I Am Uzumaki Menma

The night wind whipped Menma's robe, making it flutter noisily. Behind him, a cloak embroidered with the Nine Masked Beasts' emblem stretched out under the crimson moonlight.

Within the Genjutsu World constructed by the Red Moon Scroll, Menma was the absolute ruler of this domain.

He could freely shape the people, scenery, and even their behaviors and words within this Genjutsu World.

Though it still fell short compared to the self-sustaining Limited Tsukuyomi World or the Infinite Tsukuyomi World, this was just one of the many abilities of the Red Moon Scroll.

"That Uchiha… why did he slaughter his own clan?" Hikari crossed her arms, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Even though she had been raised and imprisoned by the Uchiha Clan as a weapon, then sealed away for centuries, leaving her heart filled with resentment toward the Uchiha Clan, she had never once considered exterminating the entire clan as an act of vengeance.

"Hmm, how should I put it?" Menma pinched his chin, pondering Itachi's motives for the massacre.

"The Yuki Clan of the Kirigakure was exterminated under accusations of rebellion, and the Kaguya Clan was suppressed and wiped out by Kirigakure for launching an uprising."

Seeing Hikari nod, Menma continued slowly, "Years ago, during the Nine-Tails Rampage, many Ninjas and civilians, including the Fourth Hokage and his wife, lost their lives, dealing a heavy blow to Konoha. At the same time, many witnessed the Sharingan pattern in the Nine-Tails' eyes."

"Because of this, those Konoha's high-ranking people and other clans distrusted the Uchiha Clan. Combined with the Uchiha Clan's arrogance and frequent clashes with villagers during law enforcement, the clan grew increasingly disliked. Moreover, the Konoha Military Police Force's authority expanded, granting them the power to seal off and investigate any building in the village, including those belonging to other clans, except for the Hokage's office."

"With the Senju Clan disbanded and their bloodline scattered among the populace, the Uchiha Clan became the largest clan in Konoha… no, in the entire Ninja World. As the saying goes, 'the nail that sticks out gets hammered down'."

"But these were just the preconditions."

"Dissatisfaction within the Uchiha Clan grew, and voices calling for rebellion grew louder. If left unchecked, this resentment would inevitably erupt into open revolt."

"So, Konoha's leadership exploited Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi's loyalty to the village, using them to relay intelligence about the Uchiha Clan's activities to the Hokage."

"When the Uchiha's rebellious sentiments reached a boiling point, one of the Hokage's Advisors, Shimura Danzo, proposed a plan to exterminate the clan… with Uchiha Itachi as the executioner. Meanwhile, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, turned a blind eye to Shimura Danzo's actions."

"Normally, Uchiha Itachi wouldn't have been capable of slaughtering the entire Uchiha Clan. After all, there were over ten elite Jonin with Three-Tomoe Sharingan in the clan, and his father, Uchiha Fugaku, the clan's head, also possessed a Mangekyo Sharingan of his own."

"But Uchiha Itachi sought help from Uchiha Obito, who was operating outside the village, and together they carried out the massacre."

"Uchiha Fugaku claimed to respect Uchiha Itachi's choice, yet he allowed hundreds of his clansmen to be slaughtered without resistance."

"And that… is the script of the Uchiha Clan Massacre."

After explaining the causes and consequences of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, Menma's white three-eyed fox mask tilted slightly as he turned his gaze toward Hikari.

Hikari also remembered Shisui, whom she had fought, and that masked man, Obito, whom Menma had played with.

"Then, what about Uchiha Shisui?" Hikari asked in confusion.

Though she had gouged out one of Shisui's eyes, he still possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan. So if he had wanted to stop the massacre, Hikari believed he could have done something.

Menma shook his head and said, "Shisui's Mangekyo's Dojutsu is Kotoamatsukami, which can alter a person's will. However, he told this Mangekyo's Dojutsu to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who in turn told Shimura Danzo. This attracted Shimura Danzo's greed, who took advantage of the opportunity to launch a surprise attack and take out one of Shisui's eyes."

"Rather than let this incident escalate into conflict between the village and his clan, Shisui chose to take his own life."

"Hmph." After hearing about the choices made by Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Hikari let out a disdainful scoff, her tone cold and proud: "Since when did the Uchiha Clan need others to acknowledge them?"

"Uchiha Shisui was unworthy of those Mangekyo. As for Uchiha Itachi..." Uchiha Hikari stared at the young Itachi slaughtering his clan in the 'theater', "He didn't even realize he was trapped in a scheme. Did he really think massacring his clan was salvation? How pathetic."

Though she was viewing the Uchiha Clan Massacre from a god's perspective, she couldn't help but despise Itachi's choices.

With the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan, he could have changed everything… yet he chose the worst possible solution.

"What about this girl?" Hikari's gaze shifted to Izumi, who had once again collapsed in a pool of blood in the 'theater'.

With Izumi's 'death', the Genjutsu World reset, looping back to the beginning of the massacre

Once again, Izumi found herself at the start of that horrific night.

"She is Uchiha Itachi's lover. She is very talented. She awakened Two-Tomoe at the age of seven and Three-Tomoe before twelve." Menma explained, watching as Izumi desperately tried to alter the tragedy again and again.

"Her Sharingan… is truly beautiful." Hikari suddenly remarked, "I want her. Will that interfere with your plans?"

Standing atop the roof, Menma spread his hands, "Do as you like."

Hikari smirked, then abruptly leaned in, pressing a fleeting kiss to his cheek.

Without waiting for the other party to react, she leapt down from the rooftop.

Bathed in the blood-red moonlight, Menma touched the spot where her lips had brushed his skin and chuckled.

"Heh, did I just get marked by a kitten?" Menma chuckled, looking at the girl below who broke into the Uchiha Clan's compound.

At this time, Izumi was defeated again by the young Itachi. When she was about to be killed, she suddenly saw a figure falling from the sky and instantly killed the young Itachi.

The moonlight cast a slender silhouette behind her, and the cold light of the unsheathed sword cut through the illusionary night sky.

"Do you want to change this fate?"

Izumi sat weakly on the ground. Looking up at the girl standing before her, with her fierce, unyielding aura, Izumi felt something like awe.

"Please…! Save them!" Bruised and battered, Izumi was on the verge of breaking.

It had been nearly a year since she had been trapped in this endless loop of the massacre. No matter what she tried, the Uchiha Clan was always annihilated. The Anbu and Root's members outside the compound ensured no survivors escaped. She couldn't even leave the compound!

Watching Itachi, whom she once admired the most, slaughter the women, children, and elders over and over again had shattered her spirit.

She couldn't understand why things had turned out this way.

Hikari stepped forward, pressing a hand to Izumi's forehead and infusing her with the Engraved Tsukuyomi's Ocular Power.

"If you want answers, upgrade your Sharingan."

As the mark appeared on the back of Izumi's hand, Hikari turned and left, her final words lingering in the air.

"Right now, you can't even bear the weight of despair."