"Ren."
Uchiha Obito stared at the man before him and, almost reflexively, took a step back.
Only after doing so did he realize how disgraceful that looked.
He forced himself to stop, glaring viciously at Ren as confusion churned in his mind.
Why had this man reacted so quickly?
Why was he already here?
The battle had only just begun.
By all logic, the wandering shinobi outside the village should only now be launching their attack, and the prison riots should have just broken out.
Itachi had begun his slaughter, yes—but Konoha's response shouldn't have been this fast.
So how had Ren appeared here already?
"You look confused."
Ren tilted his head slightly, gazing at Obito, Konan, and Pain with unmistakable disdain.
"Are you wondering why we reacted so quickly?"
"Or are you wondering why I'm here?"
"Shiranui Ren, stop playing games!"
Obito snarled, fury blazing in his eyes.
"No matter what you do, tonight's outcome is already decided. No one can change it!"
"Change it?" Ren raised an eyebrow, his expression openly mocking.
"Who said I wanted to change anything?"
"Don't flatter yourself. There's something you never bothered to think about."
"Why did I know what you were planning… and still didn't stop you?"
"And honestly—"
As he spoke, golden light suddenly erupted across Ren's body, bathing him in radiant brilliance. His smile deepened as he looked straight at Obito.
"I should really be thanking you."
"Because this stage…"
"Isn't just yours."
"It's mine."
"Damn it… damn it!"
Within the Uchiha compound, Shisui and Kabuto—who had long since infiltrated the area—stood frozen in disbelief.
Compared to Kabuto's stunned silence, Shisui's mind had already shattered.
He watched Itachi swing his blade at their clansmen.
Men. Women. Children. Elderly.
No hesitation. No mercy.
This was how Itachi meant to protect the Uchiha?
His soul felt frozen.
"…Unbelievable," Kabuto muttered, swallowing hard.
"I used to be in Root. I've done plenty of dirty work—but at least we killed enemies."
"This guy is slaughtering his own family."
"Children. Pregnant women."
"He really joined the wrong organization. He's far more suited for Root than I ever was."
"Shut up!"
Shisui shot Kabuto a furious glare.
He couldn't wait another second.
He wanted—no, needed—to confront Itachi.
"I strongly advise against acting rashly," Kabuto said calmly, blocking him.
"Have you considered the consequences?"
"Wait. Once the chaos spreads and people start fleeing, our shadow clones will guide them to the evacuation point."
"Then we're just supposed to watch innocent people die?!"
Shisui clenched his fists, voice trembling.
Kabuto remained cold.
"Innocent? Maybe."
"But as members of this clan, innocence isn't so clean-cut."
"I don't know what deal Itachi made, but haven't you noticed something?"
"…What?"
"Sasuke isn't here."
"Ren once said that Uchiha rarely grow strong without losing friends or family."
"And tonight, the academy is holding an emergency drill. Sasuke was kept there."
Kabuto's voice lowered.
"Doesn't it seem like Itachi only cares about his little brother?"
"Everyone else… disposable."
Shisui's face darkened.
"…Then he's no different from Danzo."
"Preaching 'for the village,' but really acting only for himself."
Kabuto paused, then frowned.
"…That's Izumi, isn't it?"
"They grew up together… and yet."
Even Kabuto felt his stomach turn.
If he were asked to slaughter the orphanage—for Nono Yakushi's sake—could he do it?
The answer terrified him.
"No," he realized.
"I couldn't."
"What are you doing?"
Kabuto snapped as Shisui stepped forward.
"It's not time yet!"
"Akatsuki is here," Shisui said grimly, eyes blazing scarlet.
"Soon there won't even be bodies left."
"He's too slow."
"I'll help him speed things up."
"Ren will understand."
"And I promise—I won't expose myself."
Before Kabuto could stop him, Shisui vanished.
Kabuto stared at the empty space, then sighed.
"…I really am bad at stopping people."
"Izumi—leave now!"
A masked figure suddenly appeared between Itachi and Izumi, blocking his line of sight.
"Find somewhere safe. Tell others to hide."
"Who are you?!"
Izumi stared in shock, yet something about the man felt strangely familiar.
She didn't hesitate.
She ran.
"You…"
Itachi narrowed his eyes.
"Who are you?"
"That doesn't matter," Shisui growled.
"What matters is what you're doing!"
"You've forgotten who you are!"
"I don't owe you an explanation."
Itachi moved instantly, blade flashing.
Clang!
Shisui blocked the strike effortlessly.
Itachi's pupils shrank.
So fast.
Then Shisui spoke—
"Your brother is still at the academy."
"You don't care about anyone else, do you?"
"Then I'll go kill Uchiha Sasuke."
Itachi's world froze.
The Hokage Tower trembled.
"What is happening?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the burning village, rage barely contained.
External attacks. Prison riots.
None of this should have happened.
"…The Uchiha rebelled?"
Yet it didn't add up.
"Danzo," Hiruzen demanded sharply, "what do you know?"
Danzo hesitated.
"…Itachi was going to handle the Uchiha."
Silence.
"You… sent him to slaughter his own clan?"
Hiruzen turned and left.
At that moment—
A monstrous chakra erupted across Konoha.
Two colossal figures clashed above the Uchiha district.
One—a grotesque, decaying behemoth with multiple eyes.
The other—
A wooden giant.
"…Ren."
High above the ruins, Ren stared down at Nagato's Demonic Statue of the Outer Path with a wry expression.
So he'd pulled that out.
A Ten-Tails husk.
Even Ren knew—this thing wasn't easy to deal with.
"Wood Golem is starting to feel outdated…"
Still—
Golden chakra surged.
Space bent.
Obito lunged.
Ren vanished.
Reappeared.
A golden blade of chakra formed in his hand.
Akatsuki unleashed everything.
Fire. Wind. Iron sand. Water dragons. Summons.
The statue roared.
Explosions tore the night apart.
Smoke swallowed the battlefield.
Then—
Ren emerged, hovering in midair.
Golden light blazing.
"I'm enjoying this," he said calmly.
"And I appreciate your help."
"You helped clean up the Uchiha."
"And you gave me the perfect excuse."
"To wipe out Akatsuki."
A signal flare rose into the sky.
Ren smiled.
"Now…"
"Let's end this."
Golden chakra condensed—
Into a blade that pierced the heavens.
The night turned to day.
Divine pressure crushed the battlefield.
"Ready?" Ren asked softly.
"I'll send you on your way."
The sword fell.
The world split.
Miles away, Kabuto and Shisui stared upward in disbelief.
"…Is it over?"
Within the ruins, Itachi—blood-soaked—looked skyward.
A golden figure.
A blade that cleaved heaven and earth.
"…Sasuke," he whispered.
Then—
Light consumed everything.
The Uchiha were finished.
And Konoha had just witnessed a god descend.
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