"Stop immediately!"
Uchiha Yashiro's roar tore through the chaos as he saw the ANBU moving among the survivors. Rage flared in his chest, unstoppable and fierce. Hatake Kakashi froze for a moment, glancing toward Chiba and the others who had accompanied him. He looked at Yashiro, attempting to explain, "I'm only treating the wounded,helping those still alive."
But Yashiro would not hear it. The Uchiha elder's eyes burned with fury, his voice sharp as a blade. "Do you think I'd believe such lies?!" His tone carried the weight of betrayal and grief. "You dogs of Sarutobi, you slaughtered countless Uchiha shinobi,was that not enough? Now you even aim to wipe out the innocents, the women and children?!"
Kakashi let out a quiet sigh. He understood Yashiro's anger; he could even sympathize with it. Anyone in his place would likely have felt the same disbelief. Still, he tried once more, his voice calm but firm. "The one responsible for attacking the Uchiha civilians… was a masked man claiming to be Uchiha Madara. Elder Yashiro, there are still Uchiha who survived. You can ask them yourselves."
A severely injured Uchiha spoke up with difficulty, his voice hoarse but truthful. "H-He… he is speaking the truth…"
Yashiro's gaze softened, finally realizing that Kakashi had not betrayed them. Yet that realization did nothing to temper his hatred for the Sarutobi forces loyal to Danzo. He could not forgive them. "Leave!" he bellowed, venting the storm of anger that had built inside him. Kakashi, however, did not respond with confrontation. He simply sighed and waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to follow him as they withdrew, leaving the remaining Uchiha to gather together, shaken but alive.
"Elder Yashiro, what… what do we do now?" one of the survivors asked, trembling. "What's our next step?"
Yashiro let out a heavy sigh, the weight of defeat pressing on him. "The Uchiha fought to the death against Konoha's higher-ups, but the outcome… was inevitable. Even our clan leaders, even the shinobi who stood beside them…"
"They have all fallen!" His words struck like lightning, and many of the assembled Uchiha fainted from shock and despair. Among them were wives, children, and elderly relatives,people too young or untrained to fight, now confronted with the harsh reality of slaughter and survival.
Uchiha Mikoto stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Elder Yashiro… I am more desperate and grief-stricken than anyone, yet…"
"Your clan still needs you. They need guidance and protection."
"The Sarutobi forces, and Danzo, will not stop here. They will follow, and when they do…" Her voice faltered. "…it will truly be the end of the Uchiha."
Yashiro knew this well. But where else could the Uchiha turn? Where could they find refuge in a world that seemed set on their destruction?
Then, his eyes fell upon Chiba. In this man, he saw a flicker of hope. A chance for salvation.
This man,this Mizukage,was not a saint. Far from it. Not even truly good. But by the circumstances of fate, he had preserved a part of the Uchiha clan. He had saved lives where otherwise there would have been none. In this shattered world, he represented the last lifeline for the survivors.
Without hesitation, Yashiro collapsed to his knees before Chiba. "Mizukage-sama…" he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "I beg you… take us in. Take in the surviving members of the Uchiha clan!"
Chiba's expression flickered ever so slightly. His mission in Konoha had three clear objectives: first, to strike against Uchiha Obito; second, to sow chaos between the Uchiha and Konoha, weakening the village's strength; and third, to seize resources for Kirigakure's growth,the most valuable of which were the Sharingan themselves. Originally, the Sharingan he had intended to claim would come from the deceased Uchiha.
As Yashiro knelt, Chiba assessed the situation rationally. He recognized the potential in these survivors,the awakened Sharingan, the children who could one day become formidable assets. Their hatred for Konoha made them all the more useful in the inevitable conflicts ahead.
The risks? Angering Konoha, drawing Danzo's ire. These carried little weight in Chiba's calculation. The real consideration was loyalty. Could the Uchiha, who had rebelled once, remain steadfast under his command? Would they transfer that loyalty to Kirigakure?
After a brief moment of thought, Chiba spoke. "I can save you. I can take you in." His voice was calm, decisive. "But I need one thing from you in return."
Yashiro's eyes brightened with cautious hope. "Mizukage-sama… what is it that you require?"
