"If we rely on the laws of the Land of Fire to punish evildoers, the sins plaguing the ninja world will never face true judgment."
A sudden voice cut through Koharu Utatane's stubborn retort.
Frowning, Koharu turned to see a young Uchiha girl approaching with a hostile expression. She recognized her immediately—Uchiha Izumi, the loyal follower of Uchiha Akainu.
Izumi stepped right up to Koharu, a high-ranking Leaf advisor who, in the past, had seemed untouchable to her. Even the Uchiha clan head would show deference to someone like Koharu. But after embracing [Absolute Justice] and learning the true nature of the so-called Leaf higher-ups, Izumi's illusions about them shattered.
In her eyes, Koharu was just a meddling figure with no real ability, always criticizing Akainu-senpai.
"Akainu-senpai once said that lenient laws enable evil and betray innocent victims," Izumi declared, her youthful face dead serious. "The laws of the Land of Fire are exactly that—too soft to deliver the punishment evildoers deserve!"
"For smuggling and selling illegal drugs, even if it's a massive amount, like over a ton, the penalty under Fire Country law is what? A decade or so in prison?" she continued. "And if they behave well in jail, they might not even serve that long—five or six years, and they're out."
"Those drugs have killed countless people, destroyed families, and corrupted civilians. Laws that lenient only fuel the ninja world's evils!"
Koharu's eyes widened in disbelief. A twelve-year-old kid was openly challenging her, a Leaf advisor, in front of everyone.
Even Fugaku, standing nearby, was stunned. If an Uchiha clashed with a Leaf advisor and he did nothing, it could spell trouble for the clan.
He stepped forward, scolding, "Izumi, the moment the Land of Fire's laws were established, everyone in the country was expected to follow them, not question them!"
"You and Akainu are too obsessed with this so-called [Absolute Justice]. Laws exist for the sake of order and peace, not to spark more killing."
Fugaku's intervention eased Koharu's grim expression slightly. Clearly, the Uchiha's younger generation was reckless, but Fugaku, as clan head, seemed level-headed.
But to everyone's surprise, Izumi turned her ire on Fugaku. "If Akainu-senpai and I hadn't clung to [Absolute Justice], Danzo Shimura would still be alive, along with countless other evildoers. And the victims they harmed would never find peace, even in the afterlife."
"Clan Head Fugaku, you've done nothing for those innocent victims, so don't act high and mighty about [Absolute Justice]. Our stance is different. We care about the countless innocents suffering from the ninja world's evils."
"You? You only care about the Uchiha clan! No, scratch that—you don't even care about the clan. All you care about is your so-called 'balance'!"
"If you truly cared about the Uchiha, knowing what Itachi will do in the future—the night of the clan's massacre—wouldn't you take action to stop him? Instead, you're protecting him! Is that really for the good of the clan?"
Izumi's passionate outburst stemmed from her frustration with the constant disapproval of Akainu-senpai's actions. He was clearly in the right, tirelessly purging the ninja world's evils for the sake of the innocent. Yet people not only failed to understand but spouted nonsense that raised her blood pressure.
Her teenage rebellious streak flared, and she poured out every thought in her heart.
Fugaku was momentarily stunned. The Uchiha clan leader, lectured by a twelve-year-old junior?!
His brow twitched with displeasure. Izumi had spent too much time with Akainu, losing all respect for him as clan head. If Sasuke started following Akainu, Fugaku dreaded to think what his younger son might become.
Just as Fugaku was about to respond, everyone's attention shifted to a blazing inferno ahead. Fugaku sensed something, his gaze following the others'. Koharu did the same.
"…Uchiha Akainu!!!" Koharu's voice rang out.
In full view of the crowd, a figure emerged from the molten sea of flames that was once the Shimura clan's stronghold. Neither the roaring blaze nor the molten lava at his feet could touch him.
