Late May.
Shisui received an order and discreetly entered the conference room inside the Hokage Building. To his surprise, not only the Third Hokage but also the advisors Koharu, Homura and Danzo were present.
Despite the unexpected gathering, Shisui refrained from asking any questions. These people were comrades-in-arms of the Third Hokage and Uchiha Kagami, his ancestor, making them trustworthy elders. Moreover, as a secret member of the Hokage's Anbu, this wasn't a particularly sensitive matter.
"Shisui, I summoned you here because of the Uchiha clan internal affairs. According to Itachi's report, the radical faction are planning an operation and they intend to use a large amount of exploding tags to attack various important facilities in the village, triggering chaos. Is this accurate?" Homura inquired.
"Not only that, they also plan to hold the Jinchuriki hostage, releasing the Nine Tails." Danzo added, casting a heavy atmosphere.
Shisui didn't plan on concealing anything, nodded, "Yes, they are indeed planning to do this, with the official action scheduled for the 20th of next month."
Concealing such critical information after Itachi's report would be absurd. Moreover, even if the information was shared, Shisui didn't think it is a problem. He already had a plan to guide the Uchiha clan through this crisis.
Hiruzen and Danzo fell into silence, while Koharu and Homura exchanged hushed words. Shisui vaguely heard phrases like "timely intervention" and "forced suppression."
"In other words, we have less than a month left, right?. Time is of the essence. I propose immediate action against the Uchiha clan. With Itachi as our inside support, suppressing the Uchiha clan is feasible." Danzo declared firmly.
"Sure enough, we shouldn't have put too much trust in the Uchiha clan, it's gone to the point of a coup d'etat. As Danzo had daid, the success in Kirigakure has fueled their ambitions. I support Danzo's approach."
Homura, acknowledging that matters had spiraled beyond their control, demanding decisive countermeasures. Koharu nodded as well, expressing her agreemen.
Since things had come to this point, they needed to proceed from the perspective of the village's well-being. If the Uchiha clan wants a coup, for the safety of the village, they needes to take action before the coup, so as to prevent Konoha from being severely injured, giving the other ninja villages an opportunity to take advantage.
Observing the inclination of the three high-ranking officials toward using force, Shisui realized it was time to intervene.
"Elders, may I share my perspective?"
Having previously persuaded the Third Hokage to let him handle the Uchiha clan's affairs, Shisui recognized that persuading these three elders was crucial. Resolving the Uchiha clan's issues without conflict with the village would also prevent the spark that could lead to another ninja ar.
"What do you propose, Shisui? As Kagami's descendant, your actions are always in the village's best interest. If you have a better solution, we're open to considering it." Koharu said, recognizing the determination in Shisui's resolute, youthful visage.
"Thank you very much. My approach involves using genjutsu to control the clan head, making him personally annul the coup strategy at the clan meeting while suppressing the radicals."
"Impossible. Fugaku is a highly skilled ninja, comparable to the Sannin. He excels in taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. Even if we confront him, direct eye contact with his Sharingan is dangerous."
Homura took the lead in rejectimg Shisui's proposal, deeming it too unreliable. The Sharingan's reputation as the "illusion eye" made it impossible for Shisui to ensnare Fugaku in a genjutsu. Fugaku's mastery of Sharingan had reached its zenith.
"I understand. That's precisely why I must proceed with this. It's the only way to prevent bloodshed. And this is what I'll be relying on."
After Shisui finished speaking, tomoe materialized in both of his pupils transforming into a different shape, radiating a crimson light that sent shivers down their spines. The room's temperature plummeted abruptly.
The three, unaware of the truth, widened their eyes in astonishment.
Although it was different from Konoha's records, the Sharingan with a distinct form from the basic hooked shape had only one possible explanation— The Mangekyou Sharingan.
Hiruzen having previously witnessed the Mangekyou Sharingan, he smiled and addressed his three frightened friends, "This is the situation. I've entrusted the Uchiha clan's affairs to Shisui. With his guidance, the Uchiha clan will gradually integrate with the village."
"What!?"
The three were perplexed, struggling to comprehend Hiruzen's statement.
But Shisui clarified, "My exclusive doujutsu with the Mangekyou Sharingan is called 'Kotoamatsukami.' It can infiltrate the target's brain and modify their will without them knowing."
As the explanation, Danzo immediately averted his gaze from Shisui, his body trembling involuntarily.
'This power... divine. It must...'
This mix of fear and fanaticism gripped Danzo's heart.
"I will use this jutsu to control Fugaku's will, turning him into my puppet. and officially announce the disbandment of the coup d'état. The radicals won't be able to bypass the clan head to implement the coup, their plans will be disrupted." Shisui explained casually, exuding confidence.
