Somewhere in the Land of Fire
"Orochimaru-sama, the Uchiha kid you told us to watch—Chizumi—he's no longer in Konoha. Yesterday, there was a massive bloodbath in Tanzaku Town."
"They say hundreds died. The whole place was drenched in blood. And the one behind it? Konoha's very own 'Lava-Wielding Beast'—Uchiha Chizumi."
"We also found out that nine years ago, Chizumi pulled something similar in Tanzaku. But back then, he only killed a few dozen. This time? Several hundred."
Orochimaru hadn't begun building the Sound Village yet, but he'd already gathered quite a few underlings. His experiments were far too ambitious for just one man.
And as for the Akatsuki—he never trusted them. Not for a second. From the moment he joined, he was already planning how to survive once he walked away.
After hearing the report, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, a hint of intrigue in his expression. He licked his dry lips slowly.
"Chizumi, huh… that kid's hard to forget. His obsession with 'Absolute Justice,' that extreme personality… even I found him a bit of a headache."
"So… did old man Hiruzen finally get tired of him and kick him out to be someone else's problem? Or did the kid just snap, slaughter half the village, and defect on his own?"
Orochimaru had spies in Konoha. Three or four of them, actually. But lately?
Nothing.
No intel, no updates. Probably caught and disposed of.
So at this point, Orochimaru was flying blind—just piecing things together from scraps.
"Make contact with him," he ordered after a short pause. "Tell him I'm very interested in his brand of 'Absolute Justice.' If he's got nowhere else to go… tell him I've got a place that might suit him perfectly."
He added with a sly grin, "Some of the folks I've gathered are just as 'peculiar' as he is. Might even agree with his ideology. Tell him everything I just said. See if he bites."
One of his subordinates blinked. "If you're that interested in the guy, why not just capture him?"
Orochimaru chuckled—a cold, dead sound.
"Capture him? Just because I gave you a bit of power, don't go getting delusions of grandeur."
"You're talking about the same kid they called a 'beast' on the battlefield during the Third Shinobi War. He killed a jōnin from an enemy village when he was nine. He's eighteen now."
"I could take him myself, maybe. But you? You'd die before you even saw him move."
"Just do as I say. Don't make me waste my breath."
The subordinate stiffened, feeling an invisible blade on his neck. He bowed deeply. "Yes, Orochimaru-sama!"
After the man left, Orochimaru's smirk widened.
"Uchiha Chizumi… Let's see how strong you've become. I'll use those fools' lives to test you. You're still my top pick for a perfect vessel. No question."
His laughter echoed coldly through the cavern.
…
A Town Near Tanzaku
PFFT!
Jiraiya spat out his sake all over the table.
"What?!"
He sprang to his feet and marched over to a group of locals, slipping into their table without hesitation. As soon as he pulled out a wad of cash, all their annoyed looks vanished.
He dropped the bills on the table and flashed a casual grin. "This round's on me. Mind telling me what exactly went down in Tanzaku?"
Money talks—and with it, Jiraiya quickly turned into "Intel-Gatherer Jiraiya."
By the time he got back to his own table, he'd heard enough. His usual laid-back expression was long gone, replaced with a tight frown as he swirled his empty sake cup.
"With how extreme that brat is, I can believe he killed hundreds. And sure, Tanzaku's always been a shady place full of scumbags. But still… hundreds? That's just insane."
"What was the old man thinking? Letting him run wild all these years… You'd think he'd do something to mellow the kid out by now. Unless… unless he's been enabling him. Using his so-called 'Absolute Justice' to intimidate the power players in the village."
"If that's the case, then Chizumi's just another Danzo in the making."
And if anyone would make that same mistake twice… it'd be Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"No… something's off."
Jiraiya didn't even sit back down. He slapped a bill under his empty glass, turned, and walked out the door, frowning deeply.
"Tsunade's probably in Tanzaku too. She might not care about ninja stuff anymore, but if she ran into someone like Chizumi causing chaos, no way she'd just walk away."
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He had to see it for himself.
As for his main mission—tracking Orochimaru?
Well, a massacre like that had just leapfrogged to top priority.
And besides, Tanzaku wasn't far.
…
Half a Day Later – On a Forest Road
Shhk—!
A razor-sharp blade pierced straight through the chest of a Konoha ninja on an outside mission.
