Fugaku felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion for the first time. After arriving home, he found himself exhausted, not just physically, but more so mentally. Since the Uchiha clan's relocation, the voices of dissent within the clan had not ceased.
Because they felt that this was an expression of the distrust of the village towards them. They believed that expanding the Uchiha clan's territory was merely a pretext for further isolating their clan. They even attempted to pin the blame for the Nine Tailed's attack on the Uchiha clan.
Even though the village refrained from explicitly stating it, they were claiming that the three S-rank rogue ninjas who had defected years ago were orchestrating events behind the scenes. However, directly relocating the Uchiha after the incident would have raised eyebrows. Allocating more land to them was merely a ploy to keep their mouths shut.
Some of the clansmdn dismissed these concerns as groundless worries. After all, the Uchiha clan had a large number of members, and they indeed required more space. The relocation also conveniently enclosed Naka Shrine, making it easier to conduct clan meetings. Another faction within the clan believed that the higher-ups suspected them of controlling the Nine tails.
The seed of doubt had been sown, and removing it proved no easy task. As the clan head, Fugaku found himself walking a delicate line, trying to appease the clan members while negotiating with the reinstated Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage was still the same as before, he remained supportive of the Uchiha, but it was precisely because of that Fugaku felt uneasy. He couldn't help but wonder if the Third Hokage was also harboring doubts about the presence of spies within the clan.
Fugaku wasn't alone in his suspicions. Uchiha Ruri, who had defected from the village, had held a pivotal position within the clan. Before leaving, could she have planted informants within the clan, ready to leak information about the village at a critical moment? Fugaku couldn't dismiss the possibility.
"Why target only the Uchiha clan?"
Buy, why did the village target only the Uchiha clan? Fugaku didn't believe the suspicions of the Third Hokage and council were unfounded. Even he, the clan head, couldn't guarantee whether Uchiha Ruri had indeed placed informants within the clan before her defection. However, what irked him was the unfair treatment. If the Uchiha clan had spies, then the same could be said of the Hyuga clan. Yet, the treatment of the Hyuga clan remained unchanged and unchallenged.
"Distrust..." The fragile alliance with the Third Hokage had been hard-earned, but the Nine Tails incident had once again strained the relationship between the Uchiha and the village. Ultimately, it was a problem rooted in history, dating back to the Second Hokage's reign.
Fugaku was deeply distressed by the complications of resolving this issue. Despite the appearance of unity within the clan, internal and external conflicts were brewing. His authority as the clan head was gradually becoming ineffective among some members. While he recognized the need to address these matters were supposed to be dealt with earlier, he was unsure of the most effective approach.
Kumogakure's watchful eyes added to their predicament, with reports of clashes between Konoha's garrison and Kumo on the eastern border of the Land Of Fire. The resumption of war between the two villages was all but inevitable.
As Fugaku sat at the dining table, his troubled expression didn't go unnoticed by Itachi. In fact, Fugaku's demeanor had been increasingly sadder lately, and Itachi understood the underlying concerns troubling him down.
"Father, are you worrying about the clan matters?" Itachi placed his bowl down and asked.
Fugaku nodded in affirmation.
"Is it because of that person Uchiha Ruri?"
Itachi's question caught Fugaku slightly off guard. He frowned and replied, "Itachi, these matters are beyond your understanding. You should focus on becoming an excellent ninja."
"Yes." Itachi nodded obediently. Although Fugaku avoided the question, he couldn't shake his unease. He decided to seek answers from his new friend, Shisui, an official ninja in the clan who might possess more insights.
The following day, Itachi rose early, gathered his training equipments, and headed to his usual training spot in the forest.
Approximately ten minutes later, as the sky began to brighten, Shisui arrived to join him. Seeing that Itachi had already completed warm-up exercises, Shisui touched the back of his head and smiled helplessly.
"Itachi, if you continue at this pace, you'll soon surpass even the most dedicated ninjas." Even though he hadn't attended the academy yet, Itachi was training even harder than him, an official ninja. Shisui found himself at a loss for words.
Itachi was undoubtedly the most hardworking kid he had ever encountered. Combined with his unparalleled talent, Shisui feared that even official ninjas would struggle to defeat Itachi soon. If he became careless he might end up being surpassed by Itachi.
