The sun's final rays had vanished beyond the horizon, leaving Konohagakure wrapped in the kind of darkness that seemed to seep into every corner and crevice of the village's architecture. The transition from day to night had always marked a shift in the village's rhythm, but tonight carried an oppressive weight that spoke to events unfolding beyond the awareness of most residents.
Sasuke's exhaustive search through every corner of the Uchiha compound had yielded nothing but empty buildings and growing despair. Each house, each gathering place, each secluded training area—all had been systematically investigated and found vacant. The absence of his parents felt increasingly ominous as the hours passed without any sign of their whereabouts.
Both physical and emotional exhaustion were taking their toll on him as he finally turned toward home, his movements carrying the heavy weight of someone whose world had been fundamentally altered in the span of a single day. The confrontation between his father and brother had shattered every assumption he possessed about his family's stability and unity.
The familiar streets of the Uchiha district, which had always provided comfort and security through their association with childhood memories and family traditions, now felt alien and threatening. Shadows seemed deeper and more concealing than usual, while the normal sounds of evening activity had been replaced by an unsettling silence.
As he rounded the corner that led to his family's street, however, Sasuke's enhanced senses detected something that made every instinct he possessed scream warnings of immediate danger.
Swish!
His body moved into concealment with the fluid grace that had been drilled into him through years of intensive training. Simultaneously, his Sharingan activated automatically, the three tomoe spinning rapidly as his dojutsu analyzed the chakra signatures that his ordinary vision had missed entirely.
"ANBU ninja?" The words escaped his lips as barely a whisper, but the implications they carried were thunderous.
The presence of Konoha's elite special forces in and around his family's residence could mean only one thing—the political crisis that had begun with his father and brother's argument had escalated far beyond anything he had imagined possible.
If not for his Sharingan's ability to directly perceive and distinguish chakra signatures by their distinctive color patterns, these operatives would have remained completely invisible to him. Their concealment techniques were so sophisticated that even his enhanced senses had nearly missed their presence entirely.
The ANBU corps consisted exclusively of the most elite ninja that Konohagakure could produce, individuals whose skills in combat, stealth, and intelligence gathering were legendary throughout the ninja world. For operatives of this caliber to be deployed against his family suggested a threat level that went far beyond routine surveillance or political oversight.
More disturbing still was the realization that these particular ANBU possessed concealment abilities that were exceptional even by the standards of their elite organization. The fact that they had nearly escaped detection by his three-tomoe Sharingan spoke to mastery of stealth techniques that few individuals in the village could match.
Several figures had positioned themselves at strategic points around his house, creating an invisible perimeter that would allow them to monitor and control access to the property with absolute precision. Their positioning was professional and comprehensive, designed to ensure that no one could approach or leave the residence without their knowledge.
"Brother..." The word carried the weight of betrayal and dawning understanding as Sasuke recalled the cold determination he had seen in Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan.
The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to form a picture that filled him with dread. Itachi had indeed chosen to side with the village leadership over his family's political ambitions, and the consequences of that choice were now manifesting in the form of ANBU operations against the Uchiha clan's leadership.
The fact that these elite operatives were surrounding only his family's residence, rather than conducting a broader operation against the entire clan, suggested a more targeted approach. If village leadership intended to neutralize the Uchiha political movement, the most efficient method would be to remove or control the clan's core leadership while leaving the general population untouched.
Such an approach would minimize the political backlash that might result from open aggression against an entire clan, while still achieving the strategic objective of eliminating organized resistance to village policy. It was exactly the kind of sophisticated political maneuvering that someone with Itachi's intelligence and access to sensitive information might recommend.
The implications sent a chill through Sasuke's entire body. If the ANBU were here to arrest or eliminate his father, then Fugaku might already be inside the house, possibly unaware of the trap that had been set around him.
Sasuke forced himself to calm down and think tactically rather than emotionally. He was no longer the naive academy graduate who had once believed that good intentions and determination were sufficient to overcome any obstacle. The harsh realities of ninja life had taught him that survival often depended on careful planning and flawless execution rather than heroic gestures.
Even if the Hokage and Konoha's senior leadership wanted to move against the Uchiha clan, they couldn't afford to do so openly without risking a chain reaction that would make every other clan in the village question their own security. The delicate balance of power that maintained Konohagakure's internal stability depended on all constituent groups believing that their interests would be protected by the established political system.
