Uchiha Itachi Must Die

Konoha, the Hokage Building.

The Third Hokage sat behind his desk, head bowed as he smoked.

Shimura Danzō stood across from him, leaning on his cane, his face dark.

Aburame Torune stood beside Danzō, giving his report.

"...In summary, six Root shinobi, including Yamanaka Fu, have been confirmed dead. The enemy was Uchiha Itachi, the last remnant of the Uchiha."

"Uchiha Itachi..." The Third Hokage's expression darkened. His suspicious gaze kept shifting toward Danzō.

"Danzō, since you knew about this intelligence beforehand, why didn't you report it to me and let the village send people to hunt him down? Why did you send people to investigate on your own?"

"Hmph!" Danzō slammed his cane against the floor and shouted angrily, "Hiruzen, how can you blame me for something like this?"

"I'm telling you, would you even believe me?"

"If you'd trusted me even a little more, you wouldn't have put me under house arrest and sent Nara Shikaku to Root to investigate some Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"

"I've always said the Uchiha can't be trusted!"

"Uchiha Itachi killed Sasuke and Konohamaru, took Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan, and abducted the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

"Everything has already proved that he was clearly lying to us before!"

"Loyal to the village? It was all a lie!"

"Once he absorbs the power of the cards in his hand and becomes a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki with the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, the threat he poses to the village will rise to an outrageous level."

"Hiruzen, stop hesitating and issue the order at once!"

"I'll lead the team myself. I'll make sure Uchiha Itachi is eliminated and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is brought back!"

Seeing his old friend take such an eager, proactive stance only made the Third Hokage more wary. He snorted and warned him:

"Hmph!"

"Don't think I don't know what you're scheming!"

"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is an important asset of the village. Root is absolutely not allowed to get its hands on him!"

"And Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan won't be handed over to you, either!"

"I'll arrange for people to rescue the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki myself. You'll stay quietly in the village. You're not to leave without my order!"

"If the person who abducted the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki really is Uchiha Itachi, I'll naturally order his elimination."

"But you'd better be telling me the truth. If I find out you tried to deceive me with false intelligence, don't expect me to go easy on you!"

"Hiruzen, even now, you still suspect me!" Danzō's scheme had fallen through. Furious, he leaped about, pounding the floor with his cane.

"Your constant indecision is what let things get to this point!"

"If anything happens to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, you'll bear full responsibility!"

"After this incident, we can't just leave the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki wandering around unsupervised. Putting him under Root's management would be the most sensible choice!"

"I said no!" The Third Hokage slapped the desk and sprang to his feet. "I am the Hokage!"

Danzō glared at the Third Hokage for a long moment, but in the end there was nothing he could do. He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

After Danzō left, the Third Hokage pressed a hand to his chest and took a few breaths before finally calming down. He pondered for a while, then gave an order:

"Have Nara Shikaku come see me!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Anbu operative in the shadows acknowledged the order and Body Flickered away. A moment later, footsteps sounded, and Nara Shikaku knocked before entering.

"Hokage-sama, you wanted to see me."

The Third Hokage waved him into a seat and sighed.

"Shikaku, we received intelligence from Danzō earlier that Uchiha Itachi abducted Naruto."

"To verify this information, six Root shinobi, including Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Ryoma, were killed."

"Honestly, I don't want to believe that boy Itachi would do something like this."

"I'd rather believe Danzō had set a trap to frame him, in hopes of getting his hands on the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

"But Itachi isn't in the village now, so I can't confirm it with him in person."

"You've always been levelheaded and resourceful, so I want you to lead the team this time and rescue the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. While you're at it, find out whether that person really is Uchiha Itachi, or whether he had some reason he couldn't explain for doing these things."

"I understand, Hokage-sama." Nara Shikaku hesitated, then asked carefully, "If Uchiha Itachi really did these things, what are we to do about him...?"

The Third Hokage didn't answer right away. Instead, he stood and turned toward the window, looking out at the desolate Uchiha District in the distance. After a long silence, he sighed.

"They're all young. Who hasn't made a mistake or two?"

"As long as his heart is still with the village and he's willing to come back, we can let bygones be bygones."

After a pause, he added:

"Even if he really did kill Konohamaru, the village won't pursue it."

"The original plan is canceled. He doesn't need to investigate that mysterious organization anymore. Tell him to return to the village and report in at once."

A chill ran through Nara Shikaku, and he hurriedly lowered his head.

"I understand."

"Rest assured, Hokage-sama. I'll convey your intentions to him."

The Third Hokage nodded, then took a document from a cabinet and placed it in front of Nara Shikaku.

"This contains all the intelligence on Uchiha Itachi, including his Mangekyō Sharingan Dojutsu, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, as well as everything we know about his Susanoo."

"This mission is no ordinary assignment. The entire Ino-Shika-Cho formation will go, and you'll also take the Sealing Squad to prepare for every possibility in case the Nine-Tails loses control."

"If Itachi really has betrayed us, then the village must eliminate every threat before it can grow."

"Yes, Hokage-sama. You can count on me."

After carefully reviewing the intelligence, Nara Shikaku returned the document and accepted the Hokage's written orders. Then he took his leave to gather Ino-Shika-Cho and the Sealing Squad, preparing to rescue the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Meanwhile, as soon as Danzō returned to Root, he summoned Aburame Torune.

"Torune, when the team sent to rescue the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki sets out, take a squad and follow them in secret."

"I know Hiruzen too well. He's always using dirty political tricks!"

"After all, the Uchiha were there from the very beginning of the village. The village needs to keep some trace of the Uchiha Clan around."

"Too many would be bad; they'd threaten his authority. One lone survivor is the perfect number."

"Especially when that survivor is powerful and obeys the Hokage without question."

"What a useful tool!"

"Just like the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, he keeps him firmly under his control and won't let anyone get close."

"If the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is worth a hundred Konohamarus, then the Uchiha's last surviving scion is worth at least fifty."

"He wouldn't kill Uchiha Itachi even if he'd killed just Konohamaru, let alone ten or eight more!"

"That cannot be allowed!"

"Someone whose entire clan was wiped out by the village could never be loyal to it!"

"Uchiha Itachi must die!"

"Kill him and bring back the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"