At Nanga Shrine, nearly every Chunin and above from the Uchiha Clan had gathered for the clan meeting, with the notable exception of Uchiha Itachi. The tension was palpable as the heads of various branches and clans discussed their course of action. Uchiha Fugaku stood tall at the center, his stern gaze scanning the restless faces before him.
"Well then," Fugaku declared, "this matter is settled. Meeting adjourned."
The room stirred, and one by one, the clan members began to disperse. Uchiha Mikoto, Itachi's mother, left alongside the others, but Itachi himself remained seated, lost in thought. Knowing his father waited for him outside, he eventually rose and made his way toward the exit.
Outside the shrine, Izumi lingered silently, concealed by shadows. She sensed a faint chakra signature from a distance. A small chuckle escaped her lips, muffled by her hand, before she quietly departed the scene, leaving the place in solitude.
Itachi, watching the last of the clan members vanish, including his mother, steeled himself. He understood what awaited — a confrontation with his father, a negotiation about the Uchiha's future.
Back home, Izumi relaxed lazily in her quarters, the talisman hanging from Itachi's neck whispering crucial intelligence to her. "Ah, finally. It's time to act," she murmured with a yawn, irritation briefly flickering across her features. "How slow they are."
---
The next day, Izumi arrived at the park where Itachi was seated, his expression grave and distant. Stepping quietly behind him, she covered his eyes with her hands and teased softly, "Guess who I am~"
Itachi's tense expression softened immediately, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Hanako Saito?"
Izumi blinked in confusion. "Hmm?"
He continued teasing with a playful tone, "Sae Inoue?"
She laughed, twisting his ear lightly. "Alright, who are these women?"
"It's just a joke. Spare me, Izumi," Itachi replied, still smiling wryly.
Looking into his face, Izumi's smile faded into concern. "Itachi, what's wrong? You look terrible."
He clenched his fist but kept his face calm. "It's nothing. Just thinking… about the Village and the clan."
Izumi immediately placed her palm over his mouth. "I told you, no discussing these things between us. Your father must have already told you everything you need to know. We just need to follow orders."
Itachi's eyes remained troubled, but Izumi smiled warmly and leaned into his embrace. Nervous, Itachi reached for her hand, trembling slightly.
Izumi grasped his hand firmly, encouraging him to hold her. The faint scent she wore seemed to calm his quivering heart.
"How's this? I've rewarded you like this," she teased with a sly smile. "If you're still unhappy, I'll get angry."
Itachi gave a self-deprecating smile and calmly ran a hand through Izumi's long hair. "Thank you."
"Don't be so mood-killing," Izumi chided lightly.
He chuckled. Then, as he stood up, he hesitated, trembling again. "Izumi, I…"
Suddenly, voices nearby interrupted them. Several people pointed and whispered, "Look! Those two…"
Feeling awkward, Itachi quickly pulled Izumi's hand and hurried away.
Izumi scowled. "There are so many people. Don't go that way!"
"It's fine," Itachi chuckled nervously. He led her on a winding path, away from the crowd, to the training grounds.
---
Once inside the forest, Itachi asked, confused, "What are you doing?"
Swiftly, he leapt and ran ahead, Izumi following close behind. His hand gripped hers tightly, sweat trickling down.
Izumi watched his back with a mysterious smile, but Itachi didn't notice.
Finally, Itachi stopped and said softly, "This is where Shisui and I first met. I didn't expect things to change so much here."
"It's nostalgic, indeed—a training ground," Izumi said, smiling as her eyes scanned their surroundings.
"Why bring me here?" she asked.
Itachi inhaled deeply and replied, "Because it was the first place I thought of where no one would be."
Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and asked quietly, "Izumi, is there anything you want to do in the future?"
Izumi pouted and flung his hand away. "No."
Itachi sighed, disappointment evident. "I see."
He sat beneath a nearby tree. "I'm sorry, Izumi. I brought you here just to ask... I don't know what to do now. What should the clan and the Village do?"
Izumi stepped close, wrapping her arms around him gently. "Can't you make a choice?"
Itachi nodded slowly. "Yes."
She looked at him with pity, cupping his face. "Itachi, why don't we just leave Konoha?"