The man's body trembled. He gripped the blade with both hands, but the moment it twisted, his strength vanished. His fingers snapped like twigs. He collapsed, vision darkening, mumbling in disbelief:
"W–Why…? We're from the same village…"
Uchiha Chizumi calmly pulled his blade free, flicked off the blood, and slid it back into its sheath.
"Because you're guilty," he said, voice ice-cold. "Nine years ago, during the Third Shinobi War, you killed a family of five—just to satisfy your lust."
Chizumi stared down at him, unmoved.
"Maybe they wondered the same thing as you… 'Why would a Konoha shinobi kill fellow citizens of the Land of Fire?'"
The dying ninja's heart filled with regret.
Who would've thought something buried nine years ago would catch up to him now?
Who would've thought anyone would even remember?
Who would've imagined this Uchiha somehow knew the whole truth?
[You've killed a "Red Name" criminal!
Chakra +Minor Increase Drop: Shuriken Throwing Skill Book ×2]
"Man… the odds of finding a good guy among ninja are pretty damn low, meow," Jujirō muttered nearby, his tail flicking.
They hadn't even made it halfway to the Capital, and they'd already run into five or six Konoha shinobi. Chizumi had only spared three.
Of those, one was guilty—but not fatally. Chizumi had severed the man's leg. Even if it was reattached, he'd never walk right again.
Jujirō gave a disdainful glance at the corpse. Criminals like that? He couldn't care less. No sympathy. No pity.
But then he noticed—Chizumi wasn't moving.
Jujirō tilted his head. "Something wrong, Chizumi-sama?"
Chizumi didn't turn around, just stated plainly:
"Konoha ninja don't go on missions alone. Unless it's a high-level jōnin, they're usually in groups of two or three."
That one line was enough.
Jujirō's ears perked. "So you're waiting… to see if the others are guilty too?"
"Mm."
Chizumi's voice remained emotionless.
"Ninja wield power far beyond normal people. When a ninja carries sin and is left alive, the damage they'll cause in the future is even worse.
And the number of innocent lives they'll destroy? Even greater."
Before Jujirō could respond, a voice suddenly echoed in the distance.
"Ryoichiro! I found—"
The voice cut off like a blade.
A female Konoha ninja appeared, eyes widening in horror. She froze as she saw the blood-drenched corpse at Chizumi's feet.
He was standing there, calm and composed. His blade was sheathed, but the blood spatter on his clothes made the truth clear.
The body was Ryoichiro—her teammate.
Her breath caught in her throat.
She had just witnessed a Konoha ninja murder his own comrade.
"W-What are you…? Why did you kill him?!"
She drew her weapon and leapt back, heart pounding as she locked eyes with Chizumi.
Before he could even speak, another figure appeared behind her—this one older, more experienced.
He took one look at the body, eyes narrowing. Without hesitation, he flung four kunai with explosive tags attached to steel wires—one to each side of Chizumi.
Thunk-thunk-thunk-thunk!
Four precise strikes. A box trap.
"Don't move," the older ninja growled.
Mitarashi Anko stepped forward, her voice calm but deadly.
"If you so much as twitch, I'll blow you sky-high."
But she suddenly hesitated.
That face…
That uniform…
That was a Konoha Police Division outfit—Uchiha clan.
She squinted. Something about his face looked way too familiar.
There weren't many Uchiha she'd recognize on sight.
And then—
Her eyes went wide as it hit her.
"Uchiha… Chizumi!"
Cold sweat immediately soaked her back.
The younger kunoichi beside her froze too.
Chizumi stepped forward, calmly walking past the corpse at his feet, eyes locked on Anko. He ignored the threat entirely.
Anko—drenched in sweat—didn't dare move a muscle.
His voice was low and even:
"If I remember correctly, you're supposed to be locked up in Konoha's prison. Not… walking around."
Jujirō blinked. "Wait a sec… you're that student of Orochimaru, right?"
"Two years ago, Chizumi-sama ran into you. Found out you were unknowingly involved in some of Orochimaru's dirty work. But he judged your crimes weren't worth a death sentence—so he threw you in prison. Gave you five years to reflect."
Jujirō squinted. "But it's only been two years. What happened? Time dilation jutsu? Or…"
He grinned, sharp teeth showing.
"Let me guess. Another 'Hokage Special Pardon,' just like the one Naruto got?
Man, old man Sarutobi's got a pattern, doesn't he?"
Anko said nothing.
She didn't have to.
Her silence confirmed it all.
She remembered the Third Hokage's words clear as day:
"Anko, your crimes were the result of Orochimaru manipulating you. Five years would be excessive. Two is enough to cleanse your record and distance yourself from him."
