Shisui, It's Suicide.

Arata did not know how he had returned to the clan grounds.

His mind was entirely filled with the scene of his parting with Brother Shisui that day:

"Alright, alright, I surrender, I promise!"

"I will absolutely, absolutely keep an eye on Danzō's movements."

"Because I still have to, always, always protect my little brother!"

He had promised me!

He would never lie to me!

Arata's knuckles were pale, his fingernails already digging into his palms, drawing beads of blood.

"Arata."

As he walked, a familiar voice called out.

Looking up, he saw Izumi Uchiha.

The malicious incident that had occurred in the main commercial district had already spread, and she had come running, desperate to find the boy before her.

"Sister Izumi."

"Brother Shisui, is he really dead?"

Seeing the girl in his field of vision, Arata felt like a drowning man clutching at a straw. His voice was hoarse, as if a multitude of emotions were choking his throat.

As for what those two Chūnin had said earlier, Arata refused to believe it!

That was his brother!

That was Body Flicker Shisui!

That was the number one genius of the Uchiha clan, the supreme powerhouse who could manifest a Susanoo with just one eye—how could he possibly die so easily?

Even when facing Shimura Danzō and the entire Root, he should have been able to retreat unscathed!!

Unless.

Unless the course of history had been altered.

There were others involved in this hunt!

Itachi Uchiha, or perhaps the Third Hokage?

Arata was suddenly seized by panic.

He had overlooked one very important thing: the attitude of the Konoha high command!

Shisui's will regarding the conflict between Konoha and the clan had been disrupted by his own interference. Although Shisui still hadn't explicitly taken a side, such behavior in the eyes of the Konoha faction—especially Danzō and the two advisors—was equivalent to choosing a side, a precursor to betraying the village!

Thinking of this, Arata Uchiha's entire arm tensed involuntarily, and the blood seeping from his palm dripped onto the ground one drop at a time.

"Arata, don't do this."

Izumi looked at the young man before her with heartache.

From the way he addressed him, she had realized one thing: Shisui was important to Arata! Important to the level of family, at the very least!

And the latter cared deeply about such bonds of kinship.

In the past, when the Ki Sarutobi brothers had provoked him, it was Arata who had beaten them severely.

One had to remember, Arata had just enrolled at the time, while they were fourth-year students! And they were of the same clan as the Hokage!

"Sister Izumi, you still haven't answered my question."

Arata Uchiha said softly.

Just like before, he was answering a question with a question.

"Yes, it's true."

"Plop."

When those three words reached his ears, the food bag Arata had been clutching tightly in his palm suddenly fell to the ground. The white bag strings were already stained red, and the seemingly delicious Three-Color Dango peeked quietly from the box.

Arata did not speak; instead, he began to walk, heading in a specific direction.

He had to find that person!

"Arata."

As the boy brushed past her, Izumi called out again, the worry in her eyes deepening. She had never seen Arata like this; even when he was questioned and ostracized by the entire clan, he had never displayed such emotions!

Arata stopped as requested.

But no sound followed.

Because, at this moment, even Izumi did not know what to say; any words, any comfort, seemed pale and powerless at a time like this.

"I'm fine, Sister Izumi."

The pause was fleeting.

In the end, it was Arata Uchiha who broke the silence.

After saying this, he brushed past and left.

"Brother, you broke your promise."

"Then, everyone who made you break your promise must pay the price!"

The residence of the clan head, Fugaku, was magnificent, occupying the center of the clan grounds; even for someone visiting the Uchiha clan for the first time, it was easy to find.

However, there was a distinct fracture on the wall of the corridor in front of the gate.

The pattern beneath the fracture was the fan that symbolized the Uchiha clan.

Arata stopped at the main entrance. Without calling out, he simply released his presence and undisguised killing intent through Clear Mirror, Still Water!

Whether it was the clan head Fugaku or Itachi, as long as one of them was present, they would surely be able to sense it.

"Creak."

Before long, the gate was pushed open.

It was Itachi!

The calm-faced Itachi Uchiha!

"Shisui-nii is dead."

Arata said, gritting his teeth.

His eyes stared fixedly at the person he loathed the most!

On his way here, Arata Uchiha had thought about many, many things.

To force Shