"Konoha's years of suppression and exclusion of the Uchiha have driven its leaders to the brink of rebellion.
You probably don't know this, as you aren't qualified to participate in the secret gatherings at the Naka Shrine.
But in truth, the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha...
Has reached its breaking point.
To maintain peace in the village, Itachi was willing to become the executioner in place of the Konoha leadership, drawing his blade against his own clan," explained Kuroki patiently.
Everyone fell into despair.
Tears welled up in Izumi's eyes as they streamed down her face. Sobbing, she asked, "And what about you?"
In her memory, Kuroki was kind and gentle, always smiling—a responsible and serious captain.
When she had just graduated from the Ninja Academy and went on a mission with Kuroki, she had been injured. It was Kuroki who hadn't abandoned her, carrying her all the way back to Konoha.
Kuroki replied calmly, "I am not as noble as the Uchiha Itachi you all place your hopes in, who can justify turning his blade on his own clan for the sake of family, for duty, and for Konoha's greater good.
I don't care about peace in the village.
Those who die by my blade tonight will die. It's only a matter of whether it's sooner or later.
All I want is to survive in this ninja world!
However...
Since I've taken their lives, I must do something for the Uchiha in return.
I don't like owing debts. That's the only reason you're still standing here."
At that moment, in the Uchiha district, Itachi's blade continued to reap the lives of one Uchiha civilian after another.
The agonized screams and cries grew louder, deafening, as the dark cloud of despair enveloped the entire village of Konoha.
"Hahaha!" Uchiha Tamao suddenly let out a hearty laugh and exclaimed, "I knew it! Captain Kuroki isn't slaughtering the clan; he's freeing them from this hellish misery!"
To outsiders, he addressed Kuroki as "Captain," but in private, he called him "Big Brother."
Everyone else shot Tamao strange looks, as his outburst interrupted the somber mood.
However, Tamao was a bit of a madman to begin with.
Emotionally unstable.
He was able to carry out missions, not just because he had unlocked his three-tomoe Sharingan, but primarily because of Kuroki's backing.
Kuroki glanced at Tamao, his Mangekyō Sharingan spinning, temporarily lifting the branding of the Eight Thousand Spears from Tamao's eyes.
This guy had lost his parents in the Third Great Ninja War, driving him mad from a young age. The clan had abandoned him, sending him to Konoha's psychiatric ward.
Later, the kind-hearted Kuroki rescued him and raised him.
Tamao obeyed Kuroki completely, trusting him without question.
Now, freed from his mental chains, Tamao was elated, quickly positioning himself behind Kuroki, just as he had in the past, standing as both a teammate and bodyguard, protecting his big brother.
"Captain Kuroki! Let us go! I'll stop that guy!"
Uchiha Naruki's eyes were bloodshot. Driven by Itachi's actions, he howled in agony, as his elderly parents still resided in the district.
His teammates beside him also pleaded desperately.
Most of their relatives lived in the heart of the Uchiha district, and Itachi was rapidly approaching that area.
"You won't be able to stop him, even with my help," Kuroki replied, gazing back toward the district, as if waiting for something.
At that moment, one of the police force members, grasping at straws, stammered, "The Uchiha... They may have intentions to seize power, but they haven't actually taken any action yet. Considering all the blood Uchiha has shed for the village over the years, the higher-ups wouldn't just ignore that, right?"
"We... we still have Fugaku, our clan leader."
"Clan Leader Fugaku wouldn't let Itachi run wild like this, would he?"
Even as they spoke, they couldn't believe their own words.
Kuroki stood up, raised his hand, and pointed to the forest outside the Uchiha clan's land. He said indifferently:
"The members of the Root organization are gathering over there. Guess, why haven't they made a move?
This slaughter has gone on for five minutes, so why hasn't the Hokage's personal ANBU team responded?
What about the other clans?
Where is Clan Leader Fugaku?
Can't they hear the screams?
