That night, the moon was dark, the wind high, and even the stars were hidden from view.
On the outskirts of Konoha Village, downstream of the Naka River, not far from the Uchiha Clan's secret meeting shrine, lay an ancient ruin.
This was once one of the Uchiha Clan's settlements during the Warring States Period, now long abandoned, leaving only broken walls and overgrown wild grass, appearing particularly desolate and eerie in the howling wind.
Itachi stood like a stone statue in the center of the ruins, waiting.
His breathing was nearly still, all his Chakra converged to the extreme, merging with the surrounding darkness.
He didn't know how long he waited when the space in the ruins suddenly warped without warning, like ripples slowly spreading on water.
A figure wearing a dark cloak and an orange, spiral-patterned mask materialized out of thin air, soundlessly.
He seemed to be surveying the ruins, a complex, almost reminiscent look flashing in his single, visible eye.
Itachi's heart jumped violently.
'It's him!'
He no longer hid, actively stepping out from the shadows. The sound of his footsteps was unusually clear in the silent ruins.
"Who's there?!" Obito was clearly startled, instantly turning alert, the Sharingan appearing behind his mask. Seeing Itachi's face, he was inwardly shocked.
'In just a few years, Uchiha Itachi's skill had actually advanced to such a level that he could approach this close without me noticing!'
"Hey, I want to ask for your help." Itachi's voice was terrifyingly calm, without any greeting or preamble. He looked directly into the masked man's strange Sharingan and stated bluntly.
"...Oh?" Obito suppressed his surprise, his tone returning to that feigned, casual, strange pitch, "How unusual. The Uchiha Clan's genius youngster actually comes to seek help from a 'dead man' like me? Let's hear it."
When he heard the request, delivered in the most concise and cold terms, 'Help me kill all the Uchiha in Konoha', Obito's eyebrow rose behind his mask, his single eye instantly erupting with a thick, twisted light of interest.
"Interesting... Truly interesting!" He let out a low laugh, the sound echoing in the empty ruins, full of madness and pleasure.
"Fine, I'll help you with this!"
While Itachi was speaking with Obito, at the Konoha's Ninja Academy.
After today's classes ended, the teachers suddenly notified all students to remain at school temporarily and not leave.
As night fell, the atmosphere in the classrooms became subtly uneasy.
Iruka stood at the podium, his face unprecedentedly heavy and serious, even slightly pale, with fine beads of cold sweat at his temples.
He announced the notification for an imminent, sudden nighttime evacuation drill and began explaining the precautions in detail.
His demeanor was completely unlike someone facing a routine drill… it was more like he was back during that terrifying Nine-Tails Attack Night when he lost his parents.
Most students, while finding it a bit sudden, didn't think much of it, as evacuation drills were a regular part of the Academy's training.
Only a few sensitive children, like Hinata, vaguely sensed Iruka's hidden unease, but she just timidly lowered her head and said nothing.
In the corner of the classroom, Menma was originally gazing absentmindedly out the window.
When he heard the words 'evacuation drill' and the instruction for all students to delay returning home, his gaze abruptly shifted towards Sasuke sitting in the front row.
'Delaying all students' return time-'
'Could it be tonight?'
As soon as this thought flashed through his mind, Menma's body trembled almost imperceptibly.
A shadow clone, hidden near the Uchiha Clan's Naka Shrine using special seals, actively released its technique.
A flood of information instantly rushed back into his mind. The shadow clone had been continuously active, its keen perception network acting like the most precise radar, constantly monitoring all Chakra fluctuations within a several-kilometer radius of the Naka Shrine and the entire Uchiha Clan's compound.
Not long before, the shadow clone had clearly captured two particularly unique Chakra signatures converging and briefly conversing in the ruins area downstream of the Naka River.
One was cold, sharp, and familiar… Uchiha Itachi.
The other was distorted, obscure, filled with deep malice and a sense of spacetime disturbance.
Uchiha Obito!
Combining the two pieces of information, the truth illuminated Menma's thoughts like a lightning bolt.
"It's tonight... The night of the massacre begins." Menma murmured to himself, a glint of 'the show is starting' flashing instantly in his sapphire blue eyes.
He immediately sent a highest-priority command through the Chakra Seal Network to the distant Star City.
The command was simultaneously transmitted to several specific targets: Hikari, Kanon, and... Shisui.
…
Star City, Military Restricted Zone.
This place was filled with a futuristic, technological feel, completely different from Konoha Village's traditional style.
Deep within the military zone, in the transmission room, a massive energy portal, like a calm lake surface, was operating steadily, emitting a faint blue light.
This was the transmission channel connecting the Earth and the Moon, used by the Otsutsuki Clan of the Moon, capable of greatly shortening the distance between the two locations.
Shisui, relying on the imprint's sensing, rushed here at top speed.
When he entered the huge transmission preparation room, even though he had already witnessed many of the Land of Stars' wonders, the scene before him still left him stunned.
