Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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Uchiha Itachi showed no fear toward the enemies before him. Instead, he used his kunai to end the lives of his own clan members with his own hands.

"An Uchiha should fall by the hands of their own," he muttered.

Blood dripped down his face as he gazed at his former kin, now his adversaries. His sharp eyes then focused on Muzan, clutching his kunai tightly.

"This guy…" Itachi thought.

Muzan glanced at the bodies scattered around. Uchiha Itachi was merciless, severing family bonds at such a young age. This ruthless resolve piqued Muzan's interest.

But tonight, the task of subduing the Uchiha clan was left to Fugaku and Shisui. Both had activated their Mangekyō Sharingan, and with support from the surrounding ANBU, the massacre was almost inevitable.

"Relax. I'm not your enemy," Muzan's voice was low and hoarse, giving it an unsettling, snake-like quality. "You're a gifted child. I hope you survive and grow stronger."

At that moment, an Uchiha hidden beneath a nearby corpse suddenly lunged at Muzan.

"Watch out!" Itachi shouted, realizing that some ANBU were quietly assisting the Uchiha in eliminating the hawks.

Crack!

Before the attacker could get close, Muzan swiftly grabbed his throat and slammed him to the ground with terrifying force. Even Itachi, a genius, couldn't track his speed.

"Impressive reaction time," Muzan remarked. "Boy, survive this turmoil. I'll be watching your future."

Muzan's objective wasn't to rescue the Uchiha, so he quickly left the scene.

"Lord Muzan, we've collected the Sharingan from the front corpses," an ANBU member reported, hands still smeared with blood. Muzan used a healing jutsu to remove the evidence, then asked, "Did you interfere in their fight?"

"We avoided Uchiha's internal struggle. We only intervened when a few attempted to escape, and we handled them accordingly," the ANBU replied.

The group left quickly. The Uchiha's chaos lasted half the night, with the screams fading only by dawn. The scent of blood hung heavily in the air, with corpses scattered around—too many to clear away immediately.

More than seventy percent of the Uchiha clan perished in this civil war, leaving mostly young children, who hadn't been influenced by the hawks.

Uchiha Shisui's hands were stained with blood—his own and that of his kin—and he was in poor condition. The burden of killing his own weighed heavily on him.

Fugaku, sensing Shisui's inner turmoil, tried to reassure him. "The Uchiha will rise again! This sacrifice was necessary for the path we've chosen."

"You're right, Fugaku-sama," Shisui replied, though doubt lingered in his heart. Fugaku was determined to preserve the Uchiha's connection to the village. Looking at Itachi, a child drenched in blood, an idea began forming in Fugaku's mind.

"We should let Itachi be the one," he thought.

The night of slaughter ended, but the repercussions were far from over.

The official story spread quickly: the masked man who had attacked Konoha during the Nine-Tails' assault had struck again, this time targeting the Uchiha clan. The Uchiha fought valiantly, eventually driving off the enemy, but at a great cost.

Initially, many villagers were skeptical, suspecting a staged event. But when they saw the carnage at the Uchiha compound—the piles of bodies and the blood still fresh—the truth was undeniable.

People whispered, retelling the horror of the battle and the tremendous losses.

"That masked man isn't an Uchiha. If not for the intervention of the village's strongest, the Uchiha might've been wiped out!" one exclaimed.

"He can infiltrate Konoha without being noticed and strong enough to take on the Uchiha? We're all at risk!" another added.

"It's too unstable here. Maybe we should leave Konoha," someone suggested.

Whether true or not, the story became the official narrative, clearing the Uchiha of involvement. Yet, following these two crises, Konoha inevitably began to decline. The loss of so many jounin caused unrest that would take time to subside.

Muzan completed his mission and returned to the Root, bringing with him a sizable collection of Sharingan. Alongside these, a group of ANBU had secretly brought back Uchiha corpses to be used for experiments, delivering them to Orochimaru for research.

"The Uchiha will likely lie low after this massacre," Danzo observed, eyeing the rows of bodies with a mix of detachment and distaste. "But the Fourth Hokage's policies are far too lenient. If it were up to me, there would be more bodies here today."

Danzo's distrust toward the Uchiha had only deepened after the Nine-Tails' attack. He would have seized this chance to push the Fourth Hokage into eliminating the entire Uchiha clan if he could.

"Uchiha isn't as straightforward as you think. They aren't the village's enemy," Muzan remarked, though he knew Danzo was likely aware of Shisui's power. Muzan had warned Shisui not to place complete trust even in the Hokage regarding his Mangekyō's abilities.

"Hmph, they'll regret this decision sooner or later," Danzo muttered.

After handling the aftermath, Muzan returned to his experiments and found Kabuto diligently taking notes.

"Kabuto, you've mastered the theoretical knowledge I've taught you well," Muzan noted. The harsh life at the Root was beyond imagination, but Kabuto had adapted well. No one was permitted into Muzan's lab, making it one of the few quiet places amidst the Root's darkness.

"Next, I'll teach you medical ninjutsu," Muzan said, forming a sphere of blue chakra in his hand. With a swift motion, the chakra scalpel sliced through steel with a harsh screech.

