"All right. Go and think it over." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand, signaling for Shisui Uchiha to leave.
Shisui Uchiha walked out of the office, his thoughts already in turmoil.
He wasn't stupid. Of course he knew Hiruzen Sarutobi intended to move against the Uchiha Clan. He also understood the pros and cons of the situation, but he was unwilling to betray the village.
As he left the Hokage Office, a shadow flashed past.
"Tell Danzo that this operation must succeed without fail," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.
"Yes, sir," came a voice from the darkness.
In Anbu, Danzo fell into deep thought after receiving Hiruzen Sarutobi's message.
After a long while, Danzo raised his head. "Hmph. So that guy's finally decided to move against Shisui. He's making me do it, but Shisui's Sharingan is still useful to me."
Then Danzo said to the Anbu members beside him, "I'm leaving this to you. Remember, no one must find out."
"Yes," one of the Anbu members replied.
Danzo gave them a few more instructions, then left Anbu.
"Heh. Let's see who dares to stop me this time," Danzo thought darkly.
The Anbu moved swiftly as they chased Shisui through the area.
"Y-You... why are you attacking me?" Shisui stared at the Anbu members before him, his face deathly pale.
The Anbu ninjas said nothing. Even though Shisui was an Anbu member himself, their only concern was carrying out and completing their mission. They didn't care about anything else.
With a swish, three kunai pierced the kneecap of Shisui's left leg. He dropped to one knee as blood gushed from the wound.
Shisui gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.
The Anbu members coldly pulled out their kunai, then turned and left without mercy.
Itachi Uchiha arrived just then. Seeing how badly Shisui was wounded, he knew Shisui would die if he didn't get treatment immediately. But he was currently on a mission as an Anbu member.
This was a dilemma Danzo had laid before Itachi. After all, Shisui had once been his friend.
"Shisui, how are you?" Itachi asked with concern.
Shisui smiled. "Itachi, don't worry. Don't bother with me. I'm not going to make it. They'll come after you next, so be careful."
Then he handed something to Itachi.
Itachi frowned. He had thought of a possibility, but something about it didn't seem right.
At that moment, Shisui suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed.
Seeing this, Itachi hurriedly caught him. "Shisui! Shisui, wake up!"
Itachi's calls didn't bring Shisui around. Instead, his condition worsened, and his breathing grew faint.
Shisui's consciousness gradually blurred. He murmured, "Itachi, I'm so tired."
"What did you say?" Itachi cried anxiously.
But his calls didn't wake Shisui. They only seemed to make him sink deeper into unconsciousness.
"Shisui! Shisui!" Itachi shouted.
But he realized he couldn't wake Shisui at all. Shisui's pupils had gone unfocused, and he had stopped breathing.
Shisui died right before his eyes.
The Anbu took Shisui's body away.
The news soon reached the Uchiha Clan.
"What? You're saying Shisui is dead?" Fugaku Uchiha roared furiously.
Shisui was a genius of the Uchiha Clan. Some even said he was the clear choice to become the next clan head.
Fugaku had hoped that once Shisui came of age, he would lead the Uchiha Clan to rise to prominence.
But now Shisui was dead?!
"It was Danzo! This is all because of that old bastard Danzo!" Fugaku snarled under his breath.
But Fugaku's anger lasted only half an hour before he quickly calmed down. He had already realized something was wrong.
"It seems the problems left behind by the Nine-Tails' Rampage are about to surface. Has the Hokage finally decided to move against us?" Fugaku murmured.
"Clan head, what should we do now?" a Uchiha clan member beside him asked.
Fugaku said calmly, "First, inform the clan elders and our elite. For now, we should all stay within the clan compound as much as possible and avoid going out."
"Yes, clan head," the Uchiha replied respectfully.
Fugaku closed his eyes. He knew the Uchiha Clan was about to be swept into a bloody storm.
Fugaku didn't know whether the decision he had made was right or wrong, but he knew there was only one path left. He couldn't stand by and do nothing anymore.
He had made up his mind: he would stage a coup!
"You're back? Where's his body?" Danzo asked the Anbu members.
"Reporting in. We brought the body back," one of them replied.
"Good. Bring it inside," Danzo ordered.
The Anbu soon dragged Shisui's body into the room.
Seeing Shisui's body, Danzo smiled.
"This Sharingan belongs to me!" Danzo declared.
When he looked at Shisui's eyes, he noticed something was wrong.
"Wait. Why is there only one Sharingan?" Danzo frowned.
"Never mind. Either way, this eye is mine," Danzo murmured.
Then he ordered the Anbu members to dispose of Shisui's body.
In Konoha, in the Hokage Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi also received the message from Anbu.
"What will you do now? Resist, or submit?" Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered.
He knew the Uchiha Clan had to be eliminated. Otherwise, they would pose too great a threat.
Besides, the people of Konoha no longer trusted the Uchiha Clan because of the Nine-Tails' Rampage. If the Uchiha Clan revolted now, the villagers of Konoha would likely support his decision to eliminate them.
After completing his mission, Itachi wandered the streets of Konoha, lost and confused. The sun was setting, and its warm rays shone on everyone in the village.
Everyone wore happy smiles, but Itachi felt cold all over!
Just moments ago, he had watched his best friend leap into the abyss right before his eyes. Shisui had lost an eye; by now, had the people of Konoha found his body?
"Why... why do I have to bear all of this alone? Shisui's wishes, my father's mission, the Hokage's orders... the future of the Uchiha... What am I supposed to do about any of it?"
Before you continue