Obito Uchiha glanced at a kunai on the ground, marked with a distinct seal.
It was the signature seal of the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique.
Others might not recognize it, but Obito was intimately familiar with this ninjutsu.
He knew how difficult it was to master. In the entire Hidden Leaf, only its creator, the Second Hokage, and the Fourth Hokage had learned it.
"We'll meet again, Naruto Uzumaki."
Obito gave Chu Ran a deep look. A vortex swirled within his spiral mask.
The space around him distorted, and his figure was sucked into the vortex.
[He escaped, huh? How boring.]
Chu Ran retracted the Diamond Blockade, glancing at where Obito had vanished.
He walked toward Uchiha Izumi. With Hashirama Senju's cells, Chu Ran could easily heal her physical injuries.
But Izumi had merely fainted from suffocation. Her eye injuries, however, were beyond Chu Ran's intent to fix.
In his view, as long as Izumi survived, that was enough.
[The Leaf's Jonin and Anbu should arrive soon.]
Chu Ran stretched, sitting beside Izumi and lying back.
His consciousness retreated into Naruto's subconscious, returning control to Naruto's body.
After tonight, the optimistic, warm-hearted Naruto Uzumaki would likely be changed forever.
Chu Ran was curious about Naruto's reaction upon waking, learning Izumi was blind but alive—what expression, what emotions would he show?
Soon, the massacre's final moments arrived.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, led numerous Jonin to the Uchiha compound.
Near the security team's headquarters, they found Naruto and Izumi. Under Hiruzen's orders, they were rushed to the hospital.
"Lord Hokage, please come here."
As Hiruzen pondered why Naruto was present, a voice drew his attention. He approached.
On the ground lay a severed arm, oddly devoid of blood around it.
The arm was deathly pale, as if drained of all color.
"This is… the First Hokage's cells?"
Hiruzen's pupils trembled as he examined the arm, speaking with surprise.
He was familiar with Hashirama's chakra.
His disciple Orochimaru had researched the First Hokage's cells.
Another disciple, Tsunade Senju, Hashirama's granddaughter and a medical ninja, had theorized using the cells to create compatible prosthetics, though the idea remained untested when Tsunade left the village.
"Search the Uchiha compound immediately. Account for all casualties and survivors."
"Also, send this arm to the hospital's research unit for the medical team to analyze."
As the longest-serving Hokage, Hiruzen swiftly issued orders to the Jonin.
The massacre was a deal between the Leaf's leadership and Itachi Uchiha.
As in the original Naruto story, Itachi operated as a double agent within the Akatsuki.
But Hiruzen had no leads yet on the arm's owner.
"Things are getting complicated."
"Why are they after the Sharingan?"
Hiruzen sighed, eyeing the eyeless security team members, a heavy burden settling in his heart.
…
A day later, Naruto Uzumaki slowly opened his eyes in the Leaf Hospital.
His injuries had healed rapidly after Chu Ran took over, thanks to the Nine-Tails' chakra, Hashirama's cells, and sage chakra.
With these three potent recovery methods, Naruto felt no pain or lingering effects.
"Sis Izumi!"
The moment his eyes opened, his face darkened, frantically searching for Uchiha Izumi.
The sterile room and disinfectant smell told him he was in the hospital.
His memories stopped at being blasted away by Obito Uchiha.
Izumi, his most precious person, had her eyes ripped out before him.
That scene would likely haunt Naruto for life.
His fists clenched, gripping the hospital's white sheets tightly.
His eyes burned red, hatred and rage surging within.
Never had he felt so small, so powerless.
Facing an enemy far beyond his strength, he was like a lamb awaiting slaughter, forced to watch tragedy unfold.
He could only watch his loved one suffer.
[Power! It's because I have no power!]
[If I were strong enough, Sis Izumi wouldn't be hurt, wouldn't be dead!]
[Wait, Sis Izumi…]
In the subconscious, Chu Ran sensed Naruto's fury but didn't want him to become like Sasuke Uchiha.
Sasuke's darkness wasn't pure, a redeemable blackening born from having everything then losing it, consumed by hatred.
Chu Ran wouldn't let Naruto follow that path. He aimed for a complete blackening, a total disillusionment with the world.
Izumi's survival was thus crucial.
Prompted by Chu Ran, Naruto leapt from the bed, rushing out the door.
Each hospital room's door listed the patient's name for medical ninja records.
In Uchiha Izumi's room, her eyes were wrapped in thick bandages.
Standing before her was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Uchiha Izumi, can you recount what happened that night?"
Hiruzen looked at the blinded girl, his eyes devoid of pity.
His tone carried a cold edge.
With Itachi Uchiha as a double agent, Hiruzen knew Izumi's role within the Uchiha clan.
Like his Anbu, Izumi had been tasked with monitoring the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
And, if needed, to secretly bring Naruto to the Uchiha clan.
Undoubtedly, the girl before him was a traitor, a rebel against the Leaf.
By rights, she should be imprisoned or handed to the Anbu for disposal.