During the Nine-Tails attack, Uchiha Izumi was only five years old.
That night, she awakened her Sharingan after witnessing her father’s death, three years earlier than Itachi had. This early awakening was extremely rare in the history of the Uchiha clan.
Now, at twelve, Izumi’s Sharingan had evolved to the three-tomoe stage. She had also successfully transplanted Hashirama’s cells and mastered the power of the Greyle Stone.
The only regret was that she hadn’t awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan like Itachi.
The scouting mission they were on was only for the elite of the clan. Naturally, Izumi, who was often lacking in confidence, worried about being a burden to Itachi.
While she was feeling anxious and uncertain, a familiar voice called out from nearby.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Izumi.”
It was Itachi.
“No, I just got here myself,” Izumi replied with a sweet smile, feeling a surge of happiness and a reduction in her earlier anxiety and tension upon seeing Itachi.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
With those words, the two of them disappeared from their spot, using the Body Flicker Technique.
One day later.
Morigakure.
This small ninja village in the northern part of the shinobi world had been terrified when the Uchiha clan passed through during their raid on the Mountain Graveyard.
Now, knowing that the Uchiha clan was deep in the forest and had declared war on the entire shinobi world, Morigakure was once again gripped by fear.
When the armies of the shinobi world arrive, this place could become a battlefield. If that happens, Morigakure will be doomed.
Thus, under the village chief’s orders, everyone hurriedly packed up, preparing to flee.
However, fate had other plans.
Trouble found its way to Morigakure despite their attempts to avoid the conflict.
“Who are you people?” the village chief asked nervously, eyeing the unexpected visitors.
There were seventeen of them, all wearing gray armor and various animal masks.
A man wearing a tiger mask stepped forward, speaking coldly, “We are Konoha ANBU, here on a mission from the Fifth Hokage. The Uchiha clan are not only traitors to Konoha but enemies of the entire shinobi world. Does your village have any connection with them?”
The village chief’s face turned pale, and he quickly waved his hands, saying, “I don’t know the Uchiha clan. Morigakure has nothing to do with them.”
“Hmph.”
The ANBU squad leader, codenamed Tiger, sneered. “No need to explain, just prove it.”
“How do we prove it?” the village chief asked, his heart sinking.
Tiger’s eyes glinted as he revealed his intentions. “It’s simple. You’ve lived here long enough to know this forest well. Send your ninjas and villagers into the forest to gather information on the Uchiha clan for us.”
This was Konoha ANBU’s plan.
Using the villagers as scouts would reduce their own risks.
The village chief wasn’t a fool. He immediately realized Konoha wanted to use his people as cannon fodder and refused outright.
“No, that’s too dangerous!”
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a flash of cold steel. The village chief found a ninja blade at his throat, ready to cut him down.
“Do you think you have a choice? Don’t test our patience,” Tiger said, his voice icy.
“I understand, sir,” the village chief replied bitterly, swallowing hard.
At that moment, a voice came from the forest.
“Konoha ANBU’s methods are as unpleasant as ever.”
Who?
Seventeen ANBU turned their attention to the direction of the voice.
Itachi and Izumi emerged from behind a tree.
Itachi’s expression was calm as he looked at the ANBU, feeling no particular emotion.
Izumi, on the other hand, was much more nervous. She hadn’t expected such a situation but tried her best to remain composed.
“Uchiha members,” Tiger muttered, giving a hand signal.
In an instant, seventeen ANBU surrounded Itachi and Izumi, cutting off any escape routes.
“Captain, that’s Uchiha Itachi. Be careful, he’s awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. His abilities are unknown,” one ANBU warned.
Despite surrounding them, the presence of the Mangekyo Sharingan kept the ANBU from attacking immediately.
There was a brief standoff.
Itachi remained calm, his gaze sweeping over the ANBU before landing on the village chief.
The chief, seizing the opportunity, retreated to the village and urged the villagers to flee.