Before the transmission gate, over twenty Star Ninja wearing unified-style Chakra Armor bearing the Land of Stars' emblem were already assembled.
They stood silently in three neat formations. Each person exuded a sharp, powerful aura, their eyes keen, movements in perfect unison.
Shisui keenly sensed that these Ninjas were extremely strong… the lowest among them probably possessed Special Jonin-level strength, and the leaders of the few squads had Chakra Reserves comparable to Elite jonin!
Including those he knew, like Kanon, Natsuhi, Hotarubi, Kimimaro, and many he didn't recognize but could clearly sense were powerful Ninja, like that shark-faced guy followed by a group of masked Ninja…
'Were they Star Anbu?'
'What an incredibly fearsome force. Even placed within the Third Great Ninja War, it would be enough to influence the outcome of a major battle!'
Uchiha Hikari stood at the front of the group. She wore a dark blue Uchiha Clan's attire, her exquisitely beautiful face cold and detached. Only those scarlet Mangekyo Sharingan eyes swirled with a bewitching luster under the base's lighting.
She was giving the final mission briefing to the Star Ninja about to depart, her voice clear and cold.
Shisui's arrival caused a small stir… everyone turned to look at this Uchiha Ninja wearing a Konoha's forehead protector.
"My, my? If it isn't Shisui-kun? It's been a long time."
Before Shisui could even process the impact of seeing this powerful force, a slightly hoarse and playful voice sounded beside him, making his whole body jolt, almost unable to believe his ears!
Shisui turned his head sharply towards the voice.
He saw a pale, female-form Orochimaru looking at him with great interest.
Speaking with Orochimaru were two people… one was Kushina, whom he had seen at Shura's home!
And the man next to her, wearing a Konoha's Jonin vest, with soft yet somewhat illusory blond hair and a smile… it was actually the Fourth Hokage, Minato, who should have died long ago in the Nine-Tails Attack!
"Fourth Hokage-sama?!" The immense shock made Shisui exclaim aloud, his brain almost ceasing to function.
'The Fourth Hokage and Kushina, back from the dead?'
'And Orochimaru, what was he doing here?'
"Shisui, it's been a long time." Minato nodded gently and complexly at Shisui, a hint of apology in his eyes, but he didn't explain further.
Kushina held the struggling Kokyu tightly in her arms, her eyes filled with anger at what was about to happen.
Orochimaru's golden snake-like eyes flashed with interest. He licked his lips and chuckled softly, "Heh heh heh... It seems the script for tonight will be far more exciting than anyone imagined."
What made Shisui's scalp tingle even more was that, slightly further behind Minato and Kushina, stood two figures cloaked in white, their hoods drawn.
They exuded a deathly, cold, yet immensely powerful Chakra Fluctuation, completely different from that of the living.
Orochimaru followed Shisui's gaze, a hint of malicious amusement flashing in his golden snake eyes.
He whispered hoarsely, "It seems you sense it too. That's right. Those two are also special 'audience members'. Inviting them took quite some effort on my part. I expect tonight's 'performance' will... bring them great 'satisfaction'."
A chill ran up Shisui's spine.
'Special 'audience members'?'
Just then, Hikari's mission briefing seemed to conclude.
She turned around, her Mangekyo Sharingan sweeping over those present, finally settling on Shisui with a slight nod.
"Prepare to depart." Her words were concise and powerful, without any superfluous emotion, "Proceed according to the predetermined plan. If you encounter unexpected situations, contact me promptly or execute the contingency plan!"
"Understood!" The crowd acknowledged.
The massive transmission gate's light began to fluctuate violently, like a lake surface struck by a huge rock.
The dark blue light reflected on everyone's faces, expressions varied, yet all bearing a resolve to march towards an unknown fate.
The first Star Ninja Squad took the lead and entered the transmission gate, their figures instantly swallowed by the blue light, disappearing.
Followed by the second squad, the third squad...
Orochimaru examined the transmission gate with interest, pondering its operating principles, licked the corner of his mouth, then smiled at the two hooded 'audience members' behind him, "After you... A splendid drama concerning where the [Will of Fire] is truly headed awaits our entry and commentary."
The two reincarnated Hokage silently stepped forward and walked towards the transmission gate.
Orochimaru let out a low, pleased laugh and followed closely behind.
Hikari, Minato, and Kushina also followed, stepping into the transmission gate.
Shisui took a deep breath, suppressing all the shock, doubt, and surging emotions in his heart.
He knew that from the moment he chose to be saved by Menma and stay in the Land of Stars, he had already set foot on a completely different path.
'Itachi... Don't let me down...' Shisui touched his right cheek. The eyes transplanted into him, now evolved into Three-Tomoe Sharingan, held no more hesitation.
He strode purposefully towards that transmission channel leading to his homeland, leading to the night of the clan's massacre.