Chapter 82: Different Developments
The lights in the police headquarters had completely extinguished, plunging the entire space into darkness. Far fewer people had been saved here than anticipated.
Uchiha clan members' corpses lay scattered across the floor, blood continuously flowing from their wounds, spreading across the cold ground to form pools of dark red. The air was thick with the heavy scent of rust, mixed with the peculiar smell of soaked wooden flooring.
Menma sighed softly, walking toward the corner where only two unconscious Uchiha lay. According to Shisui's judgment, only these two in the entire police force were "doves"—all other members were staunch hawks.
This situation wasn't surprising. The police force's work nature meant they frequently clashed with Konoha villagers, and over time, the villagers' rejection and hostility naturally deepened. In such an antagonistic environment, developing thoughts of changing the status quo through coup was almost inevitable.
Rather, having even two "doves" in such an environment seemed somewhat remarkable.
Menma skillfully completed the final cleanup. He first created realistic death scenes for the two dove members, then carefully extracted all the hawk members' Sharingan one by one.
When the final pair of Sharingan was placed in the nutrient solution jar, the first phase of tonight's mission was finally complete.
Standing in the blood-stained police headquarters lobby, Menma looked up toward the distance. In the pitch-black night, he wondered if his judgment was correct.
The situation differed fundamentally from the original. In the original timeline, Uchiha Fugaku could no longer suppress the clan's calls for revolt. Under the hawks' relentless pressure, even as clan head, the coup was inevitable despite his reluctance.
But this time, the massacre had been delayed a full year from the original. The tragedy that should have occurred when Naruto was eight had only unfolded now at age nine. This time difference itself explained much—Fugaku had indeed successfully suppressed the hawks' voices.
The reason was simple: this time the Uchiha clan saw hope. The Third Hokage had personally approved contact between Satsuki and Naruto, meaning that with patient waiting for Satsuki to mature, deep bonds would inevitably form between the Nine-Tails jinchūriki and the Uchiha.
Fugaku could completely use this reasoning to secure several more years. This was utterly different from the original's forced, no-way-out situation. The current Uchiha still had capital to wait, still had possibilities for peaceful evolution.
'Time to hurry. Two more people need saving—two whose future relationships with me might be extraordinary.'
Of course, if Menma's judgment was wrong and Fugaku still chose sacrifice without being forced into it, Menma would have to turn his attention to that forbidden technique invented by the Second Hokage.
---
Clang—!
Sparks from metal collision were particularly striking in the darkness. Fugaku's kunai traced a silver arc as Itachi leaned back to dodge, her left-hand tantō thrusting upward toward her father's throat.
Fugaku sidestepped the blade, countering with an elbow strike toward his daughter's temple. Itachi suddenly crouched and spun, changing her stab to a sweep.
Clang!
Fugaku's kunai precisely blocked the sweep. In their momentary deadlock, Itachi's right leg aimed for her father's knee. "Bang!" In the dull impact, Fugaku's form swayed slightly, but he used the imbalance to suddenly change tactics, sliding his kunai down the tantō to slice at Itachi's fingers.
Slash—
The blade scraped her glove as Itachi released her weapon. Before the tantō hit the ground, she kicked it toward Fugaku's body. As the clan head tilted to dodge, Itachi had already completed hand seals—
"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"
Five fireballs blocked all escape routes, but Fugaku suddenly charged forward, his kunai slashing through the nearest fireball. In the scorching air currents, his left hand suddenly emerged from the flame gap, precisely gripping Itachi's wrist.
"It's over, Itachi."
Itachi felt sharp pain in her wrist bone, but at this critical moment said:
"Indeed... it should end."
Her knee struck hard toward her father's abdomen. As Fugaku released his grip in pain, Itachi's tantō had somehow returned to her hand, becoming a flash of silver—
Thud!
The blade completely penetrated Fugaku's chest. Blood spurted along the fuller, splashing across Itachi's pale face.
But the next second, Itachi's brow suddenly furrowed.
'Too weak... this feeling is wrong. As Uchiha clan head, father shouldn't be defeated so easily...'
The next moment, the Mangekyō Sharingan in Itachi's eyes began rotating, and the "father" before her started cracking like a shattered mirror. The entire space twisted and peeled away...
When the genjutsu completely dissolved, Itachi found herself still in the original position. Fugaku stood unharmed three steps away, the Mangekyō Sharingan in his eyes slowly rotating, crimson patterns eerily beautiful in the moonlight.
"You saw through it? Worthy of my daughter."
Itachi's fingertips felt slightly cold. That realistic taijutsu duel, those metal collision sparks, even the sensation of blade piercing flesh... all manufactured illusions.
---
Menma stood at height, observing the Uchiha father and daughter below.
Both stood motionless, only the Sharingan in their eyes slowly rotating in the darkness. They faced off like this, time seeming frozen—clearly they were engaged in fierce combat within the genjutsu world.
Finally, Itachi seemed to break free from some constraint, her body slightly retreating as she resumed battle stance. Her breathing was somewhat labored, fine sweat beading at her temples—clearly the genjutsu duel had been costly.
But Menma wouldn't let this father-daughter killing continue.
"Uchiha Itachi, you should leave now."
The sudden voice made both look up simultaneously. Menma's figure slowly descended from above, black robes stirring slightly in the night wind.
Itachi's voice came low. "You've finished?"
Menma nodded faintly. "Yes, I've completed all your requests. The current Uchiha can never again launch a coup." His gaze turned to Fugaku. "So you have no need to move against the Uchiha clan head anymore."
Hearing this, Fugaku's Mangekyō spun rapidly. He stared intently at Menma's attire, recognizing his identity—
"Wait! You're... the Ember organization's leader?!"
"What do you mean they can never launch a coup again?! What have you done to the Uchiha clan?!"