The Change Starting With Itachi!

Inside the Uchiha Compound, in the reception room of Uchiha Fugaku.

"Does the Daimyo have any specific plans for his stay?"

Uchiha Fugaku asked with a smile on his face.

"Just wandering around the village will do. After presiding over the Spring Festival ceremony, I shall return."

"Do you Uchiha have any interest in serving as my personal guards?"

The Daimyo looked at Uchiha Fugaku before him with a playful grin.

One must understand that becoming the Daimyo's guard was an honor that could bring great prestige to one's clan.

After all, Sarutobi Shinnosuke had once traveled to the Land of Fire to serve as one of the Daimyo's guards.

Upon returning to Konoha, he was immediately entrusted with heavy responsibilities.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had done this for no other reason than to pave the way for his son.

In the future, he would be able to succeed him as Hokage.

"Thank you for your trust, Lord Daimyo. When you return, I will personally select the most suitable personnel for you."

Uchiha Fugaku was overjoyed.

He had not expected that those fellows' clumsy attempt to sabotage them would actually grant the Uchiha such a golden opportunity.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi, and Roy were in the courtyard of Fugaku's home.

"Roy, this operation went pretty much exactly as you predicted, didn't it?"

Shisui no longer held the dismissive attitude he had shown before.

In his eyes, Roy's strategic mind had become even more significant than his raw strength.

Within the Uchiha clan, most were arrogant, hot-headed individuals who acted on impulse.

To have someone with such a formidable temperament emerge was truly rare.

Uchiha Itachi already possessed remarkable talent in this regard, yet compared to the guy in front of him, he still fell far short.

"Not entirely."

"I didn't expect them to dare make a move right at the village gates."

"However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"The upper echelons of Konoha have all but lost the Daimyo's trust."

Roy waved his hand, refusing to take all the credit.

"How did you know they were going to make a move?"

"Did they not consider that they were no match for us?"

Uchiha Itachi's perspective on Roy had also shifted.

Previously, he had felt that Roy would only bring disaster upon the clan.

He had not expected things to turn around so rapidly.

"Because they had no choice but to act."

"It isn't because the Uchiha pose a threat to them, but because the Uchiha are too powerful for them to control."

"They... are afraid of the power of the Uchiha."

"Of course, there are also people like Danzo who covet our power."

Roy looked at the somewhat stubborn Uchiha Itachi and spoke with a serious expression.

Uchiha Itachi's talent was undeniably strong.

However, he had been pampered and groomed since childhood, having too many village-centric ideologies instilled in him.

In the end, that was why he developed such a conflicted personality.

By the time Itachi finally realized the truth, he no longer possessed the strength to change much of anything.

The only thing he could do was entrust everything to his younger brother, who would eventually awaken the "Style Jutsu."

Therefore, changing Uchiha Itachi was a matter of urgency.

"Fear!?"

"If the village truly feared the power of the Uchiha, why would they entrust us with such heavy responsibilities?"

"Whether it's patrols or the Konoha Military Police Force."

Itachi still maintained a look of confidence.

In his view, it was always the Hardline Faction within the clan that tarnished the Uchiha's reputation.

"Because they have no choice but to give the Uchiha a status."

"Do you think that if there were such a powerful clan in the village without any status or function, what would others think?"

Roy suddenly felt like laughing.

Sure enough, Itachi in his childhood was truly being killed by praise.

Something so simple had actually become a source of doubt for him.

"Patrolling guards are meant to target me."

"To put it simply, someone wants my eyes, and my life."

"This happened back when you were heading out to escort the Daimyo."

"Patrolling guards have another name—cannon fodder guards!"

Roy used the simplest words to tell Itachi the truth behind it all.

"Roy is right."

"Furthermore, if the first group of clansmen assigned to the guard mission hadn't been Roy, the Uchiha would likely have lost even more people."

Seeing Itachi look toward him, Uchiha Shisui gave a direct, affirmative answer.

Such content caused Uchiha Itachi's original beliefs, along with that laughable Will of Fire, to collapse in an instant.

All this time, he had believed that he saw further than others.

He even possessed a confidence that he could lead the Uchiha onto the right path.

But now... he was suddenly told that all the efforts he had made were wrong.

"Itachi, can your heart return to the clan now?"

"Right now, I really need your help."

Lu Yu suddenly shifted the topic and asked quickly.

"Me?"

"But..."

"Tell me, what is the strongest genjutsu you have mastered?"

Lu Yu did not give Uchiha Itachi any chance to hesitate, asking directly.

"Genjutsu?"

"Forest of Thorns, Ferryman's Purgatory, Abyss of Hell."

Itachi was skilled in several genjutsu, and these were considered his more commonly used ones.

"I understand."

"Itachi, do you trust me?"

Roy suddenly wore a serious expression.

"I..."

Itachi subconsciously looked toward Uchiha Shisui at his side.

The current Itachi was still that big boy who idolized Uchiha Shisui like a star.

"I trust you!"

"Big Brother Roy!"

Seeing Uchiha Shisui nod, Uchiha Itachi suppressed all his doubts.

Then, he looked at Roy before him with approval.

"Then, deactivate your Sharingan and completely empty your mind."

"Next, I am going to take you to see the clan head, and then I will tell you the entire plan moving forward."

"I hope you can handle it."

The smile on Roy's face vanished, replaced by a hint of solemnity.

"I understand."

After Uchiha Itachi said this, he completely relaxed his mind.

His Sharingan was also deactivated accordingly.

The only reason he had kept his Sharingan active just now was to find some flaws in Roy.

But now, it seemed there was no longer any need for that.

"Let's go."

Roy nodded, then took Uchiha Itachi and left the area.

Soon, the two of them left the village together.

"Big Brother Roy, why are we leaving the village?"

Before long, the two had already departed the village.

They arrived at the side of a small river.

Looking at the rushing river before him, Itachi looked at Roy with a curious expression.

He had been here before; it was right here that he had once chatted freely with Uchiha Shisui during his very first mission.

"The village is under surveillance by the Anbu, so we need to find another place to talk."

"Let's go, we're almost there."

Roy did not stop, continuing to head upward instead.

Soon, the two of them arrived together at a cliffside.

Below them lay that very same river.

Yet, even after arriving here, he still could not sense his father's presence.

Is Father not here?

But then, why would Brother Roy lie to him?

Uchiha Itachi felt a bit bewildered at this moment.