Naruto: About the Fact That my Brother is Madara-Chapter 279: Then Just Deceive Me for a Lifetime

Moreover, because of the special status of the researchers, their outings always had to be approved by the ANBU.

Even if something unexpected were to occur, with ANBU operatives assigned as escorts, there were few in the entire shinobi world who could even imagine harming them.

And if an overwhelmingly powerful enemy were to appear, there would be problems regardless of whether they remained within the village.

Kagami understood this reality all too well. That was precisely why he had crafted the current plan with such care. He could not act openly himself; the person who would deliver the decisive blow had to be the acting head of the Shinobi Sect.

Perhaps, just perhaps, he could pull off a perfect deception: masquerading as a loyal villager while quietly sowing discord and manipulating others to align themselves with the Sect's cause.

"Don't blame me," he whispered inwardly. "Everything I do is for the peace of the shinobi world."

As he glanced at the woman walking beside him—his lover—his expression softened into a warm and sincere smile.

"Kagami," the woman said sweetly, clinging to his arm, her eyes glowing with the light of deep affection. "You promised that once this trip was over, you'd come visit my parents."

"Of course," Kagami replied gently, his tone tender and reassuring. "Once this outing is done, I'll marry you."

He needed to be a model of calm and optimism for the rest of the research team, someone they could look to for emotional stability. And that role began with the naive woman beside him.

"W-Who said I was going to marry you? I haven't agreed to anything yet," she replied playfully, though her joy was unmistakable. She puffed up like a proud young lady, pretending to deliberate her answer.

To any onlooker, it was nothing more than the playful banter between lovers. But to Kagami, it was hollow and laughable. He sneered inwardly at the sight.

From beginning to end, he had only ever been using her. There had never been any affection, no trace of sincerity. Once he had extracted every last ounce of value from her and her connections, he would cast aside their hollow, hypocritical relationship without the slightest hesitation.

"This is all for peace," he reminded himself, steadying his resolve. "I must endure a little longer."

With the prestige of the Research and Development Division behind them, the group encountered no obstacles and soon reached their intended destination.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Just as the picnic blankets had been spread out and the mood was light and relaxed, heavy thuds echoed from the distance.

Startled, everyone turned toward the sound and saw the ANBU escort squad, who had been assigned to protect them, collapsed beneath the trees with their condition unknown.

The suddenness of the scene sent a chill through the hearts of the researchers. Alarm bells rang sharply in their minds.

They were all intelligent enough to understand instantly that something had gone terribly wrong.

"Who are you?" the rotund head of the research team stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding in the face of danger.

He posed the question not to gain an answer, but to stall for time.

His loyalty to Konoha was beyond question. Even in the face of death, he would do everything in his power to prevent their captors from abducting the group. If the enemy succeeded, it would spell disaster for Konoha's future.

Everyone present had been selected for their intellect—none of them were simpletons. They understood the stakes. But that did not mean they all had the courage to sacrifice themselves, especially not when their loved ones were involved.

At the very least, Kagami's lover clearly lacked that resolve. Her face had gone pale with fear.

"This is all my fault... I dragged you into this," she said tearfully, her voice quivering with guilt. "Kagami, they must be after us. If you get a chance, please... run."

"I—"

"Please, just listen. If we're caught, we'll be fine. But they might not spare you."

In that moment, as he saw the woman—who wasn't even a trained ninja—step instinctively in front of him, determined to protect him without hesitation, something stirred within Kagami's heart.

For the first time, he felt a twinge of remorse. His meticulously laid plan suddenly seemed cold—cruel even.

"If it comes to that," he thought to himself, "then I'll simply carry this lie to the end."

That was the only kindness he could offer. A fragile, flickering warmth in the freezing cold of a ruthless night.

From a distance, Masaki let out a soft, ambiguous chuckle.

The conflict between the Shinobi Sect and Konoha had never been a matter of good and evil. It was a clash of beliefs and ideologies. Despite his frequent provocations, many within the Shinobi Sect still held a certain respect for Konoha. The tragedy was that fate had pitted them against each other, and now their paths could only end in mutual destruction.

