Chapter 185: Taking Action
"Has everything been dealt with?"
Within the Uchiha compound, Fugaku Uchiha gazed calmly at the fallen Uchiha Yan before him. He then closed his eyes and asked softly.
The room was utterly silent, as though no one else was there. But the moment he spoke, a graceful figure stepped out from the shadows behind him.
It was Uchiha Jun. A smile still played across her lips, her demeanor giving no hint that she had just come through a battle.
"It's finished, Clan Head," Jun said gently. "I never imagined that Akira would turn out to be a double agent."
"How is he?" Fugaku ignored her remark and instead asked flatly.
Jun's smile faded. "Forgive me, Clan Head. He couldn't withstand my genjutsu."
Even for her, taking the life of a clansman—especially one so skilled—was no easy burden.
"I see… I understand." Fugaku let out a quiet sigh. "So much blood spilled… is any of this truly worth it?"
In that moment, the question gnawed at him. Killing one of his own kin—it was something almost intolerable.
He was the clan leader, the guardian of the Uchiha. That role demanded that, if necessary, he should even march with his people into the depths of hell itself.
But soon his hesitation gave way to bitter clarity. A faint, wry smile tugged at his lips. Yes, he was too soft, too indecisive—he knew it well. But now was not the time for doubt.
This was war. And in war, bloodshed was inevitable.
Drawing a deep breath, Fugaku steadied himself. There could be no turning back. He had chosen this path—there was no room left for regret.
Looking once more at Yan's body sprawled on the ground, Fugaku conjured a kunai into his hand. With his eyes closed, he hurled it, then turned his back, never sparing another glance.
"Clean this up. I'm leaving," Fugaku said as he strode away.
"Yes, Clan Head." Jun glanced at Yan lying in a pool of blood, then nodded. "You're heading to Kei's side, aren't you? Has something gone wrong with him?"
"Mm. I'm going there." Fugaku didn't even look back as he replied. "But as for worrying about him? That's unnecessary. He may be stronger than me. He's the one who hides the deepest."
"Clan Head…" Jun was stunned. She hadn't expected such high praise for Kei from Fugaku.
But soon a smile curved her lips again. The one who hides the deepest—yes. With such a man serving the clan head, Fugaku could truly tighten his grip over the Uchiha.
But such a person… how could he ever be bound securely?
---
Meanwhile, Shuu stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the towering half-formed giant of blood-red eyes and pitch-black chakra before him. His mind was a whirl of chaos.
Susanoo?
This was Susanoo. It had to be.
That suffocating, icy chakra that seemed to tear at the very soul, the oppressive weight of power that could crush everything in its path—this could only be the legendary technique said to destroy all.
"No… impossible!" Shuu's body trembled.
"Susanoo is a secret technique unique to the Mangekyō Sharingan! How could you possibly use it? Impossible—unless—"
"Unless what?" Kei Uchiha stepped slowly from the flames.
The colossal figure of chakra behind him faded, leaving only an ominous black skeletal form, one massive arm still guarding his body.
"Unless I wield the Mangekyō myself?"
Shuu's words died in his throat. His gaze locked onto Kei's eyes—yet all he saw were three simple tomoe. No Mangekyō.
It made no sense. Kei's chakra was monstrous, yes, but his Sharingan was unchanged. Could he be wearing some kind of illusionary lens? No. One glance was enough for him to discern such a trick.
Everything about Kei seemed ordinary—except for that unfathomable power.
"How are you doing this?" Shuu demanded, tightening his grip as he snatched Kei's blade.
"I'll admit, you're strong—stronger than I ever expected. But I've already made my preparations."
Kei shook his head. "You're far too naïve. You already know I'm allied with Fugaku. You must have guessed I expected your backup plans.
"So why do you still believe your message will reach anyone? And even if it does—what then? This is war. A war that demands blood."
The word war left Kei's lips without hesitation, laying bare his resolve.