The ANBU, having captured Uchiha Itachi, didn’t care about the village anymore.
After a few seconds of silence, a sensing-type ANBU reported, “Captain, it’s just Itachi and that woman. No other Uchiha nearby.”
“Attack!”
Tiger ordered without hesitation.
Kunai, shuriken, and various jutsu flew towards Itachi and Izumi from all directions, engulfing them in an instant.
Explosions rang out, accompanied by fire and smoke.
Even a Kage-level ninja would have a hard time surviving such an assault.
However, the ANBU didn’t celebrate prematurely, knowing that the Mangekyo Sharingan wasn’t so easily defeated.
Indeed.
A massive orange-red half-body giant emerged from the flames and smoke, shielding Itachi and Izumi from the attacks.
Divine Power: Susanoo.
In Itachi’s control, Susanoo raised its hands, forming a string of massive magatama beads between its palms, emitting a terrifying energy.
Then.
The magatama beads shot out like shuriken from Susanoo’s palms in all directions.
Yasaka Magatama.
This Jutsu, used in Susanoo’s second form, had immense destructive power.
Explosions followed, and several ANBU were caught and crushed by the magatama beads, screaming in agony.
In just one exchange, the ANBU squad lost a third of its members.
“What terrifying power…”
The remaining ANBU retreated in fear, faces pale beneath their masks.
“Konoha ANBU’s strength has really declined, hasn’t it?” Itachi remarked, his tone tinged with disappointment.
Indeed, the ANBU had undergone several changes in the past year, losing many of the elite members trained during the Third Hokage’s time. The current ANBU were forcibly recruited from Konoha’s various ninja clans by Danzo, resulting in a mixed bag of abilities.
Furious at Itachi’s taunt, the remaining ANBU exchanged glances, ready to fight to the death.
All the shinobi villages had extensively studied ways to counter the Uchiha clan, devising numerous strategies.
Konoha’s ANBU had specifically prepared for Mangekyo Sharingan and Susanoo.
A nearly two-meter-tall, heavily built man stepped forward, pulling out a transparent box containing three colored pills.
He was from the Akimichi clan, and the pills were a clan secret, capable of greatly enhancing the user’s power.
Similar to the Eight Gates technique.
Without hesitation, he swallowed the first green pill, the Spinach Pill.
This pill temporarily increased his strength to over three times its limit, though it caused severe muscle pain and potentially permanent damage.
“Ha!”
After taking the pill, the Akimichi ANBU roared, his body swelling rapidly.
Super Multi-Size Technique.
In seconds, he grew into a ten-meter-tall giant, towering over Itachi’s Susanoo.
Next.
His body expanded further, his head and limbs retracting into his body, transforming him into a massive ball that rolled towards Susanoo with a thunderous rumble.
Human Boulder.
This attack, the pinnacle of Yang Release, was the ultimate expression of physical power.
Itachi’s eyes narrowed. He knew Susanoo’s mobility couldn’t evade the incoming Human Boulder.
He had to take it head-on.
So.
Clap!
Susanoo’s orange-red skeletal hands clamped down on the Human Boulder.
But Itachi underestimated Akimichi’s strength. He was soon overpowered and pushed back over a hundred meters.
Crack. Crack.
Susanoo crashed through trees and finally smashed into a distant mountainside with a thunderous roar.
“Itachi, are you okay?” Izumi asked, seeing Itachi’s pale face. She quickly formed hand seals and pressed her palm to the ground.
Using her chakra as a life force, she awakened the dormant seeds deep in the earth.
Boom.
The ground shook, and several massive trees sprouted, spiraling upward to entangle the Akimichi ANBU.
Just in time, Izumi sighed in relief, only to hear Itachi shout, “Izumi, watch out!”
He pushed Izumi out of Susanoo’s protection.
The next moment.
Countless insects burst from the ground beneath Itachi, swarming up his legs and gnawing at his flesh.
