Under the guidance—and manipulation—of certain individuals, the villagers of Konoha gradually came to believe in a set of so-called "truths." The result was immediate and brutal: the Uchiha clan suddenly found themselves crushed under overwhelming pressure, forced into compromise, stripped of choice, and driven from their longtime home.
At that moment, the Uchiha were formally pushed out of Konoha's political core and exiled to the outskirts of the village.
Even Uchiha Fugaku himself could do nothing but swallow the helplessness tightening around his heart.
Meanwhile, the reconstruction of damaged homes throughout the village began. Naturally, people soon noticed that the Fourth Hokage's residence had been burned to ashes. But for a while, no one could determine the exact cause of the destruction.
In the end, the blame was dumped onto the Nine-Tails. This conclusion would later lead to Naruto Uzumaki being criticized and even unfairly associated with the destruction of his own home.
"Wherever the Will of Fire dances, the flames shall burn bright.And from that light, new leaves will always sprout…"
"People die… all of us will. But their sacrifice is noble, for they protected the village—protected our seedlings!"
"We will continue to follow the Will of Fire, the path our ancestors entrusted to us, offering our lives to guard this family called Konoha…"
"May the souls of our heroes endure—watching over us always…"
Before the memorial stone in Konoha Cemetery, the reinstated Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, delivered his solemn speech at the funeral rites—his grand proclamation of the Will of Fire, a sweeping wave of emotional indoctrination.
And in the thick, sorrowful atmosphere he so carefully cultivated, many truly fell under the spell of his performance.
Hidden quietly in a corner, Haruno Sho watched as countless people were moved to tears, chests heaving with sobs, faces contorted in grief.
"Waaaah…"
Ah yes—youth.
Tch. Though Might Guy hadn't lost any family members in the disaster, he was crying harder than anyone else. Perhaps the atmosphere was simply too heavy…(Might Guy: My tears will never dry… ever!)
The Nine-Tails' attack had brought an abnormal swell of new residents to Konoha Cemetery.
"Big brother… is that you?"
"The ninja who helped my family that night!"
Just as Sho prepared to slip out with the dispersing crowd, a cute little girl suddenly blocked his path.
"And you are…?"
The girl bowed deeply, gratitude evident in every movement. Sho hesitated for a moment, then gently patted her head—even though he couldn't quite recall who she was.
Hmm. Soft hair… let me feel that again.
For someone her age, her long, straight, pitch-black hair was unusually beautiful. She would no doubt grow into a breathtaking beauty.
"My name is Fujimoto Izumi…""Thank you for saving my father three days ago!""If not for you, my mother and I might have lost someone we loved… just like so many others.""Thank you—truly!"
As the long-haired little girl bowed again, Sho finally remembered.
That night, during the Nine-Tails' attack, he had indeed saved a badly injured man—her father.
But even after stabilizing him, the man would likely need both legs amputated. His lower limbs had been crushed beyond repair, and Sho could not reveal the full extent of his medical abilities, so all he could offer was emergency treatment…
He also remembered that the girl's mother was a striking long-haired beauty who looked nearly identical to her daughter—they could've been cast from the same mold.
Powerful genetics indeed.
"Think nothing of it. This is my duty.""I'm Haruno Sho—a medical ninja who saves lives."
Sho bent down again, running his hand through the soft hair atop her head. His gentle smile made his identity clear.
"Young Master Sho, thank you for your kindness. We will repay it someday…"
"Just grow up healthy, okay? That'll help reduce my workload."
The seriousness on the little girl's face made Sho chuckle. After receiving her repeated thanks, he finally left the cemetery.
Time was precious; he had no intention of wasting it on a funeral rite he didn't care about.The dead were gone—what mattered was the present.
"Fujimoto Izumi…?"
"Why does that sound familiar…"
Leaving the cemetery, Sho exchanged nods with every familiar face he passed. Regardless of relationships, he kept a courteous demeanor—it was good for his reputation.
But his mind repeatedly drifted back to that tiny girl—Izumi. Her pretty face tugged at something in his memory…
"Izumi… at a funeral…""No way.""Could it be her?"
When he recalled the girl's mother—the beautiful young woman with flowing black hair—everything clicked.
"She's only five or six…""The same age as Itachi, isn't she?"
Just as he spotted Uchiha Itachi walking in the distance, the final piece fell into place.
Yes—Izumi Fujimoto was that Izumi.
Fujimoto Izumi was Uchiha Izumi.
Or rather… she was Senju Izumi as well.
This girl's background was far from ordinary.
"I never imagined…"
"By accident, I've stirred a butterfly's wing…"
"I hope this time, her fate will be different."
While Sho regretted the tragic fate of this gentle girl in the original timeline, he had also studied her background thoroughly.
Uchiha Izumi awakened her three-tomoe Sharingan at only twelve. Yet this talented girl was murdered by a deranged Obito.
Before her death, Itachi placed her in a peaceful illusion world using Tsukuyomi, giving her a perfect life—yet she still died in the end.And after her death, Obito cruelly took her eyes.
Such a waste… especially considering her unique lineage:
a rare mixed bloodline connected to the Ōtsutsuki.