"I have no desire to waste time. Time is the most precious treasure in the world." Itachi replied neutrally. He needed immense power to change the distorted world. So for him, wasting any time in his pursuit of strength was simply unacceptable.
"Really? Then why are you so obsessed with getting stronger? Is it for a goal or something else?" Shisui asked out of curiosity. After a few days of interaction, Itachi could now keep up with Shisui during their training sessions. He believed Itachi's strength would improve significantly in no time.
"Goal?" Itachi tilted his head while holding a Kunai, hesitating for a moment.
"What's wrong? Don't you have one?" Shisui found it odd. It would be strange for Itachi to train blindly without a goal in mind for becoming stronger. He perceived Itachi as a highly motivated individual, unlikely to blindly pursue strength without a clear purpose.
"No, there's still a goal, but I'm not sure if I should share it with others."
"Are you ashamed?"
"Well, because if I do say it, they might laugh at me."
"Don't worry, as your friend, I won't laugh at you." Shisui assured him sincerely.
Seeing Shisui's serious response, Itachi nodded, thinking he had been too cautious. Although they had only known each other for a few days, Itachi sensed that Shisui was different from the rest of the clan, possessing knowledge and perspectives beyond those of ordinary clansmen.
"My purpose of getting stronger is to become a ninja better than anyone else and then getting rid of all wars in the world." Itachi declared with burning eyes, conveying his unwavering determination.
After listening attentively, Shisui refrained from mocking him, "A very ideal, even grand...., however the path won't be easy."
Unlike Itachi, Shisui had forged his own path as a ninja. He understood that Itachi's aspirations were essentially a pipe dream. Ninja conflicts would never cease, just like the Uchiha bloodline... The thought brought a sad expression. He subconsciously covered one of his eyes with his palm, concealing the intensely scorching heat emanating from within hosting power of the cursed bloodline.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Ah, nothing, i just recalled something from a previous mission. You reminded me of someone."
"Someone? Also from the Uchiha?" Itachi asked curiously.
Shisui sighed internally, "He's an Uchiha like us, the same age as me, but should be more talented. I accompanied him on a mission not long ago."
Itachi was surprised. He hadn't anticipated the existence of someone stronger than Shisui among his peers.
"However, he died in the line of duty."
Seeing the sadness on Shisui's face, Itachi wisely refrained from probing further.
Shisui, recognizing the heaviness of the conversation, shifted the mood by putting away his sadness and smiling. "Okay, let's not talk about these sad matters. Itachi, your dream is grand, and I sincerely hope you can achieve it."
"Thank you. I also know my dream is a bit unrealistic, so I've set a short-term goal for myself—to become the Hokage."
"Is that so? It's indeed a good approach to accomplish your goals step by step. However, to become the Hokage, strength alone wouldn't b enough."
Shisui observed, noticing Itachi's withdrawn and stubborn demeanor. Having witnessed Itachi's training regimen, Shisui understood that continuing along this path would only lead to becoming an exceptional ninja. However, Konoha's most pressing need wasn't just another excellent ninja. He couldn't let Itachi go astray, otherwise it would be a disaster for the village and the clan.
"What's your own dream, Shisui?"
"I hope for the village and the clan to live in peace." Shisui replied, collecting his heavy heart.
"Really? Shisui, you've also noticed this problem too?"
"Too?" Shisui looked at Itachi in surprise.
"I can sense the growing dissatisfaction within the clan towards the village."
Seeing Itachi's earnest response, Shisui sighed inwardly. Could even a kid like Itachi notice it? Matters were becoming serious.
"Shisui, can I ask you a question?"
"What?"
Itachi hesitated for a moment before asking. "The Uchiha clan.... Has there truly been a traitor who has fisrupted the village's stability? For instance, the death of the Fourth-sama..."
Despite the boldness of Itachi's question, Shisui understood his straightforward personality and didn't take offense.
"Maybe."
"Maybe? Is it the one named Uchiha Ruri?"
"You know about her?"
"I overheard my father mention the name by chance. If such dangerous elements exist within the clan, why not hand them over to the village?"
"Hand them over to the village?" Shisui's expression turned strange.
"What's wrong?"
"Itachi.. you probably don't know much about this person."
"I only know the name."
"No wonder. In fact, she's left Konoha many years ago and now considered a dangerous traitor by the village. Apprehending her, let alone even dealing with her is beyond the village's capabilities."
Itachi was surprised by Shisui's wordss.
