C32 The Night of the Family's Destruction

A full moon hung high in the night sky, its glow piercing the tranquil darkness where even the faintest chirping of insects could be heard. The Uchiha clan's expansive territory lay on the fringes of Konoha Village. After the death of Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju took up the mantle of the Second Hokage. Tobirama, who had always harbored a deep-seated resentment towards the Uchiha, frequently sought to suppress them.

Tobirama's talents extended beyond his aptitude for developing ninjutsu; he was also skilled in the art of cunning strategy. Following Madara Uchiha's departure, Tobirama enacted a series of policies that relegated the Uchiha to head Konoha's security department. On the surface, this seemed like a significant responsibility for the Uchiha, but in reality, Tobirama was subtly ostracizing them from Konoha's political core.

As a result, the Uchiha's lands were shifted from the village's center to its outskirts. For the higher echelons of Konoha, obscuring the truth of the impending massacre was a relatively simple task. At that moment, Danzou Shimura, accompanied by his Shade operatives, was concealed in a grove just outside the Uchiha territory, keeping a watchful eye on the clan's every move.

Standing next to Danzou was Itachi Uchiha, dressed in a black robe, his gaze sweeping over the Shade members behind him. They stood devoid of emotion, each one a mere tool, their aura one of extreme indifference, as if they were actual weapons of slaughter. Itachi thought to himself, "They've even lost the essence of human emotion. Can they truly still be called human?"

He recognized that their current state was not just the result of Danzou's years of secret training but also due to Danzou's mastery of a powerful sealing technique, the Seal of Tongue Calamity. Anyone cursed by this jutsu who attempted to speak out against Danzou would become completely paralyzed, unable to talk or move. That was the terrifying nature of this seal.

Indeed, Danzou was an adversary not to be underestimated.

"Lord Danzou, I must request your guidance on this matter," Itachi said, shifting his attention away from the Shade operatives and giving a respectful nod to Danzou Shimura.

Danzou Shimura returned Itachi Uchiha's gaze with an intense stare and nodded in agreement. "Proceed. I'll take care of the rest."

"Remember, we still have your brother. If you don't want any harm to come to him, I'd advise you to steer clear of any unnecessary thoughts," Danzou Shimura said with a cold smirk.

"Yes," Itachi Uchiha replied, his expression impassive. He turned and walked away, entering the Uchiha clan's grounds without a backward glance.

His pace was measured, neither rushed nor hesitant, and yet there was a palpable sense of danger about him.

As Itachi vanished into the Uchiha territory, Danzou Shimura extended his right hand, signaling to the Root members with a decisive gesture.

Instantly, a multitude of Root ninjas, previously hidden around the Uchiha's perimeter, burst into motion, darting to their strategically planned locations.

Their hands moved swiftly, fingers tracing complex seals.

In an instant, faint ripples of Chakra began to merge from all directions, forming a complex web.

These Chakra nodes connected, creating a massive barrier that shrouded the entire Uchiha territory.

"The Uchiha clan is now entirely ensnared within the barrier."

"By tonight, the Uchiha will be erased from Konoha forever," Danzou Shimura proclaimed, a glint of expectation in his eyes.

He gloated to himself, "I'm curious to see how many Sharingan I'll harvest this time."

"Hiruzen Sarutobi worries too much about his standing in Konoha. It's no surprise he's delegated this unsavory task to me," Danzou Shimura reflected.

He laughed with a sense of superiority, "It's clear that I am the rightful candidate for Hokage. Sarutobi, once I acquire the Sharingan, the mantle of Hokage will be mine for the taking!"

But in his arrogance, he was oblivious to the subtle Chakra disturbances in the vicinity.

Tenno, standing beside Danzou Shimura with his face hidden by a mask, heard every word of his bold declarations.

Tenno thought to himself, "His words are utterly ridiculous. I must keep myself from laughing."

"Itachi Uchiha, what's with that attitude? You skipped out on tonight's gathering!"

Inside the Uchiha clan's territory, as Itachi Uchiha made his entrance, more than ten clansmen from the security detail quickly moved to intercept him.

They eyed Itachi with suspicion, their expressions unfriendly.

"Remember, even though you're part of the Assassin Force, you carry the Uchiha name. You're one of us!"

"Have you become so used to being Konoha's lackey that you've forgotten your own surname?" another taunted.

Itachi's recent actions had sown seeds of distrust within the Uchiha clan, with many considering him a traitor, regardless of his position as the son of the clan leader and the primary heir. If Itachi had kept a lower profile, they might not have intercepted him. But today, there was an air about him that they found particularly threatening.

"The Uchiha surname," Itachi whispered to himself.

In a flash, his eyes turned a vivid crimson, and the Three Magatama Sharingan began to spin rapidly within them.

"Today, I will give new meaning to the Uchiha name," Itachi announced.

The moment the words left his lips, the group of ninjas before him showed expressions of pure fear. Their eyes became empty, and they froze in place, completely immobilized.

With just a look, Itachi had captured the minds of the Uchiha ninjas with his genjutsu, demonstrating his immense power. Without even using the Mangekyo Sharingan, his Three Magatama Sharingan cast an illusion so potent that it subdued other Uchiha Sharingan users.

Itachi's kunai moved swiftly, cutting through one throat after another with precision. In no time at all, the ground was strewn with the fallen bodies of his clansmen.

And for Itachi Uchiha, this was just the beginning.