Seeing that the three remaining silent, none of them taking the initiative to speak, Hiruzen sensed it was time to make a decision.
"Shisui, we approve of your method. Proceed as you see fit."
Hiruzen agreed, and the three elders acquiesced, which was equivalent to passing all the high-level officials. Shisui was also delighted.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I plan to execute it at tomorrow's gathering to avoid complications. I'll take my leave now." Shisui said, taking a deep breath and exiting the conference room.
...
Standing under the eaves, Fugaku folded his arms and appeared lost in thought. Behind him, Itachi was about to walk over. Fugaku said abruptly,
"Itachi."
"...is something wrong, father?"
"Don't forget to attend the gathering tomorrow."
Tomorrow's gathering was very important. The routes for launching the coup would be determined, including which Uchiha ninjas would participate. All of it had to be strictly planned.
As a powerful fighter for the Uchiha clan, Itachi had an obligation to participate.
"Tomorrow, I have..."
"You must attend." Fugaku turned around with a stern gaze, displaying an unusually firm stance.
Itachi looked up and met Fugaku's gaze directly. He said in the same even tone, "Tomorrow the Anbu has an important mission, so please forgive me for being unable to attend. I will go there afterward to apologize."
Yes, tomorrow was the day Shisui would make his move. If Itachi appeared at the gathering, he would inevitably raise the clan members' suspicions. It was he who had swayed his father's mindset and thus become a target. In that case, it could ruin the plan to calm tensions.
With success just one step away, Itachi sincerely hoped Shisui's plan would succeed. That way, he would not have to choose between the clan and the village.
If possible, he also wanted to consider the clan's perspective, but the more he thought about it, the more he understood the narrowness and ignorance of only thinking from the clan's viewpoint. Especially the foolish elders - how extreme and arrogant they were.
Ignoring Fugaku's darkening expression, Itachi continued, "I'm sorry, Father, but I have a date next I must attend. I will return before dinner."
After speaking, Itachi strode directly to the exit without allowing Fugaku a chance to respond.
"Itachi—"
Fugaku called out angrily as he rushed after Itachi. He didn't know when it started, but a difference of opinion had grown between himself and his son. That day, their exchange had seemed perfectly pleasant, and Itachi hadn't appeared resistant, so why did he refuse to reconcile with the clan members?
If these bonds were lost, how would Itachi ever become Hokage in the future? The Uchiha clan was the first bastion of power Fugaku wanted to win over. Without the backing of an entire clan, how could Itachi stand out from the other Hokage candidates?
Those civilians... Although the Hokage was elected by popular vote in principle, reality didn't match the ideal. Ever since the appointment of the Third Hokage, things had gone down an irreversible path. The Third had not been selected by popular election but directly chosen as successor by the Second, bypassing any vote and making the supposedly democratic system a complete sham.
If Itachi persisted in this cold conflict with his clansmen, then Fugaku would have to consider finding a new heir. Someone like Itachi couldn't become leader of the Uchiha clan, and if he could not even control the Uchiha, there was no chance of becoming the higher-ranked Hokage. This was the greatest folly. Why would his son, who had always shown brilliance in ninja talents, be so stupid regarding such matters?
Fugaku chased Itachi to the entrance. He was about to stop him and administer a stern reprimand at home. As long as Itachi would listen, there was always a chance for redemption.
Yashiro and the others were already very dissatisfied with Itachi's attitude and harbored vague thoughts of isolating him, even sending people to monitor Itachi's movements. As the clan leader and father, it was Fugaku's duty to correct Itachi's mistakes.
But when he reached the entrance, Fugaku froze in surprise. Itachi had already exited the door, and next to him was a girl around the same age. She looked frail, with a very pure smile, and she walked away affectionately with Itachi.
Fugaku recognized her - Izumi Uchiha. She seemed to have been Itachi's classmate early on and was considered a genius kunoichi of the clan. What shocked Fugaku, however, was that Itachi had a female companion. Judging by their attitude, Itachi didn't appear to reject her affection.
Fugaku had always assumed Shisui was the only one close to Itachi. He would never have imagined such a secret girlfriend. When had they gotten together?
Fugaku smiled wryly, suddenly feeling quite negligent in his duties as a father. While emphasizing Itachi's excellence as a ninja, he had overlooked emotional care, failing to understand Itachi's inner desires.
Did he crave companionship, or did being alone weigh on him? These were questions, as a father, he had never known or bothered to ask.
Contemplating this, Fugaku's heart swelled with guilt. Had he been too strict in his son's upbringing? Perhaps the young Itachi shouldn't have been thrust into the hell battlefield, exposed to the cruelties of war as an enlightening experience. Since then, Itachi became more diligent yet more aloof.
