"Damn it, little girl! Why didn't you hide properly? Itachi's found you!"
Genya frowned, watching as Itachi coldly slammed his palm down. His expression beneath the mask was even more furious.
This little girl seemed to be the granddaughter of the Elder.
Tragically, she had survived countless attempts on her life by the Root. Now, she had found hope and encountered the brotherly Itachi Uchiha, someone she respected deeply!
She was safe.
However,
What she never expected was that the older brother she had placed her hope in actually wanted to kill her.
Her tiny form stood in the courtyard, filled with blood, surrounded by corpses.
In the midst of this, she seemed so helpless, still gazing at Itachi Uchiha with longing eyes, unwavering in her resolve!
She didn't even glance at the giant hand descending quickly upon her.
Yet,
Inside Itachi's heart, there was no pity. In fact, his speed increased by a fraction.
"You shouldn't have come out, now that I've discovered you." Itachi's cold voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for the little girl to hear.
Huh?
The little figure still appeared confused, not understanding what Itachi was saying. "Brother… what are you saying? I don't understand!"
Perhaps it was because she had been spoiled by her family from a young age, and though she was already five or six years old, she still didn't understand Itachi's meaning. Sensing the wind from above, she slowly looked up!
The little girl saw the massive hand coming down fast!
She remained somewhat dazed!
Before long,
The giant hand slammed down.
Boom~~
In the blink of an eye, the hand had struck.
Dust flew into the air!
The ground trembled!
It was clear that Itachi was determined to kill this little girl. One strike from him could turn the entire courtyard into rubble, and her body would be reduced to dust.
There really isn't a single survivor left!
He didn't even want to know how much effort this family had put in to keep this little girl alive, sacrificing everyone in their family just to protect her from the ninja forces of the Root organization.
Uchiha Itachi was only focused on his mission, and on protecting his younger brother, Sasuke.
Huh?
Suddenly,
Uchiha Itachi furrowed his brows. He felt that the sensation of his palm meeting the ground was off, as if someone was holding it up, trying to lift it!
A gentle breeze blew by, and the wind mixed with the smell of blood and dust dissipated.
Revealing the scene in front.
Underneath the palm of Susanoo, a figure in black was holding up the enormous hand with both of his hands!
It seemed like it took quite a bit of effort.
"You're actually able to resist my attack just to protect a little girl?" Uchiha Itachi frowned as he looked at Genya. His expression tightened. This wasn't what he had expected.
A Konoha assassin!
To think that someone would go this far for a child. He hadn't anticipated that.
Keep in mind, this assassin in front of him was just a ruthless person, someone who would kill without hesitation.
And he had used 70% of his strength!
If that attack hadn't been blocked, the consequences would have been disastrous.
"Heh... you think everyone is as cold as you?" Uchiha Genya coughed up blood, his Sharingan activated, and he used Shinra Tensei to push back the giant hand of Susanoo.
Even though Susanoo's massive body was forced back, it staggered under the force!
Genya was now beyond furious. Uchiha Itachi was completely disregarding everyone, even those he cared for. His eyes were filled with cold murderous intent. "The one who should die is you, not the Uchiha clan!"
"No, our Uchiha clan has always been an evil clan, a curse to the ninja world. What I am doing is for the peace of the ninja world!" Uchiha Itachi shook his head. It was impossible for Genya to shake his beliefs.
For the sake of Konoha, the Uchiha clan had to be sacrificed.
An evil clan.
This was the most common phrase he heard, and the Uchihas couldn't control their desires!
If the Uchiha clan lived in a peaceful village, why would they still stage a coup?
Why would they destroy the peace they fought so hard to achieve?
"Heh, an evil clan?" Uchiha Genya sneered. He looked into Uchiha Itachi's eyes with even more disdain. "Then tell me, where is this little girl evil? Are you going to kill her?"
His words were sharp and full of weight. He wanted to see how Uchiha Itachi would explain himself.
If others said that the Uchiha clan was an evil clan, it might be understandable, but hearing it from Uchiha Itachi's mouth made Genya's heart sink.
He had once thought that Uchiha Itachi still had some sense left in him, but now it seemed he had long been brainwashed by the Third Hokage. Itachi just didn't realize it.
Genya had once thought Itachi was smarter than Shisui, but now it seemed he wasn't all that wise.
"Itachi-nii, why do you want to kill me? Are you working with the bad people?" The little girl, Hoshiko, now understood. Her big brother, whom she admired, wanted to kill her. "Itachi-nii, did I do something wrong?"
Her face was pale, but the question came out so innocently!
Hoshiko wanted an answer from Itachi. Why did Itachi-nii want to kill her? Why did the bad people kill her parents, her grandfather, and her brother? What did they do wrong?
"Our clan needs to lose our loved ones and friends to gain power? Isn't that evil enough? Only by doing so can we awaken the Sharingan!" Uchiha Itachi said with a bitter smile. After finishing, he looked at the little girl, Hoshiko.
"Even she... if I kill her now, it will end her suffering. She won't have to regret walking the path of becoming stronger!"
Of course, there was one thing Uchiha Itachi didn't say out loud.
The reason for killing the little girl was also for the mission, and for the future of the Uchiha clan.
As long as Sasuke didn't die, there was still hope for the Uchiha.
And,
In the future, under the Third Hokage's guidance, Sasuke would inherit the Will of Fire.
To carry on the Uchiha clan's legacy.
But he, burdened with the sins of the Uchiha, lives in the shadows of the ninja world.
He imagines himself as the Uchiha, someone who sacrifices himself for the sake of Konoha, not only to protect the Uchiha clan's reputation and prevent a coup but also to solve the problem without Konoha suffering any loss.
A win-win!
Huh?
Hearing Uchiha Itachi's excuses, Genya's forehead veins bulged.
What nonsense is this?
To spare the little girl from the pain of awakening the Sharingan, so he killed her?
Then?
He awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan himself—why didn't he just commit suicide instead of killing his own clan members?
What twisted logic is this?
"No, that's not evil. It's pure emotion!"
Genya silently raised his head and locked eyes with Uchiha Itachi. Despite the black flames separating them, Itachi could still feel the fury burning in Genya.
"Only those with true emotion can awaken the Sharingan, even the Mangekyō Sharingan. Because they cherish their family and friends, only when they lose them will they truly feel the pain!"
"And the Sharingan doesn't represent evil or destruction. It represents protection. You must become stronger to protect those close to you!"
Genya said each word slowly, as if every sentence was striking at Itachi's heart, causing a shift in his mindset.
But Genya wasn't done speaking. He pulled the little girl, Hoshiko, behind him and continued to speak, each word deliberate:
"This mindset, you—someone who wants to destroy the Uchiha—will never understand. Nor should you, because you're the one who deserves to die!"
As he spoke, Genya's body began to change again!
The tomoe in his eyes began to turn, spinning faster and faster, and it seemed a fifth tomoe was about to emerge!
****
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