One of the masked attackers whispered, "He saw your face. We can’t leave any evidence. Clean up the scene and fall back."

The exposed ninja nodded with a grim expression. With a flash of steel, Elder Yamamoto fell, his head rolling to the ground as his assassins erased any sign of their presence.

The loud noise in the courtyard woke Fugaku. He lay still, listening carefully. Another Konoha elder had been killed overnight in his own home. Alongside him were two Uchiha guards, found with their throats cut during their patrol.

Outside, footsteps faded as people rushed to and from the scene. Fugaku sat up, frowning. His suspicions seemed accurate. Konoha’s higher-ups were using this tense time in the ninja world to strengthen their own power, and with each elder’s death, it became easier. Fugaku could feel the looming threat for the Uchiha: if these killings continued, the clan could face its own crisis.

After dressing, Fugaku went to the clan’s main gathering place. In the center of the courtyard lay two black body bags, unzipped to reveal the pale faces of the dead. Fugaku immediately recognized one of them, Moriki Uchiha, a guard who had unlocked the two-tomoe Sharingan but hadn’t advanced much in skill.

Several Konoha officials stood around the bodies, along with the families of the deceased. Two children caught Fugaku’s eye—their tearful faces fixed on their father’s body. One child looked about seven, the other barely five. Both were sobbing, struggling to breathe through their grief.

A faint ripple of chakra flickered from the children. Fugaku sensed that both had the potential to awaken the Sharingan, likely triggered by the pain of their loss.

Just then, Kogaku approached and nodded at his son. "Fugaku, come with us to inspect Elder Yamamoto’s body."

"Yes, Father."

The elder’s body was being kept in the Intelligence Department morgue. By the time the Uchihas arrived, Konoha’s senior officials had already examined it, but no conclusions were drawn.

Under the harsh lights, Elder Yamamoto’s headless body lay covered by a white cloth. Carefully, several Uchiha members lifted the cloth to inspect it. The neck wound was clean, clearly the work of a skilled ninja.

Kogaku pulled Fugaku aside. "Do you notice anything unusual?"

Fugaku nodded thoughtfully. "The head’s missing. Elder Yamamoto must have recognized his attackers. They probably took it to stop the Intelligence Department from using any mind-reading techniques to identify them. This feels like the same group responsible for Elder Yamada’s death."

Kogaku’s expression turned dark. "They are rutheless. They’re willing to kill anyone in their way to reach their goals. Two elders are dead already—who knows how many more will fall?"

Fugaku glanced at him. "Elder Yamamoto might be the last. Public opinion has been stirred enough. If they kill more, Konoha’s reputation could suffer, and it might start to backfire."

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Kogaku nodded. "That makes sense."

"At noon, I’ll report our findings to Lord Hokage," Kogaku said. "But we’re in a difficult position. The official stance will probably blame another nation for the killings, but in the meantime, our clan will bear the weight of the villagers’ suspicion."

Fugaku nodded, looking at the somber faces around him. "We can increase our night patrols," he suggested. "If we’re more visible, people might think the Uchiha are working to stop the killings. It could help rebuild trust in our clan."

"Good idea," Kogaku agreed. "It might ease some of the pressure on the Uchiha."

For the next week, Konoha remained peaceful, with no more killings. Slowly, the villagers began to relax, and word spread that the Uchiha had stepped up their efforts to keep the village safe. Though rumors continued about who was behind the murders, the Uchihas gained some positive recognition.

Meanwhile, Fugaku focused on strengthening his genjutsu skills, knowing the situation could turn into war at any moment. Unlike ninjutsu or taijutsu, which took longer to improve, genjutsu could be honed with disciplined training, especially with the power of his Sharingan. In a battle, his illusions would be a valuable weapon and a key survival skill.

One night, in Kogaku’s study, Fugaku and his father were deep in conversation.

"The situation in the Land of Rain is getting worse," Kogaku said. "War is on the horizon. Tomorrow, you’ll report to the Hokage’s office. Your promotion to Jonin has been approved, and there may be new orders for you."

Fugaku nodded, having expected this. "I’ll be careful, Father. I know the risks."

Kogaku’s face grew serious. "You’ll likely be sent to the Land of Rain. Don’t lower your guard. With four nations involved, strong enemies are everywhere. Don’t be reckless."

"I won’t," Fugaku assured him.

The next morning, Fugaku arrived at the Hokage’s office. Inside, he found only the Sandaime, who looked up as he entered.

"Lord Hokage, Fugaku Uchiha reporting."

The Third Hokage gave him a slight smile. "You handled the Sunagakure intel mission well, Fugaku. I’m officially promoting you to Jonin. Now, I have an S-rank mission for you."

Fugaku kept his expression steady. "It’s my duty to complete any mission assigned to me, Hokage-sama."

The Third Hokage nodded approvingly. "Two Konoha elders have been killed, and we’re facing serious threats from the Lands of Wind, Rain, and Earth. It’s been a long time since the last Great Ninja War, and it seems the other nations have forgotten Konoha’s strength."

He continued, "We’re forming a new Vanguard Unit, with Hatake Sakumo as the captain. You’ll be assigned to him. The Vanguard will lead our efforts to stabilize the Land of Rain and remind the other nations of our strength."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Fugaku felt a surge of resolve as he left the office. He had expected to work under one of the Sannin but felt both surprised and honored to be placed under Sakumo, a highly respected warrior. With his new rank and mission, Fugaku was ready to prove himself and protect his clan’s future.

Opening the mission scroll, he saw the meeting time and location.

The mission was scheduled for the next morning, in a forest just outside Konoha Village.

At dawn, shadows moved swiftly through the forest just outside Konoha. Fugaku arrived with several Uchiha clansmen, joining a crowd of elite Konoha ninja already gathered.

Among them were members of the Hyuga, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans, each known for their scouting abilities. Given the chaos in the Land of Rain, scouts would be essential to detect threats early and minimize losses.

More and more ninja arrived, each at least an elite Chunin or stronger.

"There are more ninja here than I expected," murmured Jin, standing next to Fugaku. "The Land of Rain must be in worse shape than we thought."

Fugaku nodded. "With Hanzo, the so-called 'Salamander,' leading Amegakure, it makes sense. The Land of Rain is strong enough to fight off other nations if it comes to that."

Their conversation ended with the arrival of a tall figure with long white hair and a short sword on his back—Sakumo Hatake.