The three immediately rushed over, staring at the body on the ground.
"Menma, who is this?" Itachi asked, narrowing his eyes.
Time to activate my Oscar-winning acting skills.
Menma raised his hands innocently and replied in a clueless tone, "No idea. Kurama sensed an intruder, so I responded. Didn't you guys notice anything?"
He turned the question back on them with perfect timing.
Jiraiya and Itachi exchanged shocked glances. Especially Jiraiya—he hadn't noticed anything.
If that white thing had launched a sneak attack…
They'd be dead before realizing it.
"I'm taking this guy," Jiraiya said, grabbing the body and disappearing out the window in a flash.
No need to ask where he was headed—Hokage Tower.
If the enemy could infiltrate that quietly, it was no small matter.
Menma stared at Jiraiya's retreating form. His lips curled upward.
Perfect timing, White Zetsu.
For Konoha to truly unite, it needed a common enemy.
Now, with this "enemy" delivered directly to the village, all internal strife would have to be shelved—at least temporarily.
Let's see the old geezers try to push internal politics now.
Itachi noticed the smile playing on Menma's lips.
He said nothing.
But he thought to himself: Menma definitely knows more than he lets on.
Still, he believed in Menma.
He's never acted with malice—not toward me, not toward the Uchiha. If anything, he's helped us again and again.
Just then, Naruto and Sasuke ran in, fresh off their latest yelling match. Both darted to their older brothers, looking anxious.
"Brother, are you okay?" they asked in perfect unison.
Naruto: …This bastard Sasuke copied me again.
Sasuke: Tch. That idiot Naruto beat me to it.
Their eyes locked—and narrowed. Again.
"I'm fine, Sasuke," Itachi replied gently, then stood and turned to Menma. "We'll get going. Thanks for the hospitality."
Before leaving, Menma called out, "Oh, and Itachi—tell your father something."
Itachi paused.
"The side effects of the Mangekyō… there are other solutions beyond the one he knows."
Itachi's eyes widened.
He nodded solemnly, then left with Izumi and Sasuke in tow.
Once they were gone, Naruto asked, "Brother, who won the fight between you and Itachi?"
Menma blinked. Ah, right. They must've heard the sound of the Rasengan hitting White Zetsu.
He put on a blank expression. "That wasn't a fight. Just a big cockroach invading our house. I caught it before it escaped and crushed it with a Rasengan."
If White Zetsu could hear this from the afterlife, he might claw his way out of the grave to complain.
Naruto nodded without a trace of doubt.
Then he looked around. "Huh? Where's Grandpa Jiraiya?"
"Out playing."
"…Playing?! He left without me again?!" Naruto grumbled angrily. Jiraiya, on his way to the Hokage office, sneezed. Who's talking about me?
"Forget him," Menma said casually. "Naruto, did you do your chakra training today?"
Naruto hesitated.
"Don't slack, Naruto. Sasuke's getting better. I heard his shuriken skills are perfect. His Three Basic Techniques too."
Naruto's expression changed on the spot.
Menma added fuel to the fire, "At this rate, Sasuke might even rank second in the next exam."
"NO WAY!" Naruto shouted. "I'm getting that second place!"
He sprinted outside to train.
Menma grinned. Good. A proper rival is the best motivation—and Sasuke is perfect for that role.
Meanwhile, on the road home…
Sasuke asked Itachi the same question. "Brother, who won between you and Menma?"
Itachi gave him a look and crouched to meet his eyes.
"Sasuke, didn't you tell me the truth earlier?" He flicked Sasuke's forehead lightly. "Menma only kicked you and Naruto because you disrupted class."
Caught.
Sasuke looked away guiltily and confessed everything that had happened.
"You…" Itachi let out a helpless chuckle. Figures. Menma played you again.
"Ahh—brother, that one hurt!" Sasuke rubbed his forehead. That flick was way stronger than usual!
Itachi stood up, ruffled Sasuke's hair with one hand and held Izumi's hand with the other. Izumi blushed slightly but the night's darkness helped cover it.
"Let's go home," Itachi said softly.
Meanwhile, back at Hokage Tower…
The Third Hokage, who had just been about to clock out for the night, almost choked on his pipe when Jiraiya appeared with a body.
"Someone snuck past your senses?!" he said, face pale.
Jiraiya nodded gravely.
The Third's expression turned serious. "Call an emergency meeting. Now."
Uchiha Clan
After escorting Izumi home, Itachi sent Sasuke to bed and walked toward his father's quarters.
"...Itachi?" Fugaku's voice came before he even knocked. He had sensed his son approaching.
Itachi entered with a solemn face.
"Forgive me, Father," he said quietly.
Fugaku frowned. "What's wrong?"
Itachi took a breath and said calmly:
"Father… I've awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
CRACK.
If Fugaku had been holding his teacup, it would've shattered.
"You… what?!"
His jaw almost hit the floor.
(End Of Chapter)
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