Chapter 400: The Elder Daughter
Fugaku's first reaction was absurdity—what was that Naruto brat doing? Late at night instead of accompanying Satsuki, running here to play role-playing, deliberately dressing as that organization leader?
"What are you doing?" Fugaku's voice carried obvious displeasure. "This kind of joke isn't funny at all. Instead of staying with Satsuki, you—"
His words abruptly stopped.
Because he saw Satsuki walk out from behind Naruto. The two had clearly come here together using Flying Thunder God jutsu—this late, dressed like this to disturb them, exactly for what? Just as Fugaku frowned wanting to question, his gaze suddenly fixed on his daughter's face.
Precisely, fixed on that faint crimson at her eye corners, not yet completely faded.
Traces of crying.
"Naruto!" Fugaku's voice completely turned cold. "What exactly did you do?! You just promised me today—that you'd treat Satsuki well!"
"Sorry! Father-in-law! Also—"
"Husband, calm down." Mikoto's voice timely sounded. She gently pressed Fugaku's tensed arm. "That boy Naruto doing this must have his reasons. I believe him."
Her tone indeed overflowed with trust in Naruto, yet in her eyes' depths, clear confusion and inquiry floated equally. She looked toward Naruto, awaiting an explanation.
"Mm... thank you, Mother-in-law..."
"No need to be so formal," Mikoto smiled slightly. "You can call me Mom too. However, what exactly are you doing? Why... dress like this?"
"...I'll explain everything clearly." Naruto's gaze swept across Fugaku and Mikoto. "After you see, you'll understand. Additionally—regarding my identity, afterward besides Mom... please absolutely don't mention it to anyone."
He reached into his robe, retrieving a fox mask to wear on his face.
The instant the mask covered his features, Fugaku's eyelid twitched hard.
This was no longer just "similar."
Posture, aura, even that precipitated-in-shadow quiet feeling—practically identical to "Menma." Moreover, they both used Flying Thunder God jutsu.
Could it be... no, that's impossible.
Before he could think further, Naruto had already raised his hand to rest on his and Mikoto's shoulders. Satsuki tacitly lightly pressed her hand on Naruto's back.
Flying Thunder God jutsu, activated.
---
Being taken "out" late at night by one's son-in-law using Flying Thunder God jutsu—this kind of experience, even combining all fifty Japanese syllables, truly exceeded common sense.
When Fugaku reopened his eyes, the scene entering his vision was one he'd never imagined.
An underground city buried deep.
Towering stone walls extended upward, disappearing into the black dome shrouding everything. Yet within this enormous underground space, lamplight illuminated bright as day.
Crisscrossing stone corridors and passages threaded everywhere like blood vessels, connecting countless rooms and platforms embedded in rock walls. Sparse yet orderly figures moved between various passages. Each person wore different standardized masks, silently and efficiently heading toward their proper destinations.
Fugaku froze in place, witnessing such eerie yet magnificent scenery for the first time.
"Please wear these first." Naruto—or rather "Menma"—passed over several plainly standardized masks, delivering them to Fugaku, Mikoto, and Satsuki respectively. "Otherwise you might be recognized. If anyone approaches later, please don't call my name."
Fugaku instinctively accepted the mask and donned it. As the cold touch pressed against skin, a familiar yet strange aura also rushed forward, permeating every inch of air in this underground city.
That was Sharingan's ocular power fluctuation.
Though thin and mixed, absolutely impossible to mistake.
Memories from that night ten years ago violently stabbed into his mind—Uchiha Itachi swinging down the slaughter blade, wanting to completely massacre the Uchiha clan except Satsuki. That organization that suddenly intervened, stopping the massacre. Those Uchiha civilians and non-hawk faction shinobi who were taken away...
Adding Naruto's current behavior, this underground city's sense of existence...
An answer gradually surfaced in Fugaku's heart. Yet because it was too horrifying, too incredible, he instinctively resisted believing.
"Naruto... exactly what is this?!" Mikoto finally couldn't help softly asking. She obviously also sensed something, just that answer was truly too bizarre, making her dare not confirm.
The "Menma" wearing the fox mask turned around, looking at them.
"...I've already confessed everything to Satsuki. I am Menma. This place—is the Ember organization's base."
---
"Good evening, Menma-sama!"
At a passage corner, a shinobi wearing a bird-shaped mask stopped, respectfully bowing in greeting.
"Mm."
Menma only lightly nodded, footsteps not stopping.
"Kakuzu-sama has already sent samples of the merchant association's newest products to your office. If you have time, please review them."
"I understand."
Menma led the three people behind him continuing forward, traversing intricate stone corridors. Organization members encountered along the way all stopped and lowered their heads, postures revealing deep awe amid respect.
Though each person inevitably cast curious glances at the three unfamiliar faces wearing ordinary masks behind Menma, not one person vocally inquired. Not even letting their gazes linger one second longer.
Until another greeting shinobi bowed and departed, Fugaku finally couldn't help lowering his voice to speak.
"Naru... no, I... you... you're really not joking? You're really Menma?"
"Mm." Menma's voice revealed apology. "Very sorry... concealing this from you so many years."
"But! When Menma first appeared, how old were you?!" Fugaku's tone mixed disbelief with some absurd feeling.
Menma fell silent for an instant.
"...Regarding back then, at that time... I only wanted to retrieve the Byakugan stolen by Cloud Village. Just... because I obtained power inappropriate for my age, I indeed did some... foolish things."
Not even four years old yet possessing strength surpassing Kage level?! The so-called "foolish things" were blasting a crater outside Konoha about as large as the village itself?!
Fugaku inwardly drew a sharp breath.
"I absolutely... will never do that kind of thing again." Menma softly supplemented. "I know these past actions perhaps aren't so easily forgiven..."
"If what you're saying is all true," Fugaku painfully interrupted him, "let's not discuss forgiveness first... why exactly did you bring us here?"
He actually held no hatred toward Menma, even felt grateful.
If this organization hadn't intervened back then, the Uchiha clan would have already completely perished. He and Mikoto would have also died long ago at their elder daughter's hands.
"Back then, Uchiha Itachi was taken away by me. To this day... still imprisoned here."
He turned around. Behind the mask, his gaze fell on Mikoto.
"I want Itachi to personally speak everything... let Satsuki know all truths. Aunt Mikoto, you've also always... been concerned about her, right? Though she once did such things to you..."
Mikoto's breathing slightly caught.
Her complexion appeared somewhat pale in the lighting. These years, she'd countless times thought about how to learn her elder daughter's whereabouts, yet never anticipated the truth would unfold this way.
This was her heart's forever unhealed wound. Yet that child harmed far more than just her alone... At this moment, she actually didn't know how to face this flesh and blood flowing with her own lineage who'd once sought to claim her life.
Menma said no more, turning toward the prison area entrance's guard, silently accepting a string of keys.
He ultimately stopped before a heavy iron door, yet didn't directly use keys to open it. Instead he raised his hand, knocking three times on the door panel.
"Who is it?"
But what transmitted from within was actually a male voice.
"It's me. I have business with Uchiha Yuu."
"Leader?!"
The voice inside clearly panicked for an instant, then hurried footsteps transmitted.
"Please, please wait a moment!"
After a while, the door lock rotated from inside. The iron door was slowly pulled open.
Standing behind the door was a black-haired, slightly curled, clear-featured young man. He had an obvious dango nose. A pair of eyes calm even in dim lighting, yet slightly widened the instant they saw Menma.
And almost simultaneously, though considerably more mature than memory, Fugaku immediately recognized the person before him.
"You're... Uchiha Shisui?!"
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