"With two of the Leaf's Sannin at the scene, and one of them siding with Akainu," Hyuga Hiashi murmured within the Hyuga clan compound, letting out a slow breath.
The bulging veins around his eyes faded as he spoke to himself, "It seems there won't be any violent clash between the Hokage and Akainu tonight."
Feeling the lingering heat in the air and breathing in the faint sulfur-like scent, Hiashi couldn't shake a sense of unease.
He felt a bit relieved that the Susanoo summoned by Akainu had been facing away from the Hyuga compound.
If it had been aimed at them, and that blade had come down… it might've split the Hyuga compound in half!
The battle between Akainu and Uchiha Itachi had taken place less than a kilometer away, close enough for Hiashi's Byakugan to clearly observe the situation.
He even knew who Akainu had been fighting.
Suddenly, Hiashi sensed something and turned his head. A hurried figure darted past in the distance, briefly glancing back at him as if sensing his gaze.
"Uchiha Fugaku…" Hiashi recognized the face instantly, his expression growing complex. "I wonder what he'll think when he learns who Akainu killed."
"Hm?"
Hiashi suddenly felt a hostile gaze. Turning, he saw Hyuga Neji, his face cold and distant, walking toward a house.
Sigh. That boy still can't let it go, can he?
Hiashi sighed softly, a twinge of guilt in his heart, unsure how to approach Neji.
---
"Akainu, how do you have Shisui's Beppu-no-Kami? Who were you fighting just now? Did they use Susanoo too? Were they an Uchiha ninja?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen kept his distance from Akainu, a cautious instinct at play.
It was why he couldn't argue with Tsunade's earlier accusations.
Faced with Hiruzen's barrage of questions, Akainu glanced at Izumi and said, "She'll answer you."
Hiruzen: "…"
Does he find even a few words with me bothersome?
"Uh?" Izumi blinked, looking left and right before swallowing hard and quickly tucking away the scroll sealing Amaterasu.
She perked up and said, "Uchiha Itachi developed the twisted, extreme ideology that Senior Akainu predicted. He planned to team up with 'Uchiha Obito' to orchestrate a clan massacre within the Uchiha in the next two months."
"He even wanted to assassinate Leaf ninja who uphold absolute justice—me included! At the critical moment, Senior Akainu saved me and, in the name of absolute justice, judged and killed Uchiha Itachi!"
"Itachi's future crimes had already taken shape. As such, he had to face the consequences of embracing evil. Senior Akainu's act of killing him saved the entire Uchiha clan!"
"It even saved the ninja world! Because someone with Itachi's warped ideology would've eventually caused even greater atrocities."
As the girl spoke with unrelenting conviction, she noticed someone else approaching—or rather, someone who'd been there for the last ten seconds, likely hearing everything.
"Clan Leader Fugaku…"
It was none other than Uchiha Fugaku, rushing over in a panic.
Fugaku stood frozen, stunned.
Izumi's words echoed in his mind.
"Fugaku…" Hiruzen noticed him, sensing something off in his demeanor. Connecting it to the girl's words, Hiruzen took a heavy breath, his mood somber.
"My condolences."
In the end, those were the only words he could muster.
His voice snapped Fugaku out of his daze.
Fugaku stiffly turned to Akainu, his fists clenched unconsciously. Despite priding himself on his calm, his emotions now surged like a stormy sea.
Anger.
Grief.
Reluctance.
Confusion.
Hatred.
A whirlwind of emotions exploded in his heart, reddening the whites of his eyes. The muscles on his stoic face twitched faintly.
This was his pride and joy, his eldest son—the future of the Uchiha in his eyes, his own flesh and blood.
Now, he was a soul claimed by absolute justice.
As a father, he hadn't even arrived in time to save his son or see him one last time.
Fugaku thought his heart had hardened enough.
But the grief of a parent outliving their child was unbearable, a pain Hiruzen had endured twice.