"Where would we go?" he asked, eyes searching hers.
"Anywhere," Izumi answered softly. "Far away from the conflicts between the Village and the clan. Any kind of life would be better."
Itachi studied her earnest expression, then looked away. "I'm part of the Village. I must make a choice."
Izumi sighed deeply. "Didn't I say not to discuss this? But you always have to make a choice, Itachi. You can't avoid it."
He embraced her tightly, burying his face in her hair. "How do I choose?"
"You're Uchiha," she whispered, stroking his back. "You stand with us. We can win. When I become Hokage, I'll change this bloody world."
He sighed bitterly. "Izumi, after all this time, you're still like those arrogant clan members."
She tilted her head, confused. "Arrogant? What do you mean? Aren't we Uchiha—ugh!"
Her body swayed suddenly. She stumbled back, releasing Itachi's embrace.
She looked at her back in disbelief.
A Kunai was lodged deep inside her, piercing vital organs.
Izumi's eyes locked onto Itachi's in shock and betrayal. Her trembling hand pointed accusingly. "You… cough, cough… what are you doing?!"
Itachi revealed his scarlet Mangekyo Sharingan, blood streaming from his eyes. Pain and coldness filled his gaze as he looked at Izumi.
He closed his eyes, recalling the mission given to him by Danzo Shimura.
---
"Don't be fooled by the Third Hokage's words. At a critical moment, he'll always side with Konoha," Danzo had said. "I need you to make a choice—either join the Uchiha rebellion and perish with your family or stand with Konoha, save your younger brother, and eliminate the Uchiha Clan."
Itachi was stunned. "Kill all the Uchiha Clan members?"
Danzo nodded. "To protect the Village, the situation must be suppressed before chaos erupts. The only Ninja who can bear this burden is you—a double agent between the Uchiha and Konoha. Are you willing?"
Itachi remained silent, then closed his eyes and nodded. "I accept."
"Good," Danzo said. "But before that, you must kill one person first."
"Who?" Itachi asked, pain evident.
"Your lover, Uchiha Izumi."
Itachi's voice cracked. "There's no need to kill her so soon. I will kill her later."
"No," Danzo insisted. "You must kill her first."
"Why? Is she that strong?"
"You don't understand her at all. She's as powerful as you and as fast as the Yellow Flash. If she senses anything, we'll never catch her. You must kill her when she lets her guard down—this is your only chance."
---
Snapping back to the present, Itachi looked at the bleeding Izumi before him, his heart breaking.
Blood poured from the wound in her back as she gasped, pointing at him with trembling strength. "Why? You…"
Itachi prepared to use his Mangekyo Sharingan to trap her in Tsukuyomi—a genjutsu world where she would live without pain.
But Izumi staggered weakly backward.
Suddenly, several figures emerged, casting the Four Violet Flames Formation, enclosing Izumi in a ring of purple fire.
She collapsed to the ground, eyes bloodshot, glaring at Itachi. "You… bastard! How could you do this?! What do you want?"
Tears streamed down Itachi's face as he whispered, "I am going to kill the Uchiha Clan."
Izumi spat blood and glared fiercely. "You chose the stupidest method. You'll live in pain forever."
Rising shakily, she gripped a Kunai and advanced toward Itachi, a long blood trail marking her path.
"Itachi, spend the rest of your life in genjutsu," he said quietly, intending to trap her.
She shook her head. "I don't want a false life. I want you to face reality. I want to kill you."
Itachi closed his eyes, preparing.
Suddenly, "swish swish swish"—several Kunai pierced Izumi's back.
She collapsed into Itachi's arms, the Kunai in her hand slipping to the ground.
Itachi held his dying lover, trembling uncontrollably.
Izumi's eyes blazed with hatred as she whispered through her pain, "You will regret this."
A faint smile touched her lips before she finally slipped from his grasp, collapsing onto the cold earth.
Itachi stared at the blood soaking his clothes, looking up at the sky with tears streaming freely.
Speechless, his soul shattered.
Only when the Anbu arrived did he turn and leave.
---
The Anbu moved silently to Izumi's side and carried her body away, leaving the clearing cold and still.
---
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