"Treason?" Realizing he knew this name, Itachi had always thought they were a Konoha ninja. He hadn't expected the person had betrayed both the clan and the 0village.
"Yes."
Seeing Itachi's sudden realization, Shisui also understood. After all, that incident wasn't particularly glorious for the Uchiha clan. The incident occurred before Itachi was born, and in addition, the adults within the clan kept it hushed as it was a taboo. Even Itachi's father, Fugaku, wouldn't naturally reveal this scar of the Uchiha clan to his son.
"Some people in the village suspect that Uchiha Ruri had planted spies amongst the clan to monitor the movements of the village and the clan before defecting. Before the Nine Tails' attack, some speculated that se had returned, cooperating with some clan members to assassinate the Fourth Hokage. After all the Nine Tails incident raised questions due to its strange nature."
Of course, Shisui refrained from sharing the worse speculation with Itachi. There were member among the higher ups who no longer merely suspected the Uchiha clan. For example, Root's leader, Shimura Danzo, who had returned to his position. He who bears all the darkness.
"Is that so?" Itachi comprehended the situation. Essentially, the Uchiha clan had been placed under scrutiny within the village due to the suspicion of their inner ghosts. Furthermore, certain radical elements within the clan were exploiting the situation to fuel the tensions and escalating matters, though they were being restrained by his father. However, how long it could be surpressed remained uncertain.
"Yes, the relationship between the village and the clan is very tense now." Shisui sighed.
"Just one person, is she really worth such serious treatment from the village?" Itachi asked, puzzled.
Shisui shook his head, saying, "Itachi, things aren't as simple as you think. If Uchiha Ruri indeed been the one to plan the Nine Tails' attack, it wouldn't be her firsttime. Five years ago, before defecting Konoha, she had also controlled the Nine Tails, causing a large number of casualties."
"A dangerous person like that should indeed be treated with caution."
"Yes. Her Sharingan is powerful enough for her to control tailed beasts alone. Before defecting, she was the genius of our clan. I'm afraid her Sharingan is now..." Shisui stopped speaking, covering his eyes with a meaningful expression.
"Are you afraid...?"
Shisui's fragmented words hinted at a hidden truth he didn't want Itachi to know. Itachi had a feeling that Shisui's hidden "I'm afraid" might conceal an important secret about the clan.
"Okay, let's not speak about these anymore. Let's begin today's training. Regarding the shurikenjutsu you mentioned earlier, we can try..."
Shisui interrupted Itachi's contemplation, redirecting the focus to training and discussing about the new shurikenjutsu..
...
"Hokage-sama."
In an inconspicuous house.
After he was done with training and parted ways with Itachi, Shisui met privately with the Third Hokage Hiruzen.
Since the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato's death, the retired Third Hokage had reassumed control of all the village affairs, working to stabilize thevarious situations. Physically and mentally exhausted, Hiruzen forced himself to appear composed, but he still has to pull himself together so no one can see that something was wrong. Regaining the title of Hokage wasn't as fulfilling as anticipated, and many situations felt more unmanageable than before.
"Is there anything to report, Shisui?" Hiruzen cheered himself up and asked.
Shisui was the descendant of his old friend ago. The killer haven't veen found, a lingering source of pain for Hiruzen..Initially, the six of them had planned to unite to fortify the village, with the Uchiha playing a crucial role. However, Kagami's untimely death thwarted the plan.
Unexpectedly, the defection of Uchiha Ruri a few years ago dealt a severe blow to Uchiha Sora, the leader of the radical faction. This somewhat alleviated the strained relationship between the village and Uchiha. However, with the recent Nine Tails incident, the issues with the Uchiha resurfaced, bigger than ever.
Despite successfully shifting the main responsibility for the Nine Tails attack onto three defectors in the name of Hokage, the Uchiha still couldn't be cleared off of guilt. The issue stemming from the Mangekyou Sharingan, the red eyes in the Nine Tails pupil that night, combined with Minato's final words, which convinced Hiruzen that significant problems existed within the Uchiha clan.
Dealing with the Uchiha dilemma proved to be a headache, and Shisui's emergence successfully provided a solution..Shisui volunteered to be the eyes overseeing the Uchiha clan, reporting their movements to the village.
