Naruto: Unhinged Uchiha

[Read up to Chapter - 96 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]

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Back in Konoha Village, Araki felt a pang of nervousness.

If anyone discovered he was the one who had killed Sarutobi Shinnosuke, there would be no escaping death.

"The traitor has returned," Shin sneered upon hearing of Araki's arrival.

But he knew full well—the patriarch never intended to let this traitor walk free.

Araki's return meant only one thing: success.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke, a Jōnin, would have had a hard time surviving against Uchiha Araki, an Elite Jōnin.

Keeping a low profile, Araki slipped back into the Uchiha compound and went straight to Kanzou's house.

"You're back. That was quick," Kanzou said calmly as he raised his head from the scroll he was reading while sitting in the yard and turned to look at the man.

Thud!

Araki dropped to his knees before Kanzou.

"Patriarch, I admit I was wrong before. Here is the head of Sarutobi Shinnosuke. I beg you, please forgive me just this once—I have completed the mission you entrusted me with… please, I beg you!"

He unsealed a scroll and presented the severed head.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke's lifeless eyes were wide open in frozen shock.

"Forgive you?"

Kanzou sneered. "Do you really think that's possible?"

He gave a cold smile. "Go home and take a look. I've prepared a special gift for you."

Araki's face turned pale at those words. Without daring to plead further, he immediately used the Body Flicker Technique and rushed back home.

The moment he arrived, the stench of blood hit his nose. He stumbled inside—and collapsed to his knees.

Blood stained the floor, and lying before him were the corpses of his loved ones…. His wife… his son…

Not far away, a brown haired Kunoichi sat on the steps, casually cleaning the blood from the short blade that was used for murder.

"Hazuki... was it you?" Araki asked, grief-stricken and furious, his Three Tomoe Sharingan spinning as he stared at him.

"Araki-sama," Hazuki said politely yet coldly, "the worst mistake you made was betraying Kanzou-sama. Kanzou-sama does not tolerate traitors. And your family has paid the price for your mistakes…"

Araki's Three Tomoe Sharingan locked onto Hazuki, his rage boiling over.

"Hazuki, you bitch… I'll kill you!" With a furious roar, Araki drew his sword and charged.

"Still useless without awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan,"

Kanzou muttered indifferently from atop a nearby rooftop, observing the scene below.

Even after witnessing the brutal death of his loved ones, Araki still hadn't awakened his Mangekyō. Kanzou didn't believe it was due to a lack of emotion—his outburst made it clear he cared.

No, it was simply because Araki lacked the potential to evolve. After all, he was already in his forties… at this point, he couldn't awaken the Mangekyō since he hadn't done so up until now.

"Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear!"

A streak of piercing thunder crackled to life, extending like a lightning-forged sword.

It shot through Araki's body, paralyzing him with searing energy.

Mid-fight, Araki collapsed to the ground, incapacitated.

"Patriarch" Hazuki turned toward Kanzou, bowing with respect, though a shiver ran down her spine.

Kanzou was truly unfathomable. If Kanzou hadn't made a move, Hazuki wouldn't have noticed that he was there at all.

And if Kanzou's target had been her instead of Araki, she likely would've ended up the same way.

For the Uchiha clan, having a powerful patriarch was a blessing.

"You… you promised me a chance to atone… Why?" Araki asked in agony, his voice trembling.

Kanzou looked down at him with a mocking smile.

"You actually believed that? From the beginning, I never intended to let a traitor like you live. If I let you go, how would I intimidate others who harbour disloyal thoughts?"

Kanzou was making an example of Araki — a warning to the rest of the clan about the price of betrayal.

"The strike just now wasn't fatal. You still have one last bit of value left to exploit."

Kanzou had deliberately avoided Araki's vital points. If he had aimed to kill, Araki would already be dead.

As Kanzou stared into Araki's eyes, his Sharingan morphed into the Mangekyō.

In an instant, Araki's will was consumed—entranced by Kanzou's powerful genjutsu.

"Deliver Sarutobi Shinnosuke's severed head to Sarutobi Hiruzen," Kanzou ordered Araki.

Still under the influence of hypnosis, Araki struggled to his feet, hastily tended to his wounds, grabbed the severed head Kanzou tossed him, and turned to leave the Uchiha compound.

"Patriarch… uh… wouldn't that mean provoking the Hokage directly?" asked Hazuki in shock, stunned by Kanzou's boldness.

"Exactly. I want to provoke Sarutobi Hiruzen."

[Ding, crushed Uchiha Araki's heart — reward: +30,000 Evil Points]

As the system notification echoed in his mind, Kanzou smirked—he had gotten exactly what he wanted.

Having a Uchiha kill Hiruzen's son and then personally deliver the severed head... it was psychological warfare at its most brutal.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's reaction would likely be worse than swallowing poison.

"Remember this," Kanzou said coldly to the still-confused Hazuki, "from this point on, we are enemies of Sarutobi Hiruzen."

Hazuki didn't fully understand why Kanzou was so determined to provoke Hiruzen, but Kanzou knew all too well—he and Hiruzen were destined to be enemies.

Hiruzen already viewed the Uchiha clan as a threat.

Even if Kanzou didn't push things this far, Hiruzen would eventually make a move against them.

"Come, accompany me to the Hokage building. Let's enjoy the show," Kanzou said as he began walking toward the Hokage's office.

Hazuki hurried after him, a smile on her face.

She couldn't help but wonder if a war between the Hokage faction and the Uchiha clan was about to begin.

"Patriarch, should I go for Souta-san and Shin-san and tell them to gather all the ninjas of the Uchiha clan to go with us?" she asked cautiously.

"What for?" Kanzou replied. "Are you worried Sarutobi Hiruzen will lose his mind and attack us in a fit of rage?"

Hazuki couldn't help but nod, "Wouldn't he? After all, that's his son…"

In Hazuki's opinion, if someone were to bring her her son's head, she'd go crazy and attack the person like a rabid mad dog… Fortunately, though, she isn't an adult yet, let alone being married, so the chances of something like that happening were zero… but still…

Sarutobi Hiruzen, no matter how annoying and hateful, shouldn't be any different.

Therefore, she believed that he should gather up the members of the Police Force, just in case.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen is no match for me," Kanzou said calmly. "And for the sake of the village, he won't make a move. Besides, I'm not the one who killed his son—so what reason would he have to attack me?"

The murderer was Uchiha Araki.

Kanzou had nothing to do with it—on the surface, at least.

In fact, he even planned to help Sarutobi Hiruzen bring the real culprit to justice.

Hiruzen ought to thank him for that.

The frustration of a father who can't avenge his son's death, kukuku!

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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!

[Read up to Chapter - 96 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]