Konoha was far from a perfect force of good, and the Shinobi Sect were no devils incarnate. But when belief systems clashed, no amount of morality could bridge the divide.

That was precisely why Masaki felt contempt for people like Kagami—traitors who abandoned their allies for personal gain.

Seeing Kagami cower behind his lover, Madak almost couldn't keep a straight face.

"Stay calm," he reminded himself. "We still need him to win over the research team."

Without another word, Masaki raised his hand. Several loyal members of the Shinobi Sect emerged from the shadows, moving swiftly to seize the target and transport them to the rendezvous point.

In preparation for the operation, the Shinobi Sect had secretly bribed several major merchant groups within the Land of Fire.

With the help of these greedy collaborators, escaping the country would be far easier than anyone could have imagined.

Yet for all his careful planning, Masaki had overlooked one crucial detail. This entire incident had been a trap from the very beginning.

---

"Tobirama Senju!"

Uchiha Izuna burst into the room, flinging a sealed file straight into the face of Senju Tobirama.

Tobirama caught the document, his brow furrowed. Rage simmered just beneath the surface, but he forced himself to stay calm as he opened the file.

The further he read, the more his expression darkened.

"No... this is impossible!" he finally exclaimed.

Uchiha Kagami had always displayed an outlook far more expansive than the typical Uchiha. He had seemed capable of rising above the constraints of his bloodline and seeing the world through a broader, more objective lens.

Of course, that transformation hadn't happened by accident. Tobirama had played no small part in shaping that perspective.

To him, Kagami had been the perfect pawn—someone he could use to undermine and suppress the Uchiha from within.

But now, that pawn had stepped off the board entirely. And before doing so, he had produced a damning piece of evidence—one capable of shaking the very foundation of the Senju's influence within the village.

If this document were made public, the Senju clan would be completely discredited and driven out of Konoha's leadership.

This, Tobirama simply could not allow.

He sat frozen in place for a long moment before slowly returning to his seat. Propping his chin up with both hands, he finally spoke in a cold, even tone.

"Hiruzen will withdraw from the race for Third Hokage."

"Not enough," Izuna replied with a scornful smile, shaking his head.

"I'll personally deal with the traitor."

"Still not enough."

"...Fine. For the next ten years, the Senju will make no attempt to claim any seat within the ANBU."

Only then did Izuna finally nod in satisfaction.

Despite the fact that the Senju were currently reviled and condemned on all sides, the truth was far more complex. The opinions of the villagers didn't dictate real power.

At the level of leadership and strategy, the Senju still had many allies. Numerous clans continued to stand firmly behind them.

If a full-scale conflict broke out now, it would plunge the entire village into chaos. And in such a moment, the true beneficiaries would be their enemies.

Yes—the Senju would be dealt with. But not yet.

The return of Kyosuke had been kept under the strictest secrecy. So far, apart from Chō, Yayoi, and Izuna, not a soul outside their circle knew of it.

With him in the shadows, ready to strike, it was not Izuna's burden to worry about taking action against the Senju.

In fact, one could even feel a hint of pity for Tobirama.

After all the years of waiting, he had finally ascended to the helm of leadership, taking control of his clan's destiny.

Yet fate had cruelly arranged for his nemesis, the one man he feared most, to claw his way back from the underworld.

Where was the justice in that?

Meanwhile, Senju Tobirama led a squad of elite clan members toward the scene of the incident.

By the time they arrived, reinforcements from the ANBU had already engaged the enemy.

What greeted Tobirama upon arrival was a harrowing sight: corpses littered the battlefield, the air thick with the scent of blood and smoke. And in the midst of it all stood Uchiha Kagami, holding a kunai to the throat of his own lover, using her as a human shield.

"Even now, at this point, you still choose to remain stubbornly blind?!" Tobirama bellowed, his voice ringing with righteous fury.

