Chpater 6: The Night Everything Changed

I knew it was coming.

The quiet tension in the air, the way the clan elders whispered behind closed doors, the way Itachi had looked at me the last time we spoke—it all pointed to something inevitable.

And yet, knowing did nothing to prepare me for the reality of it.

The Uchiha compound was bathed in moonlight, eerily peaceful despite the blood being spilled in its streets. From the shadows of my home, I watched as figures darted between buildings, their movements swift and lethal. The scent of iron filled the air, and every so often, the dull thud of a body hitting the ground reached my ears.

It was happening. The eradication of the Uchiha.

I gritted my teeth, fingers digging into the wooden frame of the open window. My body was tense, my heartbeat steady despite the chaos. I had been preparing myself for this moment ever since Itachi had warned me.

*"Do not interfere."* His words echoed in my mind.

I had been given a choice—to flee and survive or to die alongside the others.

The weight of that choice pressed down on me, suffocating. Was I a coward for not raising my blade in defense of my people? Was I betraying them by living when I knew their fates?

But I wasn't a fool. There was nothing I could do.

The ANBU—Danzo's dogs—moved in precise formation, their efficiency in slaughter rivaling even Itachi's. This wasn't a battle; it was an execution.

And I wasn't strong enough to stop it. Not yet.

I tore my gaze away from the carnage, forcing myself to focus. I had already planned my escape route, memorized the weak points in the compound's defenses. I would slip through the west side, avoiding the heaviest patrols, and disappear into the depths of the village before the Hokage's forces even realized I was missing.

I moved silently through the halls of my home, passing by the lifeless forms of my parents. My chest tightened at the sight of them, their blood staining the tatami mats, their eyes empty and unseeing.

I closed them with trembling fingers.

*"I'll remember you,"* I whispered, voice barely audible. *"I won't let this be the end of us."*

A sound outside snapped me back to reality. I had to go.

Slipping through the shadows, I made my way toward the compound's perimeter, avoiding the patrols with practiced ease. I could hear Sasuke's screams in the distance, his cries of agony as he realized the truth.

I didn't stop.

Sasuke would live. He would be broken, but he would live. And that was enough—for now.

By the time I reached the outskirts of the compound, my body was running on instinct. My breath was steady, my chakra suppressed to avoid detection.

And then I saw him.

Itachi stood on the rooftop ahead, his cloak billowing slightly in the breeze. His Sharingan met mine, and for a moment, the world around us faded.

There was no hatred in his gaze, no malice. Only quiet understanding.

He had spared me. Not because he was weak, but because he *chose* to.

Because I had a role to play in what was to come.

I gave him a single nod before vanishing into the darkness.

That night, I left behind my clan, my home, my childhood.

That night, Raiden Uchiha became something else.

Something more.

And when the time came, I would not be powerless.Got it. Raiden already knows

I knew it was coming. I had known for days.

The quiet tension in the air, the way the clan elders whispered behind closed doors, the way Itachi had looked at me the last time we spoke—it all pointed to something inevitable.

And yet, knowing did nothing to prepare me for the reality of it.

The Uchiha compound was bathed in moonlight, eerily peaceful despite the blood being spilled in its streets. From the shadows of my home, I watched as figures darted between buildings, their movements swift and lethal. The scent of iron filled the air, and every so often, the dull thud of a body hitting the ground reached my ears.

It was happening. The eradication of the Uchiha.

I gritted my teeth, fingers digging into the wooden frame of the open window. My body was tense, my heartbeat steady despite the chaos. I had been preparing myself for this moment ever since Itachi had warned me.

*"Do not interfere."* His words echoed in my mind.

I had been given a choice—to flee and survive or to die alongside the others.

The weight of that choice pressed down on me, suffocating. Was I a coward for not raising my blade in defense of my people? Was I betraying them by living when I knew their fates?

But I wasn't a fool. There was nothing I could do.

The ANBU—Danzo's dogs—moved in precise formation, their efficiency in slaughter rivaling even Itachi's. This wasn't a battle; it was an execution.

And I wasn't strong enough to stop it. Not yet.

I tore my gaze away from the carnage, forcing myself to focus. I had already planned my escape route, memorized the weak points in the compound's defenses. I would slip through the west side, avoiding the heaviest patrols, and disappear into the depths of the village before the Hokage's forces even realized I was missing.

I moved silently through the halls of my home, passing by the lifeless forms of my parents. My chest tightened at the sight of them, their blood staining the tatami mats, their eyes empty and unseeing.

I closed them with trembling fingers.

*"I'll remember you,"* I whispered, voice barely audible. *"I won't let this be the end of us."*

A sound outside snapped me back to reality. I had to go.

Slipping through the shadows, I made my way toward the compound's perimeter, avoiding the patrols with practiced ease. I could hear Sasuke's screams in the distance, his cries of agony as he realized the truth.

I didn't stop.

Sasuke would live. He would be broken, but he would live. And that was enough—for now.

By the time I reached the outskirts of the compound, my body was running on instinct. My breath was steady, my chakra suppressed to avoid detection.

And then I saw him.

Itachi stood on the rooftop ahead, his cloak billowing slightly in the breeze. His Sharingan met mine, and for a moment, the world around us faded.

There was no hatred in his gaze, no malice. Only quiet understanding.

He had spared me. Not because he was weak, but because he *chose* to.

Because I had a role to play in what was to come.

I gave him a single nod before vanishing into the darkness.

That night, I left behind my clan, my home, my childhood.

That night, Raiden Uchiha became something else.

Something more.

And when the time came, I would not be powerless.