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"Itachi! That traitor! We'll fight him!"
"Yes! Let's give it everything we've got!"
"We cannot let our Uchiha family down—no matter what!"
At this critical moment, the life and death of the clan hanging in the balance, the men of the Uchiha clan rose to their feet and took their positions at the front line.
They stared furiously at the traitor of the clan, ready to fight with every ounce of strength left in them.
From Uchiha Itachi's earlier attack, it was clear his strength had reached a terrifying level. Even their clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku, was likely to fall at his hands.
Yet despite the fear, no one dared to step back.
Behind them were their parents, wives, and children.
There was no retreat. No matter what.
Itachi charged forward, samurai sword in hand.
The Uchiha men surged to meet him.
Their enemy was powerful—too powerful for foolish moral debates.
Itachi was quick, agile, and ruthless.
Though the Uchiha clan boasted many skilled warriors, none could match Itachi's skill.
Within a single exchange, several Uchiha clan members were injured and rendered combat-ineffective.
The remaining clan members were horrified, but still refused to retreat, rallying to surround him again.
Battle cries rang out as the wounded pressed forward without hesitation, fearless of death.
Slowly, Itachi's movements grew less fluid and less forceful.
The advantage of sheer numbers became evident.
Inevitably, Itachi was overwhelmed.
Surrounded and unable to dodge, he was struck hard.
Yet, shockingly, no blood flowed.
Before their eyes, Uchiha Itachi dissolved into a flock of crows and vanished.
"What just happened?"
Confusion swept through the Uchiha.
They had fought fiercely most of the day, many injured, and the battle seemed about to end—how could it simply disappear?
"Ah!"
A cry of surprise echoed.
One Uchiha clan member stood frozen, eyes wide with terror as though he had witnessed something horrifying.
All eyes turned toward him.
Not far away stood a young figure, expression cold and indifferent.
Uchiha Itachi.
"You…"
"What is this? I can't move!"
Before curses could fly, everyone realized something was wrong with their own bodies.
The battlefield had transformed.
All signs of battle—the injuries, the destruction—were gone.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Only their uncontrollable limbs screamed that they had been struck, helplessly trapped.
"It's an illusion!"
Suddenly someone recognized it.
An illusion!
Everyone knew Itachi was a master of genjutsu.
But they hadn't expected him to be this strong.
Just one person, and he cast an illusion on all of them at once.
Terrifying.
Itachi stepped forward, cold and expressionless, his samurai sword ready.
He intended to wipe out the Uchiha clan with his own hands.
"Itachi!"
A sobbing voice came from the crowd.
It was Uchiha Mikoto—Itachi's mother.
Without looking up, he recognized her instantly.
"Blame yourself for making the wrong choice," he said slowly, his voice icy.
"Since you chose wrongly, you must pay the price."
He raised his sword and brought it down heavily.
At that moment, thick vines and branches erupted from the ground, coiling tightly around Itachi's body.
He noticed immediately, frowning in frustration, but it was too late to escape.
The sword fell with a clang.
Itachi was bound tightly, unable to move, like a wrapped dumpling.
Everyone recognized the ninjutsu immediately.
Wood Release: Great Forest Technique.
This was the very technique Uchiha Haru had once used to nearly kill Danzo.
And now, at the most critical moment, it appeared again.
Does this mean Uchiha Haru is not dead?!
Hope stirred in the eyes of the Uchiha clansmen.
The Third Hokage, Danzo, and Orochimaru frowned deeply.
"What… what is happening? Another twist?"
Under the dark night sky, a figure slowly materialized in the air.
He fought above a massive, invincible wooden dragon, looking down at the chaos below with detached indifference.
One thing worth noting was his eyes.
They emitted a deep blood-red glow.
Within each pupil, three magatama swirled and connected, forming a shape like a blade.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Uchiha Itachi."
Danzo spoke the name slowly, his voice low and heavy.
The Third Hokage and Orochimaru exchanged grim looks.
Not only because Uchiha Haru—who should have been dead—had somehow returned.
But because of those eyes.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
Wood Release, incredible physical prowess, and now the Mangekyō Sharingan—
This was practically an invincible combination. How could they possibly withstand it?
Even if they could, it wouldn't be for long. Dawn was approaching. Could they hold out until then?
Reluctantly, everyone shared the same grim conclusion deep in their hearts.
