31-35

*Chapter 31: The Eve of Clan Destruction*

As evening approached, Aizen changed into his casual clothes.

Right on time, he arrived at the Ninja Academy to pick up Uchiha Izumi and walk her home.

"Have you been waiting long?" This was the first thing Uchiha Izumi said when she saw Aizen.

Although she had not yet fully grown into her features, Uchiha Izumi was already blossoming into a graceful young woman. Her long black hair flowed down to her waist, smooth and unadorned, giving off a clean look. She wore a light purple, high-collared dress. Her features were delicate, her skin fair, and her face always held a warm smile that seemed to touch the soul.

“Not too long, I just got here,” Aizen responded, raising his right hand. In the envious eyes of the other students, Uchiha Izumi naturally handed over her bag, and the two walked side by side.

"Time flies so quickly. In the blink of an eye, six years have passed," Uchiha Izumi remarked.

“Yeah, and you’re about to graduate too, right?” Aizen smiled and casually asked, “Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?”

“Mmm…” Uchiha Izumi hesitated slightly before naturally linking her arm with Aizen’s. Her cheeks turned a little red as she softly said, “I might become a bride.”

In her mind, she recalled the first time she met Aizen. That night, when the disaster of the Nine-Tails struck, her father died, her mother died, and she was left feeling lost and helpless.

In that moment of crisis, it was Aizen who fearlessly pulled her out of the alley, which was moments away from being buried by rubble, and saved her life.

To this day, that youthful figure remained vivid in her mind, impossible to forget.

In the blink of an eye, six years had passed, and Aizen had grown up. The two gradually became closer.

Perhaps living like this forever wouldn’t be so bad.

Aizen was momentarily stunned, then smiled softly, leaning in to whisper words only they could hear: “Then I’ll be your groom.”

Uchiha Izumi froze, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red, which spread to her neck. She pressed her face against Aizen’s arm, saying nothing, yet expressing everything.

Soon after, they arrived at Uchiha Izumi’s house.

As per Uchiha Itachi’s arrangement, soon after they entered the house, a member of the Uchiha clan came looking for them.

“Itachi?” Uchiha Izumi looked at the visitor in surprise.

The person standing before them was none other than Uchiha Itachi himself.

Itachi nodded expressionlessly and turned his gaze toward Aizen. "Aizen, my father wants to see you."

"I understand." Aizen glanced at Uchiha Izumi. "Izumi, I'll be back soon."

"Just come back before dinner," Uchiha Izumi said, though she had no idea why the clan leader wanted to see Aizen, she didn't ask any further.

Aizen smiled reassuringly, gently ruffling Izumi’s hair before following Itachi outside.

Aizen followed Itachi to his home, where he met Uchiha Fugaku, his beautiful wife Mikoto, and Sasuke, who had just returned from school.

After some discussion, it was decided that Aizen would marry into the Uchiha clan.

In exchange, Aizen was expected to gather information for the Uchiha clan.

Time passed, and soon the eve of the clan’s destruction arrived.

In the Land of Fire’s Hidden Leaf Village, the Uchiha clan compound gave off an unusual atmosphere as the sun began to set.

Since Uchiha Shisui’s suicide more than a year ago, the Uchiha clan had grown increasingly resentful of the oppression from the village’s higher-ups, reaching a point where rebellion seemed inevitable.

A coup was unavoidable.

Meanwhile, in a secret meeting room within the Hokage Tower…

Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the “Leaf F4,” sat at the head of the table.

Kneeling before them was Uchiha Itachi, dressed in his ANBU uniform, head lowered, his face shrouded in shadow, as if he had made a grave decision. In a low, respectful voice, he said, “In three days, during the Uchiha clan’s festival, they plan to stage a coup against the village.”

Hearing this, Danzo, Homura, Koharu, and Hiruzen exchanged serious looks.

