Chapter 31: Are You Going to Become a Missing-Nin? Uchiha Iizumi!

Root Base.

"Danzō-sama, the coordinates of Uchiha Iizumi are almost certainly located at the secret research facility beyond the village borders!" A Root ninja knelt half-bent, reporting with rigid posture.

He added, "It's the same underground base the Third Hokage had built years ago—what they call a 'research compound'—where countless scientists left behind by Orochimaru are being 'contained'."

The reminder sparked a memory in Danzō.

Yes, the monkey had indeed established such a facility outside the village.

Back then, Danzō had wanted to infiltrate it himself. After all, Orochimaru’s research data and surviving personnel were invaluable—and Danzō believed he deserved at least one-third of the credit.

But the old fool, Hiruzen, had shut him down without hesitation.

Worse, the monkey had even pressured him through Tsunade Konoha and Hyūga Menji, forcing Danzō to abandon the idea.

For years, Danzō had tried to plant Root agents inside the facility, but Hiruzen had guarded it too tightly—no opening, no chance.

"Hmph."

A cruel smirk curled Danzō’s lips.

He stared into the distance, watching molten lava crash down like a fiery storm.

"Finally… the evil little Uchiha brat has turned his eyes toward the Hokage. Monkey, I warned you long ago—fail to eliminate him, and you’ll regret it."

The kneeling Root ninja hesitated.

"Danzō-sama… should we intervene?"

Danzō narrowed his eyes.

A flicker of murderous intent surged through him.

He had wanted to tear Uchiha Iizumi apart ever since he first heard his name.

"No," Danzō said, voice cold and sharp. "Let him burn. The more chaos he causes, the deeper his rift with the Hokage grows."

"Let me recall… that base is under the supervision of Hiruzen Shintetsu."

A dark chuckle escaped him.

"Ho ho… the evil little Uchiha is now clashing with the Hokage’s own son."

"What we must do… is stop anyone who tries to interfere."

"Order the entire Root force to mobilize!"

"—All Root units, secure every exit from Leaf Village! No one leaves—except the Hokage’s personal Anbu. Everyone else is to be stopped!"

"Yes, Danzō-sama!"

The Root ninjas vanished in a blur of motion, vanishing into the night.

…

"Dad… was that some kind of jutsu?"

On the rooftop of the Nara clan’s residence, seven-year-old Nara Shikamaru already wore the weary expression of a man twice his age, his deadpan eyes and slumped posture making him look far older than he was.

"Yeah," Nara Shikaku replied, hands in his pockets, his gaze distant. "That’s Molten Release."

"...Molten Release?" Shikamaru blinked.

Shikaku exhaled slowly. "Ever heard of Uchiha Iizumi?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. A real troublemaker. A lot of people fear him. But… some actually respect him too."

"So…" Shikamaru frowned. "That was his jutsu?"

Shikaku gave a slow nod. "Most likely. And judging by the direction… the Hokage’s going to have a headache tonight."

He didn’t move toward the scene.

He already knew—this was a war zone no one should touch.

The Nara clan had no business stirring the pot.

…

"I heard the Hokage personally led the Anbu out already," Tsunade Konoha said, appearing at Hyūga Menji’s doorstep under the cover of night.

She crossed her arms. "I knew that Uchiha Iizumi was trouble. With his so-called Absolute Justice, he sees everyone in that research facility as enemies."

"Too bad the Hokage kept protecting him. I can’t understand—what use is such an uncontrollable Uchiha? What value does he bring, that the Hokage still trusts him?"

Hyūga Menji stood with hands clasped behind his back, voice heavy.

"He’s a disaster. But he’s also a double-edged sword. The Hokage tolerates him because Iizumi’s Absolute Justice is extreme—uncompromising."

He paused.

"Let’s not deny one thing: Iizumi has kept some corrupt elements in check."

Tsunade sighed. "But this time… he went too far. He attacked a secret research base!"

"This time," Menji said, "it’s time the Hokage cuts the cord."

"Back when Iizumi was weak—still within our control—we could use him as a weapon. But now…"

His eyes flickered with unease.

"He’s grown too strong."

The last time they’d felt this kind of fear was with Uchiha Shisui.

Shisui terrified them with his eyes.

But Iizumi? What unsettled them was his Absolute Justice—a philosophy that cared nothing for village politics, loyalty, or power games.

It was the pure, unyielding pursuit of justice… no matter the cost.

…

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The relentless fall of molten lava shook the entire research facility to its core. Flames roared through the tunnels, and chunks of lava had already cracked through the ceiling above.

Inside, Hiruzen Shintetsu realized with dread that the base was already beyond saving.

The facility was crumbling. Critical research equipment—irreplaceable—was being melted into slag.

"Uchiha Iizumi! Are you insane?!"

Shintetsu ripped off his Anbu mask, revealing a face burned red by steam and heat.

His features—so similar to Hiruzen Sarutobi’s—twisted with fury.

"This is a Leaf Village facility! I don’t know how you found out about it, but let me tell you—my team and I have done everything for the village!"

"We answered the will of Fire Nation. We honored our ancestors. We gave everything for every single person in this village!"

"Those we lost? They weren’t even Leaf shinobi. Not even from the Land of Fire. So what are you interfering for, Uchiha Iizumi?!"

"Where is your Absolute Justice in loyalty to the village? Are you going to become a missing-nin? Uchiha Iizumi!"

Shintetsu roared, his voice cracking with rage.

Uchiha Iizumi rose slowly, unharmed by the lava that dripped around him like rain.

He stood, calm, eyes fixed ahead.

A single drop of molten rock fell from his shoulder, sizzling as it hit the floor.

"Newshin-sensei," Iizumi said, voice quiet but clear, "my Absolute Justice has never been born from loyalty to the Leaf. Whether I am a missing-nin… is not something you can decide with a single word."

He stepped forward.

"Only because you were my mentor do I even speak to you now. So you can die knowing why."

In an instant—no sound, no blur—Uchiha Iizumi vanished.

He reappeared before a trembling Anbu ninja, who barely had time to widen his eyes in terror.

One hand sliced through the man’s skull, severing half his head.

The Anbu had already lost both legs to lava—no chance to move, no chance to react.

"I believe in Absolute Justice because the ninja world is sick. Sick to the core. This corrupted world breeds endless evil—fueled by suffering, tragedy, and endless injustice."

Suddenly, Iizumi’s body began to fade.

His form grew translucent—then vanished entirely.

The first use of the Tsukikage clan’s Translucent Release.

The remaining Anbu panicked, darting their eyes left and right, searching for a trace.

Then—his voice, cold and clear, echoed from behind one of them.

"And that evil includes tyrannical daimyōs who drain their people, power-hungry elites, genocidal monsters, brainwashed fools… and even you, Newshin-sensei."

"Gh—!"

The Anbu gasped, clutching his chest as a sudden, gaping hole tore through his torso—no visible wound, no attack, just there.

"When Justice is absolute…"

A molten boulder exploded from the air, swallowing another Anbu ninja mid-seal.

Uchiha Iizumi’s arms erupted with lava—floods of molten rock surged forward like a tidal wave, crashing into three Anbu who could only feel the scorching heat in the air, blind and terrified.

When only one remained—Hiruzen Shintetsu, gripping a broken tanto, face frozen in shock and disbelief—Uchiha Iizumi reappeared.

His form solid again.

"Did… did you just use Sharingan genjutsu?" Shintetsu stared, disbelief in his eyes. "No one has three bloodline limits. I must be hallucinating…"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end