Chapter 255: Curtain Falls On The Show
The chill by the Naka River did not dissipate with Shura’s departure; the sharp pain in Itachi Uchiha’s eyes and the stormy waves in his heart were far colder than the river water.
He clutched his face, blood tears seeping through his fingers and trickling down, dripping onto the slightly withered grass of early spring.
Shura’s words before leaving echoed like a ghost’s whisper in his mind, repeatedly resounding and constantly eroding his once rock-solid belief.
‘Is the “righteousness” you firmly believe in and have given everything for truly your own choice?’
That masked man who called himself “Uchiha Madara”…
Like a specter lingering outside the village, what purpose hid behind his invitation to join that so-called organization?
Or had he, from beginning to end, merely been a pawn manipulated by a more cunning player, personally tolling the death knell for his family with his own hands?
The intense pain came not only from the mental backlash but also from the excessive use of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
His vision began to blur, his ears buzzing incessantly.
He staggered to his comatose brother’s side, looking at Sasuke’s face, still twisted in pain even in nightmares, seized by an unprecedented sense of confusion and powerlessness.
He slowly knelt down, his trembling hand gently brushing Sasuke’s forehead, trying to smooth those furrowed brows, only to find he couldn’t even offer this small comfort.
Meanwhile, the main battlefield in the Uchiha Compound had turned into a true hell.
Three colossal Susanoo towering to the heavens became absolute dominators.
Uchiha Hikari’s deep red Susanoo was like a burning god of vengeance, its massive chakra blade unleashing terrifying storms that tore the earth with every swing; Shisui’s emerald green Susanoo was like an agile forest guardian, its giant spiral sword precisely striking down Konoha jonin trying to reform their lines, clearing obstacles for the retreat path; and Fugaku’s deep blue Susanoo, though somewhat subdued, stood firm as a rock, steadfastly guarding the flank of the surviving Uchiha clansmen as they retreated, blocking distant long-range ninjutsu attacks.
Fugaku knew this was the last time he would protect his clansmen as clan head.
Under the pressure of the Susanoo, the Konoha ninjas’ lines completely collapsed.
Even with Hiruzen Sarutobi personally commanding and elite jonin from various families fighting desperately, individual valor seemed so pale before this near-mythical power.
The surviving Uchiha ninjas erupted with astonishing combat power; their coordination with the Star Ninja grew ever more seamless as they fought and retreated, forcibly pushing the battlefield back from the burning compound toward Konohagakure’s core area.
“Don’t panic! Hold the formation! Long-range ninjas, provide cover!” Hiruzen Sarutobi’s voice was hoarse as he swung the Adamantine Staff to knock away a massive shuriken aimed at him, but more attacks came from all directions.
Shikaku Nara’s Shadow Clone Jutsu repeatedly tried to control the ninjas within the Susanoo, but the massive chakra entities themselves strongly interfered with the shadow secret technique; every attempt failed, instead backlash-inflicting mental wounds.
Choza Akimichi’s Expansion Jutsu lost its former deterrence against the Susanoo; his massive palm slapping against the chakra armor only rippled it, while the recoil numbed his arm.
Inoichi Yamanaka’s Mind Body Switch Technique struggled even more to penetrate that dense, substantialized Yin Release chakra barrier.
“Hokage-sama! Their goal is retreat! Forcing a block will cause too many losses!” Shikaku Nara used Shadow Body Flicker to dodge an area slash, landing beside Hiruzen Sarutobi and urgently saying so; his face was smeared with soot, his breathing ragged.
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew this well, but he knew even better what it meant for Konoha’s future to let these rebels—especially the Uchiha survivors with such terrifying power—escape.
He gritted his teeth, his gaze sweeping over the Konoha ninjas whose eyes now showed fear and exhaustion, finally roaring heavily: “Pursue! Don’t let them leave easily! Hiashi! Shinnosuke! Lead teams to tangle with them!”
Hiashi Hyuga’s Byakugan veins bulged; he could clearly see his clan brother Hizashi in the retreating group, his heart a mix of emotions, but there was no time for hesitation as he led the Hyuga clan’s elites in a flank encirclement attempt.
Anbu Commander Sarutobi Shinnosuke said nothing, his masked eyes icy cold as he led the most loyal Anbu squad like a dagger stabbing into the rear of the retreating group.
