"Nameless!"
"It's her—what's happening?"
"She escaped!"
When Yūshin began moving around disguised as Nameless, he immediately attracted the attention of surrounding Uchiha ninja. Predictably, they launched into pursuit at once.
Simultaneously, two Uchiha ninja doubled back to the prison to verify the internal situation.
This could be called learning from experience—Uchiha ninja certainly had better memories than fish. After all, someone had just impersonated Nameless earlier, so what if this was the same trick?
They feared falling for a diversionary tactic, then discovered that Nameless's restraints were indeed empty—she had truly escaped... The earlier incident might have been a rehearsal, but this time was real.
You could say they were too clever for their own good—they still fell for the diversion.
Now there was no point guarding this place, since the target had already fled far away.
After most of the defensive forces were drawn away, Shichimi finally began quietly relocating with Nameless. She just needed to follow the pre-established escape route out of the village.
Yūshin's safety wasn't a concern—when it came to infiltration and escape, he was the true expert. Conversely, Shichimi and Nameless would only burden him.
The more chaotic a place became, the easier it was to act under cover of confusion. Shichimi was extremely familiar with the environment, moved very carefully, and had pre-planned the escape route... In short, her initial movements went very smoothly.
However, as she moved away from the combat zone and gradually approached the village's edge—where the environment grew darker and quieter—Shichimi felt increasingly uneasy.
This unease seemed groundless. They'd already covered half the escape route, and the upcoming areas were even less likely to attract attention—what was there to worry about?
Shichimi's faint footsteps blended with the night sounds of birds, beasts, and insects, making them nearly impossible to detect. Yet...
Whoosh—a sharp sound cut through the air. Shichimi reflexively dodged, but a kunai still grazed the corner of her hood, tearing it open and exposing Nameless's face.
Shichimi became extremely alert. Then, from a slightly elevated position nearby, a voice called out:
"Big sister, you still prefer this path. Don't these buildings look familiar? When we were small, you led me through here countless times—running, playing, having fun. How many years has it been? Time flies—I'm already past fifty."
Shichimi looked up and by moonlight clearly saw her younger brother's face—Uchiha Tajima, the current clan head.
"Indeed, time passes like a white horse through a gap. These familiar scenes feel like another lifetime... Tajima, even your appearance has become strange to me."
Shichimi's words clearly carried deeper meaning, as if saying that people's hearts change unpredictably—even the closest people can become incomprehensible.
"Big sister, did you really think you could return to the village silently? But regardless, your return to the village is ultimately a good thing."
Uchiha Tajima ignored the pointed remarks in Shichimi's words. That faint mockery didn't warrant any attention—at his age, his face had long been tempered thick as city walls.
Uchiha Shikane, who had been providing intelligence to Shichimi, had long since been tied up in the ancestral home. Children ultimately couldn't outplay old foxes.
But Shichimi believed Shikane couldn't have revealed her whereabouts. Theoretically, Shikane would draw a blade against Tajima for her sake, and Shikane didn't know her specific escape route anyway.
Therefore, Shichimi found her brother's sudden appearance here suspicious, but there was no way for intelligence about her movements to leak. Could Yūshin have betrayed them? That would be too ridiculous.
Could it really just be coincidence? Had Tajima happened to appear here tonight by chance?
"Return to the village? No, I'm just taking her away from the village," Shichimi shook her head, then held Nameless tighter.
"Big sister, you're still so naive. Being allowed to move freely within the clan is already the highest privilege. You cannot take others away... Even I cannot allow harm to the entire Uchiha Clan's interests."
Uchiha Tajima spoke with righteous conviction. From his position, his words were one hundred percent truth.
However, Shichimi only felt this brother spoke too hypocritically, constantly invoking clan gains and losses while ignoring that every Uchiha ninja was a living, breathing person with emotions.
"We don't see eye to eye, Tajima. What if I insist on leaving?"
Uchiha Tajima shook his head with a helpless expression, as if saying "Big sister, you've reached your rebellious phase."
He tilted his head toward a nearby ninja, who immediately understood. The ninja pulled a signal flare from his chest and fired it skyward.
With a sharp screech, red light shot straight into the night sky.
Meanwhile, on the most intense battlefield, Uchiha ninja and infiltrators were locked in fierce combat.
Yūshin had just shed his "Nameless" disguise, casually transforming into a harmless ordinary Uchiha ninja. While withdrawing, he even had the leisure to eliminate one or two White Zetsu.
