"Green Potion… no instructions, huh? What a plain, honest name. Since it's linked to a healing reward, it's probably some kind of medicinal item."
Uchiha Inzuki steadied his mind and made his way to the rear of the group, growing more curious about this item by the second.
That's just how the system worked.
Missions were issued on a whim.
Rewards were often vague and abstract.
Inzuki gave a glance at the [Quest List], shifting his focus to the [Main Quest].
Whether it was a main or side quest, once issued, it would be imprinted into his consciousness as text.
[Main Quest: Night of the Massacre]
[Options]:
1. Eliminate the remaining Uchiha.
2. Successfully escape from the Hidden Leaf Village.
[Reward]: (Plunder) Steal another's Mangekyō Sharingan. Absorb their ocular power and inherit its ability.
They had already escaped the village.
And yet, the quest remained incomplete. That confirmed Inzuki's suspicion—the system didn't count them as having truly escaped yet.
To complete this main quest…
Inzuki estimated that either the rogue Uchiha squad needed to be entirely safe, or all pursuers needed to be eliminated, and they had to fully break away from the Land of Fire.
"Captain… Tamayo's wounds are opening again—he's bleeding badly…"
A young Uchiha called out in alarm, sweat dripping down his face as he glanced nervously over his shoulder.
Tamayo lay unconscious on his back—head, chest, limbs—all wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, looking like a mummy steeped in crimson.
His breathing was faint, eyes shut tightly, his life force visibly fading.
The rest of the Uchiha halted in place, eyes turning toward Tamayo with deep concern. The terrifying image of Danzo's powerful Wind Style technique flashed through their minds, sending a chill down their spines.
Tamayo's entire front had been flayed—no patch of skin left untouched, as if he'd been cut by a thousand blades.
Uchiha Izumi's eyes shimmered with anxiety for her comrade. She hated herself for never learning medical ninjutsu back in the village.
They all knew the truth:
No one would help them now. They wouldn't run into any medical ninja out here.
Tamayo would most likely die along the way.
Inzuki furrowed his brows slightly, gathering his focus. He reached a hand out into thin air.
The others looked on, bewildered.
Moments later, to their astonishment, two items suddenly appeared in his hand as if conjured from nowhere—like some mysterious space-time ninjutsu.
"Inzuki really is full of surprises…"
Uchiha Nanami adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and murmured under his breath.
Even Uchiha Mikoto showed surprise despite still being restrained by the Yasaka Spear.
Inzuki had pulled the items from his storage space: a small black porcelain bottle and a rations pill wrapped in yellow paper. He poured out one of each and gently placed the pills into Tamayo's mouth.
The black bottle held a medical pill capable of actively stimulating a patient's chakra.
He handed both items to the young Uchiha carrying Tamayo and instructed, "Give him one pill every hour."
The young man took the bottle. Everyone else finally breathed a small sigh of relief—though their expressions remained clouded with concern.
Inzuki's intent was clear: to restore chakra in Tamayo's body and forcibly prolong his life.
This kind of crude method had been common during the Great Shinobi Wars. When proper medical aid was unavailable, feeding a dying comrade rations pills could boost their chakra and keep them alive a bit longer.
But there was a price.
At most, it would buy a week.
If the wounded didn't receive medical ninjutsu treatment in that time, their chakra pathways—overstimulated by the medicine—would collapse completely.
And they would die.
"He won't die just yet. Keep moving. The pursuers are probably close. If you want to live, then run faster!"
Inzuki's tone remained calm as he turned and resumed leading the group forward.
He had done all he could.
Whether Tamayo lived or died… was now up to fate.
"Take a break. I'll carry him."
Nanami stepped forward, accepting the two medicinal items and gently lifting Tamayo off the exhausted young Uchiha's back.
That young man's back was soaked in blood. He quickly bowed his head, full of gratitude.
"Thank you, Captain Nanami."
Nanami reminded him, "Change your clothes and stash the bloody ones. Blood trails can leave a mark."
The Uchiha nodded, deeply thankful.
He had been one of Tamayo's subordinates. He had assumed Inzuki would abandon their captain—this was a desperate flight, after all.
But Inzuki hadn't.
That alone brought him some peace of mind.
Even Captain Nanami, who had been at odds with Tamayo, set aside his grievances.
None of them knew where exactly they were fleeing to.
But in that uncertain journey… something subtle was beginning to shift in the group's atmosphere.
---
Uchiha District Perimeter
A murder of crows circled overhead, their hoarse cries adding a grim chill to the already death-ridden air.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado walked side by side toward the Uchiha District.
ANBU agents stood watch at the street entrances.
The three elders wore solemn expressions, already contemplating how to spin the events of the night.
"Hiruzen," Koharu said quietly, "I believe the clan massacre can be attributed to the rogue Uchiha squad."
Her voice was calm, her cloudy eyes devoid of any emotion—as if she truly believed this was how things should be handled.
Homura's eyes lit up.
It was a solid idea.
Hiruzen, however, found her blame-shifting tactic eerily familiar. He merely glanced at Koharu, saying nothing.
Koharu continued without urgency, offering a full narrative:
"After the Uchiha clan was wiped out by the defectors, Uchiha Itachi tried his best to stop the massacre—but failed. He is now a hero of the Hidden Leaf. With Danzo gone, the village desperately needs someone to fill that role."
Hiruzen frowned. "And if Itachi refuses to be made a hero? Will we use Sasuke to force his hand?"
Koharu narrowed her eyes and smiled, nodding slowly.
Hiruzen's expression darkened. He flicked his sleeve and growled:
"With Itachi's personality, he would never accept becoming a hero under such circumstances—not even if we used Sasuke as leverage."
Koharu's lips curled faintly. In front of Homura, she leaned closer to Hiruzen and whispered something in his ear.
Hiruzen's brows knit tighter.
He fell into deep thought, caught in a moral dilemma, his will wavering.
---
Near Dawn – Root Headquarters
A six-man elite unit quietly slipped out of the village.
They were Danzo's most loyal subordinates.
Upon learning that Danzo had been killed by the rogue Uchiha squad, they formed a team on their own to pursue and exact revenge.
Leading them were Yamanaka Kaze and Aburame Torune.
---
Uchiha District
The bodies of civilians lay strewn across the street, blood pooling in the gutters.
Crows lined the walls, red eyes glowing, silently watching… waiting.
Until—Itachi arrived.
Whoosh—the flock suddenly burst into motion, wings flapping wildly, scattering black feathers through the air.
Itachi walked a few steps before spotting his target.
Sasuke sat slumped against a wooden wall, head hanging low.
Itachi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"My foolish little—"
Sasuke didn't move. His eyes were shut.
"Hm?"
Itachi frowned, rubbing his eyes. His vision seemed blurry—like peering through a fog.
Then it cleared.
He froze.
Sasuke… was unconscious.