“The situation is urgent. We must strike before they do,” Danzo, who had always harbored animosity toward the Uchiha, spoke first, addressing Hiruzen.

"The Uchiha were once our comrades. I want to resolve this peacefully through dialogue and avoid violence. I’ll try to find a solution," Hiruzen said, appearing deeply pained, though he offered no specific plan.

“Very well, Hiruzen,” Danzo began, but Hiruzen silenced him with a glance that seemed to say, “Enough, Danzo. I’m the Hokage.”

Considering that Uchiha Itachi, Homura, and Koharu were all present, Danzo held back his anger, but inwardly thought, "You’ll regret this, Hiruzen."

"Itachi, you may leave now," Hiruzen said after a long sigh.

“Yes, Lord Hokage.” Itachi looked gratefully at Hiruzen, then put on his ANBU mask and left.

As soon as Itachi disappeared, Koharu turned to Hiruzen. “What’s your plan?”

Hiruzen hesitated for a moment before answering, “I’m not sure yet, but I believe there’s always a way.”

In truth, Hiruzen didn’t care much about the Uchiha clan. What he truly cared about was the village and his position as Hokage.

On one hand, if they recklessly went to war with the Uchiha, even if they won, the village would be severely weakened.

And as Uchiha Shisui warned before his death, the other nations might seize the opportunity to invade, sparking the Fourth Great Ninja War.

On the other hand, as the Hokage, beloved by the villagers, he had to maintain his image. Ordering the extermination of an entire clan would ruin his reputation as Hokage.

So, there had to be a scapegoat.

And that scapegoat was obvious—his old friend, Danzo.

He was confident that with Danzo’s cunning, there were plenty of ways to deal with the Uchiha without starting a war.

Sure enough, just as Hiruzen finished speaking, Danzo interjected, “So, you don’t have a plan yet?”

Hiruzen sighed deeply, lighting his pipe and taking a long drag, as if to confirm Danzo’s assumption.

Koharu and Homura realized that they couldn’t count on Hiruzen and, knowing this wasn’t a job for the Hokage, both turned to Danzo. “Danzo, do you have a solution?”

“Leave it to me,” Danzo said, a sly smile playing on his lips. Since the Uchiha Shisui incident, he still hadn’t found a replacement for the right eye he lost. Now, his transplanted First Hokage cells would allow him to extract more Sharingan from the Uchiha clan.

---

*Author’s Note:* This is the second update. Please give a recommendation and vote!

*End of Chapter*

---

*Chapter 32: For the Village, the Uchiha Must Suffer*

Hiruzen Sarutobi roughly guessed Danzo's intentions. "Danzo, don't act recklessly."

Hearing this, the other two Hokage advisors couldn't help but cast worried glances at Danzo.

They knew all too well that Danzo was someone who never considered the consequences of his actions. He would do whatever it took to achieve his goals, no matter the cost.

Meeting their gazes, Danzo smirked slyly. "Don't worry. What you're concerned about is Konoha going to war with the Uchiha, which would weaken the village's overall strength. But I have a way to completely eliminate the Uchiha threat without sacrificing a single soldier."

Hearing the word "completely," the two Hokage advisors frowned in unison, feeling a chill at Danzo's ruthless methods. Then they thought of the impending Uchiha rebellion and hardened their hearts.

Koharu Utatane sighed, "If that's the case, then we have no other choice."

"What about Uchiha Izumi, who just graduated last year?" Homura Mitokado chimed in, "For the past year, Fujiwara Aizen has been monitoring the Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi for us.

"Although the information he's provided doesn't differ much from Itachi's actions, and Itachi ultimately hasn't made any moves to betray the village.

"Looking back, sending Aizen over seems like it might have been unnecessary.

"But his initial condition seemed to be protecting Uchiha Izumi."

"That's absolutely impossible. According to the intel, that little girl has already awakened her three-tomoe Sharingan. If she were to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan due to the Uchiha rebellion, and then seek revenge on Konoha, she'd become another Madara Uchiha. The consequences would be unthinkable. For the sake of the village, we must eliminate every trace of the Uchiha," Danzo said flatly.