But just then, he saw the flare ascending into the sky.
"That direction seems to be Shichimi's planned escape route."
Yūshin didn't understand the meaning of the Uchiha's red signal flare, but he knew it very likely meant Shichimi had encountered trouble.
"Get out of the way!"
He kicked aside a ninja in front of him—regardless of whether they were an infiltrator or Uchiha—then charged directly toward the flare's direction.
This behavior wasn't unusual, since apart from some Uchiha ninja continuing to eliminate infiltrators, all remaining ninja rushed toward that direction.
Back at Shichimi's location, though she found her brother somewhat detestable, she wasn't impulsive enough to want to fight him.
Upon seeing the signal flare, she immediately tried to escape.
However, large numbers of Uchiha ninja were already surrounding them from all directions—where could she flee?
An Uchiha elder quickly reached Uchiha Tajima's side. Upon seeing Shichimi and the Nameless she carried, he immediately shouted:
"Uchiha Shichimi, put down Nameless! We've been lenient enough with you—now is the time for you to return to the Uchiha Clan... Your eyes aren't personal property, but power that should serve the Uchiha! Surrender immediately, or face the consequences!"
He didn't know that another elder, just as arrogant as himself, had already died gloriously for his beloved Uchiha Clan in some dark corner of the night.
Uchiha Tajima narrowed his eyes and glanced at this old fool. Damn it, what consequences could my sister face?
Yūshin had just arrived and blended into the crowd, watching the surrounded Shichimi. The situation was becoming troublesome... At this point, they had to execute Plan B.
Outnumbered—how to break through the encirclement?
Obviously, take a hostage.
And it had to be the highest-ranking one, otherwise ninja were quite skilled at "Russian-style rescues."
Which one was the clan head? Fortunately, the clan head was easy to identify—most likely the Uchiha ninja carrying the giant war fan.
Yūshin began inconspicuously edging toward the Uchiha clan head's position. He had to be extremely cautious, because for some reason there were an unusually large number of White Zetsu hiding here.
Could White Zetsu also have been attracted by the signal flare, or...
Well, now wasn't the time to consider such things. Yūshin concentrated, preparing to approach this clan head from behind, give him a few cuts to bleed him and reduce his resistance while intimidating the surrounding Uchiha ninja.
"Control Uchiha Shichimi, but don't harm her... I mean, try not to harm her." Uchiha Tajima issued his command.
This clan head was sometimes utterly cold toward his own family, but his sister was ultimately different.
However, this ambiguous command made all surrounding ninja curse internally—why couldn't any of them speak plainly?
What did "try not to harm" mean? With such orders, who would dare act without reservation?
But just as the ninja prepared to close in, Nameless, who had maintained silence throughout, suddenly spoke:
"Wait."
"Shichimi-nee, put me down first."
"You... alright."
Shichimi didn't know what Nameless intended, but she could sense the other's resolute attitude.
Nameless slowly placed her feet on the ground, signaling Shichimi to release her, then struggled to stand upright.
Many Uchiha ninja felt this Nameless was different from the earlier one—the previous Nameless had been lively and energetic, while this one appeared very weak, with sealing techniques over her eyes indicating most of her power remained sealed.
Yet it was precisely this frail state that proved she was the real Nameless. This small figure brought tremendous intimidation to those in the know.
Many surrounding ninja didn't even know Nameless's true background, but seeing certain ninja trembling and sweating with fear, their own actions were unconsciously restrained.
Perhaps escape was impossible tonight, but having regained freedom, Nameless still prepared to resist in her own way.
Or rather, she prepared to sever ties with the so-called "proud Uchiha."
"Perhaps you won't allow me to leave, but in this remaining time of free movement, I've decided to break away from the Uchiha Clan in my own way... forever."
Her voice was soft and weak—whether this was her natural speaking style or due to current weakness was unclear.
As she spoke, she raised her right hand, pressing the back against her cheek with index and middle fingers together, then those two fingers probed upward, inserting between her facial skin and the sealing technique.
Some people instantly understood what she intended to do.
She was so weak that stopping her seemed easy, yet at this moment, the Uchiha ninja were so shocked—the mental absurdity even left them dry-mouthed—that no one could immediately rush forward to stop her.
"The Uchiha have never possessed light, never possessed glory. Hypocritical self-aggrandizement has no value whatsoever. So... these eyes, I return to you."
