Rampage

Naruto burst out laughing. "You were crying! Why can't I tell anyone? You're always acting so cool. I didn't know you were such a crybaby!"

Sasuke hurried to say, "If you promise not to tell, I'll do anything you ask. This is your chance to earn the friendship of the noble Uchiha Clan. Think carefully!"

"Anything I ask?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at Sasuke.

Sasuke took a small step back. "Uh, you can't ask for anything too outrageous!"

Naruto stopped to think.

Seeing how seriously he was considering it made Sasuke nervous. He was afraid Naruto would ask for something he could not promise.

Suddenly, Naruto shouted, "I've got it!"

"What?"

Naruto pointed at him. "You have to be my friend!"

Sasuke blinked, then relaxed. "That's all you want?"

"Hey, you're from some fancy clan, right? You have to keep your word! You promised, so you can't take it back!"

Sasuke waved a hand. "Fine. We're friends."

The two boys, both abducted from the village that night, put their arms around each other's shoulders and headed back toward Konoha, talking and laughing.

...

Inside the village.

Fugaku led the Uchiha elite toward the Hokage Building at speed. Even before they drew close, its blazing lights and the clamor of voices ahead left him fearing the worst.

'The Third has already gathered quite a force!'

From the distant conversations alone, he could tell at least a hundred shinobi had assembled around the building, perhaps more.

In sheer numbers, the Uchiha Clan could hardly compete with the entire village.

Fugaku had made his decision. As soon as he met the Third, he would address the issue directly and demand an explanation. If the Hokage had no intention of backing down, Fugaku would have to use his Mangekyo Sharingan and strike first.

Before long, the Uchiha reached the perimeter around the Hokage Building.

As expected, the ANBU on guard refused to let them approach. They stopped the Uchiha well short of the building.

While Fugaku argued with them, the Third arrived with Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and a group of Konoha jonin.

Quietly preparing his Mangekyo Sharingan's ocular technique, Fugaku bowed to the Third and demanded, "Lord Hokage, what is happening? Why wasn't the Police Force notified when you declared a state of emergency?"

Fugaku's opening words were an angry demand, rather than an explanation of his actions. That reinforced the Third's suspicion that his own theory was correct. Taking the pipe from his mouth, he said, "A short time ago, Naruto was abducted by an unidentified individual. I was also attacked by an extremely powerful shinobi with the Sharingan."

"What?!"

Fugaku was stunned. This was nothing like what he had expected.

The Third continued, "First, they deliberately abducted Naruto to lure Shisui, who was protecting him, out of the village. That left him with only his teammates as witnesses and prevented us from finding him immediately to question him. Then someone impersonated him and tried to assassinate me. They wanted to turn the village and the Uchiha against each other and make us fight among ourselves."

While declaring the emergency and summoning the village's jonin, the Third and his two advisers had pieced together a rough explanation of the night's events.

Of course, it all depended on his trust in Shisui being justified.

Fugaku's expression shifted as he listened. He had never imagined so much could happen on an otherwise ordinary night. The intent behind it was chilling.

Had the Third fallen for the trap, they would have been on the brink of battle. It could have ended with either the Uchiha Clan wiped out or the village's leadership destroyed.

Either outcome would have been disastrous for both the Uchiha and Konoha.

The Third patted his shoulder reassuringly. "I've already sent reinforcements to Team Eleven. They'll bring Naruto back safely."

Fugaku could only nod.

Boom!

A deafening crash sounded in the distance. The ground began to shake, as though something enormous were tearing through the village.

'Has the Nine-Tails broken loose again?!'

The Third's expression darkened. The sensation reminded him of the Nine-Tails' attack a few years earlier.

But when they looked up, the giant creature rampaging through Konoha was no familiar fox. It was a dark purple-black, dragonlike monster with multiple heads and clawed limbs.

"What is that?!"

"That chakra... How can there be so much of it?!"

"Damn it, my house is over there!"

The gathered shinobi erupted into anxious cries. None could stand by while a monster destroyed their homes.

A pale chunin came running from the direction of the rampage, clutching his shoulder. "Lord Hokage! A Police Force squad captain is holding that monster off alone. Please send help right away!"

"A Police Force squad captain?!"

The Third paused, then turned to Fugaku.

Fugaku looked just as bewildered.

The Uchiha controlled the entire Police Force. Its squad captains were all standing behind him. There were no others.

Besides, how could a mere jonin hold back a monster like that? Without a Mangekyo Sharingan, even a veteran elite jonin would struggle to face it alone.

The wounded chunin bowed to Fugaku. "Clan Head Fugaku, that captain saved us. Without her, none of the squads in the area would have survived! Please make sure she knows how grateful we are!"

Fugaku nodded awkwardly.

The Third leaped onto a nearby rooftop and shouted, "Move out! We're driving that monster out of the village!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Konoha shinobi, Uchiha included, answered together.

The monster's sudden appearance was further evidence that a third party had intervened tonight. For the moment, the village and the Uchiha had a common enemy.

With the Third Hokage himself leading them, the assembled shinobi rushed toward the rampage.

On a tall building at the other end of the village.

Obito stepped out of a vortex and stared at the monster wreaking havoc below. "This isn't quite how I pictured it..."