Chapter 88: Return of Uchiha Kagami
What the hell happened?
Running through the pouring rain, the sound of thunder rumbling across the heavens and the echoes of countless jutsu detonations around him, Uchiha Kagami wanted nothing more than to stop and demand an explanation.
He had just completed months of harsh training under Uchiha Madara's guidance—grueling sessions filled with combat trials and theory—until even Madara had admitted he could now withstand a killing blow.
After several months away from Konoha, Kagami had returned confident that, while defeating Aizen might not be guaranteed, he at least had an eighty to ninety percent chance. But after suffering countless humiliating defeats at Aizen's hands, he'd learned lessons he hadn't wished to learn.
Through Madara's teachings, he had come to understand the true nature of the Mangekyō Sharingan—the line between seeing truth and illusion, between instinct and manipulation—and countless other insights Madara believed vital to surpass Aizen.
Though Kagami never fully understood the deep hostility between the two, one thing was certain: slaying Aizen Sōsuke would have pleased Madara beyond measure.
Months of isolation and study had finally borne fruit. When Kagami returned, intent on reporting Aizen's hidden dangers to the Third Hokage and preparing to confront him, he found the village in chaos.
Aizen was dead.
Someone had nailed him to the Hokage Rock, impaling him through the chest—a grim and brutal death.
But it didn't end there.
After multiple failed attempts at Impure World Reincarnation, the Uchiha concluded that Aizen's soul was still trapped somewhere—that he wasn't truly dead, but sealed away by one of Konoha's great clans.
At first, Kagami had almost laughed. But when he saw the grim, determined faces of his fellow clansmen, he forced himself to follow along, joining their outrage and condemnation of Konoha's "hypocrisy."
In truth, his decision wasn't born of loyalty—it was pragmatism. Through Madara's sensory technique, Kagami could sense the presence of at least three active Mangekyō Sharingan within the village.
And even a fool could understand what that meant.
When several of that caliber clashed, the battlefield became hell.
Even if one could defeat an opponent alone, the second and third would still be there—pressing from every angle, suffocating any advantage.
The Uchiha truly live up to their name, Kagami thought grimly. A single spark from within them, and Konoha trembles.
He cast a glance toward a group of Uchiha tearing down the gates of a small clan's compound, faces twisted in fury and grief. Sighing inwardly, he slipped away quietly, apologizing in his heart.
Right now, he couldn't afford to reveal his power. Facing multiple Mangekyō users at once was suicide. One wrong move, and he would be crushed between both sides.
He was no longer the Madara of legend, and without the Nine-Tails—Konoha's "living chakra reactor"—even his evolved eyes could only do so much.
For now, his goal was clear: find a safe route back to the Invisible Courtyard.
But when he arrived, he froze.
A mushroom cloud rose above the courtyard—a catastrophic explosion that shook the earth. After a moment of silent disbelief, Kagami turned on his heel and retreated without hesitation, vanishing back into the rain.
His next move was clear.
He needed to find those who had been closest to Aizen—those who might still hold the truth. Even if most had been deceived by the man's charisma, Kagami believed not all were beyond reason.
If anyone knew what truly happened to Aizen, it would be them. And if the chaos within the Invisible Garden was any indication, none of them had a clue.
That left only a handful of key figures: Minato Namikaze, Kakashi Hatake, and Orochimaru among them.
Trusting his instincts—and the clarity of his own eyes—Kagami began to move.
"Huh? Uchiha, where are you headed in this storm?"
He slowed as a drenched shinobi called out from under a broken awning.
"Looking for Kakashi and Minato Namikaze," Kagami answered, voice steady. "I need to find the captains immediately. If there's news, I'll deliver it personally."
The other ninja nodded hurriedly.
"Captain Minato's leading his forces to block off Konoha's main hall. He's confronting the clan leaders. As for Kakashi—I think he's nearby. That house just ahead."
Kagami's expression softened slightly. "Thank you."
Then, without another word, he vanished into the rain, his chakra dispersing into the storm.
Compared to Minato, who had lost control of his temper and led a direct assault on the clan assembly, Kakashi Hatake—the child captain—was eerily silent.
He stood apart from the chaos, soaked in rain and sorrow, his expression unreadable. At just seven years old, he looked fragile, mournful even. Few dared to approach him. None spoke. And yet, to Uchiha Kagami's eyes, that silence was a veil far too thin to fool him.
