21-25

Chapter 21: Prelude

"Ridiculous!"

Koharu Utatane was furious. "You’re Konoha shinobi! This is Konoha! The Uchiha only laughed, just laughed, and you’re causing such a commotion? Have you no shame?"

"Ahem."

Homura Mitokado coughed lightly, looking away.

Given his position, he rarely interacted with the Uchiha.

But just now, he imagined Fugaku Uchiha smiling at him in his mind.

Goodness, that was genuinely terrifying!

"Hmph!"

Danzo snorted coldly. "This incident alone highlights the threat the Uchiha pose to the village."

There was no rebuttal to this.

The Third Hokage and others were left speechless.

For the Uchiha, a simple smile could cause such a disturbance. Truly, they were something else.

"Why were they even smiling?!"

The Third Hokage asked in frustration.

No one could answer.

The kneeling Jonin remained silent. He was, after all, the one unnerved by that smile.

Koharu speculated, "Could it be that the Uchiha achieved some goal, and so…"

A goal?

The leaders exchanged glances, two words surfacing in their minds: Hyuga!

But that didn’t make sense either! Even if they allied with the Hyuga, how could the ordinary Uchiha know?

Itsuki Uchiha wouldn’t be so foolish; the less he knew about such matters, the better.

Unable to figure it out, Danzo snorted again and left.

He would deal with Itsuki himself. As for why the Uchiha were smiling, he left that to Koharu and the others—it was the most they were good for.

---

"Yes, just like that!"

Itsuki looked at the Konoha Police Force before him, a faint smile on his face.

In front of him, a group of Uchiha awkwardly forced smiles.

Shisui Uchiha sighed in exasperation. "Itsuki, what are you doing this time?"

It wasn’t just the clan members straining to smile—Shisui himself felt deeply uncomfortable.

A normal smile, when placed on the face of an Uchiha, somehow felt like a lethal threat.

"Smiling reflects a good mood," Itsuki explained, casting Shisui an annoyed look. "A happy person doesn’t cause trouble."

"But you want the Uchiha to blend into Konoha, don’t you? Smiling more will improve their approachability. Plus, smiles are contagious. If everyone is happy, can you imagine the future, Shisui? Doesn’t it excite you?"

Shisui nodded instinctively but immediately turned expressionless upon seeing the forced smiles on his clan members' faces.

Contagious?

This could destroy Konoha.

If these Uchiha smiles spread, it would be a disaster—something even the combined efforts of Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju couldn’t fix.

"I don’t believe a word you’re saying," Shisui muttered. "It feels like you’re conducting some terrible experiment."

"Stop rambling!"

Itsuki ignored him and addressed the Uchiha before him. "Remember, when patrolling, always wear a big smile. Understood?"

"Understood!"

"Why so unenthusiastic?" Itsuki chuckled lightly. "Don’t tell me you’re dissatisfied with me?"

"No!"

The Uchiha shouted in unison, their voices tinged with hysteria.

Outside, the Anbu monitoring the scene felt their hearts pound in fear.

What was going on?

They were too far to see clearly.

Were the Uchiha about to break out and attack?

Satisfied, Itsuki nodded. "If you’re unhappy with me, speak up! If you don’t tell me, how can I address the issues?"

…Only to be mind-controlled and forced to streak through the village, right?  

The Uchiha forced their stiff smiles, cursing Itsuki in their hearts.

Earlier, someone had questioned Itsuki’s methods, only to be mind-controlled by a glance and made to perform a pole dance on the spot.

It was scarring.

Afterward, Itsuki had hinted that to integrate with the village, sacrifices might be necessary—like streaking through Konoha.

Why on earth did "integration" require streaking?

And weren’t they already part of the village?

What even was this "integration"?

Some lower-ranking Uchiha had no idea what was happening.

"Minister, do we still need to patrol?" one asked hesitantly.

"Of course!"

Itsuki rolled his eyes. "If not patrolling, what would you do?"

"Train in jutsu!"

The Uchiha shouted eagerly.