"The entire Shimura clan couldn't even put a dent in him…" Fugaku muttered, awestruck. He knew the Shimura clan stood no chance, but Akainu made it look effortless.
"But…" A shadow of worry crossed Fugaku's eyes. Seeing an Uchiha single-handedly wipe out another clan, how would the Leaf's leadership view the Uchiha now?
He glanced at Koharu, whose face grew increasingly dark and hostile. Fugaku's heart sank.
This was bad.
Akainu's actions had further damaged the Uchiha's standing with the Leaf's higher-ups. All his efforts to maintain balance were unraveling.
Fugaku clenched his fist, then released it, feeling helpless and deeply disappointed. Why couldn't Akainu consider the struggles of his clan head?
"Akainu-senpai!!!" Izumi's enthusiastic shout, one arm raised high, stood out starkly in the tense atmosphere.
Jiro, the ninja cat, sauntered to her side, tail upright. "Meow, without that old dog Danzo, the Shimura clan's nothing!" Jiro sneered. "They thought they could assassinate Akainu-sama? Challenge [Absolute Justice]? The moment they harbored evil thoughts against justice, their fate was sealed—they'd be purged!"
Jiro's words made Fugaku glance over. Even a ninja cat was this influenced by Akainu's [Absolute Justice]?
How had he not noticed how dangerously compelling this black-and-white ideology was?
Fugaku's unease grew. If more Uchiha fell under Akainu's sway, how dangerous would the clan become? And in Itachi's eyes, an Uchiha clan driven by [Absolute Justice] would likely be seen as a threat to the Leaf. That could trigger the tragedy he feared.
Fugaku's heart grew heavy.
…
Yamanaka Inoichi watched Akainu emerge and, to Nara Shikaku's astonishment, stepped forward to greet him.
Inoichi's usually stoic face broke into a rare, genuine smile. "Akainu, need my Yamanaka clan to help collect the bodies?"
Akainu nodded slightly. "There are quite a few evildoers today—around thirty or so. Sorry for the trouble."
Shikaku rubbed his short beard, glancing thoughtfully at the "Leaf's Big Three"—Sarutobi, Koharu, and Homura.
Inoichi's warm greeting caught them off guard. Shikaku noted their shocked expressions.
"Inoichi… aren't you being a bit too obvious?" Shikaku chuckled wryly. "Those three won't sleep tonight."
Sarutobi was indeed stunned. He knew Akainu and the Yamanaka clan were close, given their frequent work together. Over the years, not a single Yamanaka had been executed by Akainu in the name of justice, suggesting they were a disciplined clan in his eyes.
But he hadn't expected their relationship to be this strong.
At the critical moment of the Shimura clan's annihilation, Inoichi, the Yamanaka clan head, publicly aligned himself with Akainu. The message was clear: he was openly supporting him.
The Yamanaka weren't a kekkei genkai clan, so why such strong resentment toward Danzo and the Shimura? Sarutobi paused, recalling the near-destruction of the Yamanaka stronghold at Danzo's hands.
Of course they'd hate him and his clan.
Was that why Inoichi was so boldly siding with Akainu, even in front of the Hokage?
Sarutobi's expression flickered with complexity.
Then, he noticed Fugaku's younger son approaching Akainu.
…
Sasuke didn't know where he found the courage, but he stood before Uchiha Akainu.
His scrapes and bruises, though treated by medical ninjas, still ached. Nervous but determined, he took a deep breath to steady himself and looked up. "I think I understand what [Justice] is. It's about protecting innocent people from harm and using strength to deter evildoers, right?"
"Maybe…" Sasuke's small hands gripped his torn clothes tightly. Akainu's cold gaze made him even more nervous. "Maybe… what my brother Itachi will do in the future falls under 'evil.' If he does it, you'll kill him, won't you?"
Sasuke's cautious questions carried a humble hope that Akainu might not answer.
Raised with Fugaku's harsh expectations and constantly compared to Itachi, Sasuke's confidence was fragile, despite being the top student in his class. The inferiority he felt toward Itachi lingered.
