Chapter 75 Heroic Battle Uchiha
Deep in the shadows of the forest, Haruko leaned against a tree trunk, still dressed as "Madara," spinning a Kunai in his hand.
"It's been quiet in the Village for a while... Looks like Fugaku is done over there."
Footsteps approached.
Haruko didn't look up, the Kunai continuing to spin on his fingertips. "Done?"
Itachi stepped out from the shadows, his body still stained with blood.
That face, usually devoid of expression, was now filled with complexity.
Itachi's voice floated, as if he hadn't fully recovered from the shock. "It's over. It's just that... Danzo... he didn't die."
Haruko's fingers paused.
Clang.
The Kunai fell to the ground.
He didn't pick it up, but instead looked up at Itachi. "Tell me everything."
Itachi concisely recounted the battle—Danzo had revealed Shisui's eye, intending to use Kotoamatsukami to reverse the situation, but Shisui had long since left a contingency in the eye.
A crow, an unprecedented counter-use of Kotoamatsukami.
"Danzo said he was guilty and gave the eye to me." Itachi took a deep breath, seemingly trying to digest the fact. "He said he would admit to all his crimes, and then... he carried that injured Root member and went back to organize the evidence."
The face behind Haruko's mask twitched violently. It felt as if ten thousand alpacas were stampeding through his heart.
" Shisui, you son of a..."
His original intention for getting involved in the Uchiha Clan Massacre Night was simple—to eliminate the unstable factor that was Danzo, and then retreat unscathed.
But now that Danzo was alive, his plan was ruined.
He either had to go back and kill Danzo now, or accept this outcome.
A living Danzo, one who had even started "cultivating his character," was a ticking time bomb.
What if the effect of Kotoamatsukami wore off one day, or some screw in that old man's brain got loose again, and he remembered tonight...
But go back and kill Danzo now?
Don't be ridiculous. Not to mention whether Itachi would agree, now that the chaos had subsided, if he made a move, he would face the siege of the entire Konoha.
'Let's just wait and see for now... He said Danzo would confess. If that's true, then based on that old dog's crimes, the death penalty ten times over wouldn't be enough..."
Under Itachi's expectant gaze, he slowly picked up the Kunai and let out a meaningful sigh.
"This is... Shisui's decision, then."
Haruko's voice was calm as water, as if all this had been within his expectations. "Compared to death, letting a sinner live on while bearing their sins, repenting in sobriety, might be the cruelest punishment of all."
The confusion in Itachi's eyes dissipated, replaced by a glow of sudden enlightenment.
"I see..." Itachi muttered to himself. "Haruko, you really had thought of this layer long ago. I only saw superficial peace, while you and Shisui saw the essence of redemption and punishment."
???
'Your name doesn't even have "Dei" in it?"
"What about your father?" Haruko forcibly changed the subject, fearing he wouldn't be able to stop himself from retorting.
"It should be fine. People from the Village have all rushed over." Itachi paused. "He said that if necessary, he would use Izanagi. Holding out until reinforcements arrive definitely won't be a problem."
Another Forbidden Jutsu. Another price to pay.
Haruko didn't continue asking; in truth, he didn't really care about the life or death of Fugaku or the Third Hokage.
"What do you plan to do next?" Haruko asked.
"Hide for now." Itachi's voice was very weary. "Wait until the dust settles. I can't stay in Konoha anymore, but I can't leave right now either."
"Akatsuki?"
"Maybe." Itachi did not deny it.
"That works, go out and see the world. As for here... let those old geezers deal with the headache."
"Then I should head back. Someone is waiting for me." Haruko waved his hand. "Once the follow-up results come out, I'll probably head back to Konoha."
The two had no further conversation. Itachi turned and disappeared into the night, while Haruko ran towards Tanzaku Town.
...Amidst the ruins.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi stood on high ground, his gaze sweeping over the eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty below.
Behind him was Fugaku, who had lost an eye, and those Uchiha radicals who had been killed by "Madara."
This was also the reason why Haruko and Fugaku had both told Itachi not to come—the upcoming occasion was the stage for politicians.
"Cough, cough..." The Third Hokage coughed twice, breaking the dead silence.
"Tonight, Konoha has encountered an unprecedented crisis."
The Third Hokage's voice was steady and powerful, spreading throughout the scene. "A spirit that should have been dead—Uchiha Madara, has invaded Konoha."
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole crowd was in an uproar.
"Yes, the culprit behind the Nine-Tailed incident was not the Uchiha Clan, but the rogue Uchiha Madara. Tonight, he attempted to recreate the tragedy of the Nine-Tailed incident. However..."
The Third Hokage changed his tone, casting his gaze towards Fugaku.
"Clan Leader Fugaku Uchiha led his clansmen in a desperate struggle against the intruder. After paying a huge price, they finally repelled the powerful enemy and protected the peace of the Village!"
A long-planned armed coup, in the mouth of the Third Hokage, was lightly spun into an epic of heroism "resisting foreign invasion."
No one raised an objection. Regardless of the truth, at least this outcome had no downsides for anyone.
It not only preserved the face of the Uchiha, but also eliminated the estrangement in the Village, and at the same time, it dumped all the blame for tonight—including some of Danzo's dirty business—entirely on the head of that unlucky "Uchiha Madara."
Fugaku covered his blinded eye, looking at the Third Hokage's righteous face, his feelings complex.
Everything was just as Itachi had planned. The Uchiha Clan had survived.
Although they paid a considerable price, Fugaku knew this was the best possible ending.
...Outside Konoha Village, a spatial vortex twisted, and Obito stumbled out in a sorry state.
"Cough, cough... Damn it!"
Tonight was simply his nightmare. Not only did he fail to wipe out the Uchiha, fail to get Fugaku's eyes, but he also lost a Sharingan to activate Izanagi, and was beaten by the Third Hokage and Fugaku together like a stray dog.
"That bastard Fugaku... to think he was willing to use his Mangekyo as a sacrifice..."
Fortunately, he still harvested a few Uchiha corpses—several Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
"However, after tonight, Konoha will definitely strengthen its guard, and the identity of 'Madara' is exposed... I'll have to keep a low profile for a while."
Obito ran quickly along the road. His injuries hadn't fully healed; he needed to find a safe place to hide and recuperate as soon as possible—he couldn't rest well in the Kamui dimension.
Then return to the base to deal with the Uchiha corpses, take out the Sharingan to preserve them, and perform an eye transplant surgery on himself.
Suddenly, Obito ran head-on into a figure.
As he saw the person's attire clearly, Obito froze.
The person opposite him also froze.
The two stood ten meters apart, one-eyed staring at one-eyed.
The same hairstyle. The same robe. The same tiger-stripe mask.
The only difference was probably that the other person was clean and tidy, while his own clothes were tattered and covered in blood, looking somewhat pathetic.
Want To Read More Chapters? Check Out 80+Advanced Chapters At PA Treon
patreon.com/SloppyGuy