As a clan that revered strength, they were ecstatic about the vast collection of jutsu Itsuki had provided. They wanted nothing more than to train day and night.

While the clan had many jutsu stored, most were inaccessible to lower-ranking members.

"Training is training; work is work!" Itsuki snapped. "You need to balance both."

The Uchiha exchanged glances before replying weakly, "Understood."

"Off you go!"

After giving his instructions, Itsuki gestured to Shisui to follow him.

"I thought you’d give them more guidance," Shisui remarked.

Itsuki shrugged. "People need their own space. Believing in their abilities is important. If you centralize everything around one person, it’s arrogant. Do you think you’re the only one capable, and everyone else is incompetent? Such hubris."

Shisui paused, narrowing his eyes. "Why does that sound directed at someone?"

Itachi Uchiha, who had just arrived, also felt the subtle jab.

Itsuki inwardly smirked.

It was directed at both of you!

In the original story, you two took everything upon yourselves.

Had they sought help from even a few ordinary Jonin, would things have ended the way they did?

Uchiha Shisui, with his Mangekyo Sharingan and the powerful Kotoamatsukami, was a Kage-level shinobi. And yet, he committed suicide by jumping into a river?

If other Kage-level fighters learned of this, they’d applaud his absurdity and kick him out of their ranks.

Embarrassing!

As for Itachi…

This self-righteous martyr didn’t communicate with anyone, bearing everything alone. How noble!

The massacred clan members must’ve been moved to tears by his sacrifice.

Idiocy!

"Itachi, do you need something?"

Itsuki was too lazy to rehash the past. He was here now, and everything had changed.

Under his influence, the Uchiha were still a bit chaotic, but they were primarily moving in the direction he envisioned.

Itachi’s expression was solemn. "Danzo is planning to target you, Brother Itsuki."

Shisui’s face darkened slightly.

"As expected."

Itsuki wasn’t surprised.

Shimura Danzo was exactly that kind of person.

He always claimed his actions were "for Konoha," but in truth, they were for himself.

In Danzo’s eyes, he embodied Konoha’s will.

Anyone he disliked was deemed a threat to the village.

Of course, if Itsuki obediently allowed himself to be branded with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal and submitted to Danzo, he would immediately become a model shinobi who "loved the village."

Cough, his throat felt uncomfortable again.

He tui!  

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 22: The Greatest Boss in the Ninja World

"Danzo ordered me to lure you out of the village and find an opportunity to kill you," Itachi said calmly. "He’ll send members of the Foundation to assist me."

He added, "This time, Danzo seems very confident. He’ll likely dispatch some powerful ninja."

"Oh!" Itsuki raised an eyebrow, grinning widely, his teeth gleaming.

Danzo targeting Itsuki wasn't a surprise—not to Itsuki himself, nor to Shisui.

The only surprising thing was that Danzo had waited this long to act.

Based on their understanding of Shimura Danzo, he should’ve acted the very night, yesterday.

Could it be that his previous failure made him more cautious this time?

Shisui said gravely, "Itsuki, we can’t let Danzo act recklessly. Let’s go find the Hokage immediately!"

"Are you stupid?" Itsuki looked at Shisui like he was a fool. "Do you think the Hokage doesn’t know about Danzo’s plan? Are you just playing dumb?"

Shisui hesitated to respond.

He really wanted to argue that the Hokage might not know.

But as the words reached his lips, he found himself unable to say them.

Although all signs pointed to this being Danzo’s unilateral decision—forcing Itachi to act against Itsuki in Konoha’s name—it still felt unlikely.

After all, Itachi’s position was crucial.

Shisui and Itachi were the only two Uchiha who had joined the Anbu, acting as bridges between the Uchiha and Konoha.

Itachi, the son of the Uchiha clan leader, held a status even higher than Shisui’s.

For someone so pivotal, the Hokage couldn’t possibly be unaware or allow Danzo to issue such orders freely.

"Shisui," Itsuki sneered maliciously, "this is the true measure of Konoha’s leadership."

Shisui felt a chill run through his body.

The Third Hokage had praised them repeatedly, claiming they had the qualities of future Hokage.