Chiba's tone was firm. "The eternal loyalty of the Uchiha clan."
Understanding immediately, Yashiro bowed lower, raising his right hand in oath. "I, Uchiha Yashiro, from this day forward, swear undying loyalty to Mizukage-sama. Should I betray this oath, let every member of the Uchiha clan meet a terrible fate!"
The others followed his example. One by one, the surviving Uchiha knelt, pledging their fealty. Even Mikoto, standing beside Yashiro, joined in the solemn vow.
Chiba gazed over the mass of kneeling figures, evaluating them coldly yet thoughtfully. Though not a saint, though not a savior in the purest sense, he had secured both the Sharingan and the seeds of future power. In these survivors lay both potential allies and instruments of influence,resources that could not be ignored.
For now, the Uchiha had been spared, their loyalty pledged, and their eyes,their Sharingan, secured. But the path forward remained one Chiba would navigate with the precision and calculation of a Mizukage born to command.
"Remember the vow you swore today." Chiba's voice was steady and restrained, yet it carried an unquestionable authority. "As Mizukage of Kirigakure, the entire shinobi world knows how I treat clans that are loyal to me. But if betrayal ever takes root in your hearts, you should also understand the consequences."
Uchiha Yashiro answered without the slightest hesitation. "Never! I swear by my own life, by the lives of our fallen clan heads, and by the honor of the entire Uchiha clan,we will never betray Mizukage-sama!"
Chiba inclined his head faintly. "Very good."
He raised his right hand slightly, and in an instant, extreme cold poured forth once more. This time, however, it did not lash out at any enemy. Instead, the freezing chakra gathered and shaped itself, rapidly condensing into one crystalline form after another,majestic birds sculpted entirely from ice. Their bodies were translucent and flawless, and even more astonishing, their wings slowly beat through the air, as though they were alive.
This was another manifestation of Chiba's newly awakened Ice Release, a power similar to a Devil Fruit awakening,granting form and vitality to natural energy itself. Yet the ability was still imperfect. Although the ice birds possessed a hint of lifelike movement, they were still largely under Chiba's direct control. He understood clearly that to grant them true vitality and independent life, he would need a deeper harmony with the natural energy of this world,what shinobi called senjutsu. That, however, was a matter for the future.
The surviving members of the Uchiha clan stared in stunned silence. The children, still too young to fully comprehend loss and hatred, gazed at the ice birds with shining eyes, as if they were witnessing the most wondrous miracle imaginable.
At Chiba's command, the Uchiha survivors quickly boarded the broad backs of the ice birds, families clinging to one another as they moved. No one dared to waste time. Yashiro, Mikoto, and the unconscious Sasuke followed as well, stepping onto the frozen wings.
When everything was ready, Chiba waved his hand gently. The ice birds beat their wings in unison and soared into the night sky. As they rose higher and higher, the Uchiha compound and Konoha itself shrank beneath them, growing distant and small.
Cries soon broke out among the clan. Some wept openly, others sobbed in silence, their hearts torn apart as they watched their homeland fade away.
Sasuke was eventually awakened by the biting cold and fierce wind. His eyes opened, yet they were empty, devoid of light. He looked at the ice birds surrounding him, at the ground far below where the Uchiha compound lay, and at his own powerless state. His gaze remained hollow,yet within those vacant pupils, a faint crimson glimmer quietly ignited.
…
By the time Danzo Shimura and his Root operatives arrived at the Uchiha compound, it was already deserted. The streets were empty, and even the corpses had been taken away. Danzo's expression darkened instantly, fury surging through him as he ordered Root to search the area thoroughly.
At that moment, a sensory ninja suddenly pointed toward the sky. "Danzo-sama! Look!"
Danzo lifted his head sharply and saw it,under the blood-red moon, countless white ice birds streaked across the heavens.
"That… Ice Release?" he muttered, teeth clenched. "So it really is that man… Chiba."
That night, many Konoha villagers who could not sleep witnessed the same scene. Beneath the blood moon, ice birds flew across the sky like a divine omen, leaving behind shock and disbelief in their wake.
On the outskirts of the village, Kakashi Hatake, who had crossed paths with Danzo and Root during their pursuit, also saw the sight. His reaction, however, was completely different. Rather than anger, he released a long, quiet breath. Seeing the Uchiha survivors taken away alive filled him with undeniable relief.
