"Did you find out who's spreading rumors against Itachi in Konoha?!"
Inside the Hokage's office stood Sarutobi Hiruzen, Uchiha Itachi, and an Anbu ninja.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from the Anbu ninja by the office window, and asked with a grim expression.
The Anbu ninja lowered his head and replied truthfully, "We haven't found out yet, but it seems to have started spreading from within the Uchiha Clan."
Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a heavy sigh.
He turned and walked in front of Uchiha Itachi, saying with considerable shame, "Itachi, I apologize. I failed to notice the spread of negative public opinion against you in time and couldn't curb it immediately."
Early this morning, Sarutobi Hiruzen had also told Uchiha Itachi to forget what he discussed with Uchiha Chisen and not to mention that matter to anyone.
The goal was to help Uchiha Itachi conceal the so-called Future Evil.
But who could have imagined...
In just half a day, rumors about Itachi's "Future Evil" had spread throughout the entire village.
And with many people embellishing the story, It had even turned into outright slander!
Uchiha Itachi, however, calmly shook his head and said, "Hokage-sama, I don't mind. My reputation is far less important to me than a peaceful and stable Konoha."
He looked down at his own hands and added, "It's not entirely a bad thing. I can use this opportunity to get used to being despised and cursed by countless people in advance."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was taken aback.
This child, Itachi... he truly believed, without a doubt, that he would destroy the Uchiha Clan in the future.
...
When Uchiha Sasuke returned to the Uchiha Clan's compound alone, he was in a daze, with faint tear streaks still visible on his small face.
The whites of his eyes were slightly red and bloodshot, his expression had lost its usual vibrancy, and his gaze seemed to lack its former sparkle.
The moment he walked into the Uchiha compound, Sasuke clearly felt many eyes focusing on him.
This made him feel as if he had a target on his back, making him very uncomfortable.
"This brat... he's the younger brother of that scoundrel Uchiha Itachi, the one called Uchiha Sasuke, right?"
"He's Uchiha Itachi's blood relative. Hey, hey, hey, could he also want to kill us with his own hands? Keeping a brat like this in the Uchiha Clan is just asking for trouble, isn't it?"
"I heard these two brothers have a very good relationship. Why don't we capture this brat and use him to threaten Uchiha Itachi..."
"Will this brat die at Uchiha Itachi's hands in the future? I clearly remember that scoundrel even killed his own parents."
Faint whispers reached Sasuke's ears.
Cold sweat broke out on Sasuke.
He no longer dared to argue with them about whether his brother was good or bad, nor did he dare to linger on the street. Even though this street was within the Uchiha Clan's territory, he didn't dare to stay any longer.
Sasuke quickly quickened his pace, lowering his head as he hurried home.
...
"...Fugaku, you already knew, didn't you?" Uchiha Mikoto looked at her silent husband with a complex expression.
Today, many clan members had visited.
Some came forward angrily to question him, while others came with confusion to ask... In the end, these people were either dismissed by Fugaku or placated.
Having lived with Fugaku for so many years, Mikoto knew that her husband had been lying to these clan members.
Even hearing mere fragments from them had allowed Uchiha Mikoto to understand what was happening.
Facing his wife's gaze, Fugaku sighed.
He broke his silence, looking at his clenched fist, and replied in a low voice, "I found out this morning... because I went with Itachi to find Chisen and heard it directly from Chisen's mouth. You should know too, even though Chisen is biased against Itachi, at least the words he speaks are not lies."
Uchiha Mikoto froze on the spot, her entire body seeming to lose all strength as she stumbled uncontrollably.
Fugaku quickly got up and supported Uchiha Mikoto.
"Chi... Chisen... Huff! Did Chisen say anything more detailed about the 'future'?" Uchiha Mikoto's beautiful face showed lips that had turned faintly pale, and she trembled as she asked, "In the future, did Itachi... did he kill Sasuke too?"
Fugaku shook his head. "Only not Sasuke."
This morning, Fugaku had not heard "Uchiha Sasuke" mentioned as a victim of the clan massacre from Uchiha Chisen.
Then, he paused, as if he had just remembered something.
Fugaku added, "And not Chisen either."
Just then.
The couple heard a faint sound of panting from outside the door. They both turned their heads to look, only to see Sasuke holding onto the doorframe with one hand. His small face was pale, and his eyes were filled with tears as he panted rapidly.
"I..."
Sasuke bit his lip hard, his lips breaking, and the faint taste of blood made it difficult for him to speak, "I know now too."
Fugaku stared blankly.
Silence stretched for a few seconds.
A deep sigh.
...
Shink—the sharp ninja sword instantly severed the two arms of a Root ninja disguised as a Konoha civilian.
Izumi, following closely behind Uchiha Chisen, threw two kunai.
The kunai accurately pinned the Root ninja's feet to the ground.
The intense pain caused the Root ninja's entire body to tremble.
"Phew, that's the third one today..." Izumi wiped away the crystal-clear sweat beading on her forehead. After she and Chisen-senpai parted ways with Sasuke.
She had been "hunting" Root ninjas released by Danzō to spread rumors within Konoha with Chisen-senpai.
While the crime of "spreading rumors" by Root ninjas wasn't punishable by death.
The crimes they had committed in the past were enough to warrant the death penalty.
In Chisen-senpai's words: the entire Root, except for the war orphans who were just recruited and brainwashed, no one was innocent. Killing them all wouldn't result in a single wrongful execution.
Therefore, Izumi carried no psychological burden.
After all, she unconditionally trusted Chisen-senpai's judgment!
Looking at the Root ninja who had collapsed on the ground, weakened by excessive blood loss.
Izumi felt this guy probably wouldn't live for another minute.
There was no longer any need for resuscitation.
"You do it." When Chisen-senpai's cold voice sounded, Izumi decisively drew her ninja sword and stepped forward, unhesitatingly slitting the Root ninja's throat.
—I am executing [Absolute Justice].
Izumi repeatedly reminded herself in her heart.
But at this moment, she suddenly felt something strange. She had a feeling that the power within her had inexplicably strengthened a bit. This bizarre illusion made her a little scared.
She was afraid that "bloodlust" was her true nature.
Afraid that she would be controlled by slaughter.
"Senpai, my body..." Izumi decided to tell Chisen-senpai about the abnormality in her body at this moment.
Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Chisen-senpai as usual.
"This is the gift of [Absolute Justice]."
Uchiha Chisen said slowly, "Without absolute power, how can you execute absolute justice in the ninja world?"
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