Dawn broke as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the bustling streets of Konohagakure and sweeping away the darkness of night.

To ordinary civilians, it was just another day.

The ANBU had already cleaned up the battlefield near the Uchiha district and set up a perimeter around its outskirts. Without orders from higher-ups, they weren't allowed to fully clear the Uchiha compound. Still, several ANBU operatives had infiltrated the area, standing atop rooftops, scouting the scene and strengthening the perimeter defenses.

On the main street of the Uchiha district, Itachi carried Sasuke on his back, heading toward the exit. The ANBU elites stationed nearby turned a blind eye.

Itachi's expression was dazed as he struggled to construct a convincing lie to soothe Sasuke—only to reject each excuse in his heart.

According to his plan, Sasuke wasn't supposed to lose consciousness so soon.

"Stop right there!"

A familiar voice rang out.

Itachi looked up and saw a fox mask, along with two familiar figures. Two ANBU had blocked his path.

Behind them, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado were approaching with cold, authoritative gazes. They completely ignored the corpses of Uchiha civilians littering the streets.

"Stand down," Hiruzen ordered the ANBU guards calmly.

Before the fox-masked ANBU could retreat, Itachi reached out to stop him and gently passed the unconscious Sasuke into his arms. "Kakashi-senpai, I'll trouble you to look after Sasuke for a while."

Kakashi paused, then sighed softly and accepted the burden. Together with Yamato, he stepped back into the shadows.

Now, only four remained on the street.

Koharu stepped forward without preamble, her tone measured and deliberate:

"Uchiha Inzuki destroyed the Uchiha clan and escaped the village with a squad of Uchiha rogue ninja. Itachi, you don't need to leave the village anymore."

Itachi's wandering thoughts gradually refocused. He lifted his eyes to the old woman, then shifted his gaze to Hiruzen Sarutobi standing beside her.

In that moment, he understood everything.

Hiruzen met his questioning gaze and sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry, Itachi. In the end, I couldn't find a better solution. About staying in Konoha—what do you think?"

To these three Konoha elders, it didn't matter whether Itachi or Inzuki had wiped out the clan.

Now, Hiruzen preferred to pin it on the traitor, Uchiha Inzuki.

Koharu pressed further when Itachi remained silent:

"The truth of tonight's events is known only to the four of us—and the dead Danzo."

"Danzo… is dead?"

Itachi's head snapped up, his bloodshot eyes locking onto Koharu in stunned disbelief. The news exploded in his mind like a thunderclap.

Danzo Shimura, the architect behind the Uchiha Massacre… was dead? How?

Only one possibility came to mind.

Uchiha Inzuki killed him!!

Koharu's breath hitched, and her body trembled slightly under the intensity of Itachi's killing intent. In that instant, his eyes seemed to stab like kunai forged from murderous intent.

But Koharu nodded slowly and confirmed, "Yes. It was Uchiha Inzuki."

Itachi's pupils constricted. His thoughts plunged into chaos. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, reassessing the threat level Inzuki now posed.

Then, looking directly at Hiruzen, Itachi spoke in a low, trembling voice:

"The Uchiha Police Force… they were already dead before I made my move. It was Inzuki who eliminated them."

The statement sent a fresh wave of shock through the three elders.

In other words, after wiping out the Police Force within the district, Uchiha Inzuki had then turned around and assassinated Danzo?

A single Uchiha who had annihilated the entire Police Force.

And then silently eliminated Danzo Shimura?

That alone qualified him as an S-rank missing-nin.

The last rogue ninja of that level to defect from Konoha… was Orochimaru of the Legendary Sannin.

"This is…" Koharu's pupils trembled. She swallowed hard, but the words caught in her throat.

It sounded too absurd to be true!

Hiruzen was the first to regain composure. He ran through every known shinobi in the village, and realized only three—his own former students—might have been capable of such a feat.

Even if Inzuki had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, eliminating the entire Police Force and then assassinating Danzo without rest or aid was nearly impossible.

Danzo's strength was well understood by the three of them. Even the combined efforts of the Sannin wouldn't be enough to kill him instantly.

A heavy silence fell.

Itachi broke it.

"Forgive me, Lord Hokage. For Sasuke's sake, I cannot stay in the village. I'll find a way to deal with the rogue Uchiha squad. Please, look after Sasuke in my absence."

The three elders quickly snapped out of their thoughts.

Despite their long years in power, it still took effort to mentally shift away from the implications of Inzuki's feats and return to the immediate concern—

They had to keep Itachi in the village.

The Uchiha clan was already gone. Now that a scapegoat had emerged in the form of Inzuki and his rogue team, Itachi no longer had to flee.

Hiruzen wasn't surprised by Itachi's answer, but he exchanged a look with Koharu.

In that brief glance, a new proposal was formed.

Koharu continued, "Itachi, we understand how you feel. But hear us out.

Danzo is dead.

The Root—the intelligence and black-ops division of ANBU—desperately needs someone to take command.

You are the most suitable candidate.

If you stay in Konoha, you can raise Sasuke yourself, watch him grow up with your own eyes.

Please, think about your brother.

Of course, if you insist on leaving, we'll still keep our word—we'll take good care of Sasuke."

Itachi weighed the pros and cons rapidly, then slowly raised his gaze to the Third Hokage.

Hiruzen let out a long sigh.

"None of us wanted this tragedy to happen. But time and circumstance forced our hand. Once you're drawn into the current, you either swim or drown.

Itachi… what I'm about to say may be difficult to hear.

But you have upheld the Will of Fire. You've done more for Konoha's peace than anyone. You are a true hero of the Leaf.

You shouldn't have to live in the shadows.

Stay, Itachi. I ask you… as the Hokage."

---

Two Days Later — Border of the Land of Fire

Mount Kikyo.

A narrow stream snaked through the valley like a ribbon of silver, reflecting the chill of late autumn as it flowed outward in peaceful silence.

Splash—

Inzuki stood at the head of the stream, bending down to cup water in both hands and rinse the blood from his face. The clear water reached his ankles, the riverbed beneath transparent and smooth.

The water was freezing, sharp with the bite of autumn's end.

In the sunlight, the rippling stream reflected Inzuki's face: short hair, sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, his features chiseled and cold. He wore white clothes, his posture graceful and calm.

Nearby, other Uchiha were washing away the grime of their escape. They had already changed into ordinary civilian clothing.

To any outsider, they looked like a group of villagers living in the mountains—albeit uncommonly good-looking ones.

At that moment, Uchiha Izumi walked upstream, her brows slightly furrowed, one hand carrying her ninja sandals. She represented the others as she approached Inzuki, who hadn't spoken much during the past two days.

She spoke gently, almost hesitantly:

"C-Captain Inzuki, should we take the water route around Mount Kikyo… or cut through Kikyo Castle directly?

I—I personally think… going by water may take longer, but it'll erase our tracks more thoroughly."