"Uchiha... Itachi!"
Kurenai's face darkened as she looked at the newcomer.
Kurenai had heard Itsuki's evaluation of this famous Uchiha genius... He was more inclined towards the Hokage's faction between the Uchiha and the Hokage.
Would he harm Itsuki?
Itsuki was strong, and the other party was also a renowned genius of the Uchiha.
Kurenai didn't dare to gamble!
The previous Root attack had already strained Kurenai's nerves to the limit.
"Don't be nervous, Kurenai!"
Itsuki gently patted Kurenai's shoulder, turned his head towards Itachi, and chuckled, "How was today's performance? Watching such a good show comes with a fee. You'll be responsible for my safety when I transplant my eyes later."
He lightly weighed the Sharingan in his hand, his heart filled with excitement.
Even with the system's golden finger!
Even if he was destined to have the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
At this moment, his heart was still excited.
Only with the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan would he truly be qualified to challenge those few.
As for Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others, Itsuki had never taken them seriously even during his three tomoe Sharingan period.
Itachi stared at Itsuki with cold eyes, "Did you say the same thing to Elder Setsuna?"
In the ward, Uchiha Setsuna's behavior was somewhat different from his usual self.
Those who didn't know Setsuna might not notice, but the core members of the Uchiha clan had sensed something was wrong.
Ninjas were good at gathering intelligence.
Uchiha Itachi was no exception.
"Yes!" Itsuki said with a smile, "Elder Setsuna and I usually don't have much contact, but a few days ago, I told him that a big show was coming and asked him to be prepared and remember to pay."
Itachi's face turned cold, "Uchiha Itsuki, what exactly are you trying to do?"
"Didn't you hear my conversation with Shisui?"
Itachi pondered, "I feel like you're hiding something from him."
Itsuki smiled slightly, "Then what do you think I'm hiding from him?"
"His life!"
After a brief silence, Itachi said with complex emotions, "You gouged out his eyes to protect him, right?"
"The eyes he possessed, the Kotoamatsukami, would make him a target for everyone."
Although the timeline was approaching the Uchiha clan's extermination night, the current Uchiha Itachi was not as extreme as in the original story.
One reason was that Shisui, who should have died, was still alive.
Itsuki's existence was also a reason.
He subtly influenced Itachi to a certain extent.
At the same time, he constantly undermined the prestige of Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others, exposing their ugliness, and causing Itachi's trust in them to waver.
As long as Uchiha Itachi didn't despair, the unfilial son wouldn't go to extremes.
See, how simple it was.
Just by gently plucking a string, the fate of a clan could be changed.
If he did go to extremes, Itsuki could only kill him.
Itsuki never understood how someone could raise a blade against their parents for the sake of the village.
He couldn't comprehend it.
"Sigh!"
Itsuki sighed deeply and said, "Such a smart kid, Itachi. You truly deserve to be the one who possesses the Hokage's mindset at the age of seven. Sarutobi Hiruzen chose you as his successor, he chose right."
"With you, the Konoha tree will be healthier!"
Healthier my ass!
Kurenai burst out laughing.
The corner of Itachi's eye twitched, "When did the Hokage choose me as his successor?"
"Didn't he?" Itsuki asked in surprise, "Didn't you have the Hokage's mindset at the age of seven? If you could think from the Hokage's perspective at seven, after another ten years of training, wouldn't you be invincible?"
"Even the sun would bow its head before you."
Itachi: "..."
Could you speak properly?
These words made people want to punch you.
Who are you mocking?
"Brother Itsuki!" Itachi sighed and said, "Everyone knows that the Hokage cannot pass the position to me, so why do you have to say that?"
Itsuki acted like a curious child, "Why can't the position be passed to you? Are you not loyal to Konoha? Impossible, I think even the Hokage believes in your loyalty to Konoha."
"Are you not capable enough? How is that possible? You could see the world from the Hokage's perspective at the age of seven."
"Is your strength not enough? How is that possible? You're not only one of Konoha's top geniuses but also have a certain reputation in the ninja world."
"Then why can't the Hokage position be given to you?"
Itachi fell silent.
After a long time, he said faintly, "Brother Itsuki, let's talk about your Sharingan transplantation."
"No, I want to know right now why you can't become Hokage!"
What kind of person was Itsuki?
He loved to rub salt in the wound.
He would even stir up trouble when there was none, let alone now.
At this moment, seeing Uchiha Itachi's depressed expression, how could he not press his advantage?
"Today, let's talk about why you can't become Hokage."
"If we don't clarify this, my mind won't be at ease."
Itachi was speechless.
If your mind wasn't at ease, did that mean his mind was at ease?
Itsuki continued, "You could think from the Hokage's perspective at the age of seven. This was said by Sarutobi Hiruzen himself. This is a very high evaluation, and you're the only one in the entire Konoha who has received this evaluation. So why can't you become Hokage?"
Itachi stared at Itsuki.
After a while, he said helplessly, "Because of the clan!"
"What's wrong with the clan?"
... That's the line I've been waiting for!
Itsuki asked 'curiously', "Is the clan's plan for an armed coup affecting you? But if the Hokage gives you the position, will the clan still stage a coup? Or do you think you can't lead the clan well after becoming Hokage?"
"Let me tell you, as long as the Hokage position is given to the Uchiha, even if you slap Clan Leader Fugaku in the face during a Jonin meeting, he would smile and say it's okay."
Itachi was dumbfounded.
He stared blankly at Itsuki.
Damn it!
That made so much sense!
Yeah!
The clan was dissatisfied and preparing for a coup because the Uchiha were being suppressed, and the Uchiha had never had their own Hokage.
This led many people in the clan to become more and more extreme in their actions.
But if he became Hokage...
Wouldn't everything be solved?
The conflict between the clan and the village, to put it bluntly, was just about the Hokage position.
If the village was willing to let the Uchiha become Hokage, then the Uchiha would definitely not mind making concessions in many aspects.
Including giving up the Konoha Military Police Force.
Even many resources would be fine.
Seeing Itachi in a daze, Itsuki smiled with satisfaction.
Itachi was a smart kid since childhood, and he understood things quickly.
Many things didn't need to be explained too clearly.
Sarutobi Hiruzen told Itachi that he could see things from the Hokage's perspective at the age of seven.
This was actually a form of brainwashing!
Children in the ninja world matured early, and a seven-year-old Itachi was at a crucial time for shaping his values.
Fugaku, the idiot, threw him onto the battlefield.
Regarding this, Itsuki wanted to say: You deserved to be killed!
It was just a pity for my Mikoto!
You were born when I was not yet old...
Sarutobi Hiruzen was clever. He said those words about being a Hokage at seven. Think about it, think carefully!
Damn!
Itsuki imagined that if he had been fooled like that at the age of seven, the saying "A scholar dies for his confidant" would have been nothing compared to his devotion.
Lord Third Hokage, I'll kowtow to you first. Whenever you want me to die, I'll die.
When the blood was boiling, no one could stop him.
(End of Chapter)