"Then summon Aizen back," Hiruzen finally spoke.

By saying this, he had indirectly agreed.

"There's no need for that," Danzo's lips curled slightly. From the moment Aizen became involved with the Uchiha, he had been marked for death by the Root.

Danzo had no intention of letting Aizen live.

The same went for Uchiha Itachi.

From beginning to end, these people were nothing more than pieces on Danzo's chessboard.

Hiruzen frowned. "Danzo, don't go too far. Aizen isn't an Uchiha; he's a pure inheritor of the Will of Fire."

"I know he's a pure inheritor of the Will of Fire," Danzo said. "But have you thought about how, over the past year while infiltrating the Uchiha, Aizen has also learned too much about the truth behind them?"

"I'm afraid even the upcoming Uchiha coup isn't hidden from him."

"And once he finds out that Uchiha Izumi is dead, he's bound to harbor resentment towards the village. He might reveal the truth."

"I'm sure none of you would want to see that happen."

"It's all for the village."

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen fell silent again.

Indeed, though Aizen loved the village deeply, and respected him as the "strongest Hokage in history," he also loved Uchiha Izumi.

If Aizen hadn't been involved with the Uchiha, it would've been easy to send him on a mission far away.

Afterward, he could have directed Aizen's anger towards the "killer" of the Uchiha clan.

But now Aizen knew too much.

One wrong move could trigger a disaster.

If the strongest Hokage lost Aizen's trust...

Who could guarantee that Aizen wouldn't turn against him someday?

And even if Hiruzen shifted the blame onto Danzo, who could ensure that Aizen wouldn't be manipulated by Danzo into turning against him?

After all, even Kakashi had been briefly swayed by Danzo.

Sigh...

What a shame.

If only he hadn't let Aizen get involved.

Back when he made Aizen Kurenai's apprentice, it was because he noticed his youngest son, Asuma, had feelings for her. He'd originally hoped Aizen could assist Asuma in the future.

Now, that seemed unlikely.

With that thought, Hiruzen made up his mind. In a deep voice, he said, "I won't interfere in Aizen's situation anymore. But there's one condition: don't tarnish his name. Like his parents, he’s an inheritor of the Will of Fire and should be remembered as a hero."

"We owe him that much."

"Of course. Ninja must sacrifice themselves. For the village, he should receive this honor."

Danzo smiled sinisterly, fully agreeing. At this moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

Soon, he wouldn't just obtain a large number of Sharingan.

He could also rid the world of the cursed Uchiha clan.

Nothing made him happier than this.

Hiruzen sighed helplessly and muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear, "For the village, the Uchiha must suffer. Aizen, don't blame me. It's all for the village."

---

At the Uchiha district.

In a secluded courtyard.

Space suddenly twisted, and a shadow emerged from the alternate dimension.

Wearing an orange mask with black stripes and a single eyehole, long black hair like Uchiha Madara’s, and a black cloak, with a light purple katana at his waist.

This was Uchiha Obito’s current appearance.

He stood before a tree, picked up a rock thoughtfully, then sensed something behind him. He set the rock down and, with a twist of his right eye, used Kamui to disappear from the courtyard.

"Still as cautious as ever."

Not long after Obito left, a figure wearing an Anbu uniform and a smiling mask slowly emerged from the rooftop. The figure removed the mask, revealing a handsome young face—it was Aizen.

This was the Nth time in the past year that he had sensed Obito's presence.

In three days, it would be the Uchiha clan’s annual festival, the day they planned their coup.

But the night before, Uchiha Itachi would wipe out the entire clan.

Originally, Aizen had planned to discuss joining the Akatsuki with Obito, but who would've thought he'd be so cautious these days.

At the slightest hint of trouble, he fled.