He lamented the Uchiha’s narrow-mindedness.

He pitied their inability to carry Konoha’s vision.

But what about their so-called "vision"?

What about their "Will of Fire"?

Itsuki chuckled softly, his voice echoing in Shisui’s ears. "Shisui, give up your naive ideals. Otherwise, you’ll suffer endlessly. Though, I suppose that might enhance your Sharingan."

"Do you think I’ve been wrong all along?" Shisui asked, a hint of doubt creeping into his voice.

Even though he had partially sided with Itsuki, he still held some hope for the Hokage.

"I don’t know," Itsuki replied bluntly. "But I do know one thing."

He raised a finger and said, "When Hiruzen Sarutobi allowed Danzo to corrupt the Foundation, he betrayed the Will of Fire."

Hiruzen had stepped up as Hokage during a time of crisis, driven by ambitions to change Konoha and bring prosperity.

He even dreamed of transforming the entire ninja world.

Unfortunately, reality had slapped him hard in the face.

When he became the Third Hokage, many old remnants of the Warring States Era were still alive.

They opposed Hiruzen and didn’t accept his leadership.

Back then, Hiruzen’s strength was nowhere near that of the First or Second Hokage.

He had only ascended to the position with the backing of a woman—Mito Uzumaki.

Even the clans within the village didn’t support him.

The Sarutobi clan was an ordinary clan with no exceptional strength to offer him.

Under such circumstances, maintaining his position as Hokage was a monumental challenge.

Perhaps Hiruzen had already darkened his heart during his struggle to solidify his rule.

The war he led Konoha to win came at a great cost—both openly and in ways no one knew.

What was certain, however, was that Danzo had risen as the ninja of the shadows.

And at that moment, Hiruzen fell into the darkness alongside him.

As for children being sent to the battlefield? That was a later development.

The Senju clan, once merged into Konoha, gradually disappeared, leaving only Tsunade behind.

Was that normal?

Merging with Konoha wasn’t supposed to mean turning into fertilizer!

The deaths of geniuses like Nawaki Senju and Dan Kato were just too suspicious.

Later, Sakumo Hatake’s suicide, Orochimaru’s betrayal, and the estrangement of Tsunade and Jiraiya from Hiruzen nearly severed their ties with Konoha altogether.

Through all of this, Hiruzen constantly acted "helpless," growing "older" by decades in an instant.

Sacrificing this and that "for Konoha’s sake."

To hell with that.

Some called him incompetent; others blamed his personality or age.

But what was the truth?

Itsuki never underestimated Hiruzen Sarutobi.

In his eyes, Hiruzen was the greatest boss in the ninja world.

Serving as Hokage for over 30 years, he outdid every other Hokage combined.

The Sarutobi clan had grown to thousands of ninjas, becoming a top-tier clan. If not for Orochimaru’s invasion during the Konoha Crush, the village might as well have been renamed Sarutobi Village.

Now that’s a true winner in life.

Compared to him, Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju were nothing.

Just weaklings.

And Danzo?

A mere clown dancing in Hiruzen’s palm, unaware he could be crushed at any moment.

Of course, Itsuki wasn’t the only one who noticed this. Many in Konoha had.

Otherwise, how could Orochimaru, leading a ragtag group and allying with the weakest village, have infiltrated Konoha?

Even the dynamics between Orochimaru and Hiruzen were bizarre.

Not a single person came to help during their fight.

Four mid-level Sound ninjas held off all reinforcements?

Where were all the famed Konoha clans and elite ninjas?

Even Jiraiya got stalled by a mere three-headed snake.

Summon Gamabunta and the others from Mount Myoboku, and they could’ve wrapped it up in minutes without needing Sage Mode.

Look at who died during the Konoha Crush.

No significant figures—just Hiruzen Sarutobi!

Shisui muttered, "The Will of Fire…"

Itachi glanced at Shisui, a hint of pity in his eyes, before turning to Itsuki. "Brother Itsuki, what are you planning to do?"

