The night of October 12.
Outside the Uchiha compound, Fox and Golden Eagle appeared in a flicker of Body Flicker Technique.
A corpse lay hidden in the grass.
An ANBU.
The skull had been sliced open cleanly.
Severed by razor-thin steel wire.
The cranium had been lifted like a bowl — the shinobi's brain matter resting grotesquely inside it.
The killer was extremely skilled.
ANBU operatives were no amateurs; for one to be killed silently, without resistance, without even realizing what had happened…
That required terrifying precision.
Golden Eagle's breathing grew heavy, fists clenching and unclenching.
This was more than murder.
It was a message.
Yako's eyes darkened.
This month he had stayed quiet — waiting for the next full moon, caring for baby Yoru, avoiding unnecessary trouble.
Yet someone had chosen brutality.
Several ANBU arrived, surrounding the area.
The Uchiha clan reacted quickly.
Uchiha Kagen, Uchiha Tōka, and Uchiha Fugaku appeared in flashes of movement.
When Fugaku saw the body, his heart tightened.
The atmosphere turned cold, oppressive.
Even behind masks, the ANBU radiated restrained fury.
Fox had only just become Vice Commander — and now this.
Fugaku couldn't imagine what kind of retaliation would follow.
Uchiha Kagen spoke cautiously.
"Vice Commander Fox… which village's spy would dare commit such an act inside Konoha?"
Golden Eagle glanced at the three Uchihas.
Their expressions were flawless.
Too flawless.
The dead ANBU had been assigned to monitor the Uchiha.
And now they casually called this the work of foreign spies?
Yako tilted his head slightly.
"Oh? Clan Head Kagen has already determined this was a foreign agent?"
His voice remained mild.
"I wonder which village possesses such refined shuriken manipulation… Steel wire attached to a shuriken, tightened to slice open the skull.
The Uchiha are renowned for shuriken techniques.
Do you perhaps know another village equally skilled?"
Kagen swallowed.
"Suna… their puppet masters use wire extensively.
And perhaps Kirigakure. Some imitate the Longsword: Nuibari — thin blades connected by wire."
"Ah. As expected of the Uchiha clan head — two possible suspects immediately," Yako replied lightly.
"I'll investigate thoroughly.
And when I find the killer… I'll place their brain inside their own skull as well."
The message landed.
ANBU gathered the body and vanished.
Once back inside the compound, Kagen's composure cracked.
"Uchiha Goko! Bring him here!"
Tōka soon arrived at the brothers' residence.
Uchiha Goko casually tossed a kunai into the air and caught it again.
When he saw it was only Tōka, disappointment flickered in his eyes.
"So ANBU found nothing," he muttered.
Tōka frowned.
Goko had changed since returning from the Land of Rain — more arrogant, more volatile.
"The clan head wants to see you."
Inside the clan head's hall, Kagen dismissed everyone else.
His voice dropped into a harsh whisper.
"What did you do, Goko? What have you done?!"
Goko shrugged.
"I found someone spying on me. I killed him. Simple.
One genjutsu. One shuriken-wire technique.
That ANBU was weak. Honestly, aside from Fox, ANBU is full of trash."
Kagen had suspected.
But hearing the casual admission made his stomach churn.
"Don't look at me like that," Goko said.
"The strong have dignity.
I refuse to be watched like prey. The village has oppressed the Uchiha for too long.
Yes, maybe I acted impulsively.
But this is useful — testing the village's response. Gathering intelligence for when we seize power."
Kagen rubbed his temples.
Every Mangekyō awakener changed.
Extreme trauma forged extreme personalities.
Arrogance and bloodlust, even obsession.
The leap from three-tomoe to Mangekyō was not gradual — it was explosive.
He sighed, exhausted.
"If you want to test the village's reaction, then spend time near the Hokage Tower or the Forest of Death. Observe carefully."
Goko blinked.
"...You're telling me to walk into ANBU territory? Interesting advice.
Fine. I'll stay quiet for now."
He turned to leave, then paused.
"Clan Head.
We must act aggressively while we have the advantage.
Otherwise we'll end up like the Senju — half-crippled.
They survived through the hospital system.
What do we have? The Police Force?
Without overwhelming power, that position only deepens our isolation.
If we don't press our advantage now, we'll be devoured later.
Failing to eliminate enemies while strong… is the greatest cruelty toward future generations."
Above the rafters, hidden in shadow, a face emerged.
Yako.
He was genuinely surprised.
Goko possessed dangerous foresight.
History didn't always favor the wise.
But he was right about one thing:
Strike when strong.
If you don't destroy your enemies, they will destroy you.
Bloodshed now… to spare blood later.
Back at his home, Goko's younger brother asked nervously,
"Will the clan head support you? You were pretty blunt."
Goko snorted.
"In the Uchiha, power decides leadership.
If he won't listen… I'll become clan head myself."
Midnight.
Goko suddenly turned toward a wardrobe.
White Zetsu emerged from the wood like a ghost.
"Entering Konoha is troublesome now. Had to wait until the underground organic network went still…"
Before he finished, Goko's hand shot forward.
Crunch.
Zetsu's neck snapped instantly.
Another White Zetsu emerged.
Goka crushed that one too.
And another.
After three deaths, he finally stopped.
They were disposable anyway.
"What do you want, Madara's subordinate?"
White Zetsu raised its hands placatingly.
"You shouldn't hate me. You should thank Madara-sama."
"Thank him? For killing my teacher?"
Another Zetsu died.
A new one appeared cautiously.
"You attacked him in the Land of Rain. Was he supposed to stand still?
Your comrades died because someone sent you to die.
You should ask who ordered you there.
Honestly… I never understood why a handful of you thought you could investigate Madara-sama.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi came with multiple clan leaders, maybe he'd take it seriously.
You were sacrifices."
Goko hesitated.
He had seen Madara's power.
Did Hiruzen truly expect success?
Or was it just a test of Uchiha loyalty?
Four three-tomoe Uchihas had died.
Only then did the village stop pushing.
His teacher's death ignited rage again.
White Zetsu leaned forward.
"Madara-sama is not your enemy.
He's your benefactor.
Do you really think you awakened the Mangekyō by talent alone?
He helped you at the critical moment.
No one understands the Sharingan better.
And he can help you grow stronger still.
Tell me…
Do you want to know how to evolve your Mangekyō?"
Desire flickered in Goko's eyes.
The clan head's caution had planted doubt — even with Mangekyō, he might not surpass the village's elites.
But if it could become stronger…
Strong enough to dominate Konoha—
Yet he hesitated.
Madara had always been painted as the clan's greatest villain.
Could he trust this pale creature?
He wasn't sure.