Kakashi Hatake. Orochimaru. Minato Namikaze. These were the three names Aizen Sōsuke had once mentioned—geniuses shaped by the Leaf's ambition and Aizen's manipulation.
Orochimaru had already matured into something monstrous. Minato had strayed, his ideals warping under pressure. But Kakashi… Kakashi still carried Aizen's hope.
If the boy truly mourned, then that sorrow was not weakness—it was calculation. Kagami knew it. The boy must know something. Something only Aizen could have entrusted to him.
Rain drenched his cloak as he followed the path the messenger ninja had described. The wooden house before him was dim, quiet, and unassuming. Just as Kagami reached for the door, a wave of killing intent struck him cold.
Even through the storm's chill, this was different. His instincts screamed danger.
From the shadows of the porch, a man appeared—silverhaired, unshaven, draped in the white haori of the 11th Division. His posture was lazy, but his gaze was sharp enough to cut through steel.
"Hey, Uchiha Kagami," he greeted casually, hands in his haori pockets. "What are you doing here?"
The man's tone was soft, almost weary. "There's nothing here for you. Just my son. Whatever you're planning, turn around and walk away."
"Your son," Kagami said quietly, "must know something, doesn't he?"
Hatake Sakumo tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Maybe. He's not panicking like the others. Probably has a plan of his own. That's the good thing about an excellent son."
He gave a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes. "So, what now? Reporting back to your masters? Sorry, but things are a mess right now. If you're smart, you'll go back to wherever you came from. Konoha's no place for an Uchiha to be wandering in this chaos."
Kagami's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe Aizen is dead."
Sakumo's halflidded gaze sharpened slightly.
"He couldn't die so easily—not like that, not on Hokage Rock. You know as well as I do, we can be resurrected. A man like him won't die from something so simple."
A bitter chuckle escaped Sakumo's lips. "Heh… you're not wrong. Who among us truly believes he's gone? A man like Aizen doesn't die—he disappears. And that's what frightens everyone more."
"Then I need to know the truth," Kagami said firmly. "I need to know what happened to him."
Sakumo's gaze drifted to the rain outside. "Then go. Search wherever you want. But don't come here."
"Minato's actions aren't a lie," Kagami pressed. "If there's anyone who knows the truth, it's your son—Hatake Kakashi."
"…Tch. Can't you be flexible for once?" Sakumo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked genuinely tired.
"You've been through a lot, Kagami. And I get it—you're one of the few Uchiha who actually cared for this village. That's rare. So don't make me kill you."
Kagami's eyes hardened. "Rekindle—"
"I told you," Sakumo interrupted softly. "You can't win like this."
A flash of white filled the alley. The silverhaired man moved faster than sight.
When the light faded, Sakumo stood a few paces away, his blade still humming faintly. He released the hilt, letting the moonlight fall upon his bloodstained sword.
Kagami looked down. His arm had been severed cleanly at the elbow, blood splattering across the stones.
Sakumo shook his head with quiet regret.
"Don't force me to cut down another comrade," he said, voice low. "It doesn't get easier."
But before he could take a step back, the severed arm twitched. Then, impossibly, it lifted from the ground—reconnecting itself seamlessly as if time itself had been rewound.
"…You might be right," Kagami said coldly, his Sharingan glowing through the rain. "I can't win. But neither can you."
Sakumo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
He watched in muted astonishment as Kagami's blood flowed backward, rejoining his body, the wound sealing perfectly.
"Aizen's influence runs deep," Sakumo murmured. "You've been tainted by him. Even your Sharingan's twisted—still chasing reincarnation, are you?"
Kagami exhaled slowly, his expression darkening. "This is your last warning, Hatake Sakumo. Move aside."
Sakumo smiled faintly, but there was sorrow in his eyes. "Angry now, are we? But tell me—when you ask a father who lost his son and finally found him again to 'lend' that son for interrogation… have you thought about what that means to him?"
"I've thought about it," Kagami replied. His voice was steady, but his eyes were cold. "But when it comes to the village's safety, I don't act on emotion. I fight for Konoha's good—and for the will of the Second Hokage. Compassion has no place in duty. You should know that better than anyone."
"…Again?"
Sakumo smiled faintly, spreading his hands. The rain continued to fall between them, a curtain of water separating two warriors bound by loyalty—and destined for conflict.
[TL: You can also check out my newly released fanfic, Bleach: Ichigo Takes Over the Soul Society – just visit my profile if you want to read it.]
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