"Step into their trap," Itsuki said with a slight smile. "You can use this chance to gain more of Danzo’s trust, but remember: don’t show up in front of me. Danzo knows I have the Mangekyo Sharingan, so he must have prepared adequate traps. I need to take this seriously."

"Got it," Itachi replied with a faint smile. "I don’t intend to die at your hands anyway."

"Heh."

"W-Wait, Itsuki, you’re actually walking into a trap?" Shisui was stunned.

"Why not?" Itsuki shot him a look. "Shisui, if two tigers live on the same mountain, how can there be peace?"

Before Shisui could answer, Itsuki continued, "First, there must be sufficient external pressure. Second, the two tigers must be evenly matched in strength."

"We already have external pressure—other villages are recovering their strength after years of rest and rebuilding."

"My goal now is the second point: to weaken the Hokage faction, balancing their power with the Uchiha."

"That’s too dangerous!" Shisui protested. "Let me join you—I also have the Mangekyo."

Itsuki looked at him in surprise. "Made up your mind?"

Shisui gave a bitter smile. "I’m not blind. The Hokage keeps talking but doing nothing. Anyone can see that. And now they’re targeting you again and again…"

"I… can’t trust them anymore."

---

(End of chapter)

Chapter 23: Foolishness

Itsuki gazed at Shisui with a sense of amazement and let out a sigh.

"Kid, you've grown up!"

"Shut up!"

Shisui remained expressionless.

"Hahaha!"

Both Itsuki and Itachi couldn't hold back and burst into laughter.

"Thank you, Shisui. But there's no need for you to make a move," Itsuki said, waving his hand. "The Mangekyo Sharingan is a forbidden power that should be used sparingly. Plus, your ability is unique—a true trump card for the Uchiha."

Shisui's face turned odd.

Suddenly, a thought crossed Itsuki's mind, and he turned to glare at Shisui. Slowly and deliberately, he asked, "You, an Uchiha... don't tell me you revealed your eye's abilities to the Hokage?"

Shisui's embarrassed expression said it all.

Itsuki was at a loss for words.

He almost wanted to kneel.

"Shisui, you really are the clueless son of a landlord!"

"Do you think they'd harm me?" Shisui asked softly, his voice barely audible. "After all, I'm on the Hokage's side..."

"If you spoke louder, maybe you'd sound more confident!"

Itsuki sighed and said bluntly, "Let me tell you this: to those four, Konoha must not harbor any power they cannot control. Especially when that power belongs to the 'evil' Uchiha clan. Understand?"

Itachi chimed in, "Shisui, they will absolutely come after you—no question about it."

Shisui fell silent.

If Itsuki was biased and distrustful of the Hokage's faction, what about Itachi?

Moreover, Shisui himself had a creeping sense of the same thing.

Recently, Itsuki's words and the events unfolding around him had opened his eyes.

... Fortunately, he was still willing to listen.

Itsuki cast a glance at Shisui.

According to the original timeline, Shisui would have drowned himself by now, becoming the first Kage-level ninja in history to die by drowning—a shocking event!

But Itsuki's presence had altered everything.

He had deliberately worked to change Shisui and Itachi's perspectives, easing their burdens and steering them away from extreme paths.

And he had succeeded.

Though most of his efforts focused on the grieving son, Itachi, he hadn't ignored Shisui either.

Shisui no longer placed blind trust in the Hokage's faction.

While he still disclosed the truth about Kotoamatsukami, he delayed the revelation significantly.

Moreover, Itsuki's "butterfly effect" had led to numerous changes.

For instance, Konoha had won the Third Great Ninja War over a year earlier than in the original timeline, thanks to Itsuki's intervention and his power, which rivaled that of the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze.

Naruto and his generation were born a year earlier as well.

This year, Naruto, Sasuke, and their peers were almost five years old.

And so on.

But these changes weren’t enough.

Certain matters needed to be expedited—such as Danzo's death and Hiruzen Sarutobi's demise.

Ideally, they’d die today, be buried tomorrow, and have their ashes scattered the day after.