"Never mind, I'll have another chance," Aizen thought as he disappeared from the courtyard.

Upon returning to Uchiha Izumi’s residence, he sensed an unpleasant presence before he even stepped inside the gate. With a frown, he flickered into the courtyard, "Come out."

As soon as he spoke, the sound of blades cutting through the air reached him. Four sharp kunai shot at him from behind. Aizen dodged easily.

A Root ninja in Anbu uniform appeared before him, speaking arrogantly, "Fujiwara Aizen, Dan—"

Before the Root ninja could finish his sentence, a sapling suddenly sprouted from beneath his feet, growing into a towering ancient tree in the blink of an eye.

It bound him tightly.

---

*PS:* First update. Please vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. (End of chapter)

---

*Chapter 33: Danzo’s Calculated Plan*

“This is genjutsu. When did it start?” The Root ninja was suddenly alarmed. By the time he realized it, his limbs had already been embedded into the tree trunk, leaving him completely immobilized.

“Of course, I activated it the moment I stepped into this courtyard. Your disguise is far too clumsy.” Somehow, Aizen had already appeared in front of the Root ninja. Before the latter could react, Aizen delivered a powerful kick to his lower body.

"Argh!" The Root ninja screamed as his world shattered.

Under the intense pain, the genjutsu was dispelled. The Root ninja clutched his lower body, screaming in agony, blood soaking the ground as he convulsed and writhed in unbearable pain.

He was no longer a man.

Aizen crossed his arms, towering over him, and asked, “Now tell me, who sent you to infiltrate Konoha? Why did you attack me?”

“I’m from Dan-” The Root ninja barely managed to speak before Aizen delivered another sharp kick, turning his voice into a long, high-pitched scream.

Uchiha Izumi, hearing the prolonged screaming outside, rushed out. Seeing Aizen, she sighed in relief, but then looked at the Root ninja writhing in agony on the ground and asked curiously, “Aizen, what happened?”

“Nothing much. I just caught a spy from an enemy nation. I’m about to take him to Lord Hokage.” Aizen blocked Izumi’s view and kicked the ninja again. The ninja’s body twitched a few more times, and he could no longer speak.

Izumi simply nodded, “Oh, okay. Come back soon. Dinner is almost ready.”

“Sure. I’ll be right back.” As he spoke, Aizen grabbed the Root ninja like a piece of luggage and disappeared from the courtyard, heading straight to the Hokage's office.

Before leaving, he left a shadow clone in the courtyard, just in case.

Not far from the Uchiha compound, inside a nearby building.

The ANBU ninjas assigned to monitor the Uchiha clan were watching Aizen through surveillance. They were all surprised. “Captain Kakashi, something’s up. It seems Aizen has captured a Root ninja.”

Kakashi's face twitched. “You all stay here and keep an eye on things. I’ll go check it out.”

“Yes, Captain Kakashi,” the ANBU ninjas replied in unison as Kakashi disappeared from the building.

It wasn’t long before Kakashi caught up to Aizen, who had just exited the Uchiha compound. “Aizen, what are you doing?”

“Oh, Captain Kakashi! Perfect timing. I just caught a spy from an enemy nation who attacked me. I was on my way to hand him over to Lord Hokage, but since you’re here, I can save myself a trip.” Aizen tossed the Root ninja at Kakashi’s feet, spouting nonsense with a serious expression.

Kakashi glanced at the Root ninja’s blood-soaked lower body and realized he was no longer whole. Kakashi couldn’t help but feel a moment of pity as he explained, “He’s not a spy. He’s a ninja from the Root.”

“Danzo’s subordinate? Really? No way.” Aizen feigned surprise, then asked, “But why did he attack me out of nowhere? Without saying a word, he aimed straight for my vital points. I was this close to being killed.”

The Root ninja, in his broken state, silently cursed, thinking, I was just giving you a warning, trying to show off a little. Did you have to go this far?

