The next morning.
In the outskirts beyond the Uchiha district.
A considerable crowd had assembled.
Among them were members of the Uchiha clan and Konoha shinobi, drawn by curiosity.
The previous night's spectacle had been astonishing.
It was hard to fathom how someone could create a display resembling a celestial girl emoji warming the bed, followed by repeated impacts upon the earth.
Upon arrival, they were utterly taken aback by the scene.
The land lay in ruins, the jungle scorched by fire and lightning.
Now, it stood barren.
What had transpired here?
Why such devastation?
Villagers and ninjas stood in stunned silence.
Their gaze fixed on Uchiha Itachi, who stood at the center, his clothes tattered.
Under their watchful eyes.
Itachi held a half-mask in his hand, dazed.
He was certain.
It belonged to the individual who claimed to be Uchiha Madara.
Beside the mask lay other items.
The Uchiha clan's fan symbol.
Traditionally, it was the emblem of the clan's patriarchs.
Its usage was unknown to Itachi.
He was perplexed about his actions the previous night, particularly his aggressive use of the Qilin technique.
Even more baffling was the reaction of the man named Uchiha Madara upon hearing the name of this technique.
What was the significance of Qilin?
Itachi was confounded.
There were many uncertainties.
For instance, the sudden acquisition of such a formidable technique.
And the instinctive urge to use it upon encountering Uchiha Madara.
"Qilin."
Itachi pondered.
He began to grasp the technique's principles.
Indeed.
It was all orchestrated by Bai Ye.
He had cast illusions on Itachi, prepared in advance, to surprise Obito.
The strength of the Qilin, after enhancement, had evolved significantly.
Regardless...
The once-dense jungle was now obliterated.
If Tsunade discovered this, she would be furious and might resort to Wood Style to restore it.
A troublesome situation.
But that wasn't the main concern.
Itachi looked down at the mask in his hand.
This individual was a potential lead to investigate that enigmatic organization.
What if he perished?
The implications were grave.
Itachi sighed.
Then he noticed Shimura Danzo, who stood nearby, visibly shaken.
Danzo had survived.
The technique had targeted Obito. Although Itachi, under illusion, had unleashed Qilin, he had maintained distance from Danzo after the initial strike.
Itachi was uncertain about Obito's fate, but he noticed several gray-white Sharingan falling from the mask.
Danzo, though injured, was alive, albeit barely.
At this moment, Danzo extended a trembling hand, pointing at Uchiha Itachi with a mix of frustration and disbelief.
"You're unwell!"
"That man... was supposed to assist you!"
"You... you... are you mentally sound?"
And with such strength, you should have mentioned it earlier!
Despite his injuries.
Danzo was somewhat satisfied.
Given this power, Itachi might not require assistance for the clan's extermination.
He was now more convinced of Itachi's capability.
Itachi remained expressionless.
He felt uneasy.
The trail to the Akatsuki had gone cold. How could he investigate such a suspicious organization now?
"I'll proceed tonight."
Leaving Danzo with these words, Itachi, despite his weakened state, concealed the mask and departed.
He sensed that the gray, powerless Sharingan might hold deeper secrets.
In the Land of Rivers.
A familiar subterranean cavern.
Water dripped steadily.
The dark, damp environment was less comforting than Danzo's prison.
On a bed, Obito lay bandaged, assisted by White Zetsu.
"I warned you, venturing to Konoha would result in a beating."
Black Zetsu remarked sarcastically.
"White Zetsu is nearly depleted because of you. Rinnegan is with Nagato; we can't produce more White Zetsu to heal you. Madara left all the White Zetsu cultivated with First Hokage cells for your use."
"That's the entirety of the Eye of the Moon's future combat power!"
"And the Sharingan Madara had stored during his lifetime, you've exhausted them!"
Danzo's frustration with Itachi mirrored Black Zetsu's with Obito.
Obito was a disappointment!
At this juncture, Black Zetsu felt like berating Obito endlessly.
But he restrained himself.
Perhaps it was for the best.
Obito, incapacitated, would cause fewer problems.
Next, he planned to liaise with Orochimaru; acquiring the secrets of Impure World Reincarnation shouldn't be too challenging.
"Why... why... did he use Qilin..."
A faint voice emerged from within the bandages.
Continuous use of his abilities, coupled with Izanagi, had rendered Obito despondent.
Physical pain was negligible.
What tormented him was that, in one night, his cherished technique had been employed repeatedly by Uchiha Itachi!
"Help me... discover... how Itachi knows Qilin."
"Inquire... who else besides him... has used Qilin..."
Driven by an unyielding obsession, Obito lost consciousness after uttering these words.
At this moment, he was in a worse state than when he battled Konan and endured a ten-minute barrage of explosive tags.
Kamui wasn't invincible.
Konan, having confronted him, knew this.
Had he not employed Izanagi during their battle, Obito might have perished.
Although the enhanced Qilin's range wasn't as vast as the 600 billion explosive tags, it was unparalleled.
In any case.
If he encountered Itachi without backup Sharingan, Obito would undoubtedly die.
"I can't waste more time on your infatuation."
Black Zetsu dismissed Obito's "final words" with disdain.
It was evident.
With Obito alone, the Eye of the Moon Plan was unfeasible.
He was utterly useless.
A burden, even.
Back in Konoha.
Life continued.
Though many were intrigued by the previous night's events.
The Guard had provided an explanation.
It appeared that Uchiha Itachi, the deputy commander of the 3rd Division of the Guard, had mastered a new technique.
Hence, the outcome.
Everyone marveled at Itachi's prowess, and the news spread throughout Konoha.
Routine tasks resumed.
Bai Ye's life remained unchanged.
After work that evening, he took the women from his residence to visit Tsunade at the Senju estate for a game of mahjong.
This behavior didn't raise suspicions.
After all, their Guard captain, though flirtatious, genuinely cared for his women.
Understanding Tsunade-sama's dedication, it was natural to bring company to alleviate her stress.
Thus.
Night descended.
A figure landed on the Uchiha clan's high platform.
He gazed downward.
His scarlet 3-Tomoe Sharingan rotated slightly.
No rush.
He unfolded the list in his hand.
Darkness enveloped the land.
He identified his first target.
Murder was imminent!
He swiftly drove a kunai into the target's heart,
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