"Shisui, be careful lately. Danzo is likely planning to ambush you personally," Itsuki warned, his tone serious.

"I understand," Shisui replied gravely. "Don't worry about me. I've awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. If Danzo really does come for me, I won't hold back. I'll make sure he knows I'm not to be trifled with."

Not bad! That’s the spirit!

If the original timeline hadn’t involved Shisui losing an eye to Danzo, Itsuki would have clapped for him.

He admired Shisui’s ability to summon a Susanoo with just one eye.

And that vivid green Susanoo? Unsettling, to say the least.

The Uchiha’s power is born from their hearts.

Their strength manifests from their desires, which is why each Mangekyo ability is unique.

Did Shisui harbor some peculiar yearning deep down?

"According to my intel," Itsuki said slowly, "Danzo has conducted numerous human experiments."

Both Shisui and Itachi’s expressions changed.

"Human experimentation? Isn’t that strictly forbidden?"

"Don't act so surprised. This information is solid. Many Konoha higher-ups know about it, including the Ino-Shika-Cho trio," Itsuki replied calmly. "Even the Hokage turned a blind eye to it—possibly even offering some support."

The two brothers looked visibly upset.

The more they learned, the more disillusioned they became with Konoha.

The so-called "Will of Fire" was not upheld by those at the top, yet they expected others to embody it.

How laughable.

Still, they stayed silent, waiting for Itsuki to continue.

They knew he must have a purpose for bringing this up now.

"Danzo is ambitious. To achieve his goals, he craves power—specifically, the power of the Senju and Uchiha clans. To that end, he conducted experiments on over a hundred children and secretly captured numerous Senju and Uchiha clansmen."

Even though Shisui had expected shocking revelations, he was still taken aback.

"He's insane!"

The Senju and Uchiha represented the pinnacle of strength in Konoha and the ninja world, embodied by Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, and Madara Uchiha, the Demon of the Ninja World.

People revered and feared their power.

Naturally, many sought to study it, though all had failed—including Tobirama Senju.

Despite this, Danzo persisted with his experiments, heedless of the cost in human lives.

"Luck was on Danzo's side," Itsuki said, looking at the two. "His research partially succeeded. He gained some of the Senju and Uchiha's powers, which he hides in his right arm."

"He succeeded?"

Shisui and Itachi were incredulous. "Everyone else failed. How could he succeed?"

Itsuki rolled his eyes. "Thanks to two people. Forget it; no point bringing them up now."

(Tobirama Senju and Orochimaru—two unparalleled geniuses in scientific research.)

Itsuki was just glad he hadn’t been born in Tobirama’s era. Otherwise, he’d have slapped Tobirama to death, sparing the future countless headaches.

At the very least, Edo Tensei should never have been created.

"According to my sources, Danzo can use a limited version of Wood Release and the Uchiha's forbidden technique, Izanagi," Itsuki warned. "You both know what that does—be careful he doesn’t use it to steal your eyes!"

Shisui gave Itsuki a skeptical look. "You talk as if you’ve seen it yourself. Itsuki, your eye ability isn’t clairvoyance, is it?"

"You’re overthinking it!" Itsuki shot back irritably. "Mine isn’t like that. If anything, it’s somewhat similar to yours but less domineering. As for clairvoyance, well, Fugaku’s might have something along those lines."

"My father?" Itachi was startled.

"Just a guess," Itsuki shrugged. "Mangekyo abilities are top-secret. Only a fool would blurt out what they can do. Not talking about you, Shisui! Wait—don’t walk away!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 24: Tension*

In a Root base hidden underground in Konoha.

"Touza-sama!"

Itachi knelt before Shimura Danzo, speaking softly, "The mission is complete, but there was a slight unexpected situation."

Danzo’s one-eyed gaze coldly locked onto Itachi. "Unexpected? What kind of unexpected situation? Why did it happen?"

Itachi answered in a low voice, "Uchiha Itsuki will appear in the Forest of Death tomorrow night, but I cannot go there."

The original plan was for Itachi to ambush Itsuki first, and then Danzo's men would swarm him.