Kakashi, having spent time in the Root himself, knew what kind of people were trained there. After hearing Aizen’s explanation, he quickly pieced things together.

“You’ve never interacted with Root members before, so you might not know. This is just one of their standard greeting methods. Even in the ANBU, the first meeting often involves such a test. You were the only exception when you joined. I suspect Lord Danzo wants to summon you.”

Kakashi turned to the Root ninja and asked, “Is that correct?”

The Root ninja weakly nodded, having no strength left to speak.

“See, he should’ve just said that earlier. I kept asking him, but he wouldn’t say a word. Even if Lord Danzo is summoning me, he could’ve at least told me. Look at the mess now,” Aizen shrugged, feigning innocence.

At this point, Kakashi didn’t know what to say. He had never encountered such a situation before. “You know where the Shimura clan’s residence is, right? Lord Danzo should be there. Go see him. I’ll take this one to the medical unit and explain everything to Lord Hokage and Lord Danzo on your behalf.”

“Thanks, Kakashi-senpai.” As soon as Aizen finished speaking, he vanished from Kakashi’s sight.

“He sure runs fast,” Kakashi muttered, shaking his head as he picked up the Root ninja and headed to the medical unit.

Meanwhile.

At the Shimura clan’s residence.

The sky grew darker, thunder rumbled, and clouds gathered ominously.

Just like in the original story, Danzo had summoned Uchiha Itachi.

Using Sasuke as leverage, he ordered Itachi to slaughter the Uchiha clan, sparing only his brother.

The result was inevitable. After much painful internal struggle, Itachi, caught in a bind, agreed.

“For the village, you’re making the right choice. I’m pleased,” Danzo said with satisfaction, nodding approvingly. “But aside from the Uchiha, I need you to kill one more person for the village.”

“Who?” Itachi asked, expressionless. By now, he was nearly numb, focused only on protecting his brother and preventing a civil war.

But when Danzo handed him the target’s dossier, Itachi’s expression shifted.

A deep wariness flickered in his eyes.

Fujiwara Aizen.

One of the few men whose strength Itachi couldn’t gauge.

“What’s wrong? Is there an issue?” Danzo's lips curled into a slight smile, his already stiff face stretching into an amused grin. “This person should be an easy opponent for you. After all, your Sharingan is specifically suited to counter his genjutsu.”

“You should know, Aizen knows the truth about the Uchiha. If he reveals it, both you and the village will be in great danger.”

“No, there’s no problem,” Itachi shook his head.

Although he feared Aizen’s abilities, Itachi’s confidence in his Mangekyou Sharingan led him to accept the mission.

“Good. The mission is set for tomorrow night, during the full moon. I’ll suspend Aizen’s surveillance duties on the Uchiha for now, letting him enjoy his final night with that girl, Uchiha Izumi. Once everything is settled, I want him to die as a hero, defending Konoha.”

Danzo's eyes gleamed as he added, “All of this is for the village.”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 34: Leaving a Legacy for the Shimura Clan*

In reality, Uchiha Itachi was also one of Danzo's targets for elimination.

Danzo intended to use Uchiha Izumi as leverage, forcing Aizen to eliminate everyone in the residential area, except for Izumi.

This included Uchiha Itachi as well.

Afterward, Itachi would kill Izumi, and Aizen would inevitably clash with him in a life-or-death battle.

Regardless of the victor, Danzo planned to send his forces to wipe out the survivors.

Even if Itachi emerged victorious, Danzo could still control him using Uchiha Sasuke.

In fact, Danzo had plans to raise Sasuke as a sharp sword within his Root organization.

A sword that would help him ascend to the position of Hokage.

Thus, the Uchiha clan and the truth behind their existence would vanish into the dust of history, never to be seen again.

And Danzo himself would become the greatest hero who protected Konoha.

Not only would he remove the Uchiha, a "cancer" in Konoha, but he would also gain a collection of Sharingan eyes.