Uchiha Hikari stood in the crystal on her Susanoo’s forehead, her scarlet Mangekyo coldly watching the pursuers.
Seeing the Anbu elites led by Sarutobi Shinnosuke charging recklessly, she sneered.
“Amaterasu! （Amaterasu）”
Black flames silently ignited on the right arm of Sarutobi Shinnosuke, charging at the forefront; the pain capable of incinerating all things made him grunt, his movements instantly distorting.
“Head Captain!” The Anbu behind him cried out.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke was decisive too; realizing he couldn’t extinguish the eerie black flames, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as his left hand took the ninja sword and unhesitatingly slashed down, severing his right arm at the shoulder!
The severed arm was instantly devoured by the black flames into flying ash.
The intense pain nearly made him faint, but he forced himself to continue fighting.
However, in that moment of lag from the sharp pain, a green phantom flashed across the battlefield like a gale!
It was Shisui!
The emerald green Susanoo hadn’t moved, but his true body used Illusion Body Flicker Technique and Sharingan insight to seize this fleeting opportunity, closing in!
Pfft!
The icy ninja sword precisely pierced Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s abdomen, emerging from his back!
Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s body stiffened violently; incredulously, he looked down at the blade through his body, then struggled to raise his head, gazing at those familiar yet utterly cold three-tomoe Sharingan eyes before him.
“Urgh… Uchiha… Shisui…” He painfully spat out the name, blood overflowing from his mouth.
Shisui’s eyes were complex, but his hand showed no mercy, yanking out the ninja sword in a spray of blood.
He didn’t look again at the fallen enemy, his form turning back into a phantom and vanishing into the Susanoo.
“Shinnosuke!” Hiruzen Sarutobi, seeing his eldest son gravely wounded from afar, was enraged and wanted to rush over, but was forced back by a sweeping strike from Fugaku’s deep blue Susanoo.
By now, most of the surviving Uchiha and Star Ninja had successfully retreated to the edge of the Konoha Village Protection Barrier.
Uchiha Hikari glanced back at Konoha engulfed in a sea of fire and wails, her eyes aloof and cold.
Her hands flew through hand seals again, massive chakra condensing.
“Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!”
This Fire Style was on a scale beyond normal imagination!
Not spewed from the mouth, but condensing and erupting from in front of the deep red Susanoo!
A tsunami-like wave of flames materialized, carrying an aura of total destruction as it surged toward the pursuing Konoha ninja forces!
Its range was so vast it nearly covered the entire street; the scorching heat instantly charred distant trees!
“Defend! Defend now!” Hiruzen Sarutobi roared hoarsely, taking the lead with Earth Flow Wall as other ninjas proficient in defensive ninjutsu poured their all into it.
“Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!”
“Water Style: Water Array Wall!”
Earth walls and water walls rose from the ground, trying to block this apocalyptic fire wave.
Boom——！！！
The flame wave slammed into the joint defense line; massive steam evaporated instantly, earth walls cracking and melting under the heat!
Screams rose one after another; many ninjas’ defenses were breached in an instant, their bodies swallowed by flames.
When the fire wave finally dissipated, it left scorched earth and moaning wounded everywhere.
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s clothes were tattered, leaning on the Adamantine Staff and gasping; he looked up to see Uchiha Hikari and Shisui’s Susanoo soaring into the sky like two brilliant yet dangerous meteors, swiftly vanishing beyond the Konoha barrier, out of pursuit range.
“Quick! Medical squad! Save them!” Shikaku Nara suppressed his inner shock and powerlessness, loudly directing the survivors to rescue the wounded.
Hiruzen Sarutobi staggered to his eldest son’s side; medical ninjas were desperately treating him, but the fatal abdominal wound and massive blood loss from the severed arm had already drained Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s life force rapidly.
“Father… sorry…” Shinnosuke looked at his father’s aged, grief-stricken face; before he could finish, his head lolled, and he completely lost his vitality.
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s old tears streamed down as he tightly held his eldest son’s still-warm corpse, his body trembling uncontrollably.
At that moment, another Anbu ninja body flickered in, reporting in a heavy voice: “Hokage-sama… the Head Captain’s wife, Anbu Second Squad Captain… died in the previous battle, covering for companions…”
The successive blows hammered Hiruzen Sarutobi’s heart like heavy mallets.