Violent chakra burst from her fingertips, forcibly tearing apart the sealing technique. But at the final moment, it loyally completed its most unforgivable mission—destroying that pair of Sharingan representing power, hope, and even the ideal of ending the chaotic world.
Forget the psychological impact on the Uchiha ninja—even Yūshin, an outsider, was somewhat stunned by such an earth-shaking act... Well, stunned while continuing to edge two steps toward the clan head's position.
What was this?
As a Uchiha, had she never experienced happiness?
Or was this the shinobi world version of "returning bone to father, flesh to mother, eyes to clan"?
"Stop her..."
Only now did someone manage to shout out the words stuck in their throat.
The power the Uchiha worshipped, she discarded like trash; the identity the Uchiha took pride in, she abandoned on the spot... This was trampling Uchiha dignity into the mud.
Wait, wasn't Uchiha already a cesspit?
So after shock came rage from some Uchiha ninja. Those were Mangekyō Sharingan—Mangekyō with such powerful abilities! How could she treat them like bubble wrap to pop? If she didn't want them, why not give them to the clan?
But the most hateful thing was that Nameless would rather destroy her Sharingan directly than hand them over to these people.
Not good!
Seeing some enraged Uchiha ninja charging toward Shichimi and Nameless, Yūshin couldn't afford to dawdle—he rushed directly toward the clan head.
But just as he prepared to move...
Boom!
With a tremendous crash, a figure landed before Shichimi and Nameless.
"That's about enough. Since Nameless has lost her Sharingan, what does letting her leave matter..."
"After all, it's the Uchiha Clan that wronged her. Who truly stained the clan's honor—I think everyone knows very well."
"An Uchiha ninja with no sense of belonging to the Uchiha—whose problem is that?"
The one blocking everyone was Uchiha Madara.
"Uchiha Madara, what are you trying to do? She destroyed those eyes!"
Still shouting was that elder, now practically jumping with rage—truly a clownish figure, the picture of grief and indignation.
But Madara couldn't be bothered to acknowledge him.
Upon appearing, he immediately controlled the situation. Those Uchiha ninja attempting to advance were instantly forced back by him.
"Madara, you..."
Uchiha Tajima tried to speak, but before finishing his words, he suddenly felt lightness behind him.
It wasn't Yūshin stabbing with a blade—Uchiha Izuna had acted. Izuna had been playing the invisible man behind Tajima, but after his elder brother appeared, he began moving... He didn't stage a father-son drama, but simply appropriated his father's Uchiha war fan and handed it to Madara.
"You elders think yourselves superior to others—how often have you experimented on clansmen? Do you really believe you'll never pay any price for this?"
"Step down from those positions. You're incompetent and corrupt, unfit to bear the responsibility of guiding the Uchiha's future direction."
Some things can be done in secret, but once openly pointed out, right and wrong, justice and truth lie clear in people's hearts.
Uchiha Madara casually hung the war fan behind himself. Simultaneously, young ninja after young ninja gathered at his side... Of course, he couldn't strip his own father of the clan head position, nor need he make things so absolute all at once.
But other rotten fish and shrimp—those that should be swept into the trash bin must be swept into the trash bin.
Yūshin blended back into the crowd. Seeing this situation, he shouted loudly:
"Those who agree with Madara's opinion and approve of letting Nameless leave, stand to the right!"
In his excitement, he nearly shouted something like "Those who support Uchiha Madara, step right"—fortunately he restrained himself at the last moment, or the tone would be too inconsistent.
Madara didn't know who was shouting, but this call came at the perfect moment. He was first to stand on the right side.
Uchiha ninja after ninja followed his movement. Soon, a pathway was cleared.
"Go, Shichimi, Nameless—leave here quickly," Madara said.
Blood flowed profusely from beneath Nameless's eyelids—she was nearly at her limit. Shichimi simply nodded toward Madara without saying more, then once again carried Nameless on her back, preparing to quickly exit the village.
Before leaving, her gaze toward Madara was filled with relief... Madara hadn't disappointed her. He truly was the one who could bring change and hope to the clan.
At this moment, Uchiha Tajima's mood was incredibly complex. The young had taken control of the situation while he was largely ignored—this made him extremely angry, yet he felt a trace of relief in his heart.
His sister had become like a stranger, Nameless's Sharingan were destroyed—these events caused him immense heartache. Yet Madara's growth allowed him to glimpse a thread of bright future.
He might indeed be getting old. The coming era might truly belong to the young.
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