Why wouldn’t he?

This was the true intention in Danzo's mind at the moment.

As Danzo was lost in his pleasant fantasy, a Root ninja suddenly appeared behind him, whispering a few words into his ear.

Suppressing his excitement, Danzo waved his hand to dismiss the ninja. After the ninja retreated, he said to Uchiha Itachi, "Itachi, if there's nothing else, you can leave now. Remember, I don’t want anyone to know you were here."

"Understood." With that, Itachi put on his mask and disappeared into the courtyard.

Danzo turned and walked into the house.

Shortly after, Aizen, led by the same Root ninja, arrived at the small courtyard.

Aizen had already sensed Itachi's chakra but chose not to expose it. Standing outside the door, he respectfully said, "Lord Danzo, you called for me."

"Come in," Danzo's voice sounded from inside. It was calm and emotionless.

Creak. The door opened.

Aizen walked in and saw Danzo sitting in a high-back chair, quietly sipping tea.

Seeing Aizen's arrival, Danzo set down his teacup and directly got to the point: "Aizen, you must already know about the Uchiha clan's impending rebellion."

"Yes, Lord Danzo, I’ve already reported it to Lord Hokage. He intends to resolve the issue peacefully," Aizen replied respectfully, though inwardly, he didn’t believe the Third Hokage’s empty promises. No matter the outcome, he planned to leave Konoha with Uchiha Izumi by tomorrow night.

Danzo felt an instinctive surge of disgust. The scar on his left arm, long healed, began to throb painfully.

In Aizen, he saw the reflection of Uchiha Shisui from the past.

The same naivety.

The same damn foolishness.

Unworthy of life.

"This civil war is inevitable. When the time comes, the entire Uchiha clan will be branded as traitors and executed. That includes Uchiha Izumi."

Danzo spoke the words he had long prepared.

"That... that’s impossible. Lord Hokage promised me he would spare Izumi."

A subtle illusion of Kotoamatsukami took hold as Aizen displayed an exaggerated reaction of panic and distress, though inwardly, he was calm. He quietly moved closer to Danzo, his eyes glinting as if he were watching a clown.

Taking in Aizen’s reaction, Danzo felt secretly pleased and continued his manipulative speech: "Don’t be fooled by what the Third Hokage says. When the time comes, he’ll choose the village over everything else. Konoha will never tolerate the traitorous Uchiha. Unless..."

Aizen, playing his part, desperately asked, "Please, Lord Danzo, show me a way out."

Danzo smirked and raised his teacup. "It's simple. The most direct method is the most effective one. If the rebellion is stopped before it starts, Uchiha Izumi will remain unharmed."

"What do I need to do?" Aizen knew Danzo was trying to turn him into the next loyal Uchiha pawn.

Quickly, before Danzo drank his tea, Aizen had discreetly added some water from the Mother-and-Child River.

This special water would take time before its effects kicked in.

Unaware, Danzo drank the tea and continued, "You have two choices before you.

You can stand with the Uchiha and perish with your lover, or you can stand with the village, help us wipe out the Uchiha, and spare her. By doing so, you’ll become a rogue ninja, unwelcome in the village."

"But at least, you will have protected the village... and your lover."

"Ninjas must sacrifice themselves. If the Uchiha rebellion is left unchecked, the village will be torn apart, leaving it vulnerable to attacks from other nations. The chaos will be a hundred times worse than the Nine-Tails' attack years ago."

"Aizen, as a spy between Konoha and the Uchiha, no one is more suited for this task than you. Will you accept this mission? Will you rid the village of the Uchiha menace?"

"In truth, the biggest threat is you!" Aizen thought, while keeping up his act. He cast a confused, hesitant look, as if Danzo’s words were convincing him to descend into darkness.

Lowering his head, his eyes hidden in shadow, he appeared as if he were about to embrace evil, "Lord Danzo, are you saying if I kill the Uchiha, the village and Izumi will be safe?"

