Konoha Village, Uchiha Clan Territory — Fugaku's Home
Fugaku was startled awake by the sound of a ninja cat meowing outside.
He stood up and spotted a sleek black cat perched on the windowsill with a scroll tied to its back.
He reached out and took the scroll. Without a sound, the ninja cat leapt back into the night and disappeared.
Fugaku frowned. Something didn't feel right.
Normally, dealings with the Ninja Cat Clan were reported during the day. Why would a message arrive at this hour?
He unrolled the scroll. It contained only one chilling sentence:
"Root attacked. Uchiha Jikura and the squad were all killed."
Fugaku's face darkened.
He quietly pulled the blanket up to cover Mikoto and immediately left the house, heading toward Uchiha Hikaru's residence.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The loud knocking jolted Uchiha Hikaru awake.
He groggily stumbled to the door and opened it, revealing Fugaku's grim and heavy expression.
"It's the middle of the night. What's wrong? You look tense," Hikaru asked, brushing sleep from his eyes. But the seriousness on Fugaku's face quickly made him stand straighter.
"Let's talk inside. There's trouble."
The two moved into the living room.
Fugaku didn't waste time.
"Jikura and the others are dead. Root ambushed them. All twelve Uchiha shinobi were wiped out."
Hikaru shot up from his seat. "What did you say? Root? All of them?"
Fugaku sat down heavily, fists clenched.
"Yes. All of them. That bastard Danzo actually had the nerve to attack now…"
"Tell me, Hikaru—what do we do next?"
Hikaru turned without a word, entered his room, and returned moments later in full combat gear.
"Let's go."
Fugaku saw the fire in his eyes and quickly donned his own combat uniform. But he hesitated.
"Wait, are you seriously thinking of attacking Root now?"
Hikaru glanced at him coldly. "What, should we go invite Danzo to tea instead?"
Fugaku stood up and placed his hand on Hikaru's shoulder.
"Listen, Hikaru, I want to go as badly as you do—but think about our plan. The clan—"
"Enough!"
Hikaru shoved Fugaku back.
"We've played nice long enough. I didn't want to move against Danzo so early, but he's the one who crossed the line. He spilled Uchiha blood. I'm not sleeping until I get payback."
"I don't need a lecture. Just answer me—are you coming or not? Be a man and stop whining!"
The provocation worked.
Fugaku got right in Hikaru's face.
"Of course I'm a man! I've got two sons—what do you think I am?!"
He then paused and added, "If you've got a plan for the aftermath, let's go now. Only problem is… do we know where Root's base even is?"
Hikaru's face stiffened.
"…No."
The air fell still.
Fugaku stared at him in disbelief.
He wanted to punch Hikaru, but knew he probably wouldn't win—so he clenched his jaw instead.
"…Then how are we supposed to attack?"
"I don't know now, but I've got an idea."
Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "What idea?"
"Go wake up Itachi and ask him. He's been in ANBU under Danzo for years. No way he doesn't know."
Fugaku blinked. "…Right. I never even thought to ask him."
Without another word, the two rushed to Fugaku's house.
Itachi was sound asleep when he felt a strong tug on the back of his collar. Next thing he knew, he was standing upright in his pajamas with his father and Uchiha Hikaru glaring at him.
He panicked for a second.
Had he done something wrong? What had he missed? What had he—
He immediately lowered his head and dropped to one knee.
"I'm sorry, Father. Deputy Chief. Whatever it is, I take full responsibility!"
Fugaku and Hikaru blinked, completely caught off guard.
"…Fugaku, did you hit your kid too hard as a baby?"
"What? No! Why would I smack Itachi for no reason?!"
Itachi looked up, confused. "Wait… this isn't about something I did?"
Hikaru shook his head. "No. We just want to know where Root's base is. We're going to avenge our people."
Itachi's expression turned sharp, his gaze clearing in an instant.
Hikaru could feel it—the calm, calculating killer behind those eyes.
He briefed Itachi on what happened.
Itachi's fists tightened.
"Take me with you. I've had enough of those Root bastards. I'm not sitting this out."
And so, three Mangekyō Sharingan users—Uchiha Hikaru, Fugaku, and Itachi—prepared for battle. They headed for Root's hidden facility behind the cliffs of Hokage Rock.
As they reached the perimeter of the forest, Hikaru held up a hand to halt them.
"Remember—don't reveal your Mangekyō abilities. Not yet. Only I will."
Fugaku stepped forward, resolute.
"No, Hikaru. Using the Mangekyō leads to blindness. You're our future. Let me carry the burden."
His tone was serious, but inwardly, he was itching to unleash his fury. There were still two Mangekyō in the clan—his son's and Hikaru's. If anyone was going to demolish Root, it might as well be him.
After all, Hikaru had promised to handle cleanup afterward. Fugaku had been swamped with paperwork anyway—Hikaru even dumped some of it on his desk recently. He needed this. Desperately.
Then Itachi spoke.
"Let me use the Mangekyō. I have the most to atone for. Father is the clan head. Hikaru is our future. I'm the expendable one."
His voice was calm, but the fire behind his words was real.
Ever since Hikaru challenged him at the clan meeting, Itachi had been disgusted with the Root. Every mission, every interaction—it all reeked of rot. He couldn't bear the thought that he once served them.
This was his chance to erase that shame with blood.
Hikaru glanced between the two of them. Their reasons made sense, but…
"Damn it. Fine. Use your eyes, both of you. But don't go blind. I mean it."
He gave in. Deep down, he knew they weren't just trying to steal his moment—they had their own grudges.
The Uchiha Clan didn't forgive. They didn't forget.
And when vengeance came knocking… it came with fire.
Uchiha fought. Uchiha raged.
Uchiha were chaos incarnate.
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