They were the Parasitic Destruction Insects of the Aburame clan.
Susanoo’s biggest weakness in its second form was beneath the user’s feet.
While formidable, the Human Boulder had been a diversion. The real threat was the insects silently burrowing underground.
Itachi grunted, flames erupting from his legs as he used Fire Release on himself.
The insects were roasted, falling off in crispy pieces.
However, Itachi’s legs were now badly burned, causing him to collapse to one knee in pain.
This isn’t good.
Seeing the dire situation, Izumi formed seals again. The Greyle Stone embedded in her chest glowed brightly.
“What is that?”
The remaining ANBU watched in surprise as Izumi transformed into a humanoid bat, with large, membranous wings and sharp, beast-like teeth. She now had pointed ears and a long tail extending behind her.
In her beast form, Izumi gained exceptional agility and flight capability, allowing her to maneuver swiftly through the air.
She immediately spewed out a thick, dense smoke from her mouth, enveloping the entire area and obscuring the ANBU’s vision.
“Be careful of her attacks!” the ANBU members warned each other, relying on their sensory abilities and the Byakugan to locate Izumi within the smoke.
However, Izumi’s speed and unpredictability made it difficult for them to pinpoint her exact location. She darted through the smoke, launching air blades from her wings at the ANBU.
“Argh!” Several screams pierced the air as a few ANBU members fell, caught off guard by Izumi’s surprise attacks.
After understanding her pattern, the ANBU began their counterattack.
“I’ve got you!” A Hyuga clan member with the Byakugan saw through Izumi’s moves and unleashed a powerful chakra wave, hitting her wings and causing her to crash to the ground.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough! Another ANBU expelled a massive gust of wind, blowing away the smoke and revealing Izumi’s position.
A shadow silently extended along the ground, connecting with Izumi’s shadow.
Shadow Imitation Technique of the Nara clan.
“Dammit,” Izumi muttered, struggling but finding herself unable to move.
An ANBU, brandishing a sharp blade, charged at Izumi to deliver the final blow.
Just then.
Boom! Susanoo intervened, swatting the ANBU away and saving Izumi.
“Itachi, be careful behind you!” Izumi shouted, her voice filled with alarm.
The Akimichi ANBU had broken free from the tree bindings and swallowed the third red pill, the Chili Pill.
This pill increased the user’s power by a hundredfold at the cost of their life.
The Akimichi ninja, now a thin, frail figure, channeled immense chakra that manifested as a pair of massive, ornate blue wings.
This transformation represented the Akimichi clan’s ultimate form, the butterfly.
“Butterfly Bomb Punch!”
With a deafening roar, the Akimichi ninja unleashed all his strength into a single punch, striking Susanoo.
Crack.
Susanoo shattered like porcelain, its seemingly invincible defense broken by the Akimichi’s sacrificial attack.
“Ugh!” Itachi spat blood, staggering from the impact. He glanced at Izumi and shouted, “Run!”
No one noticed the subtle activation of Itachi’s Mangekyo Sharingan as his and Izumi’s eyes met.
Izumi, dazed, watched in horror as the Akimichi ANBU’s punch pierced through Itachi’s chest, killing him instantly.
“No!”
Izumi’s scream echoed through the forest as memories of her time with Itachi flashed before her eyes.
She recalled the first time she met Itachi, her admiration for his contemplative nature, and how he saved her during the Nine-Tails attack. She also remembered their school days, their shared moments, and her confession of love to him.
Their journey together had strengthened their bond beyond ordinary romance. They had become integral parts of each other’s lives.
Seeing Itachi’s lifeless body before her, Izumi was consumed by despair, anger, and pain.
“Ahhh!” She clutched her head, screaming, as her Sharingan underwent a dramatic transformation.
The true power of the Uchiha awakened within her.
Become a Patron read up to 45 chapter ahead public release ^_^
Please join Discord Server so we can talk ^_^
