Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
At the Ninja Academy, Iruka seemed to have received orders to extend class hours.
Kaito found an opportunity, quietly created a shadow clone, then used the Transformation Jutsu to disguise himself as an Anbu operative before rushing toward the Uchiha clan's compound.
A crimson full moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie glow that gave off a chilling sense of foreboding.
"Who are you? Which unit are you with?" a hidden Root operative asked as Kaito approached the Uchiha compound.
"Lord Danzo sent me to investigate the situation," Kaito responded coldly, perfectly mimicking the demeanor of a Root member.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Root member didn't hesitate. He formed hand signs, and eight kunai suddenly appeared in his hands before being launched with deadly speed.
The kunai flew toward Kaito like bullets.
"Hmph! Master Danzo has already dispatched all Root operatives for tonight's operation," the Root ninja sneered. "Everyone has their mission. Without direct orders from Danzo-sama, no one is allowed to leave their post! If you're going to lie, at least try to be convincing."
With that, he drew the sword on his back and, in a flash, used a summoning technique to transform himself into a cheetah-like form and lunged at Kaito.
"Why do you have to be clever?" Kaito sighed. "Can't you just play dumb and let me pass? Now I've got to deal with this."
Without even glancing at the eight kunai nearing him, Kaito vanished on the spot—as if he had evaporated into thin air.
"What?! So fast!"
The Root operative's pupils shrank in alarm. He looked around quickly but saw nothing.
Shlick!
A moment later, he looked down in disbelief to find a long, blue lightning-infused blade piercing his chest from behind.
"How… how is this possible…" he gasped, blood spilling from his mouth.
He had been on high alert and still didn't notice how the enemy got behind him. The attacker was incredibly strong—at least elite jonin level.
As that final thought passed through his mind, everything went black.
Kaito retracted the Chidori Sharp Spear, allowing the chakra blade to dissolve, and then moved forward with a cold, expressionless face.
This was the first time he'd seen blood. The first time he'd killed.
But unlike in the novels he'd read back on Earth, there was no nausea or panic. Instead, he was disturbingly calm… maybe even excited.
Was he cold-blooded? A natural-born warrior? Or was this just the reality of the Naruto world?
After silently taking down two more Root members, Kaito drew closer to the Uchiha compound. The thick stench of blood was unmistakable.
When he finally arrived, the reek of death and iron overwhelmed him.
A scarlet moon hung overhead, casting blood-red light down on the Uchiha estate.
Blood soaked the streets, homes, and courtyards. The Uchiha compound had turned into a river of red.
Bodies littered the ground—in homes, in the streets, even floating in ponds. Men, women, the elderly, and children… no one had been spared.
In the distance, screams and the clash of jutsu and weapons still echoed.
The Uchiha clan had become a living nightmare—a true vision of hell.
Even though Kaito had just killed without flinching, seeing this much death made his heart twist.
Was it sorrow? Pity? Or just shock from witnessing something so gruesome for the first time?
Maybe it was all of it.
At the same time, seeing this with his own eyes reinforced something crucial: strength is everything.
If the Uchiha clan had someone alive on the level of Uchiha Madara, would the village dare try this?
No. They wouldn't.
Sarutobi Hiruzen would be too cautious to provoke them, and even Danzo would behave like a docile dog.
Everything came down to power.
Suppressing the storm of emotion rising within him, Kaito pressed on toward the Uchiha Shrine.
Located at the heart of the Uchiha district, the shrine was easy to find.
Kaito didn't slow down or hide himself. In his mind, no one left here could stop him—aside from Itachi or Obito, and neither would be here long. This was the confidence that came from power.
As soon as he entered the shrine, a heavier wave of blood hit his face.
At least 40 bodies lay strewn about the ancestral hall, eyes wide in horror, their Sharingan gouged out.
It was clear their eyes had been taken—either by Danzo or Uchiha Obito.
After all, what made the Uchiha rival the Senju wasn't just their mastery of Fire Style, but their kekkei genkai—the Sharingan.
And while it had many functions, one of the most dangerous was Izanagi—a jutsu powerful enough to drive men mad with desire.
In the original series, Danzo survived multiple mortal wounds against Sasuke thanks to Izanagi. Obito survived Konan's 600 billion paper bombs using the same power.
It could turn injury and death into illusions and make favorable outcomes a reality. But the cost? Permanent blindness in the eye that cast it.
Who wouldn't want a power like that?
Shaking off those thoughts, Kaito began searching the hall for what he came for.
Soon, he found something—an inconspicuous part of the wall marked with a faint symbol.
Kaito's eyes sharpened.
This must be the hidden mark left behind by Uchiha Itachi.
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