Laying Everything Bare

Senyo turned back to Fugaku and the Great Elder.

"That's about it. The plan still needs to be carried out step by step. If I say too much, you won't remember it all."

"As for the clan head's mistake this time..."

Senyo gave the Great Elder a meaningful look.

Fugaku also looked at the Great Elder somewhat uneasily. This matter could be considered either major or minor; it all depended on the Great Elder's decision.

It would even be perfectly normal to strip him directly of his position as clan head.

It was not that he was attached to the position of clan head.

It was simply that Itachi was about to defect from the village. With greater authority as clan head, he would be better able to look after Sasuke and Mikoto.

Seeing Fugaku's cautious gaze, the Great Elder seemed to recall the days when the young Fugaku had followed him onto the battlefield.

Senyo had handed the authority to punish Fugaku over to him, and the meaning behind it was already obvious.

Great Elder Shihu shot Fugaku an irritated glare.

"You can remain clan head for now, but half a year's salary will be docked and given to Senyo."

Fugaku let out a sigh of relief and said with an apologetic smile, "Of course. That's only right."

Senyo smiled. He happened to be short on money.

The Great Elder looked at Senyo with great satisfaction. With such strength and intelligence, the Uchiha Clan had a worthy successor.

Although Senyo was a little young, age had never been much of an issue.

"Senyo, you should familiarize yourself with the clan's affairs from now on..."

The moment the Great Elder said that, everyone present understood what he meant.

However, Fugaku had no objections at all. Itachi also felt that—

If Senior Senyo became clan head, he would surely be able to lead the Uchiha even further.

There was no joy on Senyo's face, and his response was calm.

"We'll talk about it when I have time. There is still plenty of time, and the Uchiha still have a long road ahead."

After seeing the Great Elder and Fugaku off, Senyo checked his cheat.

On Fugaku's side, the Star of Bonds was just short of reaching three stars.

As for Itachi, only one-fifth of the progress bar remained before it reached four stars.

On one hand, Senyo was curious about what exactly the fourth star contained.

On the other hand, Itachi was an extremely important part of his plan.

So, he prepared to tell Itachi everything.

"Itachi, I know you long for peace in the shinobi world, but do you know that this peace will be shattered before long?"

Itachi bowed to Senyo. "Senior Senyo, I know you must have a way."

Senyo looked at Itachi for a long while and sighed. Instead of answering Itachi's question directly, he asked, "Do you know the origin of us shinobi?"

Itachi froze for a moment, not understanding why Senyo was asking this.

But Senyo had no intention of making Itachi answer. He simply said, "In the universe, there is a race called the Ōtsutsuki..."

Senyo then explained in the third person the Ōtsutsuki's tree-planting plan, how Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the ancestor of shinobi, had been sealed away, how Black Zetsu had plotted to revive Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, as well as Madara's manipulation of Obito, how Obito had caused the Nine-Tails' Rampage, and everything else in full detail.

Senyo explained it very thoroughly, covering even certain details, and it took quite some time.

Itachi looked somewhat dazed, especially after learning that the man claiming to be Madara Uchiha was the one behind the Nine-Tails' Rampage.

His expression became even more complicated. He had never imagined there were so many layers to it.

"Then can't we just stop Kaguya from being revived?" Itachi's thinking was still somewhat simple.

But Senyo's way of thinking was naturally different.

"Stopping that Ōtsutsuki's revival only treats the symptoms, not the root cause."

"Otherwise, even if Obito and Madara die, there will still be others who continue trying to revive Kaguya."

"And there is more than one Ōtsutsuki. Even if Kaguya is not revived, there are still Ōtsutsuki lurking in the shinobi world."

"Only by becoming strong ourselves—strong enough to defeat the Ōtsutsuki—will we have no reason to fear any conspiracy."

"Compared to the lives on an entire planet, how many people do you think would die in wars between shinobi villages?"

Itachi's expression shifted repeatedly, as though he were caught in an intense mental storm.

Senyo was in no hurry and quietly waited for Itachi to digest it all.

After a long while, Itachi let out a sigh. "I understand, Senior Senyo."

Senyo watched as Itachi's bond bar finally filled up as well. He had probably figured out what level of bond was needed to unlock those stars.

He patted Itachi on the shoulder in consolation. "The Uchiha Clan's situation is still not good."

"Sending you out serves another purpose: using Konoha's secrets to threaten Konoha into not daring to make a move against us."

After all, Itachi had truly been an Anbu captain before and knew quite a few secrets.

Of course, Senyo had told Itachi far more than Itachi himself knew.

Senyo changed the subject. "But if Konoha is determined to wipe out our Uchiha Clan—"

"Then expose all of Konoha's intelligence, along with every Konoha secret I told you. We'll perish together."

Itachi looked somewhat stunned. "Could things really get that bad?"

Senyo shook his head unconcernedly. "Any plan can encounter unforeseen circumstances."

"And you must always consider the worst possible outcome."

"Remember: Man proposes, Heaven disposes."

Itachi mulled over the unfamiliar phrase, then silently nodded.

"I already told you about Obito's abilities. If you get the chance, strike directly."

"Even if you can't kill him, make him fear you. At the very least, make him dare not come near the Uchiha Clan again."

"I understand, Senior Senyo."

Senyo looked outside. A faint glow had already appeared in the sky; dawn was nearly here.

He stood and stretched. "I just told you about the general direction. Now, I'll explain something else."

"About the stone tablet, about the Rinnegan..."

Senyo then explained the relationship between the Rinnegan and the Sharingan to Itachi once more, as well as the two ways to use the Sharingan without going blind.

He also told him about the identity of his beloved little brother, and the fact that he would awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan in the future.

Itachi listened intently. After all, this was the foundation upon which the Uchiha survived.

"You awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan too early. Your body may not be able to bear the burden."

"So you must be cautious when using the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"The Mangekyō Sharingan is a very useful tool, but a tool only has value when it is used."

"Shisui's two eyes are now both in your hands. We can use these two instances of Kotoamatsukami to find two allies."

"Put the eyes in the ninja crows, and I'll be able to call upon them whenever necessary."

Itachi now trusted Senyo completely, so he agreed without the slightest hesitation.

"Do you know where Shisui's body is after he jumped off the cliff?"

Itachi was somewhat stunned, because when Shisui jumped off the cliff, only he and Shisui had been there.

How did Senior Senyo know?

But Itachi quickly recovered. Senior Senyo seemed to know everything.

Even knowing that Shisui had jumped off a cliff was nothing remarkable.