Therefore, any action against the Uchiha would need to be subtle and deniable, carried out in ways that could be explained as routine security measures or responses to specific criminal behavior rather than broad political persecution.
The most logical approach would be to target the clan's leadership structure first, removing or neutralizing the individuals who were driving the political resistance while leaving the general population to draw their own conclusions about the wisdom of continued opposition.
Sasuke's eyes locked onto one of the ANBU operatives whose position made him the most vulnerable to approach from an unexpected angle. The concealment techniques that made these ninja nearly invisible also limited their awareness of threats from certain directions, creating opportunities for someone with sufficient skill and determination.
Swish!
Moving through the darkness with the silence of a hunting predator, Sasuke appeared behind his chosen target like a shadow given deadly form. His approach was so perfectly executed that the ANBU operative remained completely unaware of his presence until it was far too late to mount an effective defense.
The ANBU began to turn as his enhanced senses finally detected the threat, but Sasuke's palm was already making contact with his body. Lightning chakra, refined through months of intensive development and practice, flowed from the point of contact with surgical precision.
Sasuke's mastery of lightning-based techniques had reached levels that few ninja his age could hope to match. The development of advanced jutsu like Chidori Stream and Thunder Eagle had required him to understand the fundamental principles of electrical energy manipulation in ways that went far beyond simple technique memorization.
The lightning that penetrated the ANBU's system was calibrated to disrupt nerve function and brain activity without causing permanent damage. It was a non-lethal takedown executed with the kind of precision that spoke to both exceptional skill and genuine restraint in the face of overwhelming emotional stress.
The ANBU operative lost consciousness immediately, his body going limp as the electrical interference shut down the neural pathways necessary for awareness and motor control. Sasuke caught the falling figure with practiced ease, then moved him into concealment among the trees where his absence would be less likely to be noticed immediately.
After ensuring that his unconscious target was properly hidden, Sasuke returned to his original position and began planning his approach to the house itself. The removal of one operative had created a gap in the perimeter that he could exploit, but he would need to move quickly before the breach was discovered.
Unknown to Sasuke, however, his actions had not gone entirely unobserved. From a position so well concealed that even the ANBU operatives were unaware of his presence, another figure had been watching the entire sequence of events unfold.
Swish!
Shisui Uchiha emerged from concealment that had been so perfect it seemed to bend light and shadow around his position. His movement carried the fluid grace that had earned him recognition as one of the most skilled ninja of his generation, while his expression showed a mixture of concern and professional assessment.
He approached the location where Sasuke had concealed the unconscious ANBU operative, quickly checking the man's condition with the efficiency of someone experienced in evaluating the results of combat techniques.
"He actually broke through ANBU surveillance and control," Shisui murmured with what might have been admiration. "He's definitely not an ordinary kid anymore."
The observation carried weight beyond simple recognition of improved skills. For someone Sasuke's age to successfully infiltrate and neutralize ANBU-level opposition spoke to capabilities that bordered on the extraordinary, suggesting potential that could reshape the clan's future if properly developed.
Successfully infiltrating the courtyard proved surprisingly easy once the gap in surveillance had been created. Sasuke moved through the familiar space with heightened caution, his Sharingan continuously scanning for additional threats or concealed operatives who might have escaped his initial assessment.
The ANBU's surveillance techniques were indeed formidable, but they were designed primarily to detect and prevent unauthorized entry rather than to stop someone who was already inside the perimeter from moving freely. Their positioning assumed that the primary threat would come from outside the compound rather than from within.
Despite his concerns about additional security measures, the entire courtyard appeared to be empty of both friendly and hostile presence. The absence of his family members continued to be a source of growing anxiety, but at least there were no signs of immediate violence or struggle.
Moving with silent efficiency toward the main hall, Sasuke began to detect sounds that made his blood run cold. Voices were coming from within the building—voices that he recognized with growing horror as belonging to members of his immediate family.
The main hall was dark, but the conversation taking place within was clearly audible to anyone who approached close enough to listen. What Sasuke heard as he drew near would destroy the last remnants of his faith in his family's unity and stability.
