Under Itachi's guidance, the three successfully infiltrated the Root's underground base.
The guard at the gate heard footsteps approaching from the darkness. He instinctively drew the ninja blade strapped to his back, eyes narrowing. No one from the Root returned this casually—something was off.
The footsteps grew louder.
Then, through the dim corridor, he saw their faces.
"Uchiha Hikaru! And Uchiha Fugaku!"
"Itachi! What are you doing?! Why did you bring them here?!"
Itachi's response was swift and cold.
His Sharingan spun to life, and with a flicker of chakra, the illusion activated. The Root guard froze, then turned his blade inward and stabbed himself through the chest.
Blood erupted from his mouth as searing pain broke the genjutsu.
"Ita...chi... you... trait—"
The words never finished. His body collapsed to the floor, lifeless.
The three walked forward, and Hikaru kicked the gate open with a loud crash that echoed through the halls.
The sound instantly alerted the rest of the Root.
"What the hell?! Uchiha?! Are you mad?! Trespassing into the Root is treason!"
"Kill them! Kill all three of them! Even the Hokage won't be able to save them now!"
"Someone report to Lord Danzo!"
One of the cat-masked ANBU agents darted away, but Fugaku stepped forward, kunai in hand, ready to intercept—only for Hikaru to stop him with a glance.
With a subtle flick, Hikaru summoned his weapon from the seal on his wrist—the Weapon. Or rather, the Blade, the Flame that was also himself.
He stared coldly at the crowd of Root shinobi.
"Hmph. Only this many? I expected more from Danzo's little cult. Dozens of you against the three of us—and you actually think that's enough?"
"You all die here tonight. In your next life, follow a better leader. Not a cowardly, power-hungry bastard like Danzo."
The Mangekyō Sharingan lit up in Hikaru's eyes—blood-red, malevolent, wrathful.
"Burn—."
He flipped the blade upright, let go of it, and let it fall.
As soon as the tip touched the ground, ghostly blue-white flames erupted outward in a pulse of chakra, racing across the floor.
Fugaku and Itachi followed with drawn swords and kunai, joining the onslaught, cutting down Root operatives with precision and fury.
"Shit! There's something wrong with this fire! Use Water Style—now!"
A dozen Root shinobi leapt forward, forming rapid hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
"Water Style: Raging Water Wave!"
High-level Water Release techniques surged forward, clashing with Hikaru's ghostfire.
Steam hissed violently through the base, white mist boiling across the stone.
Just when they thought the flames had been extinguished...
Fwoosh!
Flaming arrows of spiritual fire shot out from the mist—blue-white and shrieking with chakra—piercing through the Root ninjas like divine punishment. Wherever they struck, the fire spread like a curse.
"Aaaaah! The water didn't work! What kind of jutsu is this?!"
"It's burning me! Somebody help!"
"Where's the Sealing Squad?! Use the Sealing Jutsu! I don't wanna die—Lord Danzo still needs me—!"
Their screams lasted only seconds before a dozen more bodies were reduced to ash.
The Weapon's flames licked through the corridors, and the Root panicked, scattering.
From behind Hikaru, a transparent silhouette appeared.
"Dance of Swords!"
A blindingly fast Kenjutsu technique.
But Hikaru only smirked.
Without turning, he snapped both hands into motion, the spiritual fire molding instantly into a flaming blade.
"Flame Spiral."
Three spiraling arcs of fire slashed in every direction. They collided with the enemy's three-pronged sword strike. Two of the clones disappeared in a puff of smoke. The real attacker had his sword snapped in half—and then was gutted by a horizontal slash that sent blood spraying across the walls.
The ninja fell hard, groaning. With trembling hands, he removed his mask.
An older man, grey at the temples, blood pouring from a deep gash across his chest.
"Y-You... That sword technique... how can you cut three times with one blade?"
His eyes widened in disbelief, even as his life ebbed away.
Hikaru remained silent, fireblade still in hand, gazing coldly at the man's face.
"Gekko Chiji," he muttered. "So you really did betray us."
He hadn't expected this one. Gekko Chiji had once come to him, offering loyalty to the Uchiha. And yet, here he was, in Root garb.
That stung more than he'd expected.
Hikaru turned to leave, stepping away to strike down others.
But Chiji rasped out one final plea.
"Deputy Clan Leader... Hikaru!"
He stopped, back turned.
"What is it?"
Blood continued to pour freely, but Chiji raised himself just enough to speak.
"The Gekko Clan has only one successor now—Hayate. He doesn't know anything. Please... let him live."
Then, he collapsed to his knees and slammed his head to the floor.
Blood spilled from both forehead and chest.
Hikaru said nothing, only gripping the fireblade tighter.
…I'll pass this sword technique to Hayate.
And with that, he turned and walked away, into the chaos.
Behind him, Chiji smiled faintly. His body went limp. His pupils faded to grey.
He died with a smile.
Hikaru absorbed the fire back into himself, condensing it into the spiritual form of the Weapon once again.
Now armed only with his blade and his body, he began carving through Root operatives with sheer taijutsu and kenjutsu—raw, brutal, violent.
He wasn't fighting for efficiency anymore. He was venting.
The words Chiji left behind echoed in his mind, and his rage turned to Danzo.
It wasn't the Gekko Clan that had betrayed the Uchiha. It was Danzo who had corrupted them—who had embedded his vile agents among them.
The Gekko Clan was small. Their unique bloodline ability—Transparent Release—came at a cruel cost. Most of their ninja died young from the disease that came with the bloodline. Only one remained this generation: Gekko Hayate.
Just one.
Hikaru's fury intensified.
More than ten minutes later, the slaughter ended.
Blood pooled across the floor. The Root base stank of ash and scorched flesh.
With one final swing, Hikaru released a blast of ghostfire toward the corpses.
Everything burned. Every body. Every lie. Every betrayal.
The Root base behind Hokage Rock was reduced to silent, flickering embers.
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