Chapter 63

After weaving through Konoha's maze-like backstreets, they came to a stop in a secluded alley. It was perfect—narrow, damp, and forgotten, where the village's light never quite reached. The air smelled faintly of mold and rotting wood, and the walls on either side were cracked and crumbling from years of neglect.

Pakura set her bundle down first, rolling her shoulders before fixing Souta with a questioning look. "Alright, we're here. Now what?"

Souta crouched down, adjusting the cloth over the bodies before speaking. "I need you to burn them. But not just any fire—I need it to look like an Uchiha did this."

She exhaled sharply. "You do realize that Scorch Release doesn't burn like normal fire, right?"

"I know," he said, shifting to meet her gaze. "But it's close. If you control how it spreads, how it leaves the bodies, you can make it look like Fire Release instead of Scorch."

Pakura narrowed her eyes, considering his words. "You're asking me to fake an Uchiha's technique. That's not exactly easy."

Souta smirked. "That's why I asked you."

She clicked her tongue, but he could tell she was already thinking of ways to do it. With a quiet sigh, she stepped forward, rolling her wrists as she formed a series of hand seals. The air around them grew dry almost instantly.

Pakura held up one hand, where several small orbs of burning chakra flickered to life. They glowed a deep orange-red. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she sent them forward.

The moment they made contact, the bodies ignited—not in wild, uncontrollable flames, but with a slow, consuming heat that spread in deliberate waves. The cloth burned first, then the exposed flesh began to blacken, crack, and curl inward. The scent of burning meat filled the alley, acrid and thick, but there was no smoke.

That was the key difference. True Fire Release left smoke, something that could be seen from a distance. Pakura's flames didn't.

"Slow it down," Souta murmured, watching closely. "Make it look less… clean."

Pakura narrowed her eyes but adjusted the technique, allowing the heat to burn more unevenly, leaving scorch marks along the stone ground. The fire spread outward, licking at the edges of the alley as if it had been uncontrolled. It was subtle, but it made all the difference.

After a few moments, the bodies were nothing more than charred husks, their forms indistinguishable. Anyone who found them wouldn't question what had happened. It would look like a fire jutsu.

Pakura let the flames die down before exhaling slowly. "There. Happy?"

Souta inspected the remains, his eyes scanning over the details. It was perfect. "Yeah," he muttered. "This'll do."

She crossed her arms. "And what exactly was the point of this?"

He dusted off his sleeves and gave her a smirk. "You'll see soon enough."

By morning, the village would be talking. And that was exactly what he wanted.

Souta and Pakura left the alley without a word. They moved fast, avoiding patrols, and reached their house without trouble.

Inside, Pakura shut the door and leaned against it. "What the hell was that about?"

Souta pulled off his cloak. "Don't worry about it."

She frowned. "I just helped you dig up and burn bodies. I think I deserve an answer."

"You'll know when you need to."

Pakura exhaled sharply but didn't push further. "Fine. I'm going to sleep."

"Same."

They went to their rooms, and the house fell silent.

 ...

Morning

By dawn, Konoha was in chaos. The burned bodies had been found. Shinobi gathered around the scene, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Looks like Fire Release," one said, crouching over the remains.

"But it's too clean," another muttered. "No ash, no wild burn marks. This wasn't a normal fire."

"Then what the hell was it?"

The news spread fast. Civilians whispered about a rogue Uchiha, a hidden enemy, or even an internal conflict.

Though no official statements were made, the village was already talking.

"Civilians got burned to death?" a man whispered near a food stall. "Who else could do that besides the Uchiha?"

"Yeah, it was Fire Release for sure," another muttered. "And who uses Fire Release the most?"

At first, it was just gossip. But soon, the whispers turned into accusations.

"The Uchiha probably thought they could get away with it."

"They've always been dangerous."

"How long until they start killing shinobi too?"

The tension thickened fast.

At the market, an older woman refused to sell vegetables to an Uchiha, muttering about "murderers." A group of civilians spoke in hushed voices whenever an Uchiha walked by. Even children started hearing things at home.

Then, someone snapped.

Marketplace Fight

An Uchiha teenager, maybe sixteen, was walking through the market when a man purposely bumped into him, nearly knocking him over.

"Watch it," the Uchiha muttered, brushing off his sleeve.

The man scoffed. "Oh, I'm sorry, Your Highness. Didn't mean to upset the big, scary Uchiha."

People stopped to watch.

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes. "Tch. Move."

The man sneered. "Or what? You'll burn me alive like those people last night?"

The teenager's hand twitched toward his kunai pouch. The man saw it and smirked, stepping closer.

"Go ahead. Prove me right."

In a blur, the Uchiha grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against a stall. The crowd gasped.

Shinobi patrolling nearby rushed over immediately.

"Enough!" One of them, a Chūnin, pushed between them. "Let him go."

The Uchiha hesitated but dropped his grip.

The man adjusted his clothes, looking around. "See? They think they can do whatever they want!"

More people started shouting.

"They attacked a villager!"

"They don't even deny it anymore!"

The Chūnin's expression darkened. "Everyone, back off!"