"Yes, Lord Muzan," Kabuto replied.

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One thing was undeniable: Kabuto's talent was exceptional, even surpassing Kakashi's. Kakashi often relied on inherited techniques and guidance from his predecessors, slowly carving out his path through experience and introspection. Kabuto, on the other hand, continually learned and adapted, refining his skills to suit himself. His sharp mind and calm, rational demeanor kept him from making impulsive decisions.

"The village's medical ninjutsu was pioneered by Tsunade, who laid the foundation for everything we know. If there's ever a chance, I'll arrange for you to meet her," Muzan said.

Muzan elaborated on the history of Konoha's medical ninjutsu, describing how it shaped the village. When he finished, Kabuto surprised him with a heartfelt response.

"With all due respect, Muzan-Sama, to me, you're the greatest medical ninja. I believe you're the true future of medical ninjutsu."

Kabuto's words were sincere; Tsunade had been away from Konoha for so long that many younger shinobi barely remembered her. Even the Sannin rarely spoke of her anymore.

Muzan nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps you're right. Let's begin your training."

The lab was vast, and since medical ninjutsu involved precision rather than raw power, it didn't interfere with Muzan's ongoing experiments. Orochimaru had already laid the groundwork for exploring demonic physiology, and while some mysteries remained, there was plenty of potential to build upon.

Muzan began considering a new possibility. With the influence of the sun and transformations brought by becoming immortal, he started absorbing natural energy, feeling changes within. He cut his palm, watching as cherry-red blood dripped onto a petri dish.

"Could I adapt to Sage Mode if I maintain it long enough?"

Evolution was driven by adaptation, and Muzan's demonic physiology accelerated the process. Sage Mode, with its unique energy, could reduce his vulnerability to sunlight. If successful, this would be a breakthrough for his research.

He sighed. "The challenge is sustaining Sage Mode; my rate of energy absorption doesn't keep up."

To solve this, he needed a new technique to speed up the process.

His sigh caught Kabuto's attention. Kabuto, unaware of Sage Mode's intricacies, showed an unwavering desire to understand. He absorbed knowledge at an astonishing rate, reading Muzan's notes on A-rank Mystical Palm Technique, ninjutsu theories, and human physiology.

The two worked in silence until Muzan heard a familiar voice outside—the stern tone of Danzo.

Danzo entered, holding a document with a grim expression. "The Uchiha are mobilizing," he stated, voice low. "Here's intel on their infiltration attempts within ANBU."

With the hawkish faction largely destroyed, those who supported village unity remained. Shisui and Fugaku had allied, forcing the Hokage to navigate their combined influence carefully.

Muzan scanned the file and noted a familiar name. "Uchiha Itachi… joining ANBU at his age? Remarkable. He's already unlocked the first stage of the Sharingan."

Danzo's sour expression made his disapproval clear; the Fourth Hokage had endorsed Itachi's ANBU recruitment, citing his immense potential.

"This generation's leader, no doubt. Itachi may be the strongest among them," Muzan remarked.

Kabuto, without jealousy but curious, asked, "Is he really that strong?"

Muzan nodded. "Your paths differ, Kabuto. But if you want to test your skills, I'll arrange it."

Both Kabuto and Itachi had promising futures, though their journeys diverged. Kabuto was still in the early stages, while Itachi had been guided by the Uchiha's legacy since birth. Closing the gap would take time.

Kabuto gave a respectful nod.

"But now, we have to disrupt Itachi's ANBU entrance exam," Danzo interjected, his voice laced with frustration.

Danzo feared the Uchiha's influence within ANBU, given its sensitive operations. His apprehension stemmed from the Second Hokage's warning that the Uchiha were not to be trusted.

"Why interfere?" Muzan asked with a shrug. "You can't prevent it."

Itachi's strength was indisputable. Muzan had witnessed it. With the Hokage's support, outright opposition would only deepen village discord.

"Let him join. Remember, ANBU missions are perilous. If he lacks the strength… he might not return."

Danzo's face darkened, a twisted smile forming. "Yes… let him join. Let's see how long he lasts."

Muzan sensed Danzo's intent to eliminate Itachi by assigning him to deadly ANBU missions. Yet, Muzan doubted it would be that easy. If anyone could survive the challenges of ANBU, it was someone like Uchiha Itachi.

"Here's your mask," Danzo said, handing Muzan the standard ANBU equipment. "Two teammates are assigned to you. Complete this mission, and I'll ensure a fresh supply of resources—including Uchiha bodies."

Muzan concealed his disdain but accepted the assignment. His research into Sage Mode and demonic physiology required extensive resources, and human subjects offered crucial insights.

"Understood," he replied.

His new teammates stood at attention—Nara Okishima and Yamanaka Kazikaze, familiar faces from the Forest of Death. Following their recovery, they had been placed under Muzan's command.

"I trust these two will obey my orders without issue," Muzan remarked.

Danzo's expression remained hard. "They are Root operatives. Their loyalty is to the mission. Personal sentiments won't interfere."

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