Kushina Uzumaki The Sage Of The Yuri Path

The moon hung low over the Uchiha Compound, casting long shadows that stretched across the rooftops like the village itself was holding its breath. The tension in the air was suffocating, pressing down on the clan like a weight they couldn't shake off. But for Mikoto Uchiha, the time for waiting was over.

She moved with swift precision through the southern compound—the section she had claimed for her faction, the Uchiha Free Company. The sound of her kunoichi training echoed faintly in the background, a reminder that while the men of the clan plotted their inevitable coup, she was preparing for something else entirely: freedom.

Across the compound, Itachi Uchiha sat in his dimly lit room, his back pressed against the wall, his Sharingan spinning slowly in his eyes. The weight of his decisions bore down on him, each breath feeling heavier than the last.

Shisui was gone.

Danzo's words echoed relentlessly in his mind: "If you do not act, we will."

He closed his eyes, but all he could see was blood. His family. His clan. His own hands, stained red.

A soft knock at the door pulled him from his spiraling thoughts.

"Sasuke?"

The door creaked open, and Sasuke's small face peeked inside, his eyes wide with concern.

"Nii-san… are you okay?"

Itachi forced a smile, though it felt brittle, ready to shatter at any moment. "I'm fine, Sasuke. Just… tired."

Sasuke stepped inside, his brows furrowed. "You've been tired a lot lately."

Itachi didn't respond. What could he say? That he was about to make the most unforgivable decision of his life? That he was about to become the villain in his brother's story?

"I heard Mom talking to Dad," Sasuke said after a moment. "She said she was leaving… and something about a Free Love Revolution."

Itachi blinked, the weight of his choices momentarily overshadowed by sheer confusion. "A what?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know. But she seemed serious."

Itachi's smile faded, replaced by a distant look. "Sasuke… no matter what happens, I want you to remember something."

Sasuke tilted his head. "What?"

"I love you."

Sasuke's frown deepened. "You're acting weird, Nii-san."

Before Itachi could say more, there was a soft tap at the window.

Sasuke didn't notice, but Itachi's eyes snapped to the sound immediately.

"Go to bed, Sasuke," Itachi said softly.

Sasuke hesitated but nodded, leaving the room with one last glance over his shoulder.

The moment the door clicked shut, Itachi moved to the window and slid it open.

A single Root operative stood on the rooftop across from him, masked and silent.

"The time has come," the operative said in a flat voice. "Choose the village or your clan."

And with that, the figure disappeared into the night.

Itachi stared after him, his heart pounding.

There was no choice.

The Root headquarters was colder than usual, the sterile walls and dim lighting amplifying the sense of dread that clung to the place like a second skin. Itachi stood before Danzo Shimura, his expression unreadable, but his heart felt like it was being crushed under an unbearable weight.

Danzo's single, uncovered eye gleamed from beneath his bandages. "You know what must be done, Itachi."

Itachi's jaw tightened. "And if I refuse?"

Danzo's smirk was slight, but the menace behind it was unmistakable. "Then Root will handle it. But I doubt you want your brother caught in the crossfire."

Itachi's fists clenched at his sides.

Danzo continued, his voice calm, almost patronizing. "Spare the boy. Kill the rest. The village must come first."

Itachi closed his eyes, Shisui's final words echoing in his mind: "Protect the village… and protect Sasuke."

When he opened his eyes again, they were cold, distant.

"I'll do it."

Danzo nodded approvingly. "Good. Then we have no more to discuss."

Itachi turned on his heel and left, his heart shattering with every step.

In the southern compound, Mikoto stood before her assembled kunoichi, their eyes sharp and focused. The air buzzed with anticipation as they awaited her instructions.

"We leave at dawn," Mikoto announced, her voice steady. "Pack light. Move quickly. No one stays behind."

The women nodded in unison, their loyalty to Mikoto unwavering. They weren't just followers—they were family now.

As they dispersed to prepare, Mikoto felt a familiar presence approaching.

"You're cutting it close," came a voice that was both teasing and knowing.

Mikoto turned to see Raven Kamizuki leaning against the doorway, her usual smirk firmly in place.

"I like to live dangerously," Mikoto replied dryly, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Raven chuckled, stepping closer. "Training Ground 44. That's where you'll meet me. I'll get you and your followers out of here."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow. "And where exactly are we going?"

Raven's smirk widened. "Somewhere with like-minded individuals."

Mikoto didn't press further. She didn't need to. She trusted Raven in a way she hadn't trusted anyone in years.

"Be ready," Raven added, her tone softening. "The village isn't going to let you go without a fight."

Mikoto nodded. "I'll be ready."

As the night deepened, Root operatives began closing in on Mikoto's compound, moving through the shadows with the silent precision they were infamous for. They thought they were unseen, thought they had the element of surprise.

But they weren't expecting what waited for them.

From the rooftops, Raven's upgraded Pizza Puppets sprang into action—mechanical monstrosities with sizzling cheese launchers and bladed pepperoni discs that spun with deadly precision.

The first Root agent barely had time to react before a stream of molten cheese blasted into his face, sending him screaming into the night as he clawed at his burning mask.

Another operative tried to retreat, only to be impaled by a spinning pizza cutter, the sharp disc slicing clean through his torso. His blood sprayed across the walls like overzealous pizza sauce from an overstuffed calzone.

Yuumi, perched on a nearby rooftop, was laughing so hard she nearly fell off. "I swear, this never gets old!"

Raven grinned, controlling the puppets with ease. "They should've known better than to mess with the Sage of Six Slices."

Another Root agent lunged forward, kunai in hand, only to be met with a pepperoni disc to the forehead. He collapsed instantly, his body twitching as steam rose from the fresh, cheesy wound.

One operative managed to get close, dodging the initial wave of attacks. But Raven was ready.

With a flick of her wrist, a puppet launched a hot, bubbling ball of marinara sauce, hitting the agent square in the chest. The force of the impact sent him flying backward, where he landed in a heap, his body coated in scalding tomato paste.

Raven dusted off her hands, watching the chaos unfold with satisfaction. "And that's how you deliver a hot, fresh defeat."

The last remaining Root operative tried to crawl away, but a puppet's cheese whip snapped out, wrapping around his leg and dragging him back into the fray.

Yuumi wiped a tear from her eye, still giggling. "This is the best thing I've seen all week."

Within minutes, the entire squad of Root operatives lay in pieces, their blood mingling with the scent of baked dough and melted cheese.

Mikoto emerged from the shadows, taking in the scene with a raised eyebrow. "You're insane."

Raven winked. "And yet, here you are, following me anyway."

Mikoto shook her head but couldn't suppress the small smile that crept onto her face.

"Training Ground 44," Raven reminded her. "Don't be late."

Mikoto nodded, her resolve stronger than ever.

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