"Akainu…" His voice hoarse, Fugaku struggled to control his emotions as he confronted Akainu. "Why? Itachi was just a kid whose worldview wasn't fully formed. Even if he had some misguided thoughts, he didn't deserve… didn't deserve…"
He trailed off, unable to finish.
Didn't deserve what? To be killed?
From the standpoint of absolute justice, or even the Uchiha clan, was that really true?
"You should've known this day would come," Akainu said coldly, meeting his gaze. "If you hadn't dismissed my warnings, if you'd kept a tighter leash on that monster you raised or tried to change his twisted mindset, none of this would've happened tonight."
"Uchiha Fugaku, compromise is your defining trait. You compromised when the village pressured you, and you compromised when faced with your son's extreme ideology."
"This all traces back to you."
Akainu stepped closer, locking eyes with Fugaku.
"Who sent Itachi to the battlefield at four years old? When his comrades died and he awakened his Sharingan, who didn't comfort him but praised him for opening his eyes at eight?"
"When you learned your son was heading toward an abyss of evil, who did nothing to stop it and even enabled it?"
"Uchiha Fugaku, your actions nurtured evil. But your weak, indecisive nature will never let you admit your mistakes."
"Don't sully my ears with your nauseating excuses."
Akainu spared Fugaku no dignity.
He laid bare every flaw and failure.
And he didn't exaggerate—everything he said was something Fugaku had done.
In this family, aside from Uchiha Mikoto and Sasuke, the other two were inherently abnormal.
"Fugaku." A hand rested on Fugaku's shoulder, urging him to stay calm. Hiruzen, his expression complex, turned to Izumi . "Are you saying Itachi was conspiring with the Akatsuki's Uchiha Obito?"
Izumi shifted her wary gaze from Fugaku, having feared the Uchiha clan leader might lash out at Senior Akainu in his emotional state. Thankfully, this man, defined by a lifetime of hesitation and compromise, compromised once again.
She nodded firmly. "Yes!"
Hiruzen fell silent.
He could guess Itachi's intentions—Itachi likely believed he couldn't face Akainu's absolute justice or wipe out the Uchiha clan alone.
He needed external help. As Hokage, Hiruzen would never allow the Uchiha's destruction, so Itachi couldn't rely on him. Instead, he turned to outside forces.
Itachi chose the Akatsuki—chose Uchiha Obito.
Hiruzen exhaled heavily. He'd warned Itachi multiple times, advised him repeatedly. Itachi had always been obedient, saying "I understand" or "I get it."
But what had he understood? What had he gotten?
Did Itachi truly understand?
Suppressing his helpless emotions and accepting the loss of another powerful Leaf asset, Hiruzen said gravely, "Where's Itachi's body? Return it to Fugaku so he can take it back…"
Fugaku's twitching facial muscles stilled as he, too, looked at the Uchiha girl.
"Vaporized," she replied. "Not a single cell remains."
After a moment, she added consolingly, "If you really want a burial, you could use his old clothes for a cenotaph."
As soon as she spoke, Jiro's voice cut in. "Newbie, let's go with the rookie. No need to waste time chattering with these guys."
Izumi turned quickly.
Senior Akainu and Senior Jiro were already ignoring the Hokage and Clan Leader Fugaku, walking away.
"Got it!" She hurriedly hoisted the still-unconscious Anko onto her back and followed.
Hiruzen: "…"
Fugaku: "…"
Hiruzen glanced at Fugaku, whose body was trembling slightly, and coughed. "Fugaku, I don't want to see the Uchiha clan descend into serious infighting."
"A fractured Uchiha would destabilize the village, which isn't good for the Leaf. Fugaku, don't do anything that I—or others—would regret."
"As for Itachi…" Hiruzen's voice grew heavy. "He chose to collaborate with the Akatsuki to target his own village's ninja. That's something many can't tolerate—it's practically the act of a rogue ninja."
"Fugaku, if this blows up, it won't benefit the Uchiha clan, nor you. It'll only tarnish Itachi's reputation further."