As a father, he felt a complete failure in raising his son.
....
The next day arrived.
On a towering structure's platform, Shisui followed a ninja. Here, he encountered Danzo standing calmly across from him.
"Elder Danzo, what can i do for you at this hour?" Shisui asked.
Despite the strategy being devised yesterday, Danzo had unexpectedly invited Shisui for a private conversation, leaving Shisui puzzled.
Danzo scrutinized Shisui and remarked, "Your darkness is insufficient."
"Darkness?" Shisui looked confused. Compared to Itachi's profound inner turmoil, Shisui didn't register as dark in Danzo's eyes. This was Danzo's unfiltered perspective.
"With the Uchiha gathering tonight, do you still insist on your current approach?" Danzo asked.
"Yes. It's the best course of action so far."
"But I can assure you... that your plan will fail."
"I believe in my abilities."
"Your self-confidence isn't worth mentioning. I've lived through three ninja world wars and I've seen through the reality of the ninja world. Even if you control Fugaku, the radicals may elect a new clan head due to Fugaku's cowardice, and the idea of the coup d'etat will persist." Danzo said calmly.
"But if i don't make an attempt, how would we know the outcome?"
"You are still a child and you don't understand the true nature of this world. Leadership can be replaced at any time." Danzo stated with ambition gleaming in his eyes.
"These words..." Shisui frowned, finding Danzo's words audacious. Was Danzo aiming to usurp the position of Hokage?
"So, your eyes, combined with mine, can strengthen Konoha..."
"What!?"
Shisui was started, he felt something was wrong, instinctively trying to retreat.
But it was too late.
A sharp pain surged in his right eye, and Danzo now held a fresh eyeball, its gleam extinguished, in his hand.
Danzo gazed covetously at the eyes, then smiled at Shisui, stating, "See....you're just a child."
While Itachi could fulfill his long-cherished wish as a puppet, Shisui would only impede his actions.
'Hiruzen, revealing Shisui's ability to me was your biggest mistake. Your countermeasures to balance the Uchiha and the village will now be in complete disarray." Danzo sneered inward coldly.
"Damn it..."
Realizing Danzo had taken his right eye, Shisui endured the excruciating pain, used the flicker to retreat, and unleashed an angry glare from his left eye at Danzo.
His Mangekyou Sharingan's ability had been activated.
Danzo paid no heed, closing his eyes, causing Shisui to frown. Whether from the agony of losing his right eye or Danzo's actions, he couldn't discern.
The Mangekyou Sharingan operated differently from the normal Sharingan genjutsu. It didn't require direct eye contact; merely seeing the opponent's eyes was sufficient.
Danzo seemed privy to many secrets of the Mangekyou Sharingan, typically known only to those who had activated it. But... why was Danzo so well-informed?
Danzo afforded Shisui little time for contemplation. With a wave of his hand, numerous Root ninjas emerged—around 20 of them—from the surroundings. Shisui's expression changed drastically.
Without words or hesitation, they attacked with ruthless intent, aiming to kill Shisui and seize the Mangekyou Sharingan from his left eye.
Shisui didn't hesitate, employing the body flicker to escape. He abandoned any hope of reclaiming his right eye from Danzo and chose to flee outright. Faced with so many elite ninjas and having lost an eye, he ultimately had no other choice.
Danzo refrained from pursuing Shisui personally. Instead, he opened his eyes once more, observing Shisui's escape and muttered to himself,
"Kagami, by doing this, if you know me, you'll understand, won't you? It's all for the village's future... to prevent others from mastering the power of a god—this ability is too dangerous..."
.....
The sky was darkening and the gathering had already begun. Itachi hadn't planned to attend the gathering at Naka Shrine, but he had also lied to his father about not having any Anbu tasks that day. He didn't respond to the request to meet with the Root either.
Because everything would come to an end today.
Itachi went to the forest where he used to train, feeling relaxed. No one was here, it belonged to him and Shisui. He stayed there until evening, waiting for Shisui to arrive and tell him the news that the plan had succeeded.
Just as he was thinking this, there was a slight movement behind him. Itachi turned around and looked at the person in front of him with some doubt.
"Shisui, why are you..."
Shisui looked very battered at the moment, with numerous injuries on his body. His right eye was bleeding and had already lost its light.
Shisui trembled, showing a wry smile. "Sorry Itachi, my operation failed."
"What, was it my father..."
"No, I didn't go to the rally, but i was attacked by Danzo's people. They took my right Mangekyou Sharingan too."
'Danzo! '
Thinking of the old man with the gloomy face, Itachi's anger rose suddenly. Why was that man doing this? Had he not given everything to protect Konoha? Should Shisui's actions not coincide with Danzo's plans for peace in Konoha? Why did Danzo attack Shisui?