"Besides, you can't even remember what you helped him do. Punishing someone for sins they don't recall—it's not right."
"Konoha needs its people right now. I'll pardon you as Hokage. Just… remember the Will of Fire. Don't let your past define you."
She'd believed him.
She even asked, "What if I run into Chizumi?"
He had smiled, said, "I'm the Hokage. No matter how extreme Chizumi is, he listens to me. He'll understand."
But now…
Now she wasn't so sure.
Chizumi's expression didn't change. His voice remained calm, matter-of-fact.
"You have two options," he said. "Keep the freedom the Third Hokage gave you—and stand against Absolute Justice. That makes you my enemy."
"Or… drop your weapon and surrender."
Silence.
Anko's partner gulped and glanced at her nervously.
"…Anko?"
Anko didn't hesitate. Not even for a second.
"Option two."
She let go of the steel wires immediately. Not even 0.01 seconds passed before she made up her mind.
Jujirō blinked, then let out a slow, impressed whistle.
"Wow. That's gotta be the fastest surrender I've ever seen. I really thought we were adding another corpse to today's tally."
Anko shot Chizumi a complicated look.
"We were classmates in the Academy," she said quietly. "That's how I knew… what I had to do."
Jujirō's ears twitched.
Wait a minute.
That explained it—why Chizumi remembered her. He didn't usually keep track of the people he executed or locked up. There were just too many. But Anko? He remembered.
Of course he did.
Chizumi didn't respond to her directly. His tone was flat as ever:
"Follow me. When I'm finished with what I came to do, I'll take you back to the village."
Anko exhaled shakily. She turned to her stunned partner.
"You'll have to bring Ryoichiro's body back. Tell the Hokage what happened."
She didn't ask Chizumi what he was doing.
She had made her choice. And once you surrendered to someone like him—you didn't ask questions.
"Anko, he… he just killed—"
"Anyone who dies by Chizumi's hand," she interrupted, "was never innocent."
She paused, then added:
"Same goes for the ones he threw in prison."
Even if she couldn't remember exactly what Orochimaru made her do—she believed she was guilty.
And Chizumi… had been right.
…
The streets were quiet. Dead quiet.
A tall man squatted in the middle of the blackened road, wooden clogs tapping faintly against the stone. His long white hair, spiked like needles, draped down to the ground.
Jiraiya ran a finger along a crack in the pavement, scraping up a grainy bit of dried black residue. He touched it to his tongue.
"Blood," he muttered.
He stood slowly, scanning the ruins.
The street had been scrubbed, sure. But the cracks between the tiles were still stained dark. Blood had seeped deep—far too much to ever fully clean.
Jiraiya could almost see it: bodies piled up, flames everywhere, Tanzaku bathed in red.
He glanced around. The locals were tense, quiet. Their expressions said it all.
Most of the buildings—casinos, bathhouses, clubs—were gutted ruins. Either burnt to ash or locked tight.
The infamous party street was dead.
Jiraiya didn't have to dig deep to learn how many people had died that night.
"Several hundred," he muttered. "Chizumi… kid really went overboard this time."
He shook his head, his thoughts dark.
"Damn it, old man. You really were using his Absolute Justice to scare people into submission. Now look at him—he's out of control."
But the more Jiraiya investigated, the more confused he became.
"Wait… they were all bad guys?"
He was staring at a local resident, brow furrowed. "You're saying not one innocent person got caught up in it?"
The man shrugged. "We checked the faces while cleaning up. Gangsters, thugs, shady samurai, crooked ninja… everyone we could identify was a known scumbag."
He hesitated. "Some were burnt too bad to recognize. But the ones we could name? None of them were decent."
"That Uchiha guy… scary as hell, but it looks like he only killed the bad ones."
Jiraiya didn't speak for a long moment.
If that was true…
Then Chizumi had been planning this purge for a while. He'd done his homework. Investigated. Watched. And then struck.
This hadn't been a mindless slaughter.
It had been an execution.
A judgment.
"…That explains it," Jiraiya muttered. "No wonder Tsunade didn't stop him. Knowing her, once she realized he was only killing dirtbags, she probably didn't even try."
He asked around again—looking for Tsunade's whereabouts.
Turned out she'd left the town early the morning after the massacre.
With a bunch of kids in tow.
Headed toward Konoha.
Jiraiya blinked.
"Chizumi… and Tsunade… What the hell kind of play are you two running?"
