoto died, and given how things were progressing, if Itachi were to follow orders from the higher-ups in Konoha and go after Aizen, the latter, with his vengeful nature, would never show mercy. Aizen had already silently wiped out the Shimura and Sarutobi clans, and now Itachi would likely meet the same fate at his hands.

If his older son died, Sasuke’s life would also be in jeopardy.

For the sake of both of his sons and the revival of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku had no choice but to entrust Mikoto to Aizen.

“Sasuke...” Upon hearing her son’s name, Mikoto’s heart softened. She bowed her head and said no more.

“Please, Aizen.” Fugaku once again performed a deep bow, pleading. Mikoto hesitated but also knelt, tears welling in her eyes.

“I understand. Getting her out isn’t the problem; the issue is keeping her safe once we’re outside.”

“You must know she’s different from Izumi. She knows the truth about the Uchiha massacre. If anyone finds out she’s alive, it’ll cause endless trouble.”

“In other words, Aunt Mikoto, you’ll need to fake your death for a long time and won’t be able to see Sasuke. And as for the elder son... well, that’s out of the question.”

Aizen glanced at Mikoto with an admiring gaze. In the end, he couldn’t resist the temptation of eternal youth and beauty—and the pure gold that granted it. He agreed to Fugaku’s terms.

“Thank you.” Mikoto shut her eyes in pain, her tears now flowing freely.

“There’s not much time left. I’ll use a special sealing technique, like I did with Izumi, to send you into a different dimension. I’ll also create an illusion strong enough to fool even the Mangekyō Sharingan, making it appear as if you die at Itachi’s hands. Once you’re safe, I’ll release you.”

With that, Aizen summoned a crow, drew his sword, and whispered, “Shatter! Kyōka Suigetsu.”

In an instant, both Fugaku and Mikoto felt their souls waver. When they looked again, the crow by Aizen’s side had turned into Mikoto.

“What an incredible technique. Not only does it mimic appearance, but even the chakra is nearly identical,” Fugaku exclaimed, his Mangekyō Sharingan wide in amazement.

“Let’s begin.” Aizen approached Mikoto. “Are you ready?”

Mikoto cast one last glance at Fugaku, who gave her a comforting smile and said, “Don’t worry, Mikoto. Sasuke still needs you in the future.”

Hearing this, Mikoto nodded sadly, knowing that after this moment, they would be separated forever.

Without further words, Aizen swiftly struck Mikoto's sleep acupoint, rendering her unconscious. He quickly formed a series of seals, placed both hands on her chest, and, to Fugaku's shock, sealed her into his system’s storage space.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi had arrived at Izumi Uchiha’s residence. He knew Aizen was a formidable opponent, and to ensure safety, he had left Izumi for the penultimate step of his plan. His parents were the first.

He cautiously opened the door. There were no traps, and "Izumi Uchiha" lay peacefully asleep on the bed. Itachi couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised.

Could something have happened to Aizen?

Itachi had expected Aizen to discover his plan and attempt to escape with Izumi. Yet here she was, and Aizen was nowhere to be found. The only explanation was that Aizen must have encountered something—or maybe he had been detained by the higher-ups or killed by Danzo, much like Shisui had been.

With this thought in mind, Itachi let down his guard and swiftly killed “Izumi Uchiha.”

However, in the next moment, a deep sense of unreality overcame him. He moved closer, inspecting her face closely before finally dismissing his doubts and leaving the room.

“I was overthinking it. Next is the final battle of the Mangekyō Sharingan,” Itachi murmured to himself as he rushed toward his family home.

“Your precious son is almost here. Do you have any last wishes?” Aizen asked Fugaku nonchalantly, sensing Itachi’s approaching chakra. He noticed the system had yet to reward him and decided to stall for time by asking the question.

Fugaku nodded, pulling out a hidden scroll containing the Uchiha clan’s ninjutsu from a secret compartment in the room and handing it to Aizen. “Your illusion can fool my eyes, which means your genjutsu surpasses even the Mangekyō Sharingan. If Itachi attacks you, you might be in danger.”

“I hope you can spare Itachi, for Mikoto’s sake. After this, I’m sure he’ll never dare attack you again.”

“As a token of gratitude, I can give you this.”

Fugaku then took out a letter marked with the characters “Divorce Letter.”

“What’s the meaning of this?” Aizen frowned.

“Remember when I said you were the hope for the Uchiha clan’s revival? At first, I thought you had saved some of our clan members. But just now, when I activated my Mangekyō Sharingan, I saw you with Mikoto.”