"I..." Uchiha Kagami faltered, his expression blank and confused. He had no idea how things had come to this.

Everything had been progressing smoothly—at least that's what he had believed. Yet somehow, in the final moments, something had gone horribly wrong.

He had no intention of answering Tobirama's accusation. What truly pierced his heart was not the scolding, but the look in his lover's eyes—a gaze full of despair, heartbreak, and silent condemnation.

With a dull clang, the kunai slipped from Kagami's fingers and clattered to the ground.

A bitter smile crossed his face as he surrendered, relinquishing all resistance.

So be it. Things had already reached this point. There was no reason to drag an innocent woman into the depths of death alongside him.

Besides, escape was no longer possible, and in his heart, he had never wanted to harm the woman who had stood by him, shielding him from danger.

"I'm sorry." He bowed his head and spoke with quiet remorse. In this moment, those were the only words he could offer.

She stared at him silently for a long moment, and then something shifted. In her hopeless eyes, a faint glimmer of life flickered anew.

As the ANBU began to approach, preparing to take him into custody, the woman suddenly moved. Rising with determination, she spread her arms wide and stepped in front of her lover, shielding him with her own body.

Just as she had once done, when she intercepted the enemy without fear.

"Stop. I won't allow you to harm him." Her voice was firm and unwavering, filled with strength and conviction. "I want to speak with Lady Uchiha Kochou."

"I'm right here. Speak." Kochou emerged from the shadows, her gaze settling on the couple before her. A flicker of complex emotion passed through her eyes.

Looking at the woman, Kochou saw a faint reflection of another person—someone from the past who had once trusted her with the same unshakable faith.

She remembered it clearly. That person had once stood before her in the very same way, placing their life in her hands without hesitation.

But in the end, that person had met the same fate as Kagami. Or perhaps, something even worse.

Moved by the woman's bravery and devotion, Uchiha Kochou found herself swayed by emotions she hadn't expected. Without fully understanding why, she gave a nod.

"I will spare his life—for now. However, from this day forward, he will live under constant surveillance. ANBU operatives will monitor his every move."

"Thank you, my lady." The woman bowed deeply, her gratitude sincere and humble.

Whatever the cost, her lover's life had been saved. That alone was enough.

"I'm sorry," Kagami said again, his voice hoarse with regret.

"You enjoy lying to me, don't you?" she called over her shoulder, walking ahead of him. Her voice was soft, but each word carried clearly in the wind. "Then keep it up. Keep lying to me for the rest of your life. Make that lie the truth, and don't ever let me see it break."

Kagami followed her in stunned silence.

Watching them walk away, Uchiha Kochou allowed herself a sorrowful smile. There was a certain wistfulness in her expression, as if she were watching something precious slowly slip through her fingers. But behind that melancholy, her eyes also carried a trace of relief.

After all, Uchiha Kagami was ultimately insignificant in the grand scheme. With careful monitoring, he would pose no real threat. Without external support, someone like him could never stir up a true storm.

"I hope you know how to cherish what you've been given," she murmured quietly.

Then, collecting herself and banishing all traces of emotion, Uchiha Kochou turned away from the scene.

Ahead, two figures were still locked in fierce combat.

Masaki versus Senju Tobirama—a clash destined to shake the heavens and rend the earth.

Suddenly, a rhythmic pounding of footsteps echoed from the distance.

Kochou turned, and the corners of her lips curled into a strange, almost eerie smile.

The newcomer was a boy, no older than seven or eight. Beside him walked a personal tutor, a specially appointed shinobi entrusted with his training.

As the boy took in the scene—the corpses, the blood, the chaotic aftermath of battle—his eyes burned with fury. It was not the wild anger of a child throwing a tantrum, but something colder, sharper, and far more painful.

"Damn it... This again."

"Why? Why must our clan always be the one to bring ruin to the village's peace?"

The boy was none other than Senju Nawaki, the grandson of Hashirama.

..

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[Chapter End's]

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