His eldest son and daughter-in-law both dead in battle…
His vision blackened, nearly fainting; only his strong will kept him standing, but his back now looked utterly hunched and desolate.
In the distant shadows, Orochimaru licked his lips, golden snake pupils gleaming with excitement and amusement: “What a splendid finale. What do you two Hokage lords think? This bitter fruit nurtured by Konoha’s own hands must taste quite something, eh?”
The reanimated Hashirama Senju’s face no longer held its former cheer; only deep pain and bewilderment remained as he murmured: “Monkey… Konoha… how did it come to this…”
Tobirama Senju remained cold-faced, but his sharp eyes fixed on the direction Uchiha Hikari had vanished, snorting coldly: “The Uchiha’s evil power is ultimately the greatest scourge!”
Orochimaru chuckled lightly: “Heh heh, if there’s a more entertaining ‘show’ next time, I’ll certainly invite you two again. Well then, this junior bids farewell.”
With that, he formed hand seals, dispelling the Reanimation Jutsu.
The First and Second Hokage’s bodies gradually turned to dust and scattered, leaving only Hashirama Senju’s long sigh and Tobirama Senju’s cold gaze fading into the void.
Orochimaru himself dissolved into a swarm of small snakes, silently burrowing underground and vanishing.
Only scattered dust motes slowly settled to the ground.
The great fire in the Uchiha Compound still burned, reddening half the sky.
Shimura Danzō had not joined the pursuit; he stood atop a relatively intact high wall, his single eye darkly surveying the ruins.
Deep in his heart, he dreaded the power of Uchiha Hikari and Shisui, and felt an inexpressible fear toward Shura, who had never truly acted yet controlled everything from start to finish.
“Lord Danzō.” Yuruma Aburame appeared silently behind him, reporting lowly: “We’ve searched thoroughly. Not a single Uchiha clansman’s corpse… was found.”
“Including those cleared by Itachi Uchiha earlier, they were all taken by the Star Ninja during the retreat. Additionally, the Konoha Military Police Force’s archive library and many secret scroll tomes in the Naka River Shrine were completely looted.”
“What?!” Danzō whirled around, slamming his cane on the ground in fury, nearly spitting blood.
He had hoped to seize the chance to collect a large number of Sharingan eyes to compensate for Shisui’s lost one and continue his research.
Now, not only had he gotten zero Sharingan, but even Root’s lair had been raided, its secrets exposed—a case of losing both wife and troops!
His face turned ashen, his single eye flashing with venom and unwillingness.
Next, he would face pressure from Hiruzen and the entire village.
Deep in the Uchiha Compound, the Fugaku household mansion remained relatively intact.
Itachi Uchiha carried the still-comatose Sasuke, staggering back.
Pushing open the sliding door, the sight stunned him.
His parents, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto, had not retreated with the Star Ninja.
Dressed neatly, they knelt formally on the living room tatami, as if waiting for a long time.
The room was spotlessly clean, in stark contrast to the chaos and destruction outside.
“Father… Mother…” Itachi’s voice was dry and hoarse.
Fugaku raised his head; those Mangekyo Sharingan eyes once filled with authority and ambition now held only calm and deep exhaustion.
“You’re back, Itachi.” His gaze passed over the dried blood tears on Itachi’s face, then to the comatose Sasuke on his back, a flicker of barely perceptible pain in his eyes.
“Why didn’t you go with Shisui and the others?” Itachi couldn’t help asking.
Fugaku slowly shook his head, his voice low and firm: “I am a failed clan head, too ashamed to face the clansmen who trusted me. The Uchiha’s future, I’ve entrusted to Shisui.”
He paused, looking lovingly at Sasuke: “As for Sasuke… that Shura didn’t take him, perhaps with ulterior motives, or maybe it’s fate’s arrangement.”
“But where else could he go? With my life, I’ll give the village an accounting—let him stay in Konoha.” Fugaku knew Itachi’s deal with the Konoha high council was to spare Sasuke’s life.
But now with things this dire, so many Konoha ninjas dead, Sasuke…
“As the son of a failed rebel clan head, as the brother of… the executioner who slaughtered clansmen, his situation in the Land of Stars might be even harsher than in Konoha. Here, at least… the Third might give him a path to survival to retain the Uchiha orthodox name.”
“The more rampant the Land of Stars, the safer Sasuke.”
