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In Konoha Village, the Uchiha clan was in turmoil.
Under Uchiha Haru's leadership, the clan had already reached the border of the Land of Fire, nearing the Land of Whirlpools.
It was noon, the sun blazing down fiercely, making further travel unwise.
Haru decided to halt and rest right there.
Using Wood Release, he crafted a large structure—spacious enough for the entire clan to live in and recuperate.
Haru randomly selected one of the rooms and entered, just as the clan's great elder walked in.
"Haru, don't you feel something's off?" the elder asked, frowning slightly as he stepped closer.
"We're still within the Land of Fire's territory, yet we're so far from Konoha," he said slowly.
"By now, news of the Uchiha clan's departure must have spread. Yet we've remained unnervingly quiet along the way."
As the great elder of the Uchiha clan, his insight was sharp.
His worries were well-founded.
As the saying goes, a man may be innocent, but possession of treasure makes him guilty.
The Uchiha clan, having left Konoha, was now a prize many coveted.
The main reason? The bloodline limit unique to the Uchiha—the Sharingan.
During the Third Great Ninja War, the name "Sharingan Kakashi" had spread far and wide across the ninja world.
Part of it was Kakashi's immense skill.
Part of it was the Sharingan itself.
Though Hatake Kakashi was not a Uchiha descendant, he had received a transplanted Sharingan and wielded this powerful kekkei genkai as his own.
This sparked a dangerous idea among many.
If Kakashi could obtain the Sharingan by transplantation, then could others do the same?
Before, regardless of the strained relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha, the clan was still in Konoha Village. No matter how much other villages desired the Sharingan, none would dare invade Konoha to steal it.
But now, everything had changed.
The Uchiha clan had left Konoha entirely.
Logically, many opportunists should have tried to snatch the Sharingan by force. Yet after traveling this far, they hadn't encountered a single enemy.
This baffled the great elder.
His concerns weren't baseless, but rather reasonable deductions from facts.
Everything felt far too abnormal.
Haru invited the elder to sit and continued listening.
"Besides," the elder continued, "several of our brothers have noticed Konoha ninja footprints. It seems they have been shadowing us since we left the village—always cautious, keeping their distance, only just recently discovered."
"I wonder what Konoha's intentions are behind all this..." The elder's brow furrowed deeper.
Haru poured tea for the elder calmly.
"It doesn't matter. If they want to follow, let them."
"As for why no one has taken the chance to attack, whatever the reason, it's currently to our advantage. We needn't worry too much about it for now."
Indeed, the people of Konoha had been trailing close behind them.
Even some of the clan's smarter members had noticed it—not to mention Haru, who wielded the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
In truth, long before the elder spoke, Haru had already discovered "Root" operatives lurking in the shadows.
He had gathered intelligence and knew their purpose.
Not to track or harass—but to protect.
Considering that, and the lack of enemy attacks, it made sense.
This was undoubtedly Konoha's doing.
It seemed the Third Hokage and Danzo feared the secrets of the Uchiha clan's massacre night would leak.
Haru, however, did not mistake this for kindness.
After all he had experienced, he understood exactly who Danzo was.
Every action Danzo took was for himself alone.
After hearing Haru's words, the elder said nothing further.
His visit was merely to inform—Haru was the sole decision-maker now.
He wouldn't dictate what to do next because the Uchiha clan was completely under Haru's leadership.
He trusted Haru's judgment implicitly.
If Haru said it was fine, then there was no cause for worry.
Having lived a long life, the elder knew well when to act and when to hold back.
After their discussion and tea, the elder left.
Haru remained in the room to continue training his ninjutsu.
Though the biggest crisis—the Uchiha massacre—had passed, he refused to relax.
Strength was the greatest guarantee of survival.
Uchiha Haru believed this deeply.
Yet, not long after beginning his practice, he was interrupted again.
Dong dong dong!
A knock echoed at the door.
Haru frowned slightly, annoyed by the disturbance.
But he replied calmly, "Come in."
The door creaked open.