Given the current situation, although the Uchiha were dissatisfied with the village it won't be to the point of going to war. With Shisui's information, Hiruzen could devise timely strategies to stabilize the Uchiha clan and prevent turmoil. So, every time Shisui sent a message or visited, Hiruzen paid it special attention.
"A few days ago, I met a fellow clan member named Itachi."
"Uchiha Itachi?" Hiruzen found the name familiar, as if he'd heard it before.
"He's the son of the clan head, and he has talents which might surpass even mine."
Hiruzen was slightly surprised. In his opinion, Shisui's talents were unmatched in the village. If Itachi surpassed him, he would suspect it to be an exaggeration if he didn't know Shisui as a modest person.
"I believe he has the potential to stand by my side."
Shisui used "I" instead of "we." emphasizing his role. Despite watching the Uchiha clan as the eyes of the higher-ups, he wanted to act as a bridge rather than a weapon against either side. Though he had distanced himself from the clan, his surname will always be Uchiha, the Uchiha blood still flowed in his veins.
After a moment of contemplation, Hiruzen gazed at Shisui's composed demeanor and inquired, "Are you certain about this?"
While Hiruzen would not typically gpay attention to a mere Uchiha with excellent talent, Itachi stood apart. Not only does he possess the remarkable talent Shisui has praised, but he's also the son of the head of the Uchiha clan. Even without being an official member of the Uchiha, Itachi's status and influence were undeniable. Addressing the Uchiha clan's issues won't be a quick fix; it required a long-term, strategic approach.
"Absolutely." Shisui nodded. He thought about Itachi's dream to become a ninja better than anyone else. He wants to end all the war in the world... As long he was properly guided, he would surely become a bridge connecting the village and the clan just like himself.
However, Shisui recognized his influence alone within the clan was insufficient. His identity couldn't be exposed.
"It would ne up to you to guide him then. When necessary, I'll integrate him into the shadows and mentor him."
Hiruzen promptly decided, surprising Shisui. Anbu?
"Elder Danzo..."
Allowing a member of thr Uchiha to join the Anbu would face opposition from the root leader.
"Don't pay attention to I'll handle it personally, and I won't let anyone get involved." Hiruzen asserted, instilling confidence in Shisui. With the Third Hokage's backing, Shisui felt assured.
"Moreover, Shisui, you should also join the Anbu. It will make your actions easier in the future." Hiruzen handed Shisui a note with a location written on it.
"Tomorrow at four o'clock in the afternoon, go to this location to obtain your Anbu's token, including clothing and disguise props. Your identity must remain hidden, only known only to me."
"Yes." Shisui's heart chilled. He would operate alone, solely responsible for the Third Hokage. And with the Anbu identity, his tasks will be more convenient.
"About the Uchiha clan... Has the inner spies been found out?"
"No progress yet." Shisui shook his head.
"Keep up and don't relax."
"Yes.... But, Hokage-sama, are there truly spies within the clan?" Shisui asked boldly
Just because the Uchiha clan had such a dangerous rogue ninja as Uchiha Ruri, he found t presumptuous to assume ther was a spy within the clan.
Hiruzen hesitated for a moment, walked to Shishui's side, and whispered a few words.
Shisui widened his eyes. Mangekyou Sharingan? If something like really did happen when the Fourth Hokage died, then If it was true, it justified the cautious approach of higher ups. Shisui took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
"I understand, Hokage-sama. I'll definitely find them!"
Shisui's determination was unwavering. If the inner traitor continued causing turmoil within the clan, the entire clan would eventually be dragged into the waters, fostering hostility between the village and the clan.
"I'll leave it to you. Report any issues to me to avoid falling into enemy traps."
Shisui nodded and left the room.
The Third Hokage also took a deep breath before leaving. Returning to the Hokage Building's office prepared to resume his tasks when an Anbu appeared.
Wearing a mask, silver-white hair visible, the Anbu carried a sword. Kakashi placed a document in the Third Hokage's hands.
"Hokage-sama, an urgent message from Squad Three."
"Urgent?"
A sense of foreboding washed over Hiruzen as he quickly opened the document. Only one thing was mentioned— the unexpected death of Amegakure's leader, with Ame under attack. Support was requested.
"Kakashi, lead Anbu teams two and three. Head to Amegakure immediately and assess the situation!"
Going to Ame? At this time? This sudden order from Hiruzen made Kakashi's heart skip a beat. Had the Hokage discovered his identity as a spy and sought to use him as a tool?
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