The underground shelter was growing more crowded by the minute. Villagers poured in, faces pale, clutching loved ones close. Amid the growing sea of people, Izumi's gaze landed on a familiar figure — Uchiha Itachi.
She stiffened instinctively. Although she no longer felt the same sharp sense of repulsion toward him as before — time and experience had dulled that edge — there was still a strange feeling that lingered whenever she saw him. She muttered quietly to herself, almost without thinking, "Will I… turn gay in the future?"
The thought made her groan aloud, clutching her head as if trying to physically shake it off.
Before she could dwell on it any further, Itachi noticed her and offered a polite greeting. Izumi gave a small nod in return. She couldn't exactly refuse his presence — not when he had once saved her life.
Without another word, Itachi sat down beside her, his younger brother Sasuke cradled protectively in his arms. His voice was calm and steady as he murmured reassurances to the boy, as if his very tone could shield Sasuke from the chaos outside.
But the world beyond the shelter was anything but calm. The roars of the Nine-Tailed Fox echoed like thunder, each one followed by the rumble of distant destruction. The ground trembled again and again, making the wooden beams above groan in protest. People huddled together, clutching one another for comfort.
The cries of frightened children mixed with the wails of grieving adults. The atmosphere inside the shelter was heavy, weighed down by fear and uncertainty. Every new tremor seemed to squeeze tighter at the hearts of those who had already lost someone to the attack.
Then, at last, the noises from outside began to fade. The monstrous roars died away, and the tremors grew weaker until they stopped altogether. Slowly, the tension in the room eased, though no one dared to speak above a whisper.
A moment later, a breathless Ninja burst into the shelter. He exchanged hurried words with the guard stationed at the entrance. Relief flickered across the guard's face, and he raised his voice to announce, "The Nine-Tails has been sealed! Everyone, prepare to evacuate in an orderly fashion!"
The words were like a dam breaking — the villagers exhaled as one, the suffocating tension in the air lifting just enough for people to stand without shaking. Under the careful direction of the shelter guards, they began filing out into the open.
Izumi followed the stream of people outside, and when she emerged, her steps faltered. The Konoha Ninja Village she knew was gone. Houses lay in ruins. Streets were choked with rubble and splintered wood. Smoke curled upward from collapsed rooftops. The devastation stretched as far as she could see.
A faint sadness welled up in her chest. This was her home — and now it looked like a battlefield.
Her mother, Uchiha Hazuki, glanced at her daughter's pale face. Despite her own grief, she forced herself to be strong. She took Izumi's small hand firmly and said nothing, simply leading her away from the wreckage. They walked quickly toward what remained of their old home.
---
A few days later, the entire village gathered for a solemn occasion. It was the funeral for those who had perished during the Nine-Tails' attack. The ceremony was personally presided over by the Third Hokage, who stood tall despite the sorrow etched into his features.
Izumi attended in silence, her black mourning clothes heavy on her shoulders. When it came time to bid farewell to her father, she found herself staring at the coffin for a long time.
Even though she had recently awakened her past-life memories and merged them with those of Duanmu Quan, the man lying inside was still her father — the one who had loved and protected her for years. That bond, at least, was real.
A bitter thought settled in her mind. From now on… I really have to live as a woman. Her gaze drifted down to her small frame. She touched her lower abdomen instinctively, the place where her "little brother" used to be. Now, it was nothing but emptiness.
She sighed, tilting her head back to look at the gray sky above, emotions swirling chaotically inside her.
During the funeral, her eyes landed on Uchiha Itachi once more. She didn't particularly like him, but she couldn't deny that he had helped her in the past. And if there was one thing she understood about surviving in Konoha, it was that building connections early could only benefit her in the future.
So, after the ceremony, she walked toward him.
Itachi stood alone, his eyes fixed on the ruined skyline. He had the kind of expression that suggested he was thinking far beyond his years — perhaps, as in the anime, pondering the meaning of life itself. Izumi decided to break his train of thought.
"Itachi!" she called.
He turned immediately, recognizing her.
"I wanted to thank you," Izumi said softly. "That time… you saved me. I'm grateful."
"It's good you didn't die," Itachi replied, his tone flat.
Izumi blinked at the bluntness of his response. "…Right. Yeah."
Her gaze shifted to the small boy in his arms. The child was staring at her with an expression that was, for someone so young, surprisingly unwelcoming.
"Is this your younger brother?" she asked.
"That's right," Itachi confirmed.