A woman in her early thirties entered.
Her skin was fair and delicate, her youthful appearance preserved by meticulous care.
Her figure was alluring, far beyond that of ordinary women.
There was no doubt: this was a woman full of temptation.
Uchiha Mikoto.
The wife of Uchiha Fugaku, former patriarch of the Uchiha clan.
However, Uchiha Haru was not a man given to lust. Even faced with such overwhelming beauty, he could maintain his calm composure. He spoke lightly, "Is there something wrong?"
"N-no… nothing serious," Mikoto replied, her voice a little stiff.
By nature, she was gentle and shy, rarely interacting with others, so standing before Haru made her nervous. But thinking of what she needed to say, she summoned her courage and forced a smile.
"Haru, I came to thank you for not attacking Itachi before and sparing his life," Uchiha Mikoto said softly.
"Oh," Haru responded.
"If that's the case, don't thank me," he continued frankly. "I saved his life purely for negotiation purposes."
He told the truth without hesitation.
He had spared Itachi not because of Mikoto's plea, but for his own reasons and plans.
"Oh… I see," Mikoto stammered in surprise.
She had expected Haru to smile and agree easily, so she could then bring up the matter she had come to discuss.
But Haru's straightforward answer completely shattered her expectations.
She was momentarily at a loss for words.
Still, she could not leave without speaking of her purpose.
After all, the opportunity had presented itself after so long.
She stood silently for a moment, gathering her thoughts.
"Is there anything else?" Haru asked, noticing her hesitation.
"I…I…" Mikoto faltered.
"Just say it!" Haru said decisively.
He had long seen that something else weighed on her mind.
Finally, Mikoto took a deep breath and said with resolve, "Haru, my youngest son, Uchiha Sasuke, disappeared on the night of the Uchiha clan's massacre."
"I don't know where he went…"
It was because of Sasuke.
Haru understood immediately.
According to the original events of Naruto, Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto should have died together in that night.
But with Haru's intervention, many things had changed.
Fugaku had taken his own life.
Mikoto had been saved by Haru.
Therefore, Mikoto had no knowledge of what Itachi had told Fugaku or the series of plans behind the scenes.
That was why she came to ask Haru.
"Sasuke is not dead. He stayed behind in Konoha," Haru explained roughly, recounting what he knew about Itachi and the massacre night.
Mikoto's brows softened, then furrowed deeply.
She hadn't expected Itachi to bear so much responsibility.
Nor had she foreseen her husband's final decision.
And then there was Sasuke.
After hearing everything, Mikoto's tears began to fall uncontrollably, and she looked utterly heartbroken.
"Haru… All the Uchiha clan members have left Konoha, leaving Sasuke alone, helpless, and vulnerable…" she said, breaking down into sobs again.
She was a mother after all, and her thoughts centered on her children.
Itachi was already an adult and could protect himself.
With Itachi's abilities, nothing would happen to him.
But Sasuke was just a child…
"Don't worry, Sasuke will be fine in Konoha. He'll make friends and take care of himself," Haru reassured her.
His words were not mere comfort—they were fact.
But Mikoto struggled to accept it.
She raised her head, her large, jet-black eyes shining with tears, and pleaded, "Sasuke is a member of our Uchiha clan. Can you… can you go to Konoha and rescue him?"
Her eyes brimmed with hope.
She knew that only Haru could save Sasuke now.
However, Haru's answer crushed that hope.
He shook his head firmly. "No."
"Our entire Uchiha clan is in a precarious situation. We must hurry to the Hidden Mist Village and find a place to settle."
"That is the most important matter. I cannot let the clan's survival be delayed for Sasuke's sake alone."
"But—"
Mikoto frowned, wanting to argue, but Haru interrupted firmly.
"No need for further discussion. I won't change my mind."
"Remember, the bigger picture matters most."
"I… I…" Mikoto was desperate.
After all, Sasuke was her son. How could she bear for him to remain alone in Konoha?
If something truly happened to him… it would be unthinkable.
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