"Father, I'll ask you one final time," Itachi's voice carried the weight of formal authority and personal reluctance in equal measure. "Are you truly unwilling to abdicate your position as clan leader?"
"The selection of clan leadership is determined through discussion among the elders and ultimately decided by election among all clan members," Fugaku's response carried the dignity of someone who refused to abandon his principles even when facing impossible circumstances.
"Although you are my eldest son, assuming the position of clan leader would not be a simple matter for you. These are decisions made by the village's senior leadership, and no outside authority is permitted to interfere in the internal affairs of the Uchiha clan."
The conversation revealed layers of political complexity that Sasuke had never suspected. The village leadership wasn't simply seeking to eliminate potential opposition—they were attempting to manipulate the clan's internal power structure to install someone more amenable to their objectives.
"Since my father remains stubborn and unwilling to change his position," Itachi's voice took on the cold finality of someone who had exhausted all diplomatic options, "I have no choice but to carry out my mission with absolute resolve."
The words hit Sasuke like physical blows, each syllable carrying implications that fundamentally altered his understanding of his brother's loyalties and intentions. This wasn't simply political betrayal—it was something far more personal and devastating.
"Haha," Fugaku's laughter carried bitter amusement rather than genuine mirth. "It's more satisfying to die at the hands of my own son than to be executed by those self-righteous fools who think they understand justice."
"Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"NO!" Sasuke's scream of denial and horror echoed through the compound as he realized what was about to happen.
His concealment was abandoned entirely as he rushed toward the building, no longer caring about ANBU surveillance or tactical considerations. The only thing that mattered was preventing the catastrophe that was unfolding within his family's most sacred space.
BANG!
The door to the main hall burst open under the force of his desperate entry, but what he saw inside made him wish he had remained in ignorance. Fugaku lay motionless at Itachi's feet, his expression frozen in the kind of peaceful acceptance that spoke to someone who had faced his fate with dignity intact.
Through his Sharingan's enhanced perception, Sasuke could see that the flow of chakra through his father's body was growing progressively weaker and slower, the vital energy that sustained all life gradually fading into nothingness.
"AHHHHH!" The sound that emerged from Sasuke's throat was barely human, a roar of anguish and rage that seemed to come from the very depths of his soul.
His eyeballs immediately became filled with crimson as blood vessels burst under the pressure of emotional trauma that exceeded anything his young mind had been prepared to handle. The intense pain that accompanied this transformation was nothing compared to the agony of witnessing his father's death at his brother's hands.
"Sasuke." Itachi's voice carried notes of sadness and regret, but these emotions were overwhelmed by the necessity of completing the mission that had brought him to this point.
In his rage and grief, Sasuke was beyond hearing or rational thought. He rushed forward with the desperate fury of someone whose entire world had just been destroyed, his hands already moving through the seal sequences for techniques that he had never imagined using against a member of his own family.
SCREECH!
Brilliant lightning began to gather in his palm, initially creating the characteristic noise of concentrated electrical energy before solidifying into a more structured form. The chakra took on the distinctive shape of wings, while the sound it produced became the sharp cry of a hunting bird.
The Thunder Eagle technique that materialized in Sasuke's hand was powered by raw emotion as much as technical skill, the lightning construct seeming to respond to his rage and grief by becoming more solid and aggressive than it had ever been during training exercises.
With a violent swing of his arm, he released the technique toward his brother with killing intent that left no room for restraint or mercy. The lightning wings stretched wide before a complete Thunder Eagle separated from his hand and flew toward Itachi with the speed and fury of natural lightning.
When Itachi saw the attack approaching, his pupils contracted in genuine surprise. This wasn't the technique of a student or even an accomplished genin—this was jutsu creation and execution at a level that most jounin would have found impressive.
Red chakra suddenly erupted from his body in response to the threat, flowing upward and outward to create a skeletal framework that glowed with supernatural energy. The construct was massive and imposing, its proportions suggesting a warrior of legendary stature.
A huge arm extended from the skeletal Susanoo, reaching toward the approaching Thunder Eagle with movements that seemed almost casual despite the tremendous forces involved.
BANG!
