Naruto: I am Uchiha Fugaku

"So it really was a shadow clone just now!"

After disguising himself as Iwasaki Sōji and leaving, Uchiha Fugaku once again used the Mayfly Technique to infiltrate the Iwasaki clan leader's residence, returning to the study he had visited earlier.

From a shadowy corner of the room, hidden from the light, his face slowly emerged on the wall, his gaze locking onto the figure of Iwasaki Yū in the room.

Poof—

Moments later, Iwasaki Yū, who had been sitting in the study for a while, suddenly stood up and formed a hand seal.

A cloud of white smoke appeared, and his figure dissipated in the smoke—vanishing from the room.

Clearly, the shadow clone had been dispelled.

As expected, Fugaku's earlier suspicions were confirmed: the Iwasaki Yū in the study had only been a clone.

Iwasaki Yū was incredibly cautious so much so that he even met with his own clansmen using a shadow clone.

If Fugaku had attacked that clone earlier, it would have resulted in a failed assassination.

Swish—

Fugaku continued to tunnel underground, heading toward the location of the second chakra signature he sensed from Iwasaki Yū.

He infiltrated another room—and this time, he found the real Iwasaki Yū.

It shouldn't be another clone, since, with the help of the Yamanaka Clan's sensory techniques, he could confirm that no other signatures matching Iwasaki Yū were present within the estate.

"So cautious... I'll have to wait until he falls asleep to launch a surprise attack."

Fugaku thought to himself.

However, a direct sneak attack wasn't guaranteed to go unnoticed. If Iwasaki Yū managed to cry out before dying, the guards outside would be alerted.

His original plan was to approach Iwasaki Yū through members of the clan, lower his guard, and then assassinate him—but that method had clearly failed.

Iwasaki Yū was far more guarded than expected, even receiving visiting clansmen with a clone.

With that route closed, Fugaku had no choice but to attempt a direct assassination.

And for a surprise attack to succeed, it would be best to strike when Iwasaki Yū was asleep and his senses dulled.

"No... I can't wait that long!"

Fugaku suddenly shook his head, rejecting the idea of waiting for Iwasaki Yū to fall into deep sleep.

Waiting would take too long. The corpses of Hoshino Atsumi, Takasaki Kazushi, and others he had already killed could be discovered at any moment.

Once the bodies were found, the village would be thrown into turmoil.

And knowing how cautious Iwasaki Yū was, he would certainly summon the outside guards into the house for close protection.

If that happened, a silent assassination would be impossible.

Which meant now was actually the best time to strike.

"I have to act now!"

Fugaku made up his mind.

He took a deep breath and rose from underground.

"Who's there?"

A person suddenly appeared in the not-so-large room.

Though Iwasaki Yū wasn't a sensory-type ninja, he was an elite jōnin. There was no way someone could approach him so closely without detection—he noticed the disturbance immediately.

Reacting quickly, he backed away and shouted:

"Something's wrong!"

Outside the residence, the Iwasaki clansmen turned pale at the shout.

Swish, swish, swish—!

Like panthers, they charged into the estate, rushing toward the source of the voice.

"I've been exposed..."

Disguised as Uchiha Obito, Fugaku's expression shifted. Now that noise had been made, a silent kill was no longer possible.

Still, even though stealth was no longer an option, he had enough time to kill Iwasaki Yū before the others arrived.

Swish—

He activated both of his Mangekyō Sharingan, staring directly into Iwasaki Yū's eyes.

"Hypnosis—"

The inherent hypnosis ability of the Sharingan was activated and took effect.

Though Iwasaki Yū was an elite jōnin, the Mangekyō Sharingan's hypnotic power was overwhelming.

Iwasaki Yū was stunned, his face going blank under the genjutsu.

"Wood Release: Piercing Technique—"

Fugaku rapidly formed seals, and a sharp wooden branch appeared in his hand.

In a flash, he closed the distance and stabbed the branch into Iwasaki Yū's body.

Squelch—

The branch sprouted multiple offshoots, stabbing into all parts of Iwasaki Yū's body.

His internal organs, especially his brain, were utterly destroyed.

He died instantly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Just then, the room's windows and even its walls were smashed open.

The Iwasaki clansmen, who had heard the commotion from outside, stormed into the room.

"The clan head... is dead!"

"He killed the clan head! Kill him—!"

What they saw was Fugaku, disguised as Uchiha Obito, using Wood Release to slay Iwasaki Yū.

All of them were filled with fury, their eyes red with rage, and they charged at Fugaku as one.

"Mayfly Technique—"

Having completed the assassination, Fugaku burrowed back into the ground.

Boom—

Before the Iwasaki clansmen could reach him, Fugaku successfully vanished underground.

Even the tiled floor where he had stood was smashed into a small crater.

"He went underground! Anyone with Earth Release, dig him out now!"

A clansman roared in anger.

Those proficient in Earth Release had already begun their counterattack.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Divide!"

One Iwasaki ninja performed hand seals and placed his hand on the ground.

The earth split open into a deep fissure, then widened—cleaving the room and floor apart, exposing the underground.

But Fugaku, disguised as Obito, was no longer there.

Thanks to the Mayfly Technique, he had already escaped before the jutsu took effect.

However, the Earth Release technique had interfered with his escape, nearly forcing him out of the technique and causing a brief chakra leak.

"That direction—he's heading that way!"

"The enemy is escaping—after him!"

The enraged Iwasaki clansmen gave chase toward the fleeing Fugaku.

More clan members who had heard the ruckus were also rushing over.

Swish—

Fugaku pushed the Mayfly Technique to its limit, quickly suppressing his leaking chakra and moving through the ground at top speed.

"Earth Style: Earth Fracture Palm!"

Unable to locate Fugaku directly, one of the pursuing Iwasaki shinobi released a wide-range Earth Release jutsu underground.

The ground quaked violently, massive fissures opened across the terrain, and nearby houses began to collapse.

"There—he's over there!"

The Mayfly Technique was once again disrupted, and Fugaku's chakra signature leaked out as he continued his underground flight.

By now, more Iwasaki clansmen had arrived on the scene after hearing the destruction.