Clang—
The Mangekyō's Yin Release chakra erupted from Kuroya, instantly invading the neural pathways of the nine shinobi. It severed the connection between their minds and their bodies, stripping them of all autonomy.
"What's happening? I can't move!"
"Those eyes... the Mangekyō!"
As they cried out from the branches, the pupils of the nine Uchiha turned a vivid crimson, branded with the lethal, blade-like pattern of Kuroya's own eyes.
This was Yachiyamato.
Absolute mental sovereignty.
As long as my own Yin Release chakra is stronger than the target's, I can brand them and complete the mental takeover. I can even control their own chakra. A simple, brutal ability, Kuroya mused, his expression placid.
Against a shinobi, it's a 'one-shot' kill upon first sight. For an ordinary person, there is simply no hope of resistance.
He had easily secured permanent mental control over the nine, at the cost of roughly ten percent of his brain's Yin chakra. His eyes felt a faint, pulsating ache, a heaviness behind the sockets.
The nine stood frozen on the branches, a chill creeping up their spines. They hadn't even made a move. In a single instant, they had all been subjugated.
Was this the power of Kuroya's Mangekyō? It was beyond comprehension—mysterious and terrifying.
"I know some of you are confused, some are furious, and some are desperate to kill me where I stand," Kuroya said, his voice flat. "But you are about to see exactly why things have come to this."
Without further explanation, he used Yachiyamato to command the nine, forcing them to Body Flicker alongside him toward the very edge of the village. During the transit, he split off a Shadow Clone, sending it back toward the clan territory to lie in wait for an opportunity.
At the end of the forest path lay the boundary of Konohagakure—a high cliff with an expansive view. From this vantage point, one could look down upon every street and alleyway of the Uchiha compound.
"Don't blink," Kuroya commanded.
He lined the nine up behind him, facing the village. He plunged his shinobi blade into the earth and sat on the edge of the precipice.
The nine couldn't fathom his intent. Izumi and Nanfu were still reeling—did Kuroya slaughter his kin just to awaken those eyes? At this moment, could there possibly be anything more important than the horrific massacre he had just committed at the prison?
Nanfu swallowed hard, testing the waters. "Kuroya... even with the Mangekyō, do you think Fugaku... and Itachi... will let you get away with this?"
"Itachi and Fugaku?" Kuroya shook his head, offering no further reply.
Uchiha Clan Territory: Main Entrance
The masked man looked toward the peaks to the east of Konoha. His sharp gaze pierced through the single hole in his mask. "A few rats have escaped," he noted indifferently. "Our plan was known to another Uchiha ahead of time."
"Only the Konoha high-ranking officials knew the plan," Itachi replied, his face a mask of cold stone. "Perhaps a few minor players with sharp instincts. I will deal with them after the extermination."
Itachi drew his blade. From this moment on—for peace, for the village—he was willing to descend into hell and surrender his soul to the devil.
"Begin," the masked man said softly.
His form vanished like a ghost into the Uchiha streets. According to their pact, his target was the Police Force Headquarters. That was where the greatest concentration of Sharingan could be found.
Whoosh—
An autumn breeze swept through the streets, rattling the uchiwa-crested banners of the shops. Tonight, the Uchiha compound was unnervingly silent.
Creak—
A shop door opened, and a young, polite Uchiha boy stepped out. His eyes lit up when he saw Itachi. To the youth of the clan, Itachi was the ultimate genius, the idol of an entire generation.
"Itachi-niisan! It's you. Are you on a mission this late? Why don't you come in for some sweets? My mom bought some fresh from the market this morning!"
"Even if the mission is important, taking a few minutes to rest shouldn't hurt, right?" the boy said excitedly, reaching out to take Itachi's hand.
"I'm sorry..."
Itachi pulled his ANBU mask from his waist and slipped it over his face. The polished steel of his blade reflected the final expressions of the family of three: a welcoming smile that dissolved into stunned, hollow confusion.
"AAAAAAAAAAUGH!!"
A piercing scream shattered the silence of the Uchiha district.
A splash of crimson stained the paper windows of the shop. The lights inside flickered and swayed, then all went silent.
Uchiha Itachi stepped back out the door, removing the mask now splattered with warm blood. He gripped his sword and sprinted toward the next house.
Flap, flap—
In that moment, countless crows took to the sky, circling overhead. It was as if they smelled death—or perhaps they had been waiting all along. They perched upon the walls of the streets, watching the Uchiha district die.
The Mountain Peak
The nine Police Force members were jolted by the distant screams. They snapped their heads toward the clan territory.
They saw a dark silhouette flickering between the houses. With every entry and exit, a fresh wail of despair echoed from the compound. They realized instantly that the clan was under attack. Someone was slaughtering the Uchiha en masse.
"Kuroya! You have accomplices!" Nanfu's face turned ashen, his voice turning shrill with hysteria.
Izumi's beautiful eyes trembled. She refused to believe what she was seeing. The silhouette cutting through the civilians... it was a back she knew all too well.
"No. That is not my accomplice," Kuroya said tonelessly. "The person currently butchering the Uchiha civilians is the man you just mentioned: Uchiha Itachi."
The words hit them like a thunderbolt. Their pupils contracted in pure horror.
Nanfu gasped, "How could it be him?! No! That's impossible!"
"Why is it impossible?" Tamao snarled, his eyes burning with rage. "That Uchiha Itachi has been arrogant and secretive lately. You can tell just by looking at him that he's up to no good! If Captain Kuroya says it's him, then it's him!"
"It... it is Itachi," Izumi choked out. Tears streamed down her face as she stood frozen, petrified.
Even from this distance, she recognized the Body Flicker technique—the precise, fluid footwork was unmistakably Itachi's.
The other officers were beyond stunned. If they thought Kuroya's actions at the dungeon were horrifying, the sight of their "shining hope," Uchiha Itachi, turning his blade on his own people was a nightmare beyond reckoning.
"Why would Itachi do this?"
"Genjutsu! It has to be a genjutsu!"
"My family... my family lives in that sector... Why is he... why..." Some of the officers collapsed, sobbing and muttering to themselves.
In that moment, lines of text appeared in Kuroya's mind.
[Main Mission: Night of the Massacre][Options:]
Finish off the remaining Uchiha.Successfully escape Konohagakure.
[Reward: (Plunder) Capture another's Mangekyō to absorb its ocular power and gain its specific ability.]
Kuroya's expression turned solemn as he analyzed the mission.
At this stage, killing the rest of the Uchiha—the civilians and ordinary shinobi—would be easy. But Fugaku, Itachi, and "Obito" possessed two-and-a-half pairs of Mangekyō between them. They were not opponents he could handle right now.
He could only choose the second option: Successfully escape Konohagakure.
Kuroya glanced at the edge of the village barrier in the forest behind them. Simply crossing the barrier wouldn't count as a "successful escape." He would need to evade the subsequent pursuit from both Konoha and Itachi's group.
As for the reward... it was a clear invitation to hunt down Itachi and the others for their eyes later on.
"Captain... Kuroya..." Izumi spoke up, her voice hollow.
Kuroya turned his head slightly to show he was listening.
"Why did you do it?" she asked, her voice trembling. "And why is Itachi doing it?"