I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

Towards Divergence

"I'm still young, and I still have room to grow. Maybe one day, a Rasenshuriken will be strong enough to split the moon. Don't underestimate a growing boy."

Naruto's tone was playful, but deep inside, he held onto the thought seriously.

In truth, the moon in the Naruto world wasn't a massive celestial body like in reality. It was an artificial construct, created long ago by Hamura Otsutsuki and his descendants to seal Kaguya Otsutsuki. While its size wasn't insignificant, it was certainly smaller than the entirety of the Land of Fire, much less Konoha's territory.

Kurama narrowed his eyes, his expression laced with disdain. "Destroy the moon? You, brat? Don't get ahead of yourself."

Naruto smirked, unfazed by Kurama's skepticism. He knew his growth wasn't just about raw power. With time, experience, and Kurama's cooperation, he believed he could surpass even legendary figures like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha—shinobi clad in red armor whose strength had once shaken the world.

The thought of surpassing those two made Kurama scoff. His memories of Madara were filled with resentment, but he had to admit that Naruto's boundless potential was something he hadn't seen since the era of the Sage of Six Paths.

Before Kurama could voice his thoughts, Naruto's senses flared. A pulse of malice rippled through the air. His instincts kicked in, and without hesitation, he formed a Rasengan, slamming it into the ground.

The spiraling sphere drilled into the earth, exposing a white, humanoid figure now lifeless in the crater.

Kurama frowned. "More pursuers?"

Naruto crouched, inspecting the corpse. He recognized the figure instantly—White Zetsu.

"This isn't Konoha's work," Naruto muttered, shaking his head. "And this guy… he's not really human. More like something created artificially."

Kurama's eyes narrowed as ancient memories surfaced. He had heard of these things before—from the Sage himself.

"White Zetsu…" Kurama murmured, his voice laced with realization. "This thing was created from the remains of humans absorbed by the God Tree after Kaguya cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi. It shouldn't exist in this era."

Naruto glanced at the corpse again. Even if he couldn't use White Zetsu's body for research himself, he knew there were plenty of rogue scientists—Orochimaru, for instance—who would pay a high price for such a specimen.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Naruto and Kurama, the Eight Trigrams Seal holding the Nine-Tails within Naruto's body flickered ever so slightly, its paper talisman showing signs of wear.

---

The Uchiha Clan Compound

Under the moonlight, two figures clashed at a speed beyond ordinary comprehension. Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha moved so fast that their silhouettes seemed like afterimages, their Sharingan eyes locked onto each other's every movement.

Compared to most shinobi battles, theirs resembled an intricate dance—a lethal display of skill that even seasoned Uchiha onlookers struggled to follow.

The younger Uchiha, including Izumi Uchiha, hesitated to interfere. The gap in skill was too vast; stepping in recklessly would make them liabilities rather than assets.

While the duel raged on outside, Izumi slipped into the Uchiha clan head's mansion, her heart pounding.

The scent of iron filled her nostrils. Blood.

Her gaze fell upon the motionless bodies of Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha, both lying in a pool of their own blood. A sharp intake of breath caught in her throat.

She had witnessed Itachi's ruthlessness, but the idea that he would cut down his own parents made her stomach churn.

Why?

She had known Itachi since childhood. He had saved her and her mother during the Nine-Tails' attack. He had always spoken of protecting his family and the village. He had once been the kind of person who bore burdens alone, never wanting others to suffer.

So when had he changed? When had he become a monster willing to slaughter his entire clan?

Grief and rage swirled within Izumi. Her Sharingan spun wildly, teetering on the edge of awakening something more. The Mangekyō Sharingan—the legendary dojutsu born from deep loss—threatened to manifest.

But just as it neared its transformation, her instincts kicked in, stopping the evolution.

Then—Mikoto moved.

Izumi's breath hitched. She was alive.

Without hesitation, Izumi crouched beside her, channeling medical ninjutsu into Mikoto's wounds. The color returned slightly to Mikoto's face, but Izumi knew the truth. Without proper treatment, Mikoto wouldn't last more than a few hours.

Yet where could she go? Konoha Hospital was out of the question. Any attempt to seek help from the Hokage's administration would be suicide.

A voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Izumi, is Lady Mikoto still breathing?"

She turned to see a member of the Uchiha Police Force, his expression grim.

"She's alive, but barely," Izumi replied. "Do we have any skilled medics left in the clan?"

The officer hesitated. "The best medics were stationed elsewhere tonight… on orders."

Izumi clenched her fists. So that was it. The Uchiha had been set up to fail.

"We need to get out," the officer said. "Lady Mikoto might have a chance if we escape now."

Izumi hesitated. "And what about Shisui?"

The officer's expression hardened. "Shisui has the Mangekyō Sharingan. If anyone can hold off Itachi, it's him. We can't waste time."

She wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. With a final glance at the ongoing battle, she burned Itachi's image into her mind.

No matter what his reasons were, she would never forgive him.

---

The Battle Continues

Shisui and Itachi exchanged blows at blinding speed. Shuriken clashed, kunai met steel, and neither of them dared to use Genjutsu—not because they lacked the skill, but because they knew each other too well.

For Uchiha, using the Sharingan in combat against a fellow clansman meant that there was no turning back.

Landing on a rooftop, Itachi exhaled. "Shisui… I'm glad you're alive. But you're too late. I've already chosen my path."

Shisui's grip on his tanto tightened. "Then you understand… I can't let you continue down this road."

Their next clash was imminent—until a shockwave rippled through the air.

A massive explosion erupted in the distance, shaking the very foundations of Konoha. Both Itachi and Shisui froze for a brief second.

"What was that?" Itachi muttered.

Shisui's heart pounded. Was another village attacking? If so, this could be the Uchiha's chance to escape.

But for Itachi, a far more alarming thought took root.

Was this the work of the masked man?

And more importantly—was Naruto in danger?

Shisui saw his hesitation and struck, slashing his tanto at Itachi's shoulder. Itachi barely evaded, turning into a flock of crows and retreating.

Shisui did not pursue. He had another mission—protecting the surviving Uchiha.

As he watched Itachi disappear, Shisui sighed. Their battle wasn't over.

Next time, there would be no mercy.

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