The Hokage and the top leaders of Konoha won't show up until Itachi's slaughter and the Uchiha's screams stop.
Your Clan Leader Fugaku has done nothing.
He's an accomplice too!"
Those who had spoken earlier were left speechless.
These Uchiha police officers, who had distanced themselves from the massacre, stood here like outsiders, witnessing everything unfold before their eyes.
Kuroki was right.
This was a one-sided slaughter condoned by Konoha's leadership. Tonight, no one would come to save the Uchiha.
But what filled them with utter despair was that, in such a moment, their clan leader did absolutely nothing.
"Big brother, let's run!"
Uchiha Tamao suggested.
If they couldn't win, then they should run, become rogue ninjas, and return for revenge when the time was right!
The others looked at Tamao again and realized that what this lunatic said made sense.
Even if they survived Itachi's massacre, Konoha wouldn't let them go!
The atmosphere of the annihilation was already thick. If they didn't die, Danzo would "help" them commit suicide.
"Captain Kuroki, you all should run. My family is in the clan, I can't leave them behind and survive alone."
Uchiha Naruki said bitterly.
He was an honest man.
His parents had died on a mission early on, and he was raised by his grandparents. He couldn't abandon the elder and run for his life.
Just as Kuroki was about to speak, a task notification appeared in his mind again.
**[Side Task]: Rescue
[Conditions]:
Rescue people in the Uchiha clan land.
[Reward]:
100 cubic meters of storage space.**
Kuroki furrowed his brows slightly.
Rescue people...
He didn't have the ability, nor the intention, to do that.
But the task didn't specify how many people needed to be saved. As long as he rescued someone in the Uchiha clan land, he would get the reward. The nine people behind him, who were tricked earlier, shouldn't count.
As for the reward of 100 cubic meters of storage space, it would definitely be more convenient than storage scrolls.
Kuroki had made up his mind. There was indeed someone in the Uchiha clan land worth saving.
Before, he wasn't strong enough.
But now.
His goal had been achieved.
Just a moment ago.
Kuroki's shadow clone, whom he had deliberately sent to the clan, had coincidentally fulfilled part of the task. It was just not the time to complete it yet.
He would save this surprise for Itachi!
And to increase his chances of survival.
At that moment, in the forest outside the Uchiha clan land, there was a faint disturbance that ordinary people couldn't detect.
Kuroki's eyes lit up. Finally, the moment he was waiting for had arrived. He immediately stood up from the cliff edge and swept his gaze over the eight people lined up in front of him.
Their despair was etched on their faces.
"I can't save your relatives from Itachi, but I can take you now for revenge!
After tonight, your grandparents, parents, brothers, and sisters will forever sleep in this land that betrayed them.
But you will be reborn!
To one day, trample Konoha beneath your feet!"
After Kuroki finished speaking, he manipulated the chakra of the eight people, using Transformation Jutsu to turn them into members of three Root organization teams.
Tamao, seeing this, also transformed to look like his brother and the others.
He may have been a bit crazy, but he wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what his brother was planning to do!
Kuroki led the nine of them around the Uchiha clan land, using the cover of night to blend in with the Root teams heading to the clan's perimeter.
"This is the end, but also the beginning!"
Kuroki said as he deactivated his Mangekyou Sharingan, but he could still control the minds and chakra of the Uchiha police officers around him.
With the power of the Eight Thousand Spears, it felt like he was controlling eight extra limbs.
Next.
He had to carry out the final step before defecting from Konoha, which was the key to whether he could truly escape.
Kuroki was going to assassinate:
"Shimura Danzo!!"
But Kuroki only had about fifteen minutes of action time. Once Itachi finished clearing the Uchiha clan land, Hiruzen Sarutobi and his direct ANBU would come to support. At that point, all ten of them would die in Konoha.
Kuroki was willing to take this huge risk. If he could kill Danzo, that would be ideal. If not, he must at least steal something important from him.
This was the last thing he had to do before leaving the village!
(End of Chapter)