Hiruzen couldn't help but think of his own son, Asuma, who'd allied with colleagues among the Twelve Guardian Ninja, earning scorn from many in the village.
But Itachi? Aligning with the Akatsuki, with Uchiha Obito, the masked man possibly behind the Nine-Tails attack? Hiruzen couldn't fathom why Itachi would choose such allies.
"…Yes, Lord Hokage."
Fugaku was silent for a few seconds before lowering his head.
---
Half an hour later, Uchiha Fugaku wasn't sure what emotions carried him back to the Uchiha compound. Standing at his doorstep, he lifted his gaze to see his wife and younger son waiting for him.
Uchiha Mikoto immediately noticed something was deeply wrong with Fugaku's mood.
Even when they learned Sasuke had embraced absolute justice, Fugaku hadn't shown such distress.
"What's wrong?" Mikoto asked urgently.
"Itachi…" Fugaku's eyes dropped. "He chose the path Akainu predicted. He tried to kill Izumi, the girl who follows absolute justice. Then Akainu appeared, and Itachi…"
"Died."
His voice low and heavy, Fugaku brushed past Mikoto without glancing at Sasuke, heading straight into the house.
He left only a desolate silhouette for his wife and son.
His fists, hidden in his sleeves, were clenched white, veins trembling on his hands.
Fugaku hated himself for compromising again, for failing to fulfill a father's duty—to avenge his slain son.
But he didn't hate himself for raising Itachi wrong.
Fugaku saw no issue with his parenting. Sending his son to the battlefield at four was fine—it tested Itachi's mettle and unlocked the Uchiha's potential.
His younger son, Sasuke, who hadn't seen war, was a perfect counterexample.
Though Sasuke had awakened his Sharingan thanks to Itachi's influence, he still fell short of his brother.
"Itachi… dead…" Sasuke, unaware of his father's disdain for his talent, was stunned by Fugaku's words.
"Killed by Teacher Akainu…"
Sasuke had wanted to stop Itachi from falling into the abyss, yearning for the power of absolute justice. But he never imagined Itachi would become irredeemable before he could gain that strength.
Unlike Fugaku, Sasuke felt no hatred, only shock and confusion.
He glanced at Mikoto, noticing her reaction mirrored his own, perhaps even stronger. Her eyes were red-rimmed.
After all, Itachi was her flesh and blood, raised by her hand. How could she feel nothing?
"Fugaku! Where's Itachi's body?" Mikoto suddenly called out, stopping him.
Fugaku paused, taking three deep breaths before saying quietly, "No remains."
Mikoto's face froze.
Turning to his wife, Fugaku said frankly, "Wondering about Akainu? He's fine. Itachi gave everything, even used Susanoo, but couldn't scratch him. I…"
"I didn't act against Akainu. I suppressed my hatred, stayed silent under his accusations, and compromised under the Hokage's warning."
"Maybe Akainu partly right—I'm indecisive and prone to compromise."
Fugaku braced for his wife's disappointment.
But to his surprise, Mikoto only nodded, her tone complex. "Itachi chose the wrong path, and Akainu made him pay for it. Fugaku, it's not that you backed down or compromised. This time, you truly saw what's right and what's wrong."
Fugaku blinked, stunned.
"In your eyes, Itachi was wrong, and Akainu was right? Even though Itachi died by his hand tonight?"
"Yes," Mikoto nodded.
Fugaku: "…"
His expression grew dazed.
---
"Why does it feel like everything's gone to hell since coming to the Leaf?"
Hozuki Suigetsu crouched in a small Leaf tavern.
Yes, he was back—and he'd retrieved his lost Kubikiribocho.
He stayed because he feared running into Uchiha Obito and his group outside the Leaf, away from the protection of Akainu's influence.
With his strength alone, he stood no chance against those three.
Suigetsu exhaled a breath of sake, grabbing his cup and drinking deeply.
Glancing at the now-quiet distance, he muttered, "How do these Leaf civilians survive in such a 'hostile' environment?"
