Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

Uchiha Izumi didn't want to believe it—could all of this truly be real? But Sasuke was Itachi's beloved little brother. Why would he lie? Why would he slander his own brother without reason?

And Naruto… her master wouldn't lie to her.

"So… it was really Itachi who killed me?"

"Why? Why would he do that?!"

Izumi's face turned pale. Her breathing quickened, and emotional pain hit her like a crashing wave. Her head spun as her mind tried to process the truth.

"Why, Itachi?! Why did you kill me?!"

"We were best friends… weren't we? I trusted you. I cared about you. Why would you hurt me?"

She had once believed that if two people grew up together, they would naturally fall in love, get married, and build a happy life together.

Even in death, she had been worried about Itachi's safety.

Yet now, she was being told that the one who had taken her life was none other than Uchiha Itachi.

Izumi's knees buckled and she fell back—only to be caught just in time by Naruto, who reached out and stopped her from hitting the ground.

Tears streamed down her face. In her scarlet Sharingan eyes, the three tomoe began to spin rapidly.

She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, the tomoe had transformed into a five-pointed star pattern.

"The Mangekyō Sharingan…" Naruto muttered, eyes narrowing in shock.

He hadn't expected this. He didn't even know if a human puppet was capable of awakening the Mangekyō.

The Mangekyō Sharingan—this was no small feat. For most members of the Uchiha clan, it marked the threshold of reaching Kage-level strength. Mastery over this eye, especially combined with Susanoo, could elevate even the average shinobi to elite status.

Naruto's heart pounded with excitement. He now had a servant with Kage-level potential. First Orochimaru, and now Izumi.

He couldn't help but feel grateful—Uchiha Itachi, the supposed villain, was starting to feel like a lucky charm. If it weren't for him, Naruto wouldn't have so easily won Sasuke over, and Izumi likely wouldn't have awakened her Mangekyō at all.

The Uchiha clan… they were powerful, emotional, and deeply bound to their feelings. Their eyes, their strength—it all stemmed from intense emotional experiences. Pain. Love. Hate.

But the people who evoked those feelings in them? Rarely did they escape unscathed.

Even Sasuke noticed the change in Izumi's eyes and couldn't help feeling a little bitter.

What the hell? That's cheating!

Just like that, she awakened the Mangekyō? What about me? Why don't my eyes react at all?!

He was jealous—no, envious. His own Sharingan looked like a sour lemon in comparison.

"I-Itachi…" Izumi whispered, looking up at the sky. Her crimson eyes blazed with a hatred so deep it seemed as if she could rip the heavens open with her stare.

"I will kill you… for betraying me like this."

She straightened, taking a long breath as her purpose solidified. She now had more than just Naruto to serve—she had vengeance to seek.

Naruto gently placed a hand on her shoulder, offering comfort. "No matter what happens, Izumi… I'll help you."

His voice was steady and warm. And to Izumi, it was an anchor in her emotional storm.

A soft gratitude washed over her expression.

There was peace to be found—at least in him.

If there was one thing to thank Itachi for, it was this: if he hadn't arranged for her to die, she never would have met Naruto.

"Thank you, Naruto-sama," Izumi said quietly.

"Just call me Naruto from now on," he replied, cutting her off before she could call him 'master' again. "Outside the village it's fine, but here… just Naruto."

Izumi blinked, a flicker of relief passing through her eyes. She had never really liked calling anyone 'master.'

But no matter what name she used, her loyalty remained unchanged.

"I understand. Thank you, Naruto-kun," she said sincerely.

"If Naruto-kun's helping Sister Izumi, then I will too!" Sasuke chimed in, eager.

"???" Naruto threw a sharp look at Sasuke.

Bro, what are you even doing right now? Do you even understand what's going on?

Sasuke blinked, clearly confused by Naruto's glare. "Uh… Sister Izumi, where are you living now? The Uchiha compound is pretty empty with just me in it. You could come stay at my place."

