"The ninja cats are all gone. Have they been driven out?" Itachi Uchiha murmured, his brow furrowed as he observed the area.
His clan had held a contract with the Ninja Cat clan for generations. The cats managed the Uchiha's commercial interests, and in return, the Uchiha provided them with protection. Now that he had slaughtered the clan, the cats were without their guardians. With their limited combat strength, it was only natural they couldn't hold onto these properties.
Watching the rogue ninjas occupying the shops and considering the mission details in his hand, Itachi began to piece together a theory.
Is it you, Uncle Raizen?
Itachi gazed up at the sky, the image of Raizen appearing in his mind.
He recalled their last significant conversation. Back then, Uncle Raizen asked me: "If you had to choose between the clan and the village, what would you choose?"
I answered that the village was more important than the clan.
The very next day, Uncle went to Father and secured the management rights for all Uchiha assets outside of Konoha. Then, he vanished without a word.
Every year since, aside from the cats delivering a portion of the profits to the clan, there had been no contact. Itachi had always felt that his Uncle Raizen was unfathomable. Those eyes seemed to see the future even more clearly than his father's.
As night fell, a well-rested Itachi and Jūzō Biwa moved like shadows, cornering a lone rogue ninja. Itachi's Three-Tomoe Sharingan flared, and in an instant, the rogue's eyes turned dull; he was under complete control.
"Where did the ninja cats from here go?" Itachi asked tonelessly.
"We drove those pests away," the rogue replied, his voice vacant.
"Who sent you?"
"Kudo."
"Kudo? Isn't that our target?" Jūzō noted with a hint of surprise.
"Kill the rogue ninjas, break Kudo's legs," Itachi mused. "I think I know exactly who posted this mission. Let's get to work, Jūzō. All of these men are our targets."
With a swift, clean motion, Itachi slit the rogue's throat. Jūzō didn't hesitate either. He swung the massive Kubikiribōchō, charging into the shop toward the remaining rogues.
Against two S-rank powerhouses, these rogues—who were barely even Genin-level—had no chance. They were cut down in a blur of motion. Within moments, the shop was cleared of life.
After finishing off the rogues in the first shop, Itachi looked at Jūzō. "We'll split up. Eliminate every rogue ninja occupying a shop bearing the Uchiha crest. That's what the client requested. Once finished, we'll rendezvous in front of the Daimyo's estate."
"Got it," Jūzō nodded and flickered away.
Itachi vanished in the opposite direction. One by one, the rogue outposts were dismantled. Under the weight of absolute power, the rogues died before they could even scream.
Two hours later, they met outside the gates of the Palace district.
"Kudo's estate is to the left," Itachi whispered, his Sharingan tracking the guards in the dark. "There are two Guardian Shinobi at the main gate of the Palace."
Jūzō's eyes flashed with bloodlust. "Should we take them, Itachi?"
"You go to the left and complete the mission. I'll draw the guardians' attention."
Jūzō looked concerned. "Are you sure about going alone? The Twelve Guardians aren't weak. Can you get away safely?"
"Don't worry," Itachi said with calm confidence. "Alone, they cannot catch me. I'm moving out. Wait for your opening."
Itachi flicked a kunai toward the main gate.
"Enemy attack!"
One of the guardians sensed the projectile and deflected it with his own kunai. Seeing he had their attention, Itachi flickered to the right, leading them away.
"Who goes there?" The two guardians gave chase, vanishing after Itachi's shadow.
With the path clear, Jūzō moved toward Kudo's estate. Meanwhile, a single crow flew silently over the Palace walls.
Jūzō infiltrated Kudo's manor. To his surprise, there were no rogue ninjas here—only domestic servants. Jūzō didn't waste time on defenseless civilians; his goal was to find Kudo, take his legs, and finish the job.
He slipped into the master bedroom and found his target. On the bed, a morbidly obese man was... occupied.
"Heh. Having a bit of fun, are we?" Jūzō remarked.
The man jumped, nearly having a heart attack at the sudden voice. The young woman beside him screamed in terror.
"Who—who are you?! How did you get in here?" Kudo cried, clutching a silk sheet to hide his trembling frame.
Jūzō sneered. "Someone paid thirty million for your legs. I'm just here to collect the goods." He raised the Executioner's Blade and stepped forward.
"I have money! I'll pay you double! Triple! Just let me go!"
"Too late."
The blade came down in a silver arc. Squelch! Blood sprayed across the room as both of Kudo's legs were severed with surgical precision.
"AAAAAUGH!" Kudo's agonizing scream tore through the night. The woman beside him promptly fainted from the horror.
Jūzō ignored the screaming, sealed the severed legs into a scroll for proof, and vanished.
While servants rushed toward the screams, the crow landed on a roof within the inner Palace. A man was visible through a window—the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
The crow let out a sharp caw. Suddenly, a vision of Itachi Uchiha appeared before the Daimyo's eyes.
"Wh-who are you?" the Daimyo stammered, paralyzed with fear at the intruder.
"Your brother plundered the Uchiha's properties in the capital," Itachi's voice echoed in the man's mind. His pupils shifted, revealing the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. "Who do you think I am?"
"You're... an Uchiha? But wasn't the clan...?" The Daimyo stared into those eyes. He knew them well—the legendary eyes of the Hidden Leaf's elite.
"Think carefully about how to appease the Uchiha's wrath," the phantom warned. "The next time I visit, it won't be for a pair of legs."
With that, the illusion shattered. The crow dissolved into a cloud of smoke.
The Daimyo sat trembling, drenched in cold sweat. "That fool Kudo... why did he have to provoke the Uchiha?"
"Where are my Twelve Guardians?!" he roared at the empty room. "An assassin reached my bedroom and none of you noticed?! You're all useless!"
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