Susanoo's palm closed around the Thunder Eagle with precision that spoke to perfect coordination between user and technique. Lightning shot out in all directions as the electrical energy was contained and compressed, creating a spectacular display that illuminated the entire courtyard.
"What incredible destructive power!" Itachi observed with genuine amazement as he watched cracks begin to appear in Susanoo's palm.
The fact that Sasuke's self-created technique could damage even the legendary defensive capabilities of Susanoo spoke to potential that went far beyond anything Itachi had anticipated. His younger brother was developing at a rate that could reshape the clan's future if given time to mature.
But there was no time for extended analysis or family pride. Under Susanoo's protection, Itachi broke through one of the hall's windows and leaped into the courtyard, putting distance between himself and an opponent whose emotional state made him genuinely dangerous.
"Uchiha Itachi!" Sasuke's roar carried across the compound with enough force to alert every ANBU operative in the area.
The almost insane fury in his voice spoke to someone who had moved beyond rational thought into pure emotional response. He followed Itachi into the courtyard with movements that sacrificed stealth and tactical consideration for pure speed and aggression.
Ting! Ting! Ting!
Sasuke's hand seals changed with desperate rapidity as he prepared to unleash everything he had learned in pursuit of vengeance against the person who had destroyed his family. His palms clenched suddenly as lightning began to condense in both hands simultaneously.
He no longer cared about the presence of ANBU operatives or the political implications of what he was doing. The only thing that mattered was making his brother pay for the unforgivable crime that had just been committed.
The chakra he poured into this technique represented nearly his entire reserves, gathered and focused with the kind of desperate intensity that only came from absolute emotional commitment to a single objective.
"This is..." Shisui sensed genuine danger from the chakra fluctuations that accompanied Sasuke's technique preparation.
The level of energy being concentrated was sufficient to pose a threat even to experienced jounin, while the emotional state driving its creation suggested that control and restraint were no longer factors in its application.
BANG!
The next moment, Sasuke pressed his clenched hands together and smashed them toward Itachi with every ounce of strength and chakra he possessed. The Thunder Eagle that emerged was nearly twice the size of its predecessor, its wings spanning dimensions that seemed almost impossible for a technique of this type.
The construct flapped its massive wings and cried with a sound that seemed to tear through the very air itself, flying straight toward its target with the inexorable force of a natural disaster given form and purpose.
Red chakra rose again around Itachi, but this time the Susanoo that formed was far more complete than its previous manifestation. The skeletal framework grew flesh and muscle, taking on the appearance of an armored warrior whose proportions spoke to divine rather than human origins.
The warrior's left hand clenched, and chakra light condensed into a shield that gleamed with inner fire. This was no ordinary defensive technique—it was one of the legendary artifacts that had made Susanoo a technique of mythical reputation.
Susanoo raised the Yata Mirror with deliberate ceremony before swinging it down with tremendous force. The shield's surface began to change as it moved, red light extending outward to form a cage-like structure that trapped the Thunder Eagle within its boundaries.
Sasuke stared at the dramatic interplay of red and blue chakra within the light shield, his gaze then shifting to Itachi standing within his Susanoo construct. The sight of his brother's Mangekyō Sharingan spinning with supernatural power only added to his rage and sense of betrayal.
"Mangekyō Sharingan! Susanoo!" he shouted with voice-breaking intensity, his words carrying across the compound with enough force to wake the dead. "These are powers given by our parents and the Uchiha clan!"
His gaze shifted toward the room where Fugaku's body lay motionless, the sight adding fresh fuel to the fire of his rage and grief. The double three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes began to spin wildly, responding to emotional trauma that exceeded every threshold his young mind possessed.
A tear of blood flowed from the corner of Sasuke's eye as his dojutsu continued to evolve under the pressure of witnessing his family's destruction at the hands of someone he had trusted above all others. The pain was both physical and emotional, marking a transformation that would define the rest of his life.
The night air was filled with the sound of crackling chakra and the distant approach of ANBU reinforcements who had finally been alerted to the situation by the tremendous energy displays taking place within the compound. But for the two brothers facing each other across the courtyard, the rest of the world had ceased to exist.
This was the moment when the Uchiha clan's future would be decided, when family bonds would be tested against political necessity, and when the true cost of loyalty to the village would be measured in blood and broken hearts.