In the Uchiha Clan Compound, houses and trees were crackling as they burned.
At this time, in the Ninja Academy.
A bonfire burned on the playground at night, the firelight reflecting on the faces of every child around.
Everyone was eating grilled meat and hot pot stew; although the taste wasn't particularly delicious, everyone was very happy.
A joyful atmosphere filled the playground, and even Sasuke had a smile on his face at this moment.
Masahiko sat to the side, looking at everyone with a beaming smile.
Just then, Watanabe Shōji clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention: "If everyone has finished eating, it's about time to disperse."
"It'll get colder if we stay later, and it won't be safe going back."
The crowd then stood up, with a few gazes filled with reluctance.
For example—
Ino.
"We're going home, why the long face?"
"I worked so hard to snag a spot, and I only got to sit for a little while."
Ino whispered.
Shikamaru sighed softly, somewhat at a loss for words.
Women are such a pain!
Infatuated women are even more of a pain.
He walked ahead speechlessly, but as they left the campus and walked onto the street, Shikamaru gradually sensed something was wrong.
It wasn't very late yet, just past eight o'clock, but it was strangely quiet outside. Furthermore, Shikaku had actually come in person!
Shikamaru's expression turned grave as he said, "Let's go home quickly."
"Don't be in such a hurry, I want to—"
"Go home!"
Shikamaru turned his head, staring at Ino.
After One Second, his attitude softened: "Sorry, but Father has already arrived. We must go home."
After speaking, he walked quickly toward Shikaku.
Ino curled her lip but didn't hesitate, immediately following behind.
A moment later.
"Father—"
"Mm."
Shikaku nodded slightly, a flash of praise passing through his eyes before he looked at the other two. "I was passing by and decided to pick you up and take you home."
The three walked toward the clan's direction.
Quite a few other parents had also come.
The school gate was very lively.
On the other side, Sasuke looked around but didn't see his parents or brother coming to pick him up, and a look of disappointment flashed in his eyes.
"You performed very well today."
From behind, a teacher's voice was heard.
Sasuke turned his head and saw Masahiko walking out of the school gate with a gentle, kind smile, followed by the Uzumaki Naruto he disliked.
"Did your elders not come to pick you up?"
"I didn't let them come."
Sasuke said.
"Let's go."
Masahiko walked in front. "Naruto's place is somewhat on the way to yours. I'll take you both back."
"No, no need!"
Sasuke's face turned slightly red. "I can go back by myself."
"Let's go."
Masahiko ignored him—although he was a Shadow Clone, he could still add a bit of screen time.
If you're not thick-skinned, how can you hog the camera?
"Hey hey, I clearly put in effort today too, why aren't you looking at me?"
"You're coming too, I'll drop you home first."
"Okay!"
Amidst cheers, the three—one tall and two short—slowly walked from the school gate's streetlight toward the dim street in the distance.
After taking Naruto home, Masahiko led Sasuke toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.
The two talked and laughed, and Masahiko occasionally answered some questions about cultivation. Sasuke's previously disappointed heart suddenly became joyful again.
He was looking forward to the scene of being praised again.
Father—
Would he praise him again?
Sasuke looked forward to it inwardly, and a smile couldn't help but appear on his face, as if he had already seen that scene.
But soon—
When he walked to the familiar street and saw the firelight reflecting in the sky from afar, he was stunned, panicked, and his brain buzzed.
"Sasuke."
A calm but serious voice came from his ear.
Sasuke looked up blankly at this teacher he trusted.
Yagyu Masahiko was staring at him, his eyes seemingly hiding a hint of worry: "Let's... go over and take a look first."
"Okay."
Sasuke nodded in panic and ran quickly toward the clan compound.
Running closer—
His face turned deathly pale.
Blood flowed out of the houses, forming a pattern with the flames that terrified him.
Sasuke stumbled back, his legs going weak as he almost slumped to the ground. Fortunately, a leg braced against him, supporting him to maintain his standing posture.
