"Looks like no matter what I say, it won't change anything now."
From the moment Minato Namikaze learned about the explosive tags, he had been deeply worried about Konoha. But now that the day had finally come, he found himself surprisingly calm.
No shock. No sorrow.
Instead, what he felt was a strange sense of relief.
"Father, do you want to know why the village felt so strange tonight?"
Naruto's heart stirred. His consciousness shifted into the seal space.
Just moments ago, he had sensed the sudden dissolution of the barrier around the Uchiha Clan district. At the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage—had walked alone to a certain location and stopped, as if waiting for someone.
"You can come out now. I've sent everyone else away."
The Third Hokage came to a halt on one of the floors of the Konoha Military Police Force's main building.
"Thank you for going through the trouble."
Uchiha Itachi stepped out from the shadows. He glanced briefly at Hiruzen's back, then dropped to one knee, bowing his head respectfully.
Hiruzen didn't turn around. His voice was calm:
"First, let me thank you. It was because of you that Konoha was able to avoid a civil war and preserve its peace."
"But I regret everything that's happened. We truly couldn't find any other way."
"I understand," Itachi replied, lowering his head even further. "I am deeply sorry."
There was no emotion in his voice—no grief, no anger.
Hiruzen took note of that, then asked:
"What do you plan to do from here on?"
Itachi raised his head slightly. His expression looked exhausted.
"I borrowed strength from someone within an organization called the Akatsuki. I've decided to remain by that person's side and continue working with him—to ensure he doesn't break his oath."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed upon hearing the name.
"Akatsuki?"
Danzo had previously mentioned that Orochimaru was now part of that group. Hiruzen quickly recalled recent barrier team reports from the past year and asked in a low voice:
"The person you're working with—does he use space-time ninjutsu?"
"Yes."
Itachi's expression twitched slightly—he hadn't expected Hiruzen to know that the man possessed space-time abilities.
Thinking back to Danzo's previous threats, Itachi's wariness toward the Third Hokage increased sharply. Still, Hiruzen didn't yet seem to know that this man had ties to the Uchiha.
"So you've known about him for quite some time?"
"I have."
Itachi's reply was firm, without hesitation.
Hearing that, Hiruzen finally confirmed his suspicions about the recent wave of outside intrusions into Konoha. Running through all the known intel on the Akatsuki in his mind, he asked without showing any change in expression:
"So, you've decided to officially join the Akatsuki?"
"Yes."
"I see."
Hiruzen's gaze sharpened.
"Then from this point forward, Konoha will list you as a traitor responsible for the massacre of your clan. You will be placed on the wanted list—dead or alive."
"I understand. But… in exchange for protecting Sasuke's life, may I ask something from you, Lord Third?"
Even now, Itachi's voice carried no emotion.
Hiruzen turned his head slightly.
"Your younger brother will continue living as he is now. He will attend the Academy like the other children and eventually become a shinobi of Konoha. I can promise that he will live free of worries."
Itachi nodded slowly.
"That's enough."
"Go," Hiruzen said with a solemn expression. Then, recalling the Akatsuki member with space-time jutsu, he added:
"The village's surrounding barrier formula will not be altered. If you're ever concerned about Sasuke, you can sneak back to check on him."
"Thank you."
Itachi bowed, but did not rise to his feet. His pitch-black eyes had already turned scarlet—each pupil marked with a distinct triple-bladed shuriken.
Back at the Hokage's office, Naruto sensed that both the Third Hokage and Uchiha Itachi had already left.
But in the seal space, Minato Namikaze still seemed lost in thought. It likely had to do with the recent trip Naruto had taken him on—to the mirror world.
After that space had synced with the latest data, Minato had been shown the memory data of the puppet clones of the Third Hokage, Danzo, and Uchiha Itachi.
"Father, it's time to go home."
Swish!
The Flying Thunder God Technique activated, and Naruto instantly returned to his house.
BOOM BOOM BOOM...
Just after dispelling his disguise, Naruto heard a series of thunderous explosions. The ground beneath him began to shake violently.
He casually dispelled the Shadow Clone hiding in his room, stepped out of his bedroom, and walked to the balcony. Using his sensory abilities, he picked up several powerful chakra signatures still surging at the center of the blast zone.
BOOM!!
Another loud explosion tore through the air. A crimson fireball erupted over the area near the Hokage's office. Even from this distance, Naruto could hear the screams and the calls for fire brigades.
Looking around, he noticed that the twelve ANBU assigned to monitor him hadn't moved an inch.
The explosions continued in the distance. After a moment's thought, Naruto leapt down from the balcony.
"Uzumaki Naruto, you're supposed to stay indoors!"
He had barely taken two steps when an ANBU agent appeared from the shadows and blocked his path.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently once again.
Naruto's face hardened.
"I just want to see what's going on over there."
"I'm sorry! For your safety, you must stay at home tonight!"
The ANBU's voice was resolute. The ongoing blasts behind him didn't affect his composure at all. After signaling toward the darkness, he began channeling chakra.
Tonight, the village was executing the purge of the Uchiha Clan—that much he knew.
But he hadn't expected the operation to be this chaotic.
It was completely different from what Danzo had told them.
They had been secretly transferred from Root with the Third Hokage's permission, tasked with guarding the Jinchūriki to prevent anyone from the Uchiha side from taking control of the Nine-Tails.
Naruto simply shook his head and turned back.
He had only stepped out to put on a show anyway. Yet, to his surprise, he sensed the others hidden in the shadows were already preparing to set up barrier formations.
"Father, haven't you figured it out yet?"
Back upstairs, Naruto's consciousness returned to the seal space.
Minato still seemed a little dazed.
"It's not that I don't understand..."
Minato looked at Naruto with a pained expression.
"I just can't accept the fact that the Third Hokage actually allowed Danzo to blackmail Itachi by using his younger brother—as a means to coerce him into slaughtering his entire clan."
"If this ever gets out... what will the rest of the shinobi world think of Konoha?"
"Father, you're underestimating the upper echelons of the village."
Naruto smiled faintly.
"The mirror world just synced with the latest data. Come—I'll show you what they're really capable of."
Moments later, Minato had finished watching the entire conversation between Itachi and the Third Hokage in the police headquarters.
But now…
He had nothing left to say.
The next morning, Naruto sensed that the ANBU agents watching him had all withdrawn. After washing up, he stepped outside.
As he walked the familiar roads, he realized that the streets had somehow become noticeably wider.
And today… it wasn't raining.
On the main road, the sun was shining. The scenery was beautiful.
(To be continued…)
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