Shuu's uncertainty hardened into grim determination. Whatever Kei's true power was, there was no escaping a battle now.
He gripped Kei's blade tightly, his Sharingan tracking every move. Susanoo or not—it no longer mattered. He had to fight his way free, or die here.
Kei smirked coldly at his stance.
A borrowed sword meant nothing to him. Kei had never been a master of blades, but he had his Susanoo now—even in its incomplete form, it was a shield and weapon both.
If he couldn't end Shuu here, then perhaps he didn't deserve to call himself an Uchiha.
And perhaps… this was why Madara had relished battle so much.
"It really does feel good," Kei mused. "Especially when I can't overuse my Mangekyō. Having a worthy opponent makes it almost enjoyable."
He pulled a kunai into his hand. "But this isn't the time for enjoyment. Better to finish this quickly."
In a flash, Kei vanished with a Shunshin. His speed was blinding.
Kunai in hand, he thrust directly for Shuu's chest. At the same time, the skeletal arm of his Susanoo swung forward in a crushing blow.
Shuu reacted instantly, blade raised to catch the kunai. But the sheer force of Susanoo's strike—he dared not take it head-on. At the last second, he slipped away with a Substitution Jutsu, avoiding certain death.
Kei's eyes tracked the move. Lightning crackled to life in his hand, racing down into the kunai until it blazed with power.
He hurled it toward Shuu's position even as he blurred forward again, his speed nearly overtaking the kunai itself.
The lightning-infused weapon screamed through the air at impossible velocity—but with his three-tomoe Sharingan, Shuu could still see it.
With a quick sidestep, Shuu narrowly avoided the incoming kunai—
but the sudden appearance of Kei right beside him left no room to evade.
Kei's foot slammed down on the kunai lodged in the ground, sending it spinning upward into his grasp.
At the same instant, the skeletal Susanoo cloaking him swung its massive fist once more.
This time, Shuu reacted at the very edge of human limits.
Forcing his body into an unnatural twist that strained his muscles to the breaking point,
he dodged the crushing blow and drove his blade straight toward Kei's chest.
Pain lanced through his body—torn muscles, pulled tendons—but he no longer cared.
All that mattered was killing this venomous snake.
Clang!
The sword met something harder than steel.
It struck Susanoo's chakra plating, the sound sharp enough to set teeth on edge.
In that same instant, Kei's kunai stabbed deep into Shuu's left arm.
Lightning chakra erupted, flooding his body with violent paralysis.
His limbs betrayed him, buckling under the numbing current.
He dropped to his knees, body trembling, strength stolen in an instant.
"Is that all?" Kei shook his head, his voice calm, almost disappointed.
"Then this is where you end."
"You—!"
Shuu's eyes burned scarlet, bloodshot with rage and despair.
He glared at the blade still pressed against Kei's chestplate,
a futile gesture that only deepened his humiliation.
He had lost.
Lost to this damned brat.
Lost to this cold, treacherous serpent.
Yet deep inside, he clung to one final hope—
that the message he sent would reach the Grand Elder.
If it did, reinforcements would come.
Revenge would still be his.
But no one had arrived. Not yet.
Had they been intercepted? Trapped?
This hidden laboratory had been built with Fugaku himself—
it couldn't possibly be unprotected.
Then—footsteps.
More than one. Approaching steadily.
Shuu's heart raced.
Were they allies come to save him?
Or more of Kei's pawns to finish the job?
The doors swung open.
And when he saw who entered, his last thread of hope snapped.
It was Uchiha Fugaku.
"So, it seems you've already handled things here."
Fugaku's gaze swept over Shuu, broken and kneeling in despair,
then shifted to Kei, casually retrieving his sword as though the fight had been nothing more than routine.
A sigh escaped Fugaku's lips.
"It's done," Kei replied with a nod.
"And you? He wasn't working alone—he had other rats prepared."
"Rest assured," Fugaku said, voice calm, almost weary.
"I know my clansmen. Each and every one of them.
They will remain silent. Forever."