Whoosh! Whoosh!
Deep within the jungle, the Uchiha clan members moved like shadows, their feet barely touching the ground. Led by Uchiha Fugaku, they pushed their speed to the absolute limit, holding their breath and focusing every ounce of their energy on escaping. Seeking out Shénrén Yueyan at such a sensitive time had been an incredible risk, but their gamble had paid off.
They had not only found the legendary figure but had also secured his promise through the divine moon token and a pledge of blood. Although it was only a verbal agreement, they treasured it as the greatest blessing their clan could have ever received. Fugaku thought back to the two mysterious, black-robed figures. They had to be members of the Twelve Divine Moons. A terrifyingly powerful being like Shénrén Yueyan wouldn't handle every little thing himself; it was only natural that he would have subordinates.
However, it was clear that becoming one of his followers was no simple task. Even a prodigy like Shisui Uchiha, a master of the Mangekyo Sharingan, was only ranked as Upper Moon Six. This meant there were at least five other beings in the organization whose power and skills were even more terrifying than his. Any one of them was likely as strong, if not stronger, than a Kage.
'No matter how you look at it, sacrificing one Uchiha Itachi in exchange for the support of Shénrén Yueyan was a massively profitable deal for us,' Fugaku thought as he raced through the trees. He felt no guilt for forcing his own son to his death. In fact, beyond the cold logic of the decision, he felt a strange and faint satisfaction, though he couldn't quite understand why. Now, all they had to do was wait and see what Shénrén Yueyan's followers were capable of.
…Whoosh! Whoosh!
Almost at the same moment the last Uchiha disappeared from the ruins of Whirlpool Village, several figures emerged from the shadows. The group was led by three people—two men and one woman—though it was clear they were not of equal rank.
"Hmph, the trail went completely cold here. What did they do, burrow into the ground?" one of the men complained, his voice sharp. "Keep searching! We have to find them!"
He turned his cold gaze toward a young boy dressed in the uniform of the Hokage's personal Anbu guard. "I made a promise to my father on this mission, and I even brought you along to make sure it succeeded."
Unlike the other Anbu, this boy had a bandage wrapped over his left eye. To most, it would look like a simple injury. But the man knew that the eye hidden beneath that bandage was the source of the boy's formidable reputation across the Shinobi World. He was the Copy Ninja: Kakashi Hatake.
"Everyone, stay alert," the woman in the group advised calmly. "Remember, our mission is to track them, not to engage directly."
The rest of the squad quickly spread out, while the man and woman moved closer together.
"I knew it. For the Uchiha to be making secret moves at a time like this, something big must be going on," the man said. "But did they really think their actions could escape the notice of Sarutobi Shinnosuke?"
The man's name was Sarutobi Shinnosuke, the eldest son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. He was an important figure in Konoha and the current director of the Anbu. The woman beside him was his wife, who would one day become the mother of Konohamaru.
"That's true, but we're deep in enemy territory. We have to be careful," she whispered, then glanced toward Kakashi. "And… why did you have to bring him along?" she asked, her voice low. "If that boy ever learns the truth about what happened to his father, Sakumo Hatake, won't he turn on us?"
A cold, cruel smile spread across Shinnosuke's face. "Hehe, there's nothing to worry about. Sakumo Hatake? The so-called 'Konoha White Fang'? He was just a good-for-nothing failure who was cast out by everyone." A smug look filled his eyes. "That final mission of his was impossible from the start. We designed it as a trap specifically for him."
His voice turned colder as he continued. "The Hatake family is prominent in Konoha, and Sakumo was the Anbu director at the time. A position that important cannot be left in the hands of someone outside the Sarutobi clan. It would threaten the Hokage's rule. Under those circumstances, what did it matter if the White Fang was a hero who had served Konoha his entire life?"
Shinnosuke was clearly proud of his scheme. "It takes a lot to become a hero. You have to face death time and time again. But to destroy a hero? That is an incredibly simple matter." A vicious smile twisted his lips. "I'm sure you don't know this, but all those whispers and taunts from the villagers? The public shaming? I arranged all of it personally. You also can't imagine how exhilarating it was… how comfortable I felt… when I finally heard that Sakumo Hatake had killed himself."
He was about to say more, but his wife interrupted him. "Stop. Don't say any more. I have something to tell you…" She took a breath. "I… I'm pregnant."
What!? The simple sentence wiped the smug look right off Shinnosuke's face. He looked as if he had just been forced to eat a pile of dirt. He had only been toying with this woman. His father was the Third Hokage, after all. He could have any woman he wanted; countless ninja families in Konoha would have gladly offered up their daughters. But he never expected that a careless incident on a mission in the outdoors would lead to… this.
"I want to keep the child," the woman said firmly.
"Wait!" Shinnosuke cut her off, his eyes suddenly snapping toward the distance. He ignored her completely.
In his line of sight, two men in black robes, each bearing the symbol of a blood-red moon, were walking slowly toward them. In that instant, Sarutobi Shinnosuke felt his heart hammer against his ribs, the blood running cold in his veins.
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