"Yes." Danzo confirmed, feeling a sense of pride. It seemed that the darkness within Fujiwara Aizen’s heart had been successfully awakened by him.

"Does Lord Hokage know about this?" Aizen asked.

"There’s no need for the Third Hokage to know. He’s entrusted this matter entirely to me." Danzo casually shifted the blame.

When push came to shove, Danzo always found a way to protect the Third Hokage.

"You are the leaf bathed in sunlight, while I am the root that guards Konoha, bearing all the darkness..."

"For the village, and for Izumi, I’m willing to take on this mission. But with my strength alone, I doubt I can eliminate the entire Uchiha clan."

Aizen stood up and put on his mask again. He had originally planned to simply leave Konoha with Uchiha Izumi, avoiding the conflict between the village and the Uchiha.

But now, both Danzo and the Third Hokage had made him their pawn, disposable in their eyes.

He was not Uchiha Shisui. He had no attachment to Konoha.

Since Danzo and the Third Hokage had made their move against him, there was no need to hold back.

These two old fools kept talking about wiping out clans. Well, it was time for Fujiwara Aizen to wipe out the Shimura and Sarutobi clans, letting them experience the destruction they so casually planned for others.

As for the Mother-and-Child River water, consider it a parting gift to the Shimura family.

And of course, the Sarutobi family would receive similar treatment—he couldn’t play favorites, after all.

"The Konoha Police Force will be handled by someone else," Danzo said. "Your only task is to work with Uchiha Itachi to eliminate the civilians in the Uchiha residential area and the commercial district. He’s also accepted this mission, in exchange for his brother’s protection."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 35: Preparations for Defection and Meeting with Obito

By the time Aizen returned to Uchiha Izumi's home, it was already late at night. A sleepy Izumi helped Aizen out of his ANBU uniform and warmed up dinner for him.

"Izumi, how are the rations I asked you to prepare coming along?" Aizen asked, taking a bite of his meal.

"They're ready, enough for a few months," Izumi replied as she got up and fetched the rations from the cabinet.

Aizen casually stored them in his system’s inventory, closed his eyes, and used his sensory abilities to check for any ANBU surveillance in the area. Satisfied that they were alone, he said seriously, "Izumi, I’m sure you've noticed the strange atmosphere in the Uchiha clan lately."

Izumi nodded. Although she hadn’t been involved in the clan’s coup planning, the unusual tension was impossible to ignore.

"Two days from now, during the celebration, the Uchiha clan will launch their coup. Konoha's higher-ups are already aware of it. Danzo has ordered me to wipe out the entire Uchiha clan tomorrow night, and the Third Hokage has silently agreed."

"How could this happen?" Izumi’s face went pale as she covered her mouth in shock, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Don’t worry, I’m not going to do it," Aizen reassured her, gently brushing her forehead. "Tomorrow, I’ll take you and leave Konoha."

"But if you do that, you’ll become a rogue ninja... and if you take me with you..." Izumi’s eyes reddened, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.

"Don’t worry. I’m strong enough to protect us. Go to bed early, and when you wake up, everything will be settled," Aizen comforted her.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Aizen gently used a pressure point technique to keep the still-sleeping Izumi unconscious and stored her in his system’s inventory.

[System notification: A special bloodline and Sharingan have been detected in the system’s inventory. Would you like to extract them?]

"Extract, my foot!" Aizen grumbled, setting up a powerful illusion, Kyouka Suigetsu. He summoned a crow that transformed into Izumi’s likeness and had it leave the house.

Aizen didn’t immediately go looking for Obito. Instead, he wandered the streets, buying a few essential items, and discreetly observed Kurenai Yuhi training Airi, Ponzu, and the others. He also saw Hinata practicing her Gentle Fist and Naruto and Sasuke competing with each other as usual.

Finally, on top of a high building near the Ninja Academy, he spotted Uchiha Itachi, who was also watching Sasuke.