He'd clearly seen the clash of two Susanoos earlier. He'd never witnessed such a terrifying technique and thought the Leaf would be obliterated by the shockwaves.
He'd been ready to flee for safety.
But one "giant monster" fell so easily to a single slash, ending the fight.
"Speaking of…" Suigetsu stared into his sake cup, murmuring, "I never thanked Akainu. That Lava Release beast did save my life tonight."
Suddenly, he caught a blurry figure in the reflection of his drink, standing behind him. His pupils shrank, and he grabbed Kubikiribocho instantly.
If that figure made a move, he'd swing without hesitation.
"It's me."
The familiar voice froze Suigetsu's hand.
Before he could turn, the man sat beside him.
Cold sweat beaded on Suigetsu's forehead.
"Ha, misunderstanding," he said, releasing the blade to show he meant no harm. As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, showing such a weak reaction in front of Akainu was embarrassing. But he knew opposing this man was akin to suicide.
His life still had purpose.
He couldn't die in the Leaf.
"How long are you staying?" Akainu asked.
Suigetsu glanced at him. "Probably until those three stop hunting me. Then I'll leave the Leaf. I won't go back to the Akatsuki—I'll find another group to join."
"No," Akainu said. "You need to return to the Rain Village, to the Akatsuki, and tell Konan what you know."
Suigetsu's eyes widened. "Hey, joking about my life isn't cool! I can't take those three!"
His face screamed refusal.
"I'll go with you," Akainu said, instantly halving Suigetsu's resistance.
He blinked. "You…"
"You're not targeting the Akatsuki, are you?"
Suigetsu vaguely recalled Akainu's ninja way—absolute justice. In this man's eyes, the Akatsuki, stirring wars among smaller nations, was likely a prime target for his justice.
Sure enough, Akainu's next words confirmed his guess. "The Akatsuki harbors many sources of evil that absolute justice must judge. Uchiha Obito, Orochimaru… they all need to face justice."
"The Akatsuki's existence gathers these villains in one place, saving me the trouble of hunting them across the ninja world. Wiping them out is absolute justice's duty."
Suigetsu took a deep breath. "You're probably the only person in the ninja world who'd dare say that."
Recalling Akainu's eerie dojutsu, he added, "And maybe you actually could."
He knew agreeing meant betraying the Akatsuki.
But he also knew he had no choice.
"I'll leave the Leaf tomorrow morning," Suigetsu said, then paused, thinking of something. "This is your real body, right?"
"Wood clone," Akainu answered bluntly.
Suigetsu: "…"
What?
He'd thought Akainu would be his personal bodyguard, but now it seemed he was just a "key" to find the Akatsuki's Rain Village base!
A wood clone? That's just a glorified tracker!
Suigetsu's face stiffened. "What if we run into a persistent Uchiha Obito on the way? Why not come in person?"
"There are still matters in the Leaf," the clone replied. "My real body needs to root out the evils here and lay the foundation for absolute justice in the Land of Fire. This is its first trial."
With that, the wood clone fell silent, staring calmly at Suigetsu.
Even without words, even as just a clone, it made Suigetsu break out in a cold sweat.
The pressure was like facing that lowlife Might Dai.
"Cough! Fine, we'll leave tomorrow morning."
Suigetsu buckled under the pressure.
He could only hope Akainu's wood clone had some hidden trump card to keep him alive. Absolute justice wouldn't let an innocent die, right?
---
The next day, at dawn, news of Uchiha Itachi's death at Akainu's hands spread like wildfire through the village.
It caused a massive uproar in the Uchiha compound.
"That traitor Itachi's finally dead!"
Sasuke, still dazed and heading to the Ninja Academy, overheard an Uchiha Police Force ninja speaking excitedly to a colleague.
"He hid in the Leaf for so long, never daring to show his face. But Akainu caught him and took him out!"
"If Akainu had killed someone else, I might've had complaints. But Itachi? I'm clapping for that!"
"He was planning to wipe out the clan!"
