Those Who Don't Know Themselves

In the woods outside the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Itachi had been waiting here for a long time.

He knew that man would definitely come.

Footsteps approached, and a man wearing a tiger-patterned mask appeared nearby.

Itachi walked over and stopped in front of Obito.

"We move tonight."

Obito replied in a disguised voice, "Fine. As agreed, I'll lend you a hand."

Itachi turned his head. "Then we'll do as planned."

Obito crossed his arms. "The reason I'm helping you wipe out the Uchiha isn't just for revenge. I have other purposes as well."

"You can just pretend you didn't see those."

Naturally, Itachi knew he was referring to collecting the Sharingan.

But at this point, Itachi no longer cared about that.

"You mean you don't want me using the Sharingan to record your actions."

"That's right. It's also proof that I'll spare your little brother."

"I have no use for a child without the Sharingan."

Itachi knew that Sasuke had no value yet. Turning away, he said, "So I can rest assured, then?"

"Other than trusting you, I have no other choice."

Obito knew that after this incident, Itachi would have nowhere better to go.

He spoke up as well. "If you ever find yourself with nowhere to turn, you're welcome to join our organization."

Itachi was somewhat puzzled. "Your organization?"

"Yes. It's called Akatsuki."

Hokage's Office.

The Third Hokage was handling government affairs. He did not feel much emotional fluctuation over tonight's extermination of the Uchiha Clan.

Everything had already been planned out. Even if the Uchiha Clan had grown wary, the only losses would be Danzo's Root.

It had nothing to do with him.

He only needed to lead the Anbu in cleaning up afterward.

"Urgent report!"

An Anbu member barged in without waiting for permission.

The Third Hokage frowned, but rather than reprimanding him, he asked, "What happened!?"

The Anbu member immediately reported, "Kakashi's group of three, who were monitoring Sasuke, have disappeared."

"Sasuke's whereabouts are also unknown."

The Third Hokage's hand holding the pipe paused as he asked in a low voice, "What about Naruto?"

The Anbu replied, "Naruto is safe and sound. He is at home right now."

The Third Hokage inwardly relaxed and took a puff from his pipe.

Yet his mind was turning over who had taken Sasuke away. Danzo, or Itachi?

If it was Danzo, there would be no problem. He could simply negotiate with him.

But if it was Itachi, things might become troublesome.

The Third Hokage looked up at the clock. It was already ten at night, and darkness had long since fallen outside.

If Itachi was going to make a move, it would probably be around this time.

"Send more people. Keep watch on the Uchiha Clan Compound, and report back immediately if anything happens!"

"Yes!"

A bright moon hung high in the sky.

The night seemed especially quiet tonight.

Having already resolved himself to bear it all, Itachi arrived at the entrance to the compound.

He put on his mask.

In a flash, he appeared atop the low wall.

"Sasuke..."

Itachi murmured, then his gaze hardened.

He drew his blade and leaped down from the low wall.

Suddenly! From the shadows to the left and right behind the wall, two large nets were cast out!

"Whoosh!!!"

Accompanied by the howl of the wind, the nets descended over Itachi's head.

Itachi's heart tightened. How could this be!?

The instant he was covered by the nets, the cries of crows rang out.

"Caw... caw... caw..."

Itachi's entire body turned into countless crows, bursting apart and swirling through the sky before finally reforming into Itachi's figure.

But before Itachi could land, a barrage of Shuriken flew out from the shadows again.

Itachi swung the weapon in his hand, continuously knocking the Shuriken away, but his shoulder was still cut twice.

At that moment, a figure emerged from the shadows.

"Itachi, you really did betray the clan!"

Itachi landed on the ground without the slightest change in expression. The others in the clan still did not know that he possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.

So even after being wounded, he did not bring out Susanoo.

Still, Itachi was somewhat surprised. He had thought it might be his father or the Great Elder who appeared, but he had not expected it to be Senyo.

Senyo and Shisui had been in the same class, so naturally Itachi knew him as well.

Later, after changes occurred in Senyo's family, everyone had become busy with missions and gradually lost contact.

"I never expected it to be you, Senior Senyo." Itachi's expression was cold, giving no hint of what he was thinking.

Senyo did not call the others out. Instead, he faced Itachi alone. As he walked toward Itachi, he said:

"Are you going to become Konoha's accomplice and wipe out your own clan?"

At Senyo's question, Itachi's expression flickered.

"At this point, what meaning is there in asking that, Senior Senyo?"

Senyo gave a soft laugh. "There is one kind of person who is easiest to deceive in this world: those who think too highly of themselves."

"You only need to keep telling them, 'It's all thanks to you. You think like a Hokage.'"

"Then they will arrogantly believe that if they cannot solve a problem, no one else can either."

Of course, Itachi could tell that Senyo was talking about him.

But he had already lost himself completely, living in a false world.

When Shisui died, he had placed the burden called "peace" upon Itachi's shoulders.

But Itachi had no one to guide him.

Under the Third's repeated brainwashing, he could not accept that he had already failed.

He lied to others and lied to himself.

He could not accept the version of himself that had failed to save his clan. Under relentless pressure, he could only accept the mission to exterminate the Uchiha Clan.

The current Itachi could naturally not be persuaded by just a few words.

Itachi remained silent. He was not listening to Senyo; he was waiting for Senyo to come closer.

But Senyo had the same thought.

As a master of genjutsu, Itachi naturally wanted to use genjutsu to restrain Senyo at the first opportunity.

After all, even if someone was prepared for genjutsu, with the ocular power of the Mangekyō Sharingan enhancing it, Senyo could not possibly be his match!

"Ah!" A young, pained scream rang out.

Itachi was instantly distracted! That was Sasuke's voice!

From the corner of his eye, he looked toward the shadows. Yusuke had thrown the unconscious Sasuke at his feet and stomped down on him!

In that instant, Senyo did not make eye contact with Itachi at all. He charged directly into Itachi's attack range.

With one slash, he knocked aside Itachi's weapon and drove straight at his face.

Itachi had not expected Senyo to have abducted Sasuke right from under Konoha's nose.

The current Itachi was nowhere near as mature as he would be eight years later. Seeing his beloved younger brother captured and his weapon knocked aside, Senyo's long blade had already reached his face. He could even feel the sharp pain of his cheek being cut.

"Susanoo!"

Having only just used the Crow Clone, Itachi could only summon Susanoo for defense.

The moment its skeletal frame emerged, Senyo's long blade was sent flying.

Itachi showed no mercy either. Susanoo's massive hand reached directly for Senyo.