If possible, Itachi would have taken out Itsuki alone to prove his loyalty to Konoha.

This order felt laughable to Itachi.

Killing Itsuki was supposed to prove his loyalty to Konoha?

Then what about Itsuki? Has he betrayed Konoha?

Where’s the Will of Fire you keep talking about?

"Why?"

Danzo’s voice was low, his lone eye coldly staring at Itachi.

The atmosphere suddenly grew tense.

Itachi could even feel the cold killing intent radiating from the air around him.

"It’s probably because Shisui and I are both members of the ANBU, so Itsuki is highly suspicious of us. He has already started sending people to follow us."

Danzo’s brows furrowed slightly.

Shisui and Itachi were ANBU members, directly answering to the Hokage, which made them disliked by many in the Uchiha clan, especially the Hawk faction.

Itsuki was the grandson of Uchiha Shisui, a successor of the Hawk faction, and now that he had risen to power, it was natural for him to target Shisui and Itachi.

However, Danzo was still not at ease.

Ambushing Itsuki without Itachi wasn’t a big issue, but the paranoid Danzo feared being set up.

"Itachi, tell me, why is Itsuki going to the Forest of Death? How strong is he? What is his Sharingan ability?"

Itachi replied, "Itsuki’s Sharingan ability is known only to him. Not even Uchiha Shisui knows it for sure. I’m certain of this; he is a very cautious person."

"As for the Forest of Death..."

Itachi’s expression suddenly became strange.

Danzo noticed it immediately and snapped, "Speak!"

After a brief silence, Itachi spoke again, "I personally think it might be related to the Inuzuka, Nara, and Akimichi clans!"

Danzo gripped his cane tightly, "Continue!"

The Inuzuka? Why would it involve the Inuzuka?

What was Itsuki up to? Or was Itachi playing tricks?

"Itachi continued, "Itsuki has found a rare herb in the Forest of Death, and he’s been secretly entering the forest for years to cultivate it in large quantities."

Danzo nodded slightly.

The Uchiha had already infiltrated the Forest of Death, something he had known for some time.

Uchiha scouts had reported this to the higher-ups in Konoha.

But they assumed Itsuki was simply training, as many powerful ninjas used the Forest of Death as a training ground.

They had sent people to follow Itsuki, but found nothing and eventually gave up on the matter.

Now, hearing this from Itachi’s mouth, Danzo was suddenly alarmed.

"Herb? What kind of herb?"

Danzo asked, but his mind immediately raced toward the Nara clan!

The Nara clan, one of the three families of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, was a powerhouse in Konoha. More importantly, they were considered the brain of the alliance.

The Nara clan’s leader held the position of the head of Konoha’s elite shinobi.

Since the time of the Senju, the Hokage’s position had passed from Hiruzen Sarutobi to Minato Namikaze, but the head of the elite shinobi had always been from the Nara clan.

The Nara clan’s expertise in using medicinal herbs was legendary. The materials for making soldier pills, especially deer antlers, were one of their main resources.

It was said that the Nara clan developed several secret medicinal formulas.

Itsuki may have discovered a valuable herb, and he might even be growing it on a large scale.

Was he planning to cooperate with the Nara clan? Or had they already started working together?

Danzo's breath quickened, his gaze becoming sinister.

"Damn it!"

This couldn't be allowed!

The Nara clan was too important; they were the brain of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, leading all three families.

If the Nara clan sided with the Uchiha, combined with the Hyuga clan...

Forget wiping out the Uchiha, they’d be lucky if they didn’t get wiped out themselves!

But wait!

Danzo quickly calmed himself.

The Nara clan were intelligent and staunch allies of the Hokage, they wouldn't easily join forces with the Uchiha.

But who could say for sure?

The thought that Itsuki might be in contact with the Nara clan made Danzo uneasy.

If it were any other Uchiha, Danzo wouldn’t think twice.

But Itsuki, that troublesome Itsuki, the one who had caused him so many problems...

Yesterday, he had already lost several elites to Itsuki’s hand.

If Itsuki was indeed working with the Nara clan, the potential for a shift in power was too great.

