"That traitor is finally dead!"
As the Uchiha Flame Formation dissipated, members of the Uchiha clan stepped forward, gathering around Shisui's lifeless corpse.
Many of them wore expressions of hatred and satisfaction.
To the Uchiha, their clan's pride and honor were everything.
And Shisui's betrayal had been unforgivable.
"That bastard got off too easily!"
Among the crowd, Uchiha Setsuna, the Great Elder, spat on the ground, his voice filled with venom.
Had this been years ago, when he was younger, he would have ensured Shisui died a much crueler death.
Instead, Fugaku had ended it with a single strike—a quick and painless death.
To Setsuna, that was far too merciful.
"Hmph! This traitor deserved far worse!"
The Third Elder, Uchiha Tsukasa, agreed, his eyes filled with disgust.
As a former torture specialist, he would have made Shisui's final moments unbearable.
"Tch, disgraceful wretch!"
"To think he actually turned against his own family!"
Many Uchiha voiced their anger, cursing the once-revered prodigy.
Before today, some had doubted whether Shisui was truly a traitor.
But now, after hearing Uchiha Hoshi and Uchiha Shiro recount Shisui's words—there was no longer any doubt.
"Even with his Mangekyō Sharingan, he was no match for the clan leader."
"Fugaku-sama is truly powerful! He killed that traitor without even breaking a sweat!"
But as the clan members praised Fugaku, some began to whisper about something else—
"Did you see? Fugaku-sama used Ice Release… and the Corpse Bone Vein!"
"Yeah! How is that even possible? Those abilities don't belong to the Uchiha!"
The curiosity spread quickly.
During the battle, it had been clear to everyone—Fugaku hadn't relied solely on the Sharingan.
His use of Ice Release and the Corpse Bone Vein had stunned them all.
Hearing the murmurs, Uchiha Atsuko and a few others who already knew the truth stepped forward.
"Fugaku-sama's Mangekyō Sharingan has a unique ability—it allows him to copy other Kekkei Genkai."
"The Ice Release and Corpse Bone Vein were copied using his eye technique."
This explanation quickly spread through the ranks, satisfying most of the Uchiha.
Just as Fugaku was about to speak, his expression suddenly shifted.
Whoosh!
Without a word, he vanished, moving at an unbelievable speed in a certain direction.
"Damn! He found me!"
Hiding within the branches of a distant tree, a White Zetsu clone felt its stomach drop in fear.
It had been watching the battle, its Mayfly Technique keeping it hidden—but now, it had been discovered.
Not wasting a second, the White Zetsu clone immediately sank into the earth, attempting to escape through the underground water veins.
But—
"Mayfly Technique!"
Fugaku activated the same ability, diving underground, pursuing at an even greater speed.
The Zetsu clone barely had time to react before Fugaku caught up, his hand closing around its throat.
With a sharp jerk, he ripped it from the earth, dragging it back to the surface.
The clone struggled in his grip, but it was useless.
Fugaku's expression darkened.
"Damn it… the Akatsuki knows everything now."
During his battle with Shisui, the sheer amount of chakra he had been exerting had dulled his ability to sense other presences.
And Zetsu clones were masters of stealth.
By the time Fugaku had noticed its presence, the clone had already transmitted all the information back to Akatsuki.
"That means… Obito and Nagato already know about my true strength."
"Hypnosis!"
Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan spun, forcing the Zetsu clone into a trance.
"Tell me everything you transmitted."
Under the influence of the genjutsu, the Zetsu clone's mouth moved lifelessly.
"I saw… everything…"
As it recounted everything it had sent back, Fugaku's face grew grimmer.
There was no doubt now—he had become a target.
The Akatsuki would be watching him closely from now on.
"So be it."
Fugaku exhaled slowly, forcing himself to remain calm.
"Let them come."
By absorbing Shisui's body, he would awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
And when that happened—
Not even Nagato with his Rinnegan would be able to face him without fear.
Crack!
With a swift motion, he snapped the Zetsu clone's neck, ending its existence.
Then, he turned back toward his clan.
When Fugaku returned, the Uchiha immediately gathered around him.
"Fugaku-sama, what was that thing?!"
"It was hiding nearby? Watching us?"
Everyone's faces were filled with unease.
The fact that an unknown entity had been spying on them without their knowledge was deeply unsettling.
"That thing witnessed everything…!"
"What was it?!"
Fugaku lifted the body for all to see.
"It's the same creature we encountered before in the Land of Rivers."
A few Uchiha recognized it immediately.
"It belongs to Akatsuki."
Fugaku's voice was serious as he explained further.
"Akatsuki is an extremely dangerous and secretive organization. Its members wear black cloaks with red clouds."
"Even Orochimaru may have joined them."
The Uchiha elders and elites tensed at the mention of Orochimaru.
Even among the most powerful shinobi, Orochimaru was feared.
If he had joined this group, then the Akatsuki was even more dangerous than they had thought.
"If you encounter any members of this organization in the future," Fugaku warned, "abandon your mission and retreat immediately."
A heavy silence fell over the clan members.
Even the proud Uchiha understood—if Orochimaru was involved, they couldn't afford to be reckless.
"We need to leave now. Erase all traces."
Fugaku sealed both Shisui's and the Zetsu clone's bodies into a scroll, then gave the order to withdraw.
"Yes, sir!"
Thirty minutes later.
Having completely erased all evidence of their presence, the Uchiha split up.
Fugaku, Hoshi, and Shiro continued toward the Daimyo Prefecture, keeping up appearances.
Meanwhile, the rest, led by Setsuna and Tsukasa, quietly returned to Konoha.
None of them spoke a word.
But one thing was certain—
The battle against Shisui was only the beginning.
(End of this chapter)
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