The Takasaki family residence—home to Kazushi Takasaki, the clan head, and his wife, Kanae Takasaki.
In the dim bedroom, the couple sat on their bed, their conversation lingering before sleep.
Kanae, standing at a graceful 1.7 meters tall, appeared striking next to Kazushi, who was a full head shorter at 1.6 meters. Despite the contrast in height, Kazushi had won her hand years ago thanks to his position as clan head.
Sitting with her back against the bedpost, Kanae glanced at Kazushi with a questioning gaze. "The conflict between the Uchiha and Shimura clans is escalating. I heard you're siding with the Shimura family again. Is that true?"
Kazushi nodded matter-of-factly. "Of course. The Shimura family has been a long-time ally. If it's a choice between them and the Uchiha, naturally, I'll support the Shimura."
Kanae frowned, her tone sharp with concern. "You're being reckless. That Wood Release user targeting the Shimura clan isn't just a rumor. Our family can't afford to be collateral damage."
Kazushi waved his hand dismissively. "You're worrying for nothing. The Wood Release user is clearly focused on the Shimura family. He wouldn't care about minor allies like us."
"Did you forget about Aburame Shiwei?" Kanae shot back, her voice rising. "He was a prominent ally of Danzo, and he was still killed. You can't dismiss that as coincidence."
"That's different," Kazushi replied confidently. "Shiwei's death was purely incidental. The Wood Release shinobi destroyed the village he was in; Shiwei was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Kanae sighed, shaking her head. "You're underestimating the threat. I think we should keep a distance from the Shimura family before it's too late."
Kazushi leaned back on the bed, clearly unconcerned. "Pulling back now would only sour our relationship. I won't risk isolating the family for something that probably won't affect us."
Before Kanae could argue further, the faint sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Moments later, the door creaked open.
Both Kazushi and Kanae tensed, their instincts flaring. However, the tension quickly melted away when they saw who it was—a small boy, no older than six, peeking into the room. It was their son, Takasaki Tsugumi.
Kanae smiled, softening. "What's wrong, Tsugumi? Can't sleep? Do you want to sleep with us tonight?"
The boy said nothing at first, his face unreadable in the dim light. Then, as Kazushi turned to speak, the child's eyes suddenly spun into the ominous shape of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Kazushi and Kanae froze, caught off guard. Before they could react, the powerful genjutsu wrapped around their minds, plunging them into an unbreakable illusion.
The boy's small form shimmered, morphing into a familiar figure—Uchiha Fugaku, still disguised as Uchiha Obito. His crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dark.
After a moment of silence, both Kazushi and Kanae raised their hands, wooden branches sprouting from their palms. Without resistance, they quietly turned their Wood Release against themselves, the lifeless corpses crumbling in their own bed.
Satisfied, Fugaku sank into the ground using the Mayfly Technique, leaving no trace of his presence.
"There's one more target left, but this one won't be easy," Fugaku muttered to himself as he tunneled silently through the earth.
His next target was Yu Iwasaki, the head of the Iwasaki clan and another staunch ally of Danzo. Compared to Hoshino Atsumi and Kazushi Takasaki, however, Iwasaki presented a unique challenge.
Iwasaki lived alone.
His wife had died many years ago, and his only daughter had perished during a mission. With no family or close associates living with him, there was no one for Fugaku to impersonate—no convenient disguise to lower Iwasaki's guard.
"I'll have to disguise myself as a member of the Iwasaki clan," Fugaku reasoned. "It's not ideal, but it's the only way to get close."
Unlike his previous targets, Iwasaki Yu was known for his wariness. A shinobi with elite jonin strength, Iwasaki trusted no one easily. Even members of his own clan were met with suspicion. Carrying out the assassination without alerting anyone would require far greater precision.
Late that night, at the Iwasaki clan compound, a man hurried toward Iwasaki Yu's residence. His face was tense, his expression anxious. The man was Iwasaki Chouji, a mid-ranking member of the Iwasaki clan.
But in truth, this was Uchiha Fugaku, flawlessly disguised.
As he approached the residence, three guards stepped out of the shadows, blocking his path. One of them, a short but sharp-eyed shinobi, recognized him immediately.
"Chouji, what are you doing here this late?" the guard asked cautiously.
"I have urgent information for the clan head," Fugaku replied, his tone carefully measured. "It's something I must report personally."
The guard narrowed his eyes, studying him. After confirming Chouji's appearance and chakra signature, he seemed to relax slightly. "If it's that important, wait here. I'll inform the head."
The guard disappeared into the compound, returning shortly after. "The head will see you. He's waiting in the study."
Fugaku nodded and walked inside. Thanks to his earlier surveillance using the Mayfly Technique, he knew exactly where the study was. Moving with calm confidence, he reached the sliding doors and knocked lightly.
"Enter," a gruff voice called from within.
Fugaku pushed the door open, stepping inside. Iwasaki Yu sat behind a large desk, wearing a plain white kimono. His lone eye—scarred from an old injury—studied Fugaku carefully.
"What's the matter, Chouji?" Iwasaki asked, his voice steady.
"Master," Fugaku said respectfully, maintaining his disguise. "I've come across troubling news. The Uchiha clan is furious about the recent events and plans to retaliate against families aligned with the Shimura clan, including ours."
Iwasaki's eye narrowed. "Where did you hear this?"
"I overheard it," Fugaku replied smoothly. "A group of Uchiha clan members were discussing it earlier. I thought it too important not to report immediately."
Iwasaki leaned back, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he nodded slowly. "You did well to bring this to me. The family will reward you for your diligence. Now, go—this is something I need to consider carefully."
Fugaku bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master. I'll take my leave."
As he turned to leave, Fugaku activated the Yamanaka Clan's perception technique through Nano, sensing something unusual. There were two identical chakra signatures within the compound—one in the study and another elsewhere.
"A shadow clone," Fugaku realized instantly, his expression remaining impassive.
The man before him was not Iwasaki Yu himself, but a shadow clone.
Leaving the compound quietly, Fugaku frowned in thought. Iwasaki is sharper than I gave him credit for. His paranoia saved him tonight. I'll need to approach this differently.
The assassination attempt had failed—for now. But Fugaku wasn't finished. Iwasaki Yu's time would come.
End of Chapter