If Only Danzo Hadn't Died

Though he vaguely sensed something was off, nothing seemed wrong, so Uchiha Shisui shook his head.

Regardless, the problem between the clan and the village had been resolved—that was enough.

Just then, a figure appeared beside Shisui's bed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a drag from his pipe, looking down at Shisui, especially at the hollowed eye sockets, and sighed inwardly.

Kotoamatsukami...

He had always held a good opinion of Shisui—a fine child who carried on the will of his deceased teammate, Kagami Uchiha. He never expected Danzō to lay hands on Shisui and try to seize those eyes, the ones with the Kotoamatsukami dojutsu, to use against him.

Knowing that bastard Danzō as he did, Danzō was indeed the sort to do such a thing. If it weren't for the fact that Danzō was his teammate, and that as Hokage he needed a black glove, Danzō would have been dealt with long ago when he attempted to assassinate him.

Danzō, how could you die? Without you, who'll do my dirty work from now on?

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Uchiha Shisui lying in bed, sighed in his heart, and shook his head.

"Shisui, how is your body?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his pipe, looked down at Shisui, and asked with concern.

"Lord Hokage, I'm doing very well now. The problems between the village and the clan have been resolved. I feel better than ever. I never imagined that everything before was a conspiracy between Clan Head Fugaku and Lord Danzō. If not for Lord Kazuto..."

Uchiha Shisui's face showed an expression of deep gratitude. As a devoted follower of the Will of Fire, receiving concern from the Hokage himself moved him profoundly. Tears flowed from his tear ducts into his hollowed eye sockets. He was so moved that even his voice grew emotional.

"It's good that you're alright. It was my fault for not discovering Danzō and Uchiha Fugaku's conspiracy sooner, costing you your eyes..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, a look of self-reproach on his face, then his gaze fell on Shisui's hollowed eye sockets.

"How could I blame you, Lord Hokage? It was all Lord Danzō and Clan Head Fugaku's fault! If not for them, the village and the clan wouldn't have ended up like this. Lord Hokage, you were deceived by Lord Danzō too!"

Uchiha Shisui shook his head, his face full of fervor—after all, how could the Hokage be wrong?

"As for my eyes, Lord Hokage, hasn't Lord Kazuto already said? They were destroyed by Lord Danzō. That's for the best—such dangerous things are better off destroyed."

A faint smile appeared on Uchiha Shisui's face.

Really destroyed?

Hiruzen Sarutobi smoked his pipe, looking at the optimistic Shisui, and shook his head. He pulled out a photo—it only showed Danzō elbowing Shisui and taking one eye. But what about the other?

Was it just not photographed?

Uchiha Kazuto... were Shisui's eyes really destroyed?

Hiruzen Sarutobi left Shisui's hospital room and stepped into the corridor, smoking. He recalled Uchiha Kazuto's expression at the time—so righteous, so passionate, like a good child with the Will of Fire, a child who had exposed a conspiracy!

But everything now was based on what you, Kazuto, said—no actual evidence. Yet it all seemed true, without issue, because Danzō was indeed the kind of person to do such things. Though he'd never said it to his face, he knew Danzō was a bottomless beast.

And hadn't Fugaku confessed? It was all a conspiracy!

Everything seemed fine, but Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a nagging unease.

Uchiha Kazuto, what are you thinking? What do you want to do?

Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to take action against Uchiha Kazuto, but when he thought of those eyes, of Kazuto's current attitude—what if? What if it was all just his illusion, his suspicion?

What if Uchiha Kazuto really was a good child with the Will of Fire?

What if it truly was Shimura Danzō and Uchiha Fugaku's conspiracy?

After all, Uchiha Kazuto had those eyes and the support of the Uchiha Clan. If he wanted, he could easily launch a coup.

If Uchiha Kazuto didn't have those eyes, he could maneuver more, probe more. But not now.

Konoha couldn't withstand such turmoil. The other ninja villages were eyeing it hungrily—if Konoha showed weakness or fell into chaos, they would pounce, tearing flesh and drinking blood. Konoha couldn't afford disorder.

He couldn't tell—he really couldn't tell!

"Ah..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke and sighed. If only Danzō were still alive. The things he hesitated over, wanted to do but couldn't—he'd only need to hint, or even just mention it, and Danzō would scurry off to do them. If something went wrong, he could just cut ties and blame Danzō, remaining the pure and spotless Hokage.

But Danzō was dead, dead in that twilight, at the hands of someone they never expected.

"Lord Hokage!"

Just then, a figure appeared at Hiruzen Sarutobi's feet.

"Itachi?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the suddenly appearing Uchiha Itachi, startled slightly, his gaze softening. Itachi was also a good child in his eyes—at seven years old, he already thought like a Hokage, able to see things from the Hokage's perspective. A rare genius. If only Itachi weren't an Uchiha, if his background were clean, he might even have qualified to become the Hokage's... dark side.

"Itachi, you know by now, I assume. My condolences—who could have imagined your father..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Itachi, shook his head, and spoke slowly.

"No, Lord Hokage. I firmly believe my father couldn't have been that kind of person. There must be something wrong here—a conspiracy!"

Uchiha Itachi shook his head, his face serious. In truth, he didn't much care whether his biological father was wronged or alive or dead. What he truly cared about was Uchiha Kazuto and the strangeness this whole affair revealed. He felt certain there was a deeper, more terrifying conspiracy hidden beneath.

He knew his father—how could a man of his temperament ever hatch such a scheme with Danzō?