The door slid open with a whoosh. Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Yashiro, and others stepped out, just as Uchiha Itachi was changing his shoes at the entrance.
Beside them, Uchiha Mikoto flusteredly picked up a fallen teacup from the floor. She had just heard the security team discussing how to deal with her son, and in her panic, she had dropped it.
Now, seeing Itachi return, Mikoto was at a loss. She had retired from being a ninja over a decade ago and was now just an ordinary housewife.
"Father, were you discussing something?"
Itachi gave a slight nod of greeting, his voice calm as he spoke. His eyes chilled imperceptibly at the sight of the group behind Fugaku, but he hid it well.
"Itachi, I have something to ask you." Fugaku sighed, his gaze steady as he regarded this son who had grown so distant. "You visited the security team these past two days. You never went before—what was the reason?"
Itachi glanced at Uchiha Yashiro and the others before replying evenly, "I wanted to learn about Shisui's whereabouts, Father."
"Was there anything else?"
"I don't know what you mean, Inabi-senpai."
"You know—"
"Inabi!" Yashiro cut off the impulsive Inabi.
The Uchiha revered strength, and Yashiro, having awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, commanded the respect of the other five, even the eldest among them, Uchiha Yashiro. In the clan, the Mangekyō was synonymous with authority.
Yashiro fixed his gaze on Itachi. "Itachi, as an ANBU member, you could easily target the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki. Controlling the Nine-Tails would significantly boost our chances of success in the coup. As an Uchiha, you wouldn't refuse, would you?"
Itachi shook his head. "The Jinchūriki is heavily guarded. It would be difficult to act."
"No guard detail can stop the Uchiha!" Yashiro's voice rose slightly as he pressed forward. "You skip every clan meeting, reject every mission—Uchiha Itachi, you wield our clan's Great Fireball and shurikenjutsu, your eyes bear the three-tomoe Sharingan, yet you—"
"Yashiro!" Fugaku suddenly interjected, turning to the group with a grim expression. "Leave this to me."
"Elder, the plan is about to begin. Will you still keep an unstable element at your side?"
Yashiro thought of how he had rushed to meet his allies, only for one of their own to betray them, leading to the death of Keikou Sanmoku. Now, with the uprising imminent, Fugaku still refused to deal with Itachi. Just because he was his son, did the safety of the clan no longer matter?
If Itachi truly was a spy, letting him roam freely would be a disaster for the entire clan.
"No, we don't have proof yet. Let me handle this." Fugaku pleaded again, but this time, neither Inabi nor Yashiro were willing to listen.
Last time, Shisui had said the same—and two days later, they were ambushed by Root. If they didn't eliminate the instability, even the coup would be at risk.
"Elder!" Even the usually composed Yashiro couldn't suppress his frustration.
Even without proof, wasn't Itachi's suspicious behavior enough for confinement? They weren't asking for his life—just a few days without freedom.
"This time, I decide!"
Fugaku's eyes snapped open, his three-tomoe Sharingan morphing into the shape of a shuriken—the Mangekyō.
"Mangekyō…"
The sight of Fugaku's Sharingan dampened their fervor. As clan head and wielder of the Mangekyō, Yashiro and the others recalled Fugaku's past leadership, and their urgency to force his hand waned.
But Yashiro's resolve remained unshaken. If he found proof that Itachi had leaked information to Root, he would kill him without hesitation.
The others looked to Yashiro. As the only other Mangekyō wielder, he alone could challenge Fugaku's authority.
"Don't disappoint the clan, Elder. Otherwise…"
Yashiro gave Fugaku a long, hard look. Once his most trusted subordinate, his faith in Fugaku had eroded over time. Now, he held no hope for his leader.
On the eve of rebellion, Fugaku had concealed his Mangekyō. Had it not been for Itachi, the clan might never have known.
Yashiro had planned to reveal his own Mangekyō to Fugaku, but now, he discarded the thought entirely.
With that, Yashiro left Fugaku's home, the others following.
Only then did Fugaku realize how little authority he still held as clan head.
The coup… The odds of success suddenly seemed impossibly slim. Even if they followed the plan, victory was far from certain.
But the die was cast. The Uchiha's rebellion wasn't just known within Konoha—clans with sharp ears had already caught wind, though none dared confirm it.
The village's higher-ups, however, knew full well. There was no path left but war. If the Uchiha didn't strike first, they would be offering their necks to the blade.
"Itachi—"
"Father, Mother, I'm tired from my mission. I'll rest now."
Without waiting for Fugaku to finish, Itachi headed upstairs. Fugaku frowned deeply at his son's retreating back—perhaps he had been wrong all along.
---
"This thing… It's hideous."
Sasori scowled at the contraption before turning to Hyuga Mirai. "You want me to use this to pick someone up? It's an insult to my aesthetic."
"Anti-gravity skiff. Hard to build. With limited time, we had to sacrifice artistry for functionality."
Mirai shrugged. The skiff was complex, requiring rare materials and fuel. Under time constraints, capacity and mobility took priority.
"And if we run into interference?"
"Handle it as you see fit."
Mirai drew a finger across his throat, grinning. War spared civilians, but Root and Itachi's actions had crossed the line into madness.
"Good." Sasori smirked. He hated restrictions—his puppets were art best showcased through slaughter. If he had to hold back, he'd have refused the mission outright.
"Are you coming too?"
Mirai nodded. "I'll split off once we're near Konoha."
He paused, catching Uzumaki Ayaka's hopeful stare, then shook his head. She needed to stay and train—her progress in astral projection was just beginning, and sage mode still awaited.
"And this thing hasn't even been test-flown. When do we leave?"
"Soon. Simulations confirm it's flight-worthy. As for the actual test…" Mirai grinned sheepishly. "That'll be your job."
"You're unbelievable."
Sasori pocketed the skiff in its capsule form and headed out for a "test flight"—which, in reality, was the mission itself.
The skiff wasn't fast—slower than a ninja at full sprint. After a brief trial, Sasori stowed it and switched to puppet travel. Time was short.
---
Back in Sunagakure, Pakura convened the Federal Council, announcing war on Konoha.
Shock rippled through the room. Why this sudden declaration?
But when they learned of Keikou Sanmoku's assassination by Root, outrage replaced confusion.
Sanmoku had been respected across factions—even hardliners admired his integrity. That was why few had opposed Pakura's decision to appoint him as deputy.
Now, with his death, dissent was scarce. Those who suggested negotiation were swiftly shouted down.
Konoha's meddling in River Country's affairs had gone unanswered. If the Federation stayed silent now, it might as well disband.
War was no trifle, but with unity came swift decisions. Forces were mobilized, commanders appointed. Under Elder Kanbayashi's direction, logistics and reinforcements were already in motion.
(End of Chapter)
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