Inside the Hokage's office, the sounds of arguing filled the air.
Danzo argued fiercely, holding his ground against the other three without backing down. No matter what they said, he wouldn't produce the Mangekyo Sharingan. He stood firm, his aura and presence commanding.
However, despite his outward bravado, Danzo was feeling the strain internally.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other two advisors were convinced that Danzo was the one responsible and demanded he hand over the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"You seriously injured two of the Uchiha's geniuses. I promised you one Sharingan, and you're still not satisfied? Danzo, you can't be too greedy!" they argued.
Danzo, on the other hand, believed it was Hiruzen who orchestrated the incident. As Hiruzen had pointed out, this was an inside job. It was impossible for shinobi from other villages to have done it. Within Konoha, there was almost no one capable of such a feat. If anyone could, it was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the man who had held the position of Hokage for decades—longer than the combined tenures of the First, Second, and Fourth Hokage. Who knew how much power he had amassed in secret?
Hiruzen, in turn, understood Danzo well. He knew Danzo had connections with rogue shinobi like Orochimaru and who knew how many other dangerous missing-nin he had recruited. He certainly had the means to pull off such an act.
Their argument continued until Kakashi returned.
"What did the Uchiha say?" The four men fixed their gazes on Kakashi.
As the largest clan in Konoha, no one could ignore them, especially those red-eyed maniacs.
Kakashi shook his head. "They didn't say much. They just told me what happened."
He added, "They even allowed me to investigate on my own, giving me complete access to the Uchiha's core area. They didn't even assign anyone to follow me. They just nodded casually as I left, as if they didn't care."
The four men fell silent. This was not a good sign. Calmness was often the prelude to an explosion.
Hiruzen turned to glare at Danzo.
"Danzo, see what you've done!" his eyes seemed to say.
Danzo glared back, undeterred, despite having only one eye. "Hiruzen, if you keep playing the victim, I'll have to turn against you," his gaze retorted.
"Sigh," Hiruzen sighed heavily. "With the Uchiha's recent situation and now this incident..."
The Uchiha's recent actions had become more overt. They were preparing for a coup to reclaim the Hokage position. For the four who currently held the village's power, this was a direct threat. They would not give up their power without a fight. But those red-eyed maniacs were formidable, making the situation even more complicated.
Danzo stated coldly, "We should strike first and eliminate them."
"Impossible!"
"Absolutely not!"
"Shut up!"
His suggestion was met with unanimous opposition from the other three.
Given the recent incident, the Uchiha would be on high alert, with security tighter than ever. An attack would mean a direct confrontation with heavy losses on both sides. The Uchiha had over thirty Jonin in their ranks, and it took at least three regular Jonin to handle one Uchiha Jonin. Who knew how many more were hidden?
Most concerning were the Mangekyo Sharingan. Shisui and Itsuki had them, but was there a third user among the Uchiha? The Uchiha were the victims now, having had their brightest talents' eyes gouged out. Attacking them now under such circumstances would only backfire. They couldn't expect other clans to support an assault on the wronged party. Using only the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans was out of the question.
"Let's try to placate them for now," Hiruzen said solemnly. "But be prepared for anything. Danger is near."
The others nodded in agreement.
Danzo, however, snorted derisively. "Always so soft, Hiruzen. You acknowledge the threat but refuse to act preemptively. Foolish!"
Hiruzen glared at Danzo coldly. "Danzo, think carefully about what to do next. The Uchiha won't stop their investigation. You better hope you don't leave any evidence behind, or else..."
Danzo left in a huff. "So, you still think it was me?"
Despite his anger, the other three saw his fury as a sign of guilt.
"Greedy bastard!" Hiruzen muttered.
...
When Itsuki opened his eyes, the strong smell of disinfectant told him his plan had worked. Although he was in pain and couldn't see, he felt a sense of relief. The next phase could begin!
Yes, he had taken both pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan himself, severely injuring Shisui and himself in process
His primary goals were to ensure Shisui's survival and to acquire the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. In the original story, after Shisui's Mangekyo ability was revealed, Hiruzen and the others grew wary. Danzo attempted to take the Mangekyo, and although Shisui escaped, he lost one eye. Traumatized and fearing his eyes could cause conflict, he gave one to Itachi and committed suicide, pretending he had destroyed his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Itsuki found this incredibly foolish. With such powerful abilities, Shisui's actions were shortsighted. He should have used Kotoamatsukami to control both Hiruzen and Fugaku. With them under his control, Shisui could have easily stabilized Konoha. Even more, he could have had them form an alliance or even marry, ensuring peace.
Itsuki often shook his head at his brother's lack of foresight but knew he had to act to save him. Hence, he took his brother's Mangekyo with a heavy heart. Itsuki's system would eventually allow him to achieve the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, though it would take longer—about six months.
At fifteen, he had time to wait.
As for preventing the Uchiha massacre, that would be easy. He could trigger a conflict between two villages...
"You've woken up."
A gentle voice interrupted his thoughts.
Itsuki kept his eyes closed, probing, "Kurenai? Is that you?"