"Something has happened."
Masahiko's expression was grave.
Sasuke snapped out of it and ran quickly toward his home.
Dad, Mom—
Brother!
His mind went blank, completely unable to think, relying only on physical instinct to run quickly toward his home.
At the door of his house, his face became even paler—the courtyard gate was wide open.
In front of the door, bloody footprints extended from the outside in.
He only felt his body become several times heavier as he stumbled inside step by step.
Inside the house, Sasuke had already smelled a thick scent of blood, and the muscles on his face and his lips couldn't stop trembling.
"Impossible!"
"No!"
"Father, Mother!"
He rushed in following the scent, found the source, and was suddenly stunned.
"Brother—"
"Why?"
The Itachi before him held a blade, his body covered in blood, and his face was also dyed crimson by blood, as if he had just emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
"Because I've become bored with the so-called clan.
"Narrow-minded, boring, weak—"
"Just like you."
A moment later, a cry of agony rang out from inside the house.
The next second, Itachi walked out of the house. Seeing Masahiko rushing in, he froze for a moment, then said coldly, "You really are responsible."
"Uchiha Itachi, did you massacre the Uchiha Clan?"
Masahiko's face was grim, and even more horrified. "Even if there was a problem with the Uchiha Clan, you shouldn't have carried out a massacre. You're too extreme!"
"Extreme?"
Itachi glanced at him calmly and replied nonchalantly, "Perhaps."
"What did you do to my student?"
Masahiko glared at him.
Itachi disappeared with a Body Flicker, leaving a sentence in the air: "Don't worry, he's too weak. He has no value in being killed."
The next moment, he hurriedly rushed into the house, and then saw Sasuke collapsed on the ground.
"Sasuke! Sasuke!!"
With his consciousness fading, Sasuke only saw that face rushing in anxiously and worriedly, leaning in front of him.
Afterward, he felt himself being picked up on someone's back.
The back was firm and warm, making him feel attached and intoxicated.
But at the same time, the images he had just seen flashed through his chaotic consciousness, and tears couldn't help but flow down.
For the unconscious Sasuke, it was a short yet long night.
In the hospital, Masahiko walked out of the restroom, his face showing fatigue that was hard to hide.
After confirming that the Konoha Hospital was safe, he had already switched back with his Shadow Clone.
Having maintained it for an afternoon, although it didn't consume too much Chakra, the accumulated fatigue and memories suddenly fed back to him.
It still left him physically and mentally exhausted.
Coming out of the restroom, he walked toward the doctor's duty room.
After pushing the door open, the other party immediately stood up and bowed respectfully: "Masahiko-sama."
"It's Hyakka. Is Sasuke okay?"
Masahiko looked around and didn't see Kanpō, who was on duty just now. "Did Senior Kanpō go to perform treatment?"
"Sasuke's spirit suffered too much of a shock and he has fallen into a coma. It's hard to say if he will wake up tomorrow, but there shouldn't be any danger to his life."
Hyakka replied.
Afterward, he looked at Masahiko and said with a hint of hope in his eyes, "Most of the Medical Squad has been deployed. I and some Medical Ninjas stayed at the hospital to handle other crisis matters."
He was the only one in the duty room, and the pressure was really a bit high.
Seeing this, Masahiko found a chair and sat down, opening his panel while asking, "I'm technically holding a position in the Research Department, so it should be okay for me to rest here, right?"
"No problem, thank you so much!"
Hyakka was overjoyed.
Although the other party was not a specialized Medical Ninja, he also knew some medical techniques. It was for the best that he was willing to stay and help.
Masahiko smiled, then lay back in the chair, staring at the new ability on the panel.
[Lightning Release: Body Activation: Perfect]
This is a Ninjutsu that uses Lightning Release Chakra to activate the body; it's an ability he copied from Kakashi.
Kakashi uses it as a prerequisite for Raikiri, but after he copied it, he used it in conjunction with the "Overlimit" state.
The actual combat effect exceeded his expectations.