"Not going to say goodbye to him? After tonight, you and your brother will be enemies," Aizen said, appearing on the roof behind Itachi.

Itachi glanced at Aizen, his expression unreadable. He knew that Aizen, like Izumi, was one of his objectives, and that Aizen knew Sasuke was his weakness. Tonight, they were supposed to work together to slaughter the Uchiha clan, so Itachi’s gaze turned cold as he looked at Aizen as if he were already dead.

"Meet me at the Uchiha district entrance at 7 PM tonight. Don’t be late," Itachi said before disappearing.

Even though Itachi knew this was part of Danzo's scheme—to either have him kill Aizen or have Aizen kill him—he couldn’t afford to leave Aizen alive. If Aizen found out that Izumi had died at his hands, he might take his revenge on Sasuke. Itachi wouldn’t allow Sasuke to face that danger.

So Aizen had to die.

Aizen smirked and activated Kyouka Suigetsu, following Itachi discreetly. He knew that after leaving Danzo’s place last night, Itachi had gone to meet Obito.

Now, Itachi was heading to meet him again to finalize the plan for the massacre.

Aizen tracked Itachi’s chakra all the way to the forest behind the Uchiha compound.

"Tonight, I will help Fujibayashi Aizen wipe out all the residents of the Uchiha district. I’ll leave the Konoha Police Force to you," Itachi said to Obito.

"Fine, I’ll lend a hand as promised," Obito said, arms crossed. "But that Aizen kid isn’t easy to deal with. Like you, he sensed my presence but didn’t report it to Konoha. You should be careful."

"I understand. Let’s stick to the plan." Itachi frowned and turned to leave, but Obito added, "I’m not helping you kill the Uchiha just for revenge; I have other reasons. You might want to pretend you didn’t see those."

"Are you asking me not to record your actions with the Sharingan?" Itachi asked, looking back.

"That’s right. Consider it proof that I’ll spare your brother. I have no use for a kid without the Sharingan," Obito replied coolly.

"Don’t worry about that." Itachi turned his back to Obito. "At this point, I have no choice but to trust you."

"If you’re ever out of options, you can join my organization," Obito offered.

"Your organization?" Itachi asked, a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes.

"It’s called the ‘Akatsuki,’" Obito answered.

"I see," Itachi nodded slightly and disappeared into the forest.

As Itachi vanished, Aizen, hidden in the shadows, deliberately broke a branch underfoot.

Obito heard the noise and turned sharply toward the sound. "Who’s there? Come out!"

Aizen stepped out from behind a tree, his tone mocking. "Oh, wow, I’ve been discovered? As expected of the legendary Uchiha Madara."

"You managed to track me here without alerting Itachi’s Mangekyo Sharingan. I must admit, you have some skill," Obito said, arms still crossed, his posture authoritative and calm. "Now, tell me—what’s your goal?"

"It’s simple. I’m interested in your organization, the Akatsuki," Aizen replied calmly.

"And why would we let you join?" Obito narrowed his eyes, his voice dripping with disdain. He didn’t even bother activating his Mangekyo.

All Akatsuki members were notorious S-rank rogue ninjas. They either had unique bloodline abilities, special skills, or had made a name for themselves for years. Each member’s strength was on par with a village Kage.

What did Aizen have? A few mediocre genjutsu taught by Kurenai Yuhi?

"Why don’t we find out?" Aizen smiled, drawing his sword, Kyouka Suigetsu, and whispered to himself, "Shatter, Kyouka Suigetsu."

"If you want to die, I’ll grant your wish. After all, you’re going to die sooner or later. Might as well be now. Let me show you the true power of the Uchiha."

Under his mask, Obito’s right eye closed briefly, and when it reopened, it was glowing with the blood-red light of the three-tomoe Sharingan. A powerful surge of chakra erupted, covering Aizen.

(End of Chapter)