Seeing Danzo growing increasingly agitated, Itachi felt a faint sense of pleasure rise in him.

The darkness of the shinobi world, are you afraid?

Are you afraid of Itsuki, Danzo?

If I told you that everything you do now is already part of Itsuki’s scheme, you’d probably collapse.

"No, this cannot go on!"

Danzo gritted his teeth, his expression vicious.

Uchiha Itsuki, this Uchiha was far too dangerous and must be dealt with immediately!

Eliminate him, solve the Hyuga issue, and everything will return to normal.

Then, slowly, they could handle the Uchiha clan.

This time, he wouldn’t let Sarutobi Hiruzen’s thinking guide him; the Uchiha should not exist anymore.

"They must be completely destroyed!"

"Uchiha Itachi!"

Danzo’s voice rang out.

Though still cold, there was a different tone to it that Itachi immediately picked up on.

"Here!"

"Tell me, how strong is Uchiha Itsuki?"

"It’s simple," Itachi answered without hesitation, "Uchiha Itsuki is the strongest I’ve ever seen, absolutely the strongest. Even Uchiha Fugaku is no match for him."

Danzo’s brow furrowed. "Uchiha Fugaku has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"

"It doesn’t matter!" Itachi’s voice was firm. "Fugaku is still no match for Itsuki."

"I can’t see his limits. All I know is that he’s incredibly strong, but I can’t perceive where his limit lies."

A horrible answer!

Danzo’s anxiety only grew stronger.

"Leave now. Don’t raise his suspicions!"

"It’s done!"

Itachi used the Body Flicker Technique and left the room.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 25: The Change of the Uchiha*

Swish!  

A figure appeared atop the Hokage Rock overlooking the Leaf Village.

Itachi stood quietly, gazing down at the village below.

In the past, standing here filled him with a fiery passion. His heart was full.

For the peaceful and beautiful village below, he was willing to sacrifice everything—even if it meant going against his father, Uchiha Fugaku.

At one point, he even considered erasing the Uchiha, just like the Senju clan, from existence.

However, Itsuki had told him: If you've decided not to narrow your view to just one clan, why not open your eyes and see the entire village, or even the whole shinobi world?  

Since that moment, Itachi felt as though he had truly awakened his Sharingan.

He saw the real world—

A world completely different from before.

The three tomoe in his eyes began to spin, slowly connecting, transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan, coldly observing the village.

The astonishing visual power of the Mangekyō allowed him to see clearly: the running, playful children; the affectionate gazes of lovers; the diligent training of young shinobi; and the ninja tirelessly working on missions.

Itachi's gaze was filled with complexity.

This was the surface-level Konoha. But what about beneath the surface?

The Sarutobi clan, like a village within the Leaf Village itself, brimmed with arrogance and pride.

The four hideous faces of the higher-ups greedily drained the village's lifeblood, wearing smug and grotesque smiles, all while chanting about the Will of Fire.  

"Those who lack the Will of Fire are unworthy of being shinobi."  

The grotesque faces of those four men repeatedly flashed through his mind, loudly shouting about the Will of Fire.

Itachi covered his eyes with his hand.

"As long as you remain in power, Konoha has no future!"  

He muttered to himself, uncertain of what exactly he was feeling at this moment.

Melancholy?

Grief?

"Why am I even thinking about this?" Itachi sighed. "I don't have the power to change anything right now. But Itsuki... let me see just how fierce the flames of your crimson fire can burn."  

Swish!  

He vanished from the spot.

He had gone to carry out Danzo's orders—a mission Itsuki had foreseen.

To monitor the Uchiha clan.

Danzo had never trusted Itachi.

He didn't trust any Uchiha.

No—Danzo trusted no one but himself.

For that reason, he wouldn’t let Itachi participate in his operation to eliminate Itsuki, unless the mission involved only Itachi.

Thus, Danzo was certain to order the Uchiha to monitor each other.

None of this mattered. Itsuki had one goal:

To ensure the Uchiha didn’t participate in the attack against him—because he worried he might lose control and slaughter them all.

