Discovered Flying Thunder God Mark and What Followed

After properly arranging Shisui Uchiha's subsequent treatment, Uchiha Itachi's tightly wound nerves finally relaxed slightly.

Only then did he have the presence of mind to ask about the question that had been troubling him.

Who exactly had beaten Shisui Uchiha into a near-fatal state?

"Well..." Minamoto Takuya stroked his chin, his tone carrying deliberate hesitation. "If we really have to assign blame... it probably falls on Hokage Lord."

"Hokage Lord?!" Uchiha Itachi's pupils constricted. This answer completely overturned every prediction he had made.

He had never imagined the outcome would be this.

Minamoto Takuya did not conceal anything. He concisely and objectively recounted the thrilling duel, as well as Obito Uchiha's subsequent sneak attack, to Uchiha Itachi.

At the end, he added, "As for the deeper reasons, perhaps you should ask your father, Fugaku, in person. He should understand what happened."

After hearing Minamoto Takuya's account, an indescribably complicated emotion churned within Uchiha Itachi's chest.

Scattered clues rapidly came together in his mind. Perhaps he had already guessed the reason this battle had erupted.

He recalled the times he had fought alongside Shisui Uchiha and discussed their ideals, as well as his dear friend's seemingly gentle yet incomparably fierce and resolute nature...

Uchiha Itachi did not feel the slightest surprise that Shisui Uchiha had made such a choice.

Then who should bear the heavy guilt for Shisui Uchiha's nearly fatal injuries?

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze? Of course not...

Tracing things back to their source, every cause pointed to that Masked Man who hid his identity and called himself "Madara Uchiha"!

If not for him, this conflict between the Uchiha and the village might never have erupted at all, and the battle between Shisui Uchiha and Minato Namikaze would naturally have been completely unnecessary!

Uchiha Itachi silently clenched his fists,