In the woods on the outskirts of the Uchiha Clan Estate, two figures stood silently in the shadows untouched by moonlight.
One of them wore the iconic fox mask, his robe swaying slightly in the wind—it was Menma, the leader of the [Blaze] organization.
Standing beside him was a man entirely cloaked in black, also wearing a fox mask, but the right eye socket behind his mask was noticeably sunken, making it look particularly out of place.
Beneath the mask, Shisui's left eye darted around uneasily, his gaze occasionally flicking towards Menma beside him, his eyes a mix of awe and vigilance.
What methods did this man use?
His left eye—the eye that should have been forever blind—could now clearly see every leaf under the moonlight, but Shisui knew clearly that this was not his original Mangekyo Sharingan, but just an ordinary eye with no special abilities.
This was Menma's newly acquired ability, the power of Gold Experience, which could create life, but Menma had only restored Shisui's left eye; his right eye remained empty, and tonight, that emptiness would be put to great use.
Recalling the scene of his "treatment," Shisui still felt a shiver.
At that time, having lost his sight, he only felt a strange energy flow through his body, followed by...
Pain.
No, that couldn't even be described as "pain."
In that instant, he seemed to experience "death" itself—his body utterly pulverized.
But just as the pain was about to erupt, everything returned to normal.
When his vision was restored, he saw Menma putting a glass jar into his sleeve, and inside the jar, black insects writhed—they were the poisonous insects implanted into his body by the Aburame Clan.
That kind of medical technique...
Shisui's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
Even Tsunade, the legendary Sannin, probably couldn't pulverize and reassemble a human body in an instant, could she?
After a while, a figure appeared silently in the forest.
An Anbu outfit, long black hair, and those deep, abyssal eyes—Uchiha Itachi.
Her gaze instantly locked onto the two figures standing in the forest.
"...The [Blaze] organization?" Itachi's voice was low and cold, "What is your purpose here?"
Menma tilted his head slightly, and a faint curve seemed to appear at the corner of his mouth beneath the fox mask.
"If I appear in a village..."
"If there's nothing of interest inside, then there's only one purpose.
Can I interpret this as a war?"
Before her words finished, Itachi's eyes had already changed—the crimson Sharingan instantly spun, the tomoe twisting and reassembling, finally forming a complex pattern that rotated slowly like a shuriken.
Mangekyo Sharingan.
Itachi...you awakened your Mangekyo?!
Shisui's emotions were a mix of shock and joy.
He had been worried whether Itachi's strength was enough to bear the darkness alone, but now, that worry could finally be put to rest slightly.
However, the next second, a complex emotion surged into his heart—he knew what the price of the Mangekyo Sharingan was.
"I advise you not to act rashly." Menma's tone remained calm, and in that instant—
"Swish! Swish! Swish—!"
Nine black figures suddenly appeared around them, circling like phantoms.
They assumed various postures; some crouched on branches, some stood on the ground, and others floated in mid-air.
Nine-Faced Beast.
This was a warning.
If Itachi dared to make a move, these guys would definitely not stand by.
Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan flickered slightly, then slowly receded, returning to its normal three-tomoe form.
She was well aware of the strength of these guys—they had once held off the entire Konoha Anbu, including the Third Hokage.
"No, you misunderstood." Itachi spoke again.
"What I need to do now is to completely stop this civil war."
Her gaze met Menma's directly, "—[Blaze], since your goal is to end the war, then I need you to do something for me."
Completely stop the civil war?
Shisui was utterly perplexed.
Now?
At this time?
What method had Itachi thought of?
Menma was silent for a moment.
He, of course, knew Itachi's intention—Obito had already been driven away by him, and now, Itachi's gaze had turned to him.
"To completely end the civil war, and...all its beginnings."
"—I will annihilate everyone in the Uchiha Clan."
Her tone showed no wavering, "Some troublesome individuals need you to deal with.
As compensation, the eyes of the dead...you can take them as you please."
...What?
Shisui's mind froze in that instant.
Itachi...what did she just say?
Annihilate the Uchiha?
Clan extermination?
His body reacted before his thoughts—muscles tensed, feet pushed off, almost rushing forward to question her.
However, the next second—
"Pat."
Menma's hand steadily blocked him, and only then did Shisui suddenly realize—he had unconsciously wanted to rush forward.
"Apologies, my subordinate is a bit emotional." Menma's tone carried a subtle hint of coldness.
"However...your choice is truly surprising.
Clan extermination?
Just eliminating the Uchiha hawks should also stop the civil war, right?"
Itachi's eyes showed no wavering.
"...No.
The Uchiha Clan now is beyond saving.
I am utterly disappointed in the capacity of this clan."
"This is the only way to completely sever the chain of hatred."
Completely sever?
Menma suppressed the surging displeasure in his heart.
Such an extreme, almost twisted logic, even just hearing it, made one's worldview shake.
"So...you want to completely destroy the future of the Uchiha?"
Itachi shook her head.
"No.
When I exterminate the clan, I will leave one person—my younger sister, Satsuki."
Her eyes softened slightly at this moment, but it was fleeting, returning to coldness in an instant.
"Therefore, besides Satsuki...you can freely take anyone's Sharingan."
But then, Itachi's voice sounded again, this time with an undeniable killing intent—"But, if you dare to lay a hand on Satsuki...even if your summoned beasts attack Konoha—"
"I will never let you go."
Menma's fingertips trembled slightly, Chakra quietly flowing within his body.
He wanted to subdue Itachi directly now, but a more troublesome problem arose in his mind—how could Satsuki awaken her Sharingan?
Should he completely overturn fate, protecting her forever in a greenhouse, becoming a canary that could never spread its wings?
Satsuki is one of only two geniuses in this world whose talent can reach Six Paths level...Forget it!
At worst, he would atone to her later!
"I agree to your terms." Menma's voice finally broke the silence, "Leave the entire Uchiha Clan to me; I will handle it very cleanly."
Of course, this was to deceive the filial daughter; Menma would not do such a thing.
Itachi's brow furrowed imperceptibly.
Everyone?
Her original plan was only for Menma to deal with the Uchiha Jonin...
"Don't misunderstand." Menma seemed to see through her thoughts, a cold smirk playing at the corner of his mouth beneath the mask, "It seems you don't know, I don't want to face a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan right now."
"While I'm cleaning up...I'll entrust you with blocking the Uchiha Clan Leader's Mangekyo."