"I, Uchiha Madara, unable to match that man?!"
Uchiha Itachi gazed at him. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn Nove1Fire.net
"If you really were Uchiha Madara, then aside from the First Hokage, there would naturally be no one you couldn't defeat. But unfortunately, you're not him."
The mysterious masked man retorted coldly:
"And why do you say that?"
"Because the real Uchiha Madara would never seek cooperation with anyone."
The masked man fell briefly silent.
The battle against Hashirama left me with unprecedented injuries. While I'm indeed still alive, I long ago lost my peak strength…
Even so, a mere Uchiha Chiyu is nothing to me."
Itachi merely shook his head.
"Others who once opposed him all thought the same way.
Sarutobi Nichio, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, and…
I suspect we can now add Shimura Danzo to that list as well."
The masked man sneered:
"It seems you fear him."
"You underestimate him only because you've never seen him in person.
I once believed Shisui-senpai was invincible, yet even he died a crushing defeat at that man's hands…
And he's only grown more terrifying since killing Shisui-senpai."
The masked man responded:
"You're wrong. I know all about that man.
In fact, I have thorough knowledge of everything in Konoha. I know it all like the back of my hand.
He's definitely not beyond my power."
Itachi did not see it that way but declined to argue. Doing so was pointless.
Still, the masked man saw through his thoughts.
You keep praising Uchiha Chiyu's strength because you're looking for reasons to justify your own indecision.
I know the war between Konoha and Kumogakure is wrapping up, that Uchiha Fugaku and the rest of your clan will soon return.
At that point, it'll inevitably be a complete break between the Uchiha clan and the higher-ups.
But deep down, you've long since sided with Sarutobi Hiruzen. He's surely pressuring you to make a choice— to side with your clan or with the village.
Just like with Shisui back then."
Itachi fell silent. A flicker rippled through his gaze.
The masked man let out a cold laugh.
"You're so terrified of Uchiha Chiyu, which clearly proves you've already deemed him your mortal foe.
Put another way… you've secretly made up your mind…
To stand against the Uchiha clan entirely!
Otherwise, if Chiyu's power kept rising, it should make you happy for your clan. Instead it only makes you more anxious."
Itachi, exposed, sank deeper into silence.
"You really are a rare talent, Uchiha Itachi.
When you've decided, come find me. Because without my power, it's impossible to accomplish your goal.
This chance is one in a thousand… only once…"
With that, the masked man's figure vanished again into thin air.
Itachi remained in the darkness for a long time.
He knew he had little time left…
The Third Hokage wanted him to finalize a choice before his father and clansmen returned.
Would he make a narrow-minded choice for his clan, or adopt a larger perspective for the greater good, for the sake of the entire village's peace?
In the end… what was the correct path?
He decided he would talk to the Hokage again…
Inside the Hokage's office:
There was no time to mourn Shimura Danzo's death.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura had already turned their attention entirely to the final confrontation.
"Hiruzen, when is Jiraiya due back?"
"Soon. According to Anbu intel, he can return in around three days. However…"
"Hmph. Jiraiya has always been self-willed. He might not obey my every command. He's been roaming about outside for years because of some 'prophecy' from the Great Toad Sage, searching for the so-called Child of Prophecy—truly absurd…"
"All the same, Jiraiya isn't Orochimaru. There's no doubt about his loyalty to Konoha."
"He's loyal to Konoha, yes, but not necessarily obedient to me as Hokage.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed away from the village so long."
"Even so, he's still your student. He wouldn't stand by and do nothing if the village were threatened."
Just then, Uchiha Itachi requested to see the Hokage. Hiruzen perked up and allowed him in.
Itachi knelt reverently on the ground.
"Itachi, you've come so suddenly—does that mean you've decided?"
Itachi hesitated, then shook his head.
"I still can't make up my mind."
"Is there truly no third option, Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen let out a heavy sigh, then spoke in earnest sorrow:
"Itachi… as Hokage, you think I want to see a civil war in the village?
But the way the Uchiha clan's been acting, you've seen it with your own eyes…
Have you forgotten Shisui's death?"
"I have not forgotten."
Hiruzen said gravely:
"Shisui gave his life trying to stop the Uchiha uprising; he died by Uchiha Chiyu's hand.
He was a true inheritor of the Will of Fire, who abandoned narrow clan interests and looked at the bigger picture—for the entire village. He was a genuine powerhouse!
And you, you are his successor!"
Itachi responded quietly:
Right now, the village truly can't afford internal conflict. If that happens, Kumogakure and other great nations would surely seize the chance to invade, and the whole shinobi world would descend into another war.
I've fought on the battlefield before; I've seen the gruesome horrors of warfare. I can't stand by and watch Konoha or the entire shinobi world plunge into war again!"
Hiruzen was taken aback—he hadn't realized Itachi grasped so much.
It saved him from making too many persuasive arguments.
"Sigh, it's good you understand…
Still, not everyone sees as you do. The world would have long since known peace otherwise."
He looked Itachi in the eye:
"Remember just one thing, Itachi:
The village cannot be allowed to fall into chaos!"
A tremor coursed through Itachi's body.
I've read our clan's darkest histories. To awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, brothers killed brothers. People resorted to forbidden jutsu to seize victory in battle, to seize power by any means. Time after time, the Uchiha have plotted rebellion and conspiracy…
I've grown weary of it all…
Perhaps, as the Second Hokage once declared, the Uchiha clan is an inherently evil clan after all…"
Hiruzen's heart jumped.
His teacher, Tobirama's "inherent wickedness" theory—Itachi seemed to have embraced it thoroughly.
Yet Hiruzen knew better than to press too eagerly. He spoke with a tone of false compassion:
"Don't say that, Itachi.
No clan is inherently evil. The Uchiha clan…their emotions run deep, that's all. When they're driven by love and bond, they will be extremely devoted. But once they lose that love, they can collapse into darkness…
They were co-founders of Konoha alongside the Senju. The Uchiha's honor depends on someone like you to safeguard it!"
Hearing that, Itachi's shoulders quivered slightly.
To protect the Uchiha's honor,
I must personally…destroy them?"
Hiruzen secretly smirked.
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