The next day, a heavy, imposing aura filled the air around Uchiha Izumi's residence. Uchiha Fugaku arrived flanked by a large group of clan members and elite guards, their footsteps thudding against the stone pathway. The sound of their approach was unmistakable, the very walls seeming to tense with the weight of their presence.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" came the forceful knocks. "Open the door! Uchiha Izumi! Open up!"
The door creaked open, revealing Izumi herself. She stood framed in the doorway, her skin as pale and flawless as freshly fallen snow. The soft sunlight accentuated the delicate curves of her face, and her dark hair shimmered like midnight silk. Everyone present was taken aback — Izumi had always been beautiful, but now there was an ethereal quality about her, a transformation that made her allure almost otherworldly.
Izumi's cold gaze met Uchiha Fugaku's as she asked, voice steady and calm, "Oh? Isn't this the Clan Head himself? To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"
Standing beside Fugaku was Uchiha Cang Kong, a stern man whose expression hardened into a scowl as he sneered, "Hmph. Uchiha Izumi, did you hear the news? Elder Uchiha Daiyi and his entire family were found dead this morning."
Izumi's eyes flickered briefly with mock confusion. "Which elder are you referring to?"
"Elder Uchiha Daiyi," Cang Kong growled, his voice edged with bitterness.
Izumi smirked faintly, a soundless chuckle threatening to escape her lips before she quickly covered her mouth. "Oh, he's dead? Pfft…"
Suppressing her laughter, she asked with mock innocence, "If he's dead, what does that have to do with me?"
Cang Kong's nostrils flared in anger. "Don't play coy. Do you know how the elder and his family died?"
"Do tell," Izumi invited, leaning against the doorframe with an air of casual amusement. "How exactly did that old man meet his end?"
Cang Kong's eyes narrowed. "They were kicked to death. Elder Uchiha Daiyi and his grandson had every bone in their bodies broken from brutal kicks. Their deaths were cruel and violent."
Izumi's lips curled into a malicious smile. "Good riddance. Haha." She tilted her head. "If he's dead, then why are you looking for the killer? Why are you knocking on my door instead?"
Before Cang Kong could respond, several members of the Uchiha Police Force stepped forward, their faces stern and accusing.
"You're still laughing!" one officer barked, voice laced with frustration. "We suspect you retaliated because of your mother's incident. Elder Daiyi kicked your mother, injuring her. We believe you avenged her by kicking his family to death. You're coming with us for investigation."
Izumi scoffed. "Really? You think a Chunin like me could kick an elder to death? And die in the process? Didn't anyone notice?"
"Enough!" Cang Kong growled. "Whether it's you or not, you'll come with us for questioning."
Izumi's cold eyes locked onto theirs. "What if I refuse?"
Cang Kong stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Then don't blame us for getting rough."
The tension was thick, the air almost cracking. But before any move could be made, Uchiha Fugaku raised a hand.
"Everyone, stand down," he commanded. "I will speak to Izumi alone."
Several guards exchanged confused glances. "Clan Head, but she—"
"I know," Fugaku interrupted firmly. "Leave us."
Reluctantly, the group dispersed, their eyes lingering on Izumi before they disappeared into the shadows.
Fugaku turned to her with a grave expression. "Let's talk inside."
Izumi nodded and stepped aside. "Please come in, Clan Head Fugaku."
As Fugaku entered, his eyes immediately registered the disorder. Izumi's home was cluttered and unkempt, dust settling in corners, papers scattered carelessly on tables.
He frowned. "Why is your house such a mess?"
Izumi's smile was strange, almost unsettling. "It was like this before my mother passed. I have no plans to tidy it up."
Fugaku's heart skipped. A shiver ran down his spine. His suspicions deepened.
"Extreme love often births extreme pain," he murmured. "And with that pain comes extreme power."
His voice softened, "You did this, didn't you?"
Izumi's lips curved into a sly smile. "What if I did? And what if I didn't?"
"If it wasn't you," Fugaku said, eyes narrowing, "then you have nothing to fear."
Izumi took a seat on the cluttered sofa, crossing her legs casually as she watched Fugaku stand awkwardly without a place to sit.
"What if I told you I did?" she challenged.
Fugaku revealed the crimson of his Sharingan, eyes cold and hard. "Then I will capture you and make you face the Village's legal judgment. Unless you have proven yourself indispensable to the Village or Clan, I cannot protect you."
Izumi laughed softly, a haunting sound that echoed through the room. Slowly, she revealed her eyes — the unmistakable Sun Octagonal Mangekyō Sharingan — a radiant pattern burning with intense power.
"An indispensable role, Clan Head?" she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You mean these eyes? The Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Fugaku's voice was cold but tinged with admiration. "Indeed. Awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan is no small feat."
Izumi nodded knowingly. "I understand. You want to test if I possess this power. If so, you'll try to sway me to your side. The Uchiha Clan is at a critical crossroads, after all."
Fugaku sighed, "You exposed yourself deliberately, orchestrated that brutal murder, and let us find you."
Izumi stretched out on the sofa, a sly grin playing on her lips. "That's right. I'm waiting — to see whether the Village or the Clan will offer better benefits. With these eyes, I hold the power to tip the scales. Don't you agree?"
Fugaku closed his eyes briefly, the weight of the situation heavy on his shoulders. "Have you spoken to the Village already?"
"No," Izumi replied, smiling faintly. "After all, your kicks hurt my mother, but it was Root Ninja who poisoned her secretly, searched her memories, and worsened her condition. They expected me to blame you, but I have information. I trust you more, so I'm listening to your offer first."
Fugaku sighed. "Your mother's death was far more complicated than we knew. If only I had known sooner…"
Izumi cut him off sharply. "Enough of your nonsense, Clan Head. I know exactly what kind of people you and Konoha are. I have only one demand."
"And what is that?" Fugaku asked cautiously.
Izumi licked her lips, eyes gleaming with ambition. "Once the coup succeeds, I want to be Hokage."
Fugaku's expression darkened immediately. "Impossible! You know that is impossible. Even if I agreed, no one else in the village would accept you as Hokage. Your reputation is too tarnished."
Izumi shrugged. "Then there's nothing I can do, Clan Head. I'll join the Village. They would find it hard to refuse someone with my strength."
Fugaku shook his head, voice cold. "They'll drain your value and discard you like a tool. You know how ruthless the Village can be."
Izumi's smile never wavered. "I know. But if it comes to that, I'll just run. Can they stop me?"
Fugaku closed his eyes, considering. The thought of Izumi as Hokage was daunting. After a long pause, he exhaled slowly.
"Alright," he said. "But there is one condition."
Izumi's interest was piqued. "Oh? What condition?"
Fugaku's crimson eyes fixed on her. "You can only become Hokage after you marry Itachi."
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