"Oh — Sasuke." Her lips curved into a smile. "Can I hold him?"
"No."
The answer was immediate, leaving Izumi momentarily taken aback. "Why not?"
"He'll cry. It'll be troublesome."
Izumi chuckled lightly. "Little babies cry all the time. It's normal."
Before Itachi could stop her, she reached forward and gently lifted Sasuke into her arms.
She didn't even have time to enjoy the moment. Sasuke's face scrunched up, and he let out a wail so loud it startled her. "Waaah!" His tiny hands pushed at her face as if demanding to be returned to his brother.
"Uh…" Izumi froze awkwardly, glancing at Itachi.
"This child is noisy," she muttered, shifting him so Itachi could take him back.
Itachi accepted his brother without a word, holding him securely. With his usual composed air, he turned and walked away.
Izumi didn't scowl or complain. Instead, she watched the brothers leave, a faint, unreadable smile playing on her lips.
---
When she returned to their temporary residence, the sound of clattering utensils greeted her. Her mother was busy at work.
"Mom," Izumi called, "what are we going to do now?"
Hazuki paused mid-motion, then sighed. "Your father didn't have many relatives in the clan, and the ones he had are gone. We have no choice but to return to the Uchiha compound."
Izumi hesitated. "…But I've heard the village is… prejudiced against the Uchiha Clan."
Her mother's hands stilled for a moment before she resumed her task. "Yes, every Uchiha knows this. But we're still one of the two great clans that founded the village. That alone is enough to ensure we'll survive."
"But," Izumi pressed, "I also heard that only the Uchiha can control the Nine-Tails. After what happened, some Ninja might suspect the Uchiha were behind it. If that's the case, won't we get caught in the middle of a conflict between the village and the clan?"
Hazuki froze entirely this time. She set her work aside and crossed the room to sit beside Izumi, wrapping an arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Where did you hear that? If suspicions like that ever became widespread… it would indeed be dangerous. You've grown up, Izumi, to be thinking about such things. But if trouble does come for the Uchiha, even if we live apart from the main family, without protection…" Her voice trailed off into a whisper.
"Indeed," Izumi murmured. She met her mother's eyes. "That's why I've decided, Mom — I want to become a Ninja."
Hazuki blinked. "…You've decided? Being a Ninja is dangerous. Sometimes it's better to live as a civilian."
Izumi stood, determination in her voice. "No. I want to be a Ninja. A powerful Ninja. I want to control my own destiny!"
As if to punctuate her words, she activated her Sharingan. The crimson tomoe glinted in her eyes.
Hazuki gasped. "The Sharingan?! Izumi — when did you— Oh, of course… it must be from your father's side. But to awaken it at just five years old… incredible." Her expression softened into pride. "Truly our child. Both bloodlines so strong…"
"Bloodlines?" Izumi tilted her head. "Isn't Father just a civilian Ninja?"
Hazuki hesitated, then lowered her voice. "Listen carefully, Izumi. Your father was actually a descendant of the Senju Clan."
Inside, Izumi was startled — but outwardly she kept her tone curious. "Senju?"
"Yes," Hazuki confirmed. "One of the two great clans that founded Konoha alongside the Uchiha. Long ago, the Senju kept only their main family and a few branch families as official clan members. The rest changed their names, blending into the civilian population, and their records were erased. Most became civilian Ninja. Your father was from one of those hidden branches."
She went on to explain the reasoning — the prosperity of the bloodline, protection from extinction, strengthening Konoha's forces, reducing tensions between clans and civilians.
Izumi listened carefully. "That's… actually brilliant. But it must come with its own problems."
"It does," Hazuki agreed. "The Senju name has declined, their main forces have fallen in battle, and only a handful remain. Still, it has done more good than harm. Your father's branch bore the surname Duanmu. That means you carry the blood of both Uchiha and Senju. Awakening the Sharingan at five is nothing short of remarkable."
"Then you'll support me becoming a Ninja?" Izumi asked.
Hazuki smiled faintly. "Of course. Become strong, Izumi — strong enough to choose your own path."
Izumi nodded firmly. "I won't disappoint you, Mom."
Hazuki's gaze turned wistful. "If your father were here… he'd be so proud. A child of both the Uchiha and Senju. Tomorrow we'll move into the clan compound. I'll enroll you in the Academy. From now on, you'll be Uchiha Izumi."
"Mm," Izumi said with quiet resolve. "From now on… I'll be Uchiha Izumi."
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