"I may not be able to stop the coup now... I understand now that Danzo has no trust in our Uchiha clan at all. He will use his own methods to determine the future of the Uchiha, methods that will definitely endanger the Uchiha clan." Shisui had calmed down as he spoke.
"Then Shisui, you..."
"My Mamhekyou Sharingan needs both eyes to display its full power. Danzo's Root members are chasing me and he has his sights set on my left eye too. So I want to give you this eye to keep safe - you're the only person I can trust now."
Shisui raised his left hand to his eye socket, removed the left eye and held it out to Itachi.
Itachi looked at Shisui's hollow expression, now without his eyes. He could imagine the despair and loss Shisui felt about his clan's fate after being attacked by Danzo.
Itachi endured the heartache for his friend and took the Mangekyou Sharingan from Shisui's hand.
"I understand. I will keep it safe."
Having received Itachi's assurance, Shisui sighed in relief and smiled. But then the smile faded as he continued in a different tone:
"There is one more thing you should know."
"What is it?"
"That is...I once killed a friend."
Itachi held Shisui's eye but could not grasp the meaning in his mind. Killed a friend...?
Shisui continued: "That was before I met you. I had another close friend in the village, we had been together since the academy and we grew close over time. But I was also jealous of his talent - he could be one step ahead of me at everything. His grades, abilities - everything was far better than mine."
Itachi listened quietly to Shisui's story without interrupting.
"After we graduated, I was put on a team with him. During a dangerous mission, we were ambushed. He died in that mission because I refused to save him... I was jealous of his talent. So on that mission, he who should have survived was sacrificed because my jealousy stopped me from saving him."
Itachi hadn't expected such terrible darkness to lurk in Shisui's heart. Jealousy? So this is what killing a friend meant?
"When I returned to the village, the elders who didn't know the truth thought I was a hero for escaping such a predicament and they called me a hero. Even my best friend's parents expressed understanding and didn't blame me... But he didn't deserve to die. If I had reached out my hand, he could have survived, but I didn't. Since then, I've lived in the shadow of his death. It was around then that my Mangekyou Sharingan awakened."
Shisui smiled self-deprecatingly, gazing at Itachi from his now empty eye sockets.
"I'm tired of this boring reality which made me watch my friend die in agony before me. I can't forgive myself for that. Even after awakening these eyes, I never wanted to use such power. These eyes were awakened because of him and I'm not qualified to wield this power. But for the clan, I had to use them. But now..."
It was too late.
Danzo will stop at nothing to get his eyes, even taking action against the Uchiha. If civil war erupts between the Uchiha and the village, there could never be peace in Konoha or the Land of Fire. Countless ancestors had shed blood for this peace, and his actions would ruin it completely.
"This isn't your fault..."
"Don't try to comfort me Itachi. I'm well aware of my own weakness. I'm grateful to have met you later, that you accepted me."
"I see."
Itachi recalled when he first met Shisui, unsure of what to say. If Shisui was once jealous enough to let his friend die...was there ever a time he felt jealous towards Itachi? Itachi shook his head, somehow unable to imagine that anymore.
Shisui had changed. He was no longer the one weakened by jealousy at others' talents. From his best friend's death, he had learned to manage himself - not rely on jealousy for growth.
"I'll tell you the secret behind awakening these eyes...and I hope you'll grant my last request..."
"What is it?"
"Kill me to awaken your Mangekyou Sharingan..."
Itachi's body shook violently as he looked at Shisui in disbelief.
"Please Itachi...save the Uchiha's last shreds of honor..." Shisui pleaded amidst tears.
Itachi didn't understand why Shisui was crying. As he looked into Shisui's face, all he saw was endless despair. Why despair? Even with Danzo's interference, it wasn't an utter failure yet - the situation could still be salvaged by persuading the Hokage and negotiating with the Uchiha. There was still a chance.
"I watched my friend die...I wandered between the village and clan.. and now it's the end of.my life."
He was uunable to forgive himself for killing his friend...he couldn't forgive himself for not being able to protect the clan...unable to stop the outbreak of war that would displace countless innocents... Over the years he jad done so many foolish things...
Perhaps he should never have contacted the Third Hokage or joined the Anbu. He should have stopped Itachi from joining as well, avoiding contact between Itachi, Anbu and the village elders altogether...
"So Itachi, once you awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan you must live on... and not die."
Even if alone. As long as Itacji lived, there was still hope to revive the Uchiha. In his hopeless state, Shisui's mind raced over insights he had lacked til now. He remembered a saying:
"Death comes not when the body fails, but when belief crumbles away."
If possible, Shisui hoped Itachi would never understand the truth of this.
"Cling to your ignorance and stay firm on your path."