Naruto raised a brow. He swore Sasuke was just asking for a beatdown today.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," Izumi responded flatly. "But that won't be necessary. I'll follow Naruto-kun's arrangements."

She had seen Naruto's expression change. No way was she going to accept Sasuke's offer now.

Sasuke turned to Naruto, silently pleading for help. He was dying to ask how Izumi had just awakened her Mangekyō out of nowhere.

Naruto smiled slyly and said, "Izumi, try out your Mangekyō. Show Sasuke what it can do."

"Great idea!" Sasuke cheered inwardly. Naruto was the best—he totally got him.

Izumi gave a respectful nod. She would never disobey Naruto.

Then Naruto added, "Oh, and Sasuke—you'll be her sparring partner. That way I can see if you've made any progress lately."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He remembered all too well what a Mangekyō could do from watching Kakashi fight Itachi.

Come on, I'm not dumb enough to let her beat me up!

"I'll pass," Sasuke was about to say.

But then Naruto taunted, "What's wrong, Sasuke? You scared?"

Sasuke: "…"

Oh, that's it. Now you're insulting me.

"Bring it on, Sister Izumi!" Sasuke said, getting into position.

Izumi stepped back, facing Sasuke with calm intensity. "Don't hold back."

Sasuke relaxed a bit. If she was warning him, then it probably wasn't going to be that bad.

He dropped his guard a little. No need for Chidori, right?

But Izumi wasn't holding back—not in the slightest. Naruto clearly wanted her to give Sasuke a taste of real power.

Izumi's eyes gleamed with a cold light. A pale, ghostly arm began to materialize beside her—Susanoo in its early form.

"This is the first stage of Susanoo," she said. "It can form a giant arm for offense or defense."

As she spoke, the white arm lunged toward Sasuke.

"Too slow!" Sasuke grinned, darting to the side. He slid in low, getting under the arm and straight in front of Izumi.

"She's wide open!" he thought excitedly.

Maybe she didn't have much combat experience?

Time to win!

He pulled out a kunai and lunged.

But just as he reached her, Izumi whispered, "Uga no Mi."

And she ran straight into his kunai.

"What are you doing?!" Sasuke yelled. "If you don't want to fight, you don't have to hurt yourself!"

Naruto looked on in alarm. If Izumi died like this, he'd be devastated.

But then he noticed the blood from her eyes.

A genjutsu?

Sure enough—Izumi wasn't hurt at all. She suddenly grabbed Sasuke by the neck and lifted him effortlessly off the ground. There wasn't even a scratch on her.

Sasuke, just 13 and barely 5 feet tall, dangled helplessly in the air. Izumi, 5'7" and all business, looked like an older sister disciplining her bratty sibling.

The next moment, Sasuke was slammed against a tree. Izumi hit him five times in the stomach.

Sasuke tried to scream but couldn't—his airway was being crushed.

That pain—it felt just like when Itachi had beaten him.

Panicked, he formed hand signs for a Fireball Jutsu—but Izumi didn't even flinch. The fire hit her head-on and did nothing.

She kept punching.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Only after thoroughly thrashing him did she finally drop him.

Sasuke fell to the ground, gasping for air, coughing, then vomiting everything he'd eaten the day before.

Naruto stood stunned.

What kind of broken ability was that?

Izumi smiled softly and turned back to Naruto, her Mangekyō fading back to black.

"This is my Mangekyō ability," she said in a low voice. "It's called Uga no Mi. For a short time… I can't be hurt."

Naruto sucked in a sharp breath.

That was insane.

But thank god she was on his side.

"How long does it last?" he asked.

"About five seconds," she whispered, making sure Sasuke couldn't hear.

She wasn't dumb—only Naruto needed to know her secrets.

"Five seconds, huh?" Naruto muttered. "Reminds me of that old legend… the Barbarian King."

A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Five seconds of invincibility… Quan, you're the real deal. A true queen of the battlefield."