The colleague, also from the Police Force, clicked his tongue. "Last night's commotion must've been them, right? Itachi was a genius, no doubt. But compared to Akainu, who's on par with Shisui, he was nowhere close."
"Fugaku always dodged talking about his son, clearly trying to protect him. Now? All he's got left is a corpse."
Actually, not even a corpse, Sasuke thought, the words flashing through his mind.
Itachi's death seemed to bolster the clan's faith in Teacher Akainu's absolute justice.
The clan's ninja showed little respect for his father.
They even called him by name, omitting "Clan Leader."
Maybe it was because Father had shielded Brother.
"Justice shouldn't be swayed by family ties. Even blood relations—if they cross justice's line or fall into evil's abyss—should be cut off without hesitation."
Sasuke's young face was serious as he tried to convince himself.
---
Meanwhile, in the Hyuga clan, Neji hadn't slept all night, leaving him visibly drained.
After a light breakfast, preparing for the Ninja Academy, he noticed several Branch Family ninja passing by, their faces a mix of anger and unease.
Neji recognized that look—it was one he often wore himself.
Taking a deep breath, he chased after them, blocking their path and asking, "What happened?!"
The Branch Family ninja paused, recognizing him.
"You're Hizashi's kid…"
One started to speak but was tugged back by another.
"It's nothing," the second ninja said with a forced smile. "Not something for your age to get involved in."
Neji's gut twisted with a bad feeling. Clenching his teeth, he voiced his suspicion. "Did someone die? If it was a normal death, you wouldn't hide it from me. So, did a Branch Family member die because of the Caged Bird?"
Silence answered him.
"Why? What caused it?" His fists tightened, lips bitten as he pressed, "Was it because the Main Branch needed another scapegoat?"
Sigh.
Ignoring his companion's restraint, one Branch Family ninja sighed, his expression dark. "A Branch Family elder tried to break the Caged Bird seal behind the Main Branch's back. Somehow—maybe bad luck—he was caught."
"Whether he succeeded or was delusional, his actions violated the Hyuga clan's rules—the biggest taboo."
"A Main Branch elder activated his Caged Bird seal. The elder, being old, couldn't withstand the pain, which triggered a fatal illness. He died."
He added, "It happened at 4 a.m. last night."
The ninja crouched, ruffling Neji's hair. "Don't be sad. You'll get used to it. This is our fate. Caged birds can never fly free. As long as you don't break the clan's rules, you won't end up like him."
Neji staggered back, dazed.
"Is a rule right just because it's a rule?" He looked up at the Branch Family ninja. "Is it right because everyone's used to it?"
One answered, "A rule, followed long enough, becomes accepted as right. No one in the Branch Family can break it—the Caged Bird binds us. The Main Branch won't change it; they benefit from it. Over time, a rule is just a rule."
The words landed heavily, silencing everyone, including Neji.
---
"Rules are rules," "habit makes it right," "no one can break them," "this is our fate"… The phrases echoed in Neji's mind.
Even as he reached the Ninja Academy and entered his classroom, he remained in a trance.
He touched the bandage on his forehead, hiding the Caged Bird seal.
Thud!
Suddenly, Neji bumped into someone, hearing a yelp as they fell.
Snapping back, he looked down to see a boy with odd braids and thick eyebrows, clutching his knee and wincing.
"Hey, Neji, ignore that guy," a classmate said, patting his shoulder. "He can't even guide chakra through his meridians properly. Even the teachers say he'll never use ninjutsu—he's got no talent for being a ninja."
"He keeps saying he'll become one, but come on, a dead-last like him? A ninja who can't use ninjutsu? He's not in our world, Neji. No need to bother with him."
Neji swatted the hand away.
His cold gaze fixed on the classmate. "Your attitude reminds me of the kind of people I despise—high and mighty, acting like they can strip someone's life away or treat them as a scapegoat."
As the classmate stood stunned, Neji started to step over Rock Lee but hesitated, lowering his foot.
He pulled Lee up. "Sorry for bumping into you." Then he walked to his seat.
This is what justice should be, Neji thought silently.