At the sight of the Mangekyō Sharingan, the single eye of the masked man also glowed a more sinister red, visibly shaken.
Yet, after a moment, he calmed himself, returning to his usual cold indifference.
Finally, he spoke two slow words:
"Interesting."
Wood Release combined with Flower Sharingan was indeed formidable.
But he still held an absolute trump card—
A secret he firmly believed would crush all opposition.
After all, it was something only legends spoke of.
"Uchiha Haru! Uchiha Haru is back!"
"It's Haru! I told you he wouldn't die like that!"
The Uchiha clan erupted in cheers, welcoming their hero.
Haru slowly descended upon the massive wooden dragon and stood again before the clan.
He looked coldly at Uchiha Itachi and said calmly, "You deserve to die."
As an Uchiha clan member, Itachi had been brainwashed by Konoha's so-called Will of Fire, had sold out clan secrets, betrayed the Uchiha, and wielded the butcher's blade against his own kin.
From the clan's perspective, this was unforgivable.
He must be killed.
"Kill him!"
"Death to the traitor!"
The Uchiha clan shouted in unison, hatred burning deep in their hearts.
Itachi was tightly bound, unable to move.
With just a slight thought from Haru, chakra could burst through Itachi's body and splatter his blood across the ground.
Yet Itachi showed no fear—in fact, he seemed somewhat relieved.
In his lifetime, he had carried too much burden.
Perhaps dying like this was, in some twisted way, a release.
But... he feared he would fail his father's instructions.
Itachi slowly closed his eyes, as if accepting his fate.
Under Haru's chakra control, the vines and branches constricted even tighter.
A creaking noise echoed, followed by the sound of bones breaking.
Not everyone possessed a body as pervertedly resilient as Uchiha Haru's Otsutsuki-infused physique.
Danzo had been powerless after being restrained.
Likewise, Itachi now showed a grimace of pain.
"No! Don't!"
Uchiha Mikoto screamed and rushed forward.
As a mother, she could not bear to see her son die before her eyes while she remained helpless.
"Haru, please! Let Itachi go! Let him live!"
"Itachi… Itachi is not a bad boy," she sobbed.
Uchiha Mikoto, wife of clan leader Uchiha Fugaku, was around thirty years old.
Perhaps due to diligent self-care, her skin was smooth and fair, untouched by time.
At first glance, she appeared no older than a girl in her early twenties—but with a figure far more alluring.
She had curves where they should be and none where they shouldn't—a temptation that beckoned sins.
Especially now, tears streaked down her face as she looked utterly vulnerable, stirring sympathy in even the coldest hearts.
Fugaku might have been cowardly in dealing with Konoha's affairs, but his wife was still admirable.
Even Haru, usually cold and indifferent to all, couldn't help but feel a trace of pity for Uchiha Mikoto.
However, this did not mean Haru would release Itachi simply because of her pleas.
Impossible.
Itachi's betrayal of the Uchiha was too great.
How could such sins be forgiven with mere words?
Haru looked away, focusing again on tightening the chakra that bound Itachi's body.
"Wait!"
The voice of the Third Hokage came from a short distance.
Then, the Third Hokage, Danzo, and Orochimaru simultaneously activated their Body Flicker Technique, appearing before Haru.
"Terms?"
Haru chuckled quietly. So, it had come to this.
As the sky slowly brightened, the Third Hokage was still unable to defeat him.
Seeking peace and negotiating terms was now the only option.
"Leave Itachi alive."
The Third Hokage looked earnestly at Haru.
Itachi was powerful and loyal to Konoha.
Arrangements had already been made. After tonight, Itachi would join the masked man's organization as Konoha's pawn—gathering intelligence, protecting the village from the shadows.
The responsibility was immense. If Itachi died here, it would be a great loss for Konoha—one the Third Hokage could not bear.
Haru narrowed his eyes.
He glanced once at Itachi, then back to the Third Hokage.
He knew what would happen next. He guessed what the Third Hokage was thinking instantly.
But for now, he chose to lower his chakra slightly and release Itachi—who was unconscious from pain and powerless to resist.
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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones
2nd Bonus Chapter - 400 Power Stones
3rd Bonus Chapter - 600 Power Stones
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📢 Support the Novel & Read Ahead!
Love the story and can't wait to see what happens next?
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Thank you for reading, and I truly appreciate your support! 💖
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