…
Konoha – Hokage's Office
"HIRUZEN! A disaster like this, and you didn't notify us immediately?!"
Koharu and Homura stormed into the room, practically fuming.
Koharu's voice cracked with rage. "That was Tanzaku Town! A major revenue source for the Land of Fire—and a chunk of that tax money funds our ninja corps!"
She tried to calm down, but her clenched fists said otherwise.
"Let me remind you," she snapped, "nine years ago, Chizumi caused a massacre in Tanzaku. Nearly brought the entire town to a halt! I told you then—bring him back and hold him accountable. But you brushed it off!"
"You said 'we need a dual-kekkei genkai user to stabilize the battlefield.' And now, look what he's done again—only this time, even worse."
She took a breath, but her voice was still sharp.
"This time, it's not dozens. It's over a hundred. And that's just what our three scouts reported. They didn't even dig deep."
"Who knows how many really died? Hundreds? Thousands?!"
"Let's not forget—Tanzaku is crawling with noble investments. You think Chizumi spared the rich just because they have status?"
She leaned over the desk, eyes hard.
"You willing to bet he didn't kill a single aristocrat? He already murdered the Fire Daimyō's second son!"
Sarutobi didn't flinch.
He sat quietly, puffing on his pipe, half his face hidden behind the smoke.
After a long pause, he looked up. His voice was low and weary.
"You think I don't know all this? The problem is—when I found out, it was already too late. What do you want me to do? Turn back time?"
He rubbed his temples. The fatigue in his voice was obvious.
"Unless Chizumi returns voluntarily, there's nothing I can do.
What should I do, Koharu? Homura? Tell me—do I go to Tanzaku, collect everyone's DNA, and resurrect them with Edo Tensei? Pretend nothing happened?"
"Should I send every Anbu and Root agent we have to capture him in the name of treason?"
His voice turned cold.
"Let's not pretend you don't know the truth—every person Chizumi killed… was guilty."
"His justice stands above politics. If the people of this village found out I executed the one Uchiha who actually punishes the wicked… what do you think they'd do?"
He stared at them now, sharp and firm.
"Don't forget—his Absolute Justice has already gained traction among the people. Times have changed. He's not seen as a monster anymore."
A flicker of pain crossed Hiruzen's eyes.
That—right there—was the real reason he hadn't stopped Chizumi.
Even he didn't fully understand it. How had things changed so quickly? Why had so many people embraced Chizumi's ideology?
He felt like he was standing on the edge of something he couldn't quite grasp—like a truth just out of reach.
Then—knock knock.
An Anbu entered.
"Hokage-sama, a kunoichi named Shizune just returned to the village. She says Tsunade-sama… is on her way back."
The room froze.
Koharu, Homura, and Hiruzen all looked up at once.
"Tsunade's… coming back?"
…
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
Three shadows zipped through the trees, swift and silent. All wore ninja gear, but none had headbands.
Their chakra felt dark, sharp, predatory—definitely not from Konoha.
"Yo. Are you sure this is the right direction? We've been searching all day and haven't seen even a hair of Uchiha Chizumi. What are we supposed to tell Orochimaru's people if we come back empty-handed?"
"Also… we're heading away from Konoha. That doesn't seem right!"
The last ninja in the trio sounded more annoyed than concerned.
The one leading the group scoffed. "Don't question my tracking. We found the inn he stayed at in Tanzaku. I memorized his scent. If he left even a trace behind, I can find him."
He narrowed his eyes.
"He didn't go back to Konoha—but I guarantee he passed through here. I've also picked up two other scents."
"One smells… inhuman. Maybe a summoning beast."
"The other? A woman."
"And they're getting stronger."
Suddenly, the quiet one in the middle raised a hand.
"Stop."
The others halted immediately, confused.
The middle ninja walked to the side of the trail, staring down at the ground.
"Look."
The others followed—and froze.
"A corpse?!"
Lying there in the brush was a decapitated body, blood still fresh.
The head was a few feet away, eyes wide with horror frozen in place.
"Found a forehead protector," one of them said, crouching down.
He flipped it over.
"…Cloud Village?" His brows rose. "Why the hell is a Kumo shinobi here in the Land of Fire? Some kind of spy? Poor bastard got shredded."
"It was Chizumi," the tracker said bluntly. "His scent is all over the area. And there's no sign of a fight—this guy was killed instantly."
The last one frowned. "Well damn… no wonder Orochimaru-sama's interested in him. A dual-kekkei genkai freak like that doesn't show up often."
