A few days earlier.
At Root Headquarters in Konoha, a heavy stone door slowly swung open. Uchiha Itachi, dressed in his Anbu uniform, walked inside.
It was a place he hated with all his heart.
At the end of the dim corridor, a familiar, chilling figure awaited him.
Before long, he stood before that familiar figure: the founder and leader of Root, who controlled Konoha's darkness—the most powerful man beneath the Hokage.
Shimura Danzō wore a black-and-gray kimono, and bandages covered his right arm and right eye.
Danzō stood in the middle of the room with his back to Itachi, his left hand hidden in his sleeve and his right gripping a wooden cane.
"Uchiha Itachi, you're here."
His voice was low and hoarse, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, hissing coldly.
Itachi's expression was calm as he knelt on one knee. "I've always been loyal to Konoha. I'll find a way to reconcile the Uchiha and the village. Lord Hokage agrees with my position."
Danzō gave a cold snort. "The Hokage... He's the Hokage of Konoha, not the Hokage of the Uchiha. Konoha has already shown your clan more than enough kindness, yet your Clan Head has never been satisfied with the status quo."
Itachi hurried to defend him. "My father is only fighting for his clan's most basic right to live."
"The right to live?" Danzō turned around, revealing an old but fierce face. "The Uchiha Clan is already one of Konoha's most prominent clans. What greater right to live do you want? To become Hokage? To seize power?"
He sneered. "Ever since Uchiha Madara, your clan has never truly sought peace. You can't stand being ordinary, and you're destined to bring disaster."
Uchiha Itachi said nothing. His brows furrowed, and his hand quietly clenched into a fist. For an instant, the black flames of Amaterasu flickered in his eyes.
If Danzō weren't one of Konoha's leaders, if this weren't Konoha, he would have burned the venomous snake in the shadows to ashes with Amaterasu long ago.
But he couldn't.
He was Uchiha Itachi, Konoha's Uchiha Itachi. Fate bound him between two identities.
Danzō slowly took a Sealing Scroll from inside his clothes and held it out to him. "Open it and take a look."
Itachi accepted the scroll and unrolled it. Lines upon lines of records came into view: intelligence about the Uchiha Clan's secret meetings.
"You've already started gathering Chunin and Jonin. You're planning to act soon. Do you think the Hokage and I know nothing?"
Danzō's voice was cold. "If I hadn't suppressed the information, the Hokage would have already ordered the other clans to join forces and wipe out the Uchiha."
Itachi's eyes dimmed.
"I'll give you one more chance, Itachi."
Danzō stepped closer.
"You're strong, I know that. But how many can you hold off on your own? Your parents, your relatives, and your little brother, Uchiha Sasuke—all of them will be executed."
At Sasuke's name, a thunderclap seemed to ring through Itachi's heart, raising a storm within him. His knuckles turned faintly white as he gripped the scroll tightly.
"You're a clever man. You should understand that this situation is beyond your power to change." Danzō lowered his voice. "Your loyalty must be to Konoha, not the Uchiha."
Silence fell.
Itachi felt helpless, caught between his clan and Konoha. Whatever choice he made, it wouldn't be what he truly wanted. Even after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan and gaining Kage Level strength, he still couldn't bring about the ideal ending he dreamed of.
As an Uchiha, he had stepped into this darkness; as a shinobi of Konoha, he had to protect the light from within it.
Uchiha Shisui was the same. They were Uchiha. Though they didn't bear a Cursed Seal like the Hyuga Clan's Caged Bird Seal, they still lived in a cage, trapped by fate and the system.
Even with the Mangekyō Sharingan, even with Kage Level strength, he still couldn't change anything.
His Mangekyō was Amaterasu, but Amaterasu couldn't burn away his bonds with Konoha. His Mangekyō was Tsukuyomi, yet he himself lived in a reality full of fear and pain, as if trapped in an illusion.
Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I want peace."
"Peace."
Danzō gave a cold laugh.
"Peace is achieved through bloodshed, not piled up with empty words." He slowly turned around, his eyes as cold as a snake's. "The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, killed his best friend with his own hands for the sake of peace. The Second sacrificed himself for Konoha's survival..."
He paused, then sneered.
"You should understand that peace can never be achieved so easily through wishes and ideals. When Uchiha Madara betrayed Konoha, not a single member of the Uchiha Clan was willing to follow him. That proves that the Uchiha of that time wanted not war, but restraint and peace. Now you must make the same choice they did. For Konoha's peace."
Uchiha Itachi raised his head. "What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Kill your clan." Danzō answered without hesitation. "Eradicate every ambition of the Uchiha Clan."
The air seemed to freeze. Uchiha Itachi's pupils contracted, and his throat tightened. He was only thirteen, yet he had to face such a merciless choice.
"You're insane..." he murmured.
"Am I?" Danzō's eyes showed not a trace of wavering. "No. This is the only thing you can do, and the only way to save Sasuke."
"If you refuse, I'll send Root to carry out the mission." He paused, his voice turning icy. "Then not a single member of the Uchiha Clan will be left alive, including your little brother, Uchiha Sasuke."
"Don't touch my brother!"
This time, Uchiha Itachi's voice suddenly rose.
Danzō remained unmoved and replied coolly, "Did you think I'd meet with you alone without making any preparations?"
He struck his cane against the ground. Several figures emerged from the stone walls—Root shinobi, each an Elite Jonin who had come through the flames of war.
Danzō spoke without expression. "I'll give you two choices."
He held up two fingers, his tone cold:
"First, you deal with the Uchiha yourself and spare Sasuke."
"Second, you side with your clan. Sasuke will be branded the son of a traitor ninja and bear the sins of his clan for the rest of his life."
"You want your little brother to grow up in the sunlight, don't you?"
The air seemed to thicken, and even time fell still.
Itachi fell silent. Sasuke's childhood face rose in his mind—the boy who always followed him around, calling him "big brother," his eyes clear and innocent. He couldn't let those eyes be stained by darkness.
If war broke out, even if he fought with everything he had to protect Sasuke, his little brother would be branded the son of a traitor ninja, shunned by the whole village and hunted by the entire Ninja World.
He spoke quietly. "I agree."
"I'll do it myself. Don't let Root get involved."
He slowly took a scroll from inside his clothes and handed it to Danzō.
"This is the wealth I saved from my previous missions. Please... pass it to Sasuke in secret. Consider it the last thing I can do for him."
Danzō narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly and gave a small nod.
"The operation will take place in seven days. You may choose the time, but you have no power to change the outcome."
Uchiha Itachi left Root and stepped back into the light. But he knew it was only an illusion of sunlight. Darkness had already consumed his heart.
Inside Root, one of the Root shinobi asked softly, "Lord Danzō, are you really going to give that wealth to Uchiha Sasuke?"
Danzō gave a cold snort and turned, walking slowly into the shadows.
"Of course not. It's Konoha's wealth. Letting Root use it is the best way to put it to use."
"Naive Uchiha brat."
Before you continue