Mikoto silently rose, carefully taking Sasuke from Itachi’s back and settling him in the bedroom.
Soon after, she returned to the living room, kneeling beside Fugaku with her back to Itachi, her voice gentle yet resolute: “Itachi, Sasuke… we entrust him to you.”
Fugaku closed his eyes, slowly saying: “Do it, Itachi. These eyes of mine… remember to leave them for Sasuke.”
Itachi’s body trembled violently, the immense pain nearly tearing him apart.
Looking at his parents resolved to die, he knew he had no choice.
This might be his parents’ final wish, the ending they chose for him to preserve their last dignity.
Trembling, he raised the ninja sword in his hand, its icy blade reflecting the firelight burning outside the window.
“Father… Mother… I’m sorry…” Tears mixed with blood slid from his eyes again; gritting his teeth, he steeled himself and thrust the blade precisely and swiftly into Fugaku’s back.
Fugaku’s body shuddered, a muffled grunt escaping as he pitched forward, blood rapidly staining the tatami beneath him.
His eyes gazed toward Sasuke’s bedroom, finally losing their luster.
Itachi pulled out the ninja sword, blood dripping from the tip.
He turned to his mother with closed eyes, tears mixed with blood tears sliding down his cheeks, raising the sword again.
At this critical juncture!
Whoosh—!
Several golden chains suddenly burst through the wooden sliding door on one side at astonishing speed, shooting into the room!
One chain precisely deflected Itachi’s thrusting ninja sword with a crisp clash of metal!
The others, like gentle tentacles, swiftly wrapped around Mikoto’s waist, yanking her backward amid her shocked gaze!
“Mother!” Itachi was horrified and immediately tried to grab her back.
But the golden chains’ power was immense, their speed even greater; in an instant, they dragged Mikoto out of the house, vanishing into the dark corridor’s end.
“Who?!” Itachi, shocked and furious, body flickered out into the yard.
Under the moonlight, two figures in black robes with white fox masks on their faces stood there, as if waiting long.
The mysterious person who had bound Mikoto with Adamantine Sealing Chains nodded to the other, then swiftly departed with her.
The other emanated a powerful aura, facing Itachi and raising a kunai in hand.
“Give Mother back!” Itachi roared, Sharingan activating instantly as he charged with kunai in hand.
Clang clang clang!
Sparks flew!
Their taijutsu was lightning-fast, clashing over a dozen exchanges in moments.
The opponent’s taijutsu was extremely refined, movements concise and efficient; every block, every dodge was perfect, and what shocked Itachi most was the opponent’s speed—pure taijutsu alone pressured him.
Moreover, the opponent seemed extremely familiar with his Uchiha Style Taijutsu and Konoha Anbu combat style, often predicting his moves a step ahead!
Itachi, exhausted from successive battles and worried for his mother, couldn’t break through the defense for the moment.
“Who the hell are you?! Star Ninja Uzumaki clan?!” Itachi demanded sharply; the golden chains immediately reminded him of that red-haired Uzumaki woman on the battlefield earlier.
The masked figure didn’t reply, only intensifying the assault, clearly aiming only to delay.
Feeling his mother’s aura rapidly receding, Itachi burned with anxiety but couldn’t shake this tough opponent.
Meanwhile, Mikoto was bound by the golden chains, swiftly moving through Konoha’s ruins and alleys.
She tried to struggle but found the chains not only indestructible but also suppressing her chakra, making escape impossible.
Despair began to spread.
Soon, they burst through the Konoha Village Protection Barrier into the forest outside the village.
The mysterious person finally stopped, gently placing Mikoto on a forest clearing.
Mikoto looked at the other warily, bracing for the worst.
However, the other slowly released the chains’ bonds.
In Mikoto’s surprised gaze, the person reached up and slowly removed the white fox mask, revealing a pale face covered in eerie cracks like fragile porcelain, and that head of flame-like dazzling red long hair…
A familiar voice she thought long dead, slightly hoarse and emotional, softly rang out:
“Long time no see, Mikoto.”
Moonlight fell on that face; Mikoto’s pupils contracted sharply, breath halting as she shockedly covered her mouth, scarcely believing her eyes.
“You… you’re… Kushina?!”
【PS: Stockpiling drafts, will burst on Monday with at least 20k words, then test my limits.】