He nudged the corpse with a foot.
"Still warm. I'd say this was within the last fifteen minutes."
They locked eyes.
Fifteen minutes.
That meant Chizumi… was close.
Very close.
Without a word, they picked up speed and surged forward.
Thirty Minutes Later
They finally saw him.
Two people. One giant orange cat.
Without hesitation, the three ninja surrounded them.
One in front. Two behind—left and right.
Chizumi stopped walking, expression unreadable.
"Well, well… Uchiha Chizumi. The infamous Lava-Wielding Beast. One of the only dual-kekkei genkai shinobi in the entire ninja world…"
The one blocking his path smiled.
"Took us a hell of a lot of effort to find you."
Then his gaze slid to the woman walking beside Chizumi.
"Wait… I thought I recognized that scent."
"Mitarashi Anko. Orochimaru-sama's personal student. Hah—well, that's a surprise."
Anko's eyes sharpened. She immediately understood—they weren't here to talk.
And the moment they mentioned Orochimaru's name?
Her blood ran cold.
She slipped into a fighting stance, body tense, ready to strike.
"…Orochimaru?" Jujirō muttered beside Chizumi, his cat-eyes narrowing.
"Seriously, Chizumi-sama? You step outside the village for one day and suddenly all the freaks crawl out of the woodwork."
"Hey!" the ninja on the right snapped. "We're talking to Chizumi here. Who said the pet gets to speak?"
The lead ninja ignored the outburst and turned back to Chizumi.
"Orochimaru-sama sent us with an offer. He sees potential in you. Great potential."
He relayed Orochimaru's message, word for word—offering Chizumi a place, comrades, and recognition for his "Absolute Justice."
Anko's expression twitched. She glanced at Chizumi, clearly tense.
"Come on, Chizumi. You don't belong in Konoha anymore. Join us. Orochimaru-sama can give you a platform—make you an equal."
"You'd finally be with people who understand your justice. Not like that backwards village."
"And—"
Chizumi cut him off mid-sentence. His voice was calm—but freezing cold.
"So this is the crap that monster Orochimaru sent you all the way out here to say?"
All three ninja stiffened.
Chizumi didn't stop there.
"Here's my reply."
"Tell him to wash that long, snake-like neck of his—because 'Absolute Justice' is coming for him."
"Assuming any of you can talk after you're dead."
The air turned lethal.
The trio felt it immediately—kill intent, thick and suffocating.
But before they could react—
Jujirō struck.
In an instant, the small cat grew into a towering beast—ten meters tall, monstrous and snarling.
WHAM!
One swipe, and the ninja on the right was flattened into the dirt.
The ground shook.
"What the—?!"
The other two turned—just in time to see Chizumi vanish.
He reappeared right in front of the second one.
His Sharingan spun—three tomoe glinting in those blood-red eyes.
The man froze.
Shing!
Chizumi's blade drew a deep red line across his neck.
The head dropped to the dirt with a thud. Blood sprayed skyward.
Only one enemy remained—wide-eyed, panicked.
Anko was already moving.
"Ninja Art: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Hisssss!
Snakes burst from her sleeves, biting hard. The final ninja staggered, already feeling the poison.
"Shit… I… can't…"
He dropped to his knees.
Anko approached, kunai in hand, pressing it to his throat.
"You've got three minutes before the poison kills you. Give me Orochimaru's location, and I'll give you the antidote."
The man chuckled weakly.
"You think I'd—"
His face froze.
Anko blinked. "Wait, what—"
Suddenly, she felt someone grab the back of her collar and yank her away—hard.
Chizumi.
Before she could react—
BOOM!
The ninja exploded.
Chunks of flesh went flying in every direction.
BOOM!
BOOM!
The other two corpses followed suit.
Blood sprayed. Anko was covered in it, eyes wide, frozen.
She hadn't expected that.
Then Chizumi's voice came from behind her—calm as ever.
"Looks like Orochimaru sent them here to die."
"Probably rigged them with failsafes—no one can trace him through the bodies."
"He's too much of a coward to face me himself."
Chizumi's eyes narrowed.
To him, the world had many sources of evil.
And Orochimaru?
He was one of the biggest.
Standing there, her hair and clothes soaked in blood, Anko couldn't shake a creeping realization:
Orochimaru hadn't sent assassins to hunt Uchiha Chizumi.
Uchiha Chizumi…
…had come hunting Orochimaru.
~~~
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