When he saw the mess and the corpses of Root ninja scattered on the ground, his steps froze, and his usually calm eyes widened in disbelief, unable to accept that Shisui was responsible.
"It wasn't me…"
Uchiha Shisui felt uncomfortable under Itachi's gaze; after all, he truly hadn't killed those people.
"Then who killed them?"
Itachi knew Shisui's character well; he would never do such a thing, but his heart was filled with doubts.
"People from the Anbu…"
Uchiha Shisui hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Anbu?"
Itachi was stunned; he worked in the Anbu but knew nothing about this incident.
"Could it be…"
Itachi paused, a guess forming in his mind, "I just don't know if it was the Fourth Hokage's or the Third Hokage's intention."
"It's most likely the Fourth Hokage, Lord Minato," Shisui speculated.
"Let's go back first," Itachi said, helping Shisui up, and the two walked towards the Uchiha compound.
Menma used the Flying Raijin Jutsu to return near his home.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and let out a sigh: "Good thing I wasn't discovered."
The Transformation Jutsu managed to fool the renowned "Shunshin no Shisui," making him feel like he could be bolder in his actions from now on.
"Ding! Mission complete! Reward: Heavenly-grade technique, Mirror Flower Water Moon (ignores all genjutsu)."
Menma felt a sudden clarity in his mind, as if he could see through all illusions in the world.
He knew the Uchiha clan's genjutsu was powerful, and there were other genjutsu users in the world. He used to worry if he could resist them. But now… "From this moment on, all genjutsu in the world are mere illusions in my eyes."
Now, the most pressing question loomed before him
"Does Mom know I skipped class? Naruto probably wouldn't rat me out, right?"
Menma's heart pounded, and his steps involuntarily slowed.
He had a sudden idea, leaped onto his own roof, and hung upside down like a bat outside Naruto's window. Through the glass, he saw Naruto scratching his head, struggling with his homework, the tip of his pencil almost chewed to bits.
"Big brother!"
Naruto looked up and spotted him, first jumping up in surprise, then whispering in accusation: "You actually left me and ran off! Mom beat me because of you."
"Ahem…"
Menma gave an awkward laugh, then eagerly lowered his voice: "Mom didn't find out I skipped class, did she?"
"Of course not," Naruto pouted, "Do I look like the kind of person who would betray his brother?"
He then cast a meaningful glance, making Menma's ears burn.
He nimbly climbed into the room, put an arm around Naruto's shoulder, and slipped him two Ichiraku Ramen coupons: "I really had an emergency just now, I didn't mean to abandon you."
Seeing his brother's blue eyes instantly light up, he quickly added, "But don't think I'll help you with your homework!"
Before he finished speaking, he flashed out the window.
Arriving at the front door, Menma took a deep breath and deliberately raised his voice: "I'm home!"
"Menma's home?"
Kushina poked her head out from the kitchen, her apron dusted with flour, her red hair like a warm flame, "Rest for a bit. Dinner will be ready once Dad gets back."
"Okay!"
Seeing his mother's normal expression, Menma's heart finally settled. He couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude towards Naruto: "My dear brother…"
Not long after, Naruto was lured downstairs by the aroma of food.
He burst into the living room like a small whirlwind, flopped onto the dining table, and wailed: "I'm starving! When are we eating?"
"Wait for Dad a little longer," Kushina replied without turning around.
"Huh? It's completely dark, and Dad's still not back!"
Naruto dramatically clutched his stomach, his tongue lolling out as he feigned fainting.
"Don't make that face," Kushina turned around, hands on her hips, the oil from her spatula almost splashing onto Naruto's face, "You just ate a bowl of tonkotsu ramen half an hour ago!"
Naruto stuck out his tongue and, while his mother turned away, squeezed onto the seat next to Menma.
He leaned in conspiratorially: "Big brother, where did you go this afternoon?"
"Cough, cough!"
Menma nervously glanced at the kitchen, confirmed that Kushina was humming and stir-frying, then whispered in his ear: "Just went… fishing by the river."
"Next time you have to take me! Otherwise"
Naruto was about to threaten when Menma clapped a hand over his mouth.
"I know!"
Menma's eyes widened as he silently warned with his mouth.
As night deepened, Minato finally pushed open the front door.
Despite the fatigue etched on his brows, his face still held that characteristic warm smile, as if it could dispel all gloom.
"Why are you so late today?" Kushina asked, putting down her ladle.
"Something came up unexpectedly," Minato explained lightly, taking a seat at the dining table.
Menma lowered his head, quietly eating his rice. He keenly sensed his father's unusual silence and secretly pondered: "It seems Dad already knows… I wonder how he'll handle this?"
Minato mechanically chewed his food, his thoughts drifting back to the urgent report.
The news from Anbu and Uchiha Itachi had struck like a thunderboltDanzo had actually moved against Shisui, and even more shockingly, Anbu had not only rescued Shisui but also killed over a dozen Root ninja.
Everything had happened so fast, even he, the Hokage, had been caught off guard.
"Could it be someone sent by the Third Hokage?"
Minato subtly glanced at the moon outside the window, "Could he also be targeting Root…?"
At the same time, Sarutobi Hiruzen's room was filled with smoke.
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly exhaled a smoke ring, his eyebrows tightly furrowed.
"Is Minato moving against Root?"
The sparks in his pipe flickered, reflecting his complex gaze. Although Danzo's methods were extreme, those covert actions had indeed averted many disasters for Konoha.
"But to move against Shisui… Danzo… you've gone too far!"
The Third Hokage suddenly coughed violently, his pipe thudding heavily on the table, his heart filled with extreme complexity: "Should a power like Kotoamatsukami truly exist?"
The most tormented, however, was Danzo.
The rage in his single eye almost materialized, his fingers pressing deep indentations into his cane.
"Hiruzen… or Minato?"
His hoarse voice echoed in the empty underground chamber, "A dōjutsu like Kotoamatsukami, do you really dare to let it remain in Uchiha hands?"
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Menma, the one who triggered this storm, was sound asleep, hugging his blanket.
He was completely unaware that on this tranquil night, the undercurrents of Konoha were silently surging.
The ninja academy's training ground was bathed in bright sunlight.
Iruka clapped his hands, announcing loudly: "Next up is the Clone Jutsu demonstration!"
His gaze swept over the students' eager faces, finally landing on the blond boy.
"Menma, you go first to demonstrate."
Menma calmly walked to the center of the field, his fingers rapidly forming hand signs, his movements flowing like water.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
With a soft shout, the white smoke dispersed, and two identical figures stood side by side.
"That's perfect!"
Admiration flashed in Iruka's eyes, and he was the first to applaud. The surrounding classmates gasped in amazement, and even the birds in the trees seemed startled by the exquisite jutsu, fluttering away.
The girls excitedly whispered to each other, Ino excitedly waving her arms: "Menma-kun is so cool!"
Hinata hid in the crowd, her cheeks flushed, her fingers unconsciously intertwining, only able to softly whisper his name in her heart.
Naruto pouted; he knew better than anyone that his big brother's Shadow Clones were far more numerous than that.
"My turn!"
Naruto eagerly rushed forward, forming hand signs before Iruka could even speak: "Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
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