---

Swish!  

Itachi appeared in front of Itsuki, who was leisurely sipping tea.

"Itsuki," Itachi said solemnly, "everything is proceeding according to your plan. Danzo has ordered me to monitor the other Uchiha and not concern myself with you."

"Mhm," Itsuki responded without looking up, continuing to sip his tea. "The Uchiha monitoring each other, while also being watched by Danzo's Root—classic Shimura Danzo. Forever the shadow of the shinobi world. He trusts no one yet dreams of becoming Hokage. Hah!"

Ignoring Itsuki’s mockery, Itachi frowned. "Are you still planning to act alone? This time, Danzo will undoubtedly deploy numerous elites. I’ve already told him you’re stronger than my father."

"I am stronger than Clan Leader Fugaku. As for elites, the more, the merrier. After all, I am the ultimate elite!"

Itsuki smiled faintly.

---

The next day, Itsuki didn’t take action. He continued strolling leisurely through the village streets.

The atmosphere in the village had grown even stranger.

The Uchiha walked around with peculiar smiles, muttering to themselves.

This sight unnerved many, who had no idea what the Uchiha were up to.

Itsuki found it amusing.

Calling over an Uchiha clansman, he asked what was going on. Only then did he learn that the Uchiha, after receiving the ninjutsu he provided, were struggling to find time to train.

It wasn’t that they were obsessed with power, but rather that their schedules left no room.

Their daily patrols were non-negotiable.

After patrols, they followed Itsuki's orders to assist the widows and orphans of their clan.

These people were their kin—their parents, spouses, or children who had lost loved ones on the battlefield or during missions.

In the past, due to various reasons, they had been unable to help. But now things were different.

Itsuki provided money, ninjutsu, and even land and housing when needed.

The least the Uchiha could do was lend a hand. Refusing would be unjustifiable.

As a clan often deployed to the front lines or assigned the most dangerous missions, the Uchiha had no shortage of widows, orphans, and injured.

With the new efforts to support them, the Uchiha found it impossible to squeeze in time for ninjutsu training.

So, some clever individuals suggested thinking about and analyzing ninjutsu during patrols, making training sessions more efficient.

After all, Itsuki had said to ignore minor issues. They were simply following orders.

Itsuki chuckled.

This was exactly what he wanted!

He watched as two villagers quarreled, shouting angrily at each other, even about to come to blows. The patrolling Uchiha glanced their way before turning and walking away.

Ignoring it.

Further away, someone yelled about a thief.

Again, the patrolling Uchiha turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Still ignoring it.

Itsuki smirked.

Good. Just like that.  

He observed the dissatisfied villagers and sneered inwardly: Didn’t you claim the Uchiha meddled too much?  

Like before, when an Uchiha caught a thief, the thief's family would cry and accuse the Uchiha of being too harsh. Elderly villagers would kneel and wail as if they’d suffered immense injustice.

And then, the classic scene would unfold.

People would criticize the Uchiha, calling them strict and heartless. Even the victim of the theft would demand the thief's release, coldly blaming the Uchiha.

In the end, the Uchiha were the ones at fault.

Itsuki knew someone was orchestrating this behind the scenes.

But the villagers weren’t children—they could tell right from wrong, couldn’t they?

Fine. If you can’t, we’ll play by your rules.

The Uchiha are Konoha’s Uchiha. We’ll respect the villagers’ wishes.

With that thought, Itsuki summoned another Uchiha and whispered, "Find me some persuasive talkers from the clan. The type who could talk the dead back to life."

The Uchiha was stunned. "You mean people like you?"

Itsuki stared at him blankly. "Do I look like that kind of person?"

"Not at all!" the Uchiha replied without hesitation.

Then, after some hesitation, he asked, "Do you want me to find people opposite to you?"

You little...  

Itsuki glared at him for a moment before growling, "Just follow my standards. Also, what’s your name?"

The Uchiha grinned cheekily. "Captain, I’m Bingmaru. Uchiha Bingmaru!"

(End of Chapter)