“In the future, you two will—”

“Will what?” Aizen asked nervously, wondering if Fugaku had noticed his attraction to Mikoto.

Fugaku smiled bitterly and shook his head. “No, it’s nothing. From this moment on, Mikoto is no longer my wife. I hope you treat her well and also look after her elder son. And if you can, keep an eye on Sasuke.”

With that, Fugaku closed his eyes, awaiting his death.

Hearing Fugaku’s unmistakable words, Aizen couldn’t help but understand what Fugaku meant. He had never intended to kill Itachi immediately. In some ways, living as Itachi did in the original story—carrying the burden of everything—was the greatest punishment.

“Alright, I promise,” Aizen nodded.

As his words fell, the system’s notification rang in his mind:

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have received 1kg of pure gold from the One Piece world. It has been automatically stored in your system inventory.]

Aizen took out the pure gold and sliced off a small piece. Using chakra infused with lightning and fire, he melted it into a circular ring, holding it in his hand as he thought, “Izumi’s only thirteen, and Hinata is even younger. I’ll give this first pure gold ring to Kurenai.”

*Chapter 44: The Third Hokage's Wrath*

Before long, Uchiha Itachi arrived. After some heartwarming but final words between father and son, Fugaku met his death, accepting it willingly under the tearful blade of his son.

Aizen stood by watching the whole time. After Fugaku died, Aizen used Kotoamatsukami to control a raven outside, transforming it into his likeness. He then said, "Itachi, Lord Danzo already promised to spare Izumi. Why did you kill her?"

Hearing this, Uchiha Itachi froze for a moment before vanishing from the room. When he reappeared outside, he didn’t hold back his strength, knowing that ordinary Sharingan illusions wouldn't work on Aizen. He immediately used his Mangekyō Sharingan technique, Tsukuyomi, which harms both the enemy and the user, dragging the illusionary "Aizen" into the Tsukuyomi space. While Aizen’s illusion appeared mentally broken, Itachi took the opportunity to strike with his blade, ending the illusion’s life.

The real Aizen, meanwhile, took advantage of the moment to collect Fugaku's corpse.

*Ding! Special bloodline and Mangekyō Sharingan detected. Would you like to extract them?*

"Extract," Aizen answered decisively.

*Ding! Extraction complete. Would you like to devour it?*

"Not yet." The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan works best when paired. Additionally, Aizen wasn't sure if devouring it now would allow him to retain the powerful technique, Kotoamatsukami.

For now, his power wasn't greatly affected by whether or not he had the Mangekyō Sharingan. He decided to wait until he had used Kotoamatsukami or obtained another one, then he would devour it.

Aizen carefully returned Fugaku's body to its original position, keeping the illusion active so it appeared his eyes remained intact.

Throughout all this, Itachi, under the hypnotic effects of Kotoamatsukami, remained unaware of the truth. After killing the illusionary Aizen, Itachi clutched his left eye, wincing in pain from the strain of using Tsukuyomi. He returned to the room, quietly awaiting his younger brother's arrival.

Not far from the house, Zetsu and Obito were watching the scene, both taken aback by the sight of Aizen's supposed corpse.

"Whoa, is this for real? Aizen's actually dead?" White Zetsu exclaimed.

He had witnessed Aizen's massacre of the Sarutobi clan and knew that, aside from the Rinnegan wielded by Pain, Aizen had few equals in the ninja world.

"It seems we arrived a little too late. For Itachi to defeat someone like Aizen, he must have used a Mangekyō technique," Black Zetsu remarked, somewhat regretfully. He had hoped to use Aizen to speed up his plan for reviving his mother.

Unlike the others, Obito, who had not yet seen the footage of Aizen's clan massacre, remained calm. His pride in the Uchiha clan's power only deepened.

Just as Obito was about to speak, a voice tinged with mockery sounded nearby:

"Who did you just say is dead?"

In an instant, a hand appeared on Obito’s shoulder.

Startled, Obito immediately used his Kamui to phase through, leaping back to distance himself from Aizen. Zetsu instinctively withdrew into the ground for cover.

"Come on, we’re supposed to be comrades now. Do you really need to react so dramatically? Can't you trust me just a little?" Aizen said with a helpless expression, arms spread wide in mock exasperation.

Hearing this, Zetsu emerged from the ground, with White Zetsu exclaiming, "Aizen! Aren’t you dead already?"

"Who told you I was dead?" Aizen replied, feigning ignorance.

"Then what’s with that body?" Black Zetsu controlled his Spiraling Zetsu to point at the illusionary corpse of Aizen. "It’s not just the appearance—its chakra is indistinguishable from the real thing."

