Whoosh!
The venue was once again silent, but this time, the silence was filled with a powerful emotion. Every member of the Uchiha clan, including their leader, Uchiha Fugaku, was trembling with overwhelming relief and hope. In the current Shinobi World, no promise was more valuable than a single word from Shénrén Yueyan. Though he had only spoken a simple sentence, to them, it was a guarantee that the entire Uchiha clan would be saved.
They all knew the truth of their situation. On the surface, the Uchiha clan still held some influence in the Konoha Ninja Village, but in reality, all the positions of true power were controlled by the Hokage's office. The people who truly ran Konoha were the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and his council.
That council consisted of four key figures: Hiruzen himself, Shimura Danzo, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado. Hiruzen, as the Hokage, held the most authority. Right behind him was Shimura Danzo, the shadowy leader of the Root organization, backed by the influence of his own Shimura family. For years, with Hiruzen's quiet approval, Danzo had handled the dark and dirty tasks that the Hokage couldn't be seen doing. In his own mind, Danzo saw himself as the darkness that protected Konoha's light, the roots that held up the tree.
Meanwhile, the two great clans that had founded Konoha, the Senju and the Uchiha, had been pushed out of the circle of power. The Senju clan was all but gone. Their last known descendant, Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin, had long abandoned the village. She now spent her days drinking and gambling, wanting nothing to do with Konoha's political games. Of the other Sannin, Orochimaru had defected, and Jiraiya wandered the world.
Clans like the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi, as well as the powerful Hyuga clan with their Byakugan, were now nothing more than second-tier families. They were expected to fight and die for the village, but promotions and real power were always kept out of their reach.
The Uchiha clan members all turned to look at their leader, Uchiha Fugaku, who stood with a complicated expression on his face. Not long ago, many of them had complained about his leadership. During his time as chief, the Uchiha's status in Konoha had steadily declined. But now, he had secured a promise from Shénrén Yueyan himself. This single act meant that the future of their clan was now secure. Across the entire Shinobi World, there was no one who could defy that promise.
…Whoosh!
At that moment, Fugaku's gaze fell upon his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi, who was still kneeling in a pool of his own blood. He was his son, but their beliefs had driven them so far apart that they had reached this breaking point.
"Sasuke!" Fugaku's voice cut through the air, sharp and cold.
"Father!" Sasuke responded immediately, his heart jumping.
"Take this shuriken," Fugaku commanded, his voice as frigid as the winter wind. "And kill this traitor who dared to offend Lord Tsukihiko."
The command sent a violent shiver through Sasuke's entire body. It wasn't just Sasuke who was stunned; every other Uchiha present was shocked into silence.
A pledge of allegiance. This was a raw, undeniable pledge of allegiance.
Even though Fugaku had brought the divine moon token and received Yueyan's promise, the Uchiha clan still needed to prove their sincerity. And Itachi, who had not only betrayed his family but had also attacked Lord Tsukihiko, was the perfect sacrifice. At this point, no matter what Itachi's reasons were, his fate was sealed. He had to die. His death would be for the future and the glory of the Uchiha clan.
Having Fugaku or another clan member kill him would send a message. But having Sasuke, his own younger brother, deliver the final blow would be a much more powerful statement. It would show that the Uchiha clan had completely and violently severed all ties with the Hokage's office and with traitors like Itachi. It was the ultimate display of their unwavering loyalty to Shénrén Yueyan.
…"Sasuke, if you kill him today, you will be the next leader of our clan," Fugaku's indifferent voice echoed again. "If you don't, you will die with him."
The shuriken in Sasuke's hands trembled uncontrollably. He couldn't understand how things had escalated to this point. Why was this happening?
"Hehe… hehehe…"
Suddenly, a low, broken laugh came from Itachi. The man who had been kneeling in complete despair shot to his feet and rushed directly towards Sasuke.
"Damn it…!" several of the Uchiha elders muttered, preparing to intervene.
Pfft!
But before anyone could move, a sharp sound cut through the air. The shuriken flew from Sasuke's hand and embedded itself deep in Itachi's chest, right over his heart.
Bang!
Itachi's body slammed heavily onto the ground. He was dead. There was no doubt about it.
Thud.
Sasuke, having killed for the first time in his life, collapsed to his knees, his face streaming with tears.
…"Uchiha Fugaku, you are quite an interesting man," Tsukihiko's calm voice stated from above. "You may all leave. What happens next has little to do with you." He paused, his voice dropping, "Remember, from this day forward, the lives of every Uchiha belong to me."
The moment he finished speaking, every member of the Uchiha clan, including Fugaku, bowed their heads to the ground in absolute respect.
"Farewell, Lord Tsukihiko!"
"Farewell, Lord Tsukihiko!"
"Farewell, Lord Tsukihiko!"
Even Sasuke, lost in his pain, was pulled down by Fugaku to kneel properly. The clan chief had just gambled everything—his son's life, his clan's dignity—and had successfully secured their future. Now, it was Konoha's turn to face the terrifying power of Shénrén Yueyan. He was eager to see how Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others would handle it.
Fugaku glanced down at Sasuke, who had already fallen unconscious from the shock. 'Sasuke, don't blame me for this,' he thought, his own eyes flickering with a hidden power.
As an Uchiha who had also awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, he had seen the future. He had seen the path Itachi was on, a path that would have led to the complete annihilation of their clan. Faced with that terrible vision, he made his choice. He would pretend he never had that son. Only by clinging to Shénrén Yueyan could the Uchiha clan find a glimmer of hope for survival in the coming storm.
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