"Yes," Akainu replied, not dismissing him despite his age. His answer was curt.
"To be precise, I'd kill him before he acts," Akainu added coldly. "When evil is about to unfold, justice must act preemptively. To many, delayed justice isn't justice at all."
"Uchiha Sasuke," Akainu asked, "are you trying to stop me from killing your brother? Even after seeing in a genjutsu what he'll do to innocent Uchiha, will you prioritize family ties?"
Sasuke shook his head quickly, gritting his teeth. "I already said I won't forgive him if he does that! But I also don't want to stand by while danger closes in on my mother."
He added, "And my father…"
Sasuke recalled the genjutsu vision of Itachi massacring the Uchiha, and his own powerlessness. He hated that weak version of himself.
"So I want to stop him too!" Sasuke's voice grew firmer, shedding his cautious humility. "I can't let him fall into that abyss. What he plans is wrong—his mindset is wrong. He's sick, and I want to snap him out of it! I want him to see that family and clan are just as important!"
Sasuke thought of Izumi, once an unremarkable ninja and Itachi's friend, who transformed after following Akainu. That night, she'd stood alone against Itachi. Today, she'd fought three Uchiha single-handedly.
Sasuke believed it was because of Akainu.
Maybe that's why Naruto followed him, calling him "Teacher Akainu" so eagerly.
"I want to follow you and uphold [Justice] like Naruto!" Sasuke continued, voice loud with courage. "I know I can learn things from you that the ninja academy can't teach, and gain strength I can't get there!"
His bold declaration stunned Naruto, surprised Izumi, and nearly made Fugaku choke.
What had he just heard? Sasuke, in front of all these important figures, openly declared he'd follow the man who annihilated the Shimura clan?
Fugaku's hand itched, his eyes darting around for something to discipline his son with.
Until Akainu said coldly, "I refuse."
The unexpected rejection froze Sasuke in place.
Naruto let out a loud "Huh?" looking around helplessly.
Izumi blinked, then fell into thought.
Fugaku sighed in relief, almost grateful to Akainu. For once, the rogue Uchiha had considered Sasuke's well-being.
Sasuke following someone who'd wiped out a clan might be his own choice, unrelated to Fugaku. But others, especially someone as suspicious as Koharu, wouldn't see it that way. They'd assume Fugaku had orchestrated it, spelling trouble.
"Why…?" Sasuke's voice trembled, his body rigid. He felt so fragile he might cry.
Akainu asked, "Are you pursuing [Justice] to stop Itachi, or to take on its duties and responsibilities? Have you asked yourself that?"
"If you stop Itachi, then what? Settle down as a great Leaf ninja? Inherit your father's mantle as clan head? Become the next Hokage?"
The barrage of questions sent Sasuke's mind into a whirlwind. What would he do after stopping Itachi? Become a great ninja? Clan head? Hokage?
Before, those all sounded appealing.
But the acrid smell of sulfur in the air snapped him back to reality.
Sasuke looked at the razed Shimura stronghold, recalling the three Uchiha engulfed in lava, the drug trafficker killed by Akainu, Itachi's unthinkable future crimes, and his mother's tearful, disappointed eyes.
His face paled, lips pursed tightly. Though his courage had faded, he pressed on. "Even becoming a great ninja, clan head, or Hokage wouldn't change things fundamentally, would it?"
"Ah…" His chaotic thoughts aligned, a spark of clarity in his lost eyes. "I want to change this reality! If the ninja world had no 'evil,' as you call it, wouldn't everything be better? No Uchiha massacre, no innocent lives lost to malice?"
Sasuke finally voiced the words he'd struggled to articulate.
"Is… is that… [Justice]?" His confidence wavered.
"Yes," Akainu said, a single word turning Sasuke's despair to joy, while Fugaku's face froze.
Oh no.
How had his least promising son suddenly gotten so clever?
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