Danzo, burning with rage, ordered the remaining Uchiha compound set ablaze. Flames quickly spread, roaring into the sky. From beyond Konoha's defensive barrier, the Uchiha survivors saw the fire consuming their home and immediately understood what it meant. Their crying grew louder, grief finally overwhelming restraint.
After venting his fury, Danzo returned with Root and Kakashi to the Hokage Tower, where they regrouped with Hiruzen Sarutobi. The other ANBU squads dispatched by Hiruzen had failed to track Chiba entirely. All anyone could do was watch as dozens of ice birds vanished into the distance. Hiruzen's anger simmered,but there was nothing he could do.
When Danzo reported back, Hiruzen had already guessed much of what had happened. He then turned his attention to Kakashi.
"Kakashi," Hiruzen said calmly, his tone almost casual, "you look tired. It's been a long night, hasn't it? How is everything out there?"
Kakashi stiffened slightly. Beneath his mask, cold sweat formed along his temples. The Hokage's voice was gentle, almost warm,but Kakashi knew better. Every word carried weight, and a single wrong answer could cost him far more than a reprimand.
"I received intelligence from my subordinates," Kakashi replied carefully. "A masked man claiming to be Uchiha Madara had infiltrated the village."
Hiruzen nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful rather than angry. "I see… and then?"
"I tracked him to the Uchiha compound," Kakashi continued, choosing his words with precision. "At the time, he was slaughtering civilians. I intervened and stopped him. He withdrew shortly afterward."
For a brief moment, silence hung in the air. Hiruzen's gaze remained gentle, but his eyes were sharp,like a wolf hidden beneath a layer of sheep's wool.
"That's interesting," Hiruzen said quietly. "If I remember correctly, the report you submitted earlier stated that this man intended to harm Konoha itself."
Kakashi's heartbeat quickened. "Even ANBU intelligence can be flawed, Hokage-sama," he answered steadily. "Situations change."
Hiruzen studied him for a long second, the room growing heavier with each passing breath. "Kakashi," he said at last, voice still calm, "you're not implying disloyalty to the village… are you?"
Kakashi straightened slightly. Despite the cold sweat on his back, his tone remained firm. "Never. My loyalty to you and to Konoha has never wavered."
Before the tension could deepen further, Koharu Utatane stepped closer and gently tugged Hiruzen's sleeve. "Hokage-sama," she said softly, "the village has already suffered heavy losses. This is not the time to lose someone like Kakashi."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly. He knew Kakashi's value all too well,one of the finest shinobi of the new generation, a pillar within ANBU. Executing or discarding him was never truly an option.
"You're right," Hiruzen said at last. "Konoha is at its weakest now, and it still needs your strength." His eyes narrowed just slightly as he looked back at Kakashi. "Consider this an opportunity to make amends. Do not disappoint me again."
Kakashi bowed his head lightly. "Understood, Hokage-sama."
Only then did Yamato finally relax, releasing a quiet breath of relief. Hiruzen ordered the battlefield cleared and the aftermath handled. Yet the knowledge that Chiba had taken even the Uchiha corpses away lingered in his mind, quietly fueling his resentment.
…
Outside Konoha, in a hidden corner of the darkness, the mysterious masked man watched the ice birds streak across the sky and let out a cold snort. His gaze shifted to Uchiha Itachi, whose eyes were empty sockets, blood trailing down his face.
Itachi knew exactly who had saved him. "Why?" he asked hollowly. "Why save me? I'm already broken… there's no meaning left in living."
The masked man replied indifferently, "Do you think I wanted to save you? You ruined everything we planned. But letting you die would be a waste,you still have some use alive."
Those words mirrored what Chiba had said earlier. A crushing desolation washed over Itachi, as though his soul had been stripped away. From that moment on, he felt like nothing more than a corpse wandering through the shinobi world.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Each 50 Power Stones collected unlocks a new chapter! Your support not only helps the story continue but also allows us to create extra content for dedicated readers.
Additionally, exclusive content and bonus chapters are available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ImmortalEmperor
Join now and help shape the future of the story while enjoying special rewards!