As night fell over Konoha, Uchiha Yang and his team moved into position. Their plan was precise—quick, decisive, and leaving no room for error.
Uchiha Yang and his two comrades silently eliminated the two Anbu stationed in the trees. Judging by their lack of resistance, they were likely lower-ranking Anbu, assigned to guard duty rather than combat. Meanwhile, Kakuzu infiltrated the residence, moving like a shadow toward his designated target.
With the outer guards taken care of, Uchiha Yang launched himself onto the roof, where another enemy ninja stood on lookout. The guard barely had time to react before Yang whispered, "Hikari Ton: Kōsoku Ashi"—a Light Release technique that accelerated his movements beyond normal speeds, surpassing even the standard Body Flicker (Shunshin no Jutsu). Before the enemy could counter, Yang unsheathed his katana. "Ittō-ryū: Shinsoku"—a single blade strike that sliced through both the shinobi and the roof beneath him in one devastating motion.
He dropped into the house just as Kakuzu engaged three defenders inside. The confined space limited their ability to use large-scale jutsu, making the battle a deadly exchange of close-quarters combat.
Yang spotted his true target—Koharu Utatane, one of Konoha's former elders and a key figure responsible for decisions that had harmed his clan. She had just woken up, her aged eyes widening in shock.
"Sharingan... Uchiha Yang... do you even understand what you're doing? Betraying the village will bring ruin to your family!" she barked, her voice sharp despite her frailty.
Yang didn't flinch. Instead, he stepped forward with precision. He feinted with his blade—making her think the strike was coming for her—only to pivot at the last moment and slash into the wall. Blood splattered across the wooden panels as a hidden Root operative collapsed, killed in an instant.
"You talk of loyalty," Yang muttered coldly, "but who was loyal to my sister when she was slaughtered?"
Without giving Koharu a chance to respond, he struck. "Sanzen no Mai!"—Dance of the Three Suns and the Moon. A three-pronged assault that began with a lightning-fast stab, followed by a burst of Raiton chakra that paralyzed her body. She crumpled to the ground, immobilized.
Yang methodically applied explosive tags all over her—on her arms, her torso, even her mouth. He snapped her fingers, rendering her incapable of forming hand seals. Then, with practiced efficiency, he strung her up with ninja wire, hanging her in the air like a puppet.
By then, Kakuzu had already finished off his own opponents. Together, they disposed of the corpses, severing heads to ensure no identifications could be made and rigging the entire area with more explosive tags. Outside, Uchiha En and Uchiha Retsu had wrapped up their own battles, and the final preparations were complete.
As the team moved out, the detonations shook the district. The explosion not only obliterated Koharu but also vaporized the evidence. By the time the first wave of Anbu reinforcements arrived, all they found was rubble and the remnants of a brutal, calculated execution.
Yang watched the distant glow of the fire, his mind calm.
Once they were clear of the scene, he handed Kakuzu a scroll. "Inside is information on Taki Village's Jinchūriki and the precise location of Hero Water. The deal is done. I respect your professionalism, Kakuzu. Until we meet again." He left without waiting for a reply.
Kakuzu smirked, watching him go. "Hmph... an interesting boy. Wealthy, too. If he keeps making moves like this, perhaps I should eliminate him before he becomes a liability."
---
Meanwhile, within Konoha, panic spread like wildfire.
A high-ranking official—one of the Hokage's closest advisors—was assassinated within the village itself, and no trace of the attackers remained. Ten elite guards had perished, their bodies obliterated. To make matters worse, this was the second major assassination in recent times, a direct challenge to the village's leadership.
The Hokage's office was in turmoil. Anbu, Root, and the Uchiha Police Force scrambled to determine how such an attack had been carried out so flawlessly. Some whispered it had to be an inside job. Others, especially among the Uchiha, suspected the higher-ups would try to pin the blame on their clan—again.
But Uchiha Yang and his brothers remained unfazed.
Later that night, they gathered at the Uchiha cemetery. Yang knelt before a simple grave, placing a small rattle beside it. His voice was soft, but his words were laced with resolve. "Sister… your death won't be in vain. I swear I will destroy every single one of them."
Uchiha Yan, standing nearby, spoke up. "The only loose end is Kakuzu. If anyone talks, it'll be him."
Uchiha Retsu scoffed. "That greedy mercenary? Even if he tried to betray us, no one would believe him. The higher-ups already suspect us, anyway."
Yang nodded. "Exactly. So, if they're going to blame us… we might as well give them more reasons to be afraid."
---
By the time Yang returned home, his mother was waiting for him. She glanced up from her cooking. "Take off your coat," she said casually. "I'll wash it. You stink from being out all night."
Yang hesitated for just a moment, but then obeyed, removing the bloodstained garment.
His mother touched his hair gently. "You're growing up… You're doing something great, aren't you?" Her Sharingan spun briefly before fading back into black.
Yang swallowed. She knew.
But instead of reprimanding him, she simply turned away, carrying his coat to be washed.
As she walked off, he felt something unexpected—a sense of warmth. Despite everything, he still had a home to return to.
For now.
Tomorrow, the hunt would begin again.