"Ninjas value intelligence above all else. Just as I haven’t pried into your secrets, this one’s staying with me," Aizen responded with a smirk before turning to Obito. "How’s it going on your end?"

"Everything’s in order. If there’s nothing else, let’s go. We still need to set some things up for Itachi. We’ll wait for him outside the village," Obito said, glancing at the false corpse of Aizen. The more he looked at Aizen, the more wary he became. Not only did Aizen possess sage arts and substitution techniques so real they could fool both him and Zetsu, but he also managed to evade their sensory detection. His threat level now exceeded that of even Uchiha Itachi with the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"You two go on ahead. I’ve got a few things to take care of," Aizen said, turning to leave. Before he could go, Obito asked, "Where are you off to?"

"After killing so many of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans tonight, I think I owe someone an explanation. I’m really looking forward to seeing the Third Hokage and Danzo fly into a rage. Oh, by the way, don’t take that ‘corpse’ with you. If you like, I’ll gift each of you one later. No charge," Aizen said, vanishing from their sight after donning his Anbu mask.

As Aizen disappeared, Black Zetsu rasped, "Madara, what do you plan to do?"

"We’re leaving," Obito replied, his expression dark. His face softened only slightly when Black Zetsu called him "Madara." The right eyehole of his mask began to twist as he activated Kamui, warping his body away.

Black Zetsu followed, sinking back into the ground.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the Hokage office, waiting for his son Shinnosuke’s report. He was ready to head to the Anbu base behind the Hokage Tower with Danzo to lead a team to the Uchiha district and issue a lockdown, as well as a warrant for Uchiha Itachi.

Before long, an Anbu ninja arrived—but it wasn’t his son, his daughter-in-law, or anyone from his clan.

It was another Anbu squad captain.

The captain knelt before Hiruzen, his voice trembling with fear. "Lord Hokage, Lord Shinnosuke..."

"What happened to Shinnosuke?" Hiruzen leapt to his feet.

"Lord Shinnosuke’s entire squad was killed. Lady Seiko and the others were decapitated. One was impaled through the chest, and Lord Shinnosuke was slashed across the chest and died instantly."

Boom!

It was as if lightning had struck Hiruzen. He collapsed into his chair, almost fainting.

Within minutes, Hiruzen had gathered the Anbu and rushed to the entrance of the Uchiha district.

Danzo, meanwhile, sneakily made his way to the Konoha Police Force headquarters. His slightly swollen belly showed signs of discomfort, but he eagerly went to collect the Sharingan from the bodies.

Among the five corpses were his own son and daughter-in-law.

His daughter-in-law and two clan members had been beheaded, and his son’s chest bore a long gash that had nearly split his body in two. Only his spine and some skin on his back held his body together. His eyes were wide open, bulging in terror, as if he had witnessed something horrifying before death.

*PS: Third update complete.*

*(End of chapter)*

*Chapter 45: At this moment, neither the Third Hokage nor Danzo knew the clan had been annihilated*

"Who was it?"

Seeing the tragic state of his son, Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer maintain his usual gentle and kind demeanor. He clenched his teeth and spat out those two words.

His menacing face, combined with the bulging veins at his temples, made the surrounding ANBU ninjas shiver in fear.

At that moment, everyone present knew that the man once hailed as the "strongest Hokage in history," the Third Hokage, had truly lost his temper.

"We... we don’t know. When we found him, it was already..." one of the ANBU ninjas stammered nervously.

Before Hiruzen could respond, an ANBU squad led by Kakashi rushed in from the Uchiha compound.

"Hokage-sama, only Uchiha Sasuke remains alive from the Uchiha clan, but he’s under a genjutsu and in a deep coma. Moreover..."

Kakashi hesitated for a moment, his expression complex beneath the mask, before continuing, "We also found Aizen's body. It seems he was under a strong genjutsu similar to Sasuke's before someone pierced his chest, killing him instantly. His mask and sword are missing. His body has been collected."

Aizen was the student of his close friend, Kurenai Yuhi.

A beacon of hope for his teacher's orphan, Naruto.

Hiruzen himself had taught Aizen some ninjutsu and had always thought highly of him.

No one wanted to see Aizen dead.

Especially Kurenai. No one understood her care for Aizen better than Kakashi.

During the year Aizen spent in the ANBU monitoring the Uchiha clan, Kurenai would check in on him every few days.

Kakashi, unable to break ANBU confidentiality, would reassure her of Aizen’s safety without revealing too much.

It was hard to imagine how devastated Kurenai would be upon learning of Aizen’s death.

Hearing about Aizen’s death, Hiruzen felt a moment of comfort amidst his grief.

But he was still a seasoned leader and quickly sensed the sorrow in Kakashi’s voice. He suppressed his emotions, masking his sadness and anger, and feigned regret as he said, "Aizen died protecting his comrades from the Uchiha clan. He is a hero of Konoha. Once we’ve dealt with the Uchiha clan’s remains, lead a team to give him a proper burial."

"As for Kurenai, since Aizen was her student, you should inform her."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kakashi responded respectfully, deeply moved by the Third Hokage’s care for his subordinates.

Once Kakashi left, Hiruzen’s expression turned cold, and he ordered harshly, "Begin counting the dead from the Uchiha clan immediately and verify each one. Also, send the bodies of Shinnosuke and the others to the analysis department. I want to know who killed him."

He suspected there was another strong enemy within the Uchiha clan besides Itachi.

Otherwise, with his son’s strength as an elite jonin, supported by four capable assistants, there was no way they could have died so brutally.

It was highly likely that this was the same mysterious person who had once severed Danzo's arm and stolen Shisui’s right eye.

After giving his orders, Hiruzen led his ANBU squad into the Uchiha compound.

This time, besides seeking the culprit responsible for his son’s death, he also needed to find someone to take the blame for the massacre of the Uchiha clan.

Although much of the blame could be placed on Uchiha Itachi, the old foxes among the major families of Konoha wouldn’t be so easily fooled.

They were well aware of the tensions between the Uchiha clan and the Konoha leadership.

If not handled properly, it could lead to widespread fear and cause the village to fragment.

At that point, Hiruzen’s position as Hokage would be in jeopardy.

This was not a situation Hiruzen was willing to face.

So, a scapegoat was needed.

And that scapegoat would be none other than his old friend, Shimura Danzo.

There were two benefits to this plan.

First, it would appease the discontent among the other clans of Konoha.

Second, Root had grown too powerful, to the point that they no longer respected even the "strongest Hokage in history."

They cared only for Lord Danzo, not the Third Hokage.

This would be a perfect opportunity to weaken Root.

That was why Hiruzen had agreed to let Danzo go to the Konoha Police Force headquarters.

As for Danzo’s little schemes, like collecting Sharingan...

Hiruzen was fully aware.

He would let Danzo take his compensation.

Poor Danzo, too focused on the Uchiha clan's destruction, had no idea he was playing right into Hiruzen’s hands.

Of course, Hiruzen himself wasn’t in much better shape.

Not only had he lost his eldest son and daughter-in-law, but nearly his entire clan had been wiped out by Aizen.

In secret, Aizen had been watching everything unfold.

Faking his death was an idea that came to him on the spot.

The plan was to create the illusion that someone had impersonated him to massacre both the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.

He couldn't just disappear like Orochimaru had, leaving his student Anko behind and walking away.

Kurenai was still in Konoha.

This would at least provide her with some indirect protection.

No matter if Hiruzen later discovered whether or not Aizen had killed the Sarutobi clan members, it wouldn’t matter. Aizen was already "dead." Hiruzen would have no choice but to accept it.

By the time Aizen returned to Konoha, it would be for the village’s downfall.

"It’s time to see Kurenai."

Given that the Root ninjas had never seen his Kotoamatsukami ability, Aizen, after some thought, used its illusion to retrieve the three crows that had replaced him, Uchiha Izumi, and Mikoto in death.

He also took the bodies of Fugaku and several other Uchiha members with three-tomoe Sharingan as a diversion.

Finally, he quietly left the Uchiha compound.

Meanwhile, at the Konoha Police Force headquarters...

"Be careful! Don’t damage my Sharingan!" Danzo commanded, his voice strained as he suppressed his abdominal pain, watching as Root ninjas collected the eyes, feeling both pain and pleasure.

Just then, a Root ninja reported, "Lord Danzo, we’ve finished counting the dead. Aside from Uchiha Fugaku, everyone in the Police Force has been killed. I’ve already sent the death list to the Third Hokage as you requested, but..."

He hesitated, then continued, "Most of the corpses have had their eyes removed. There aren’t many three-tomoe Sharingan left."

"That damn bastard," Danzo muttered angrily.

He knew about this. It was part of his deal with Obito. Obito had helped him destroy the Konoha Police Force, and in return, Obito would take half of the Sharingan.

But judging from his subordinate’s report, it seemed like Obito had taken more than just half.

"What should we do, Lord Danzo?" the Root ninja asked.

"Leave a few men here to continue collecting the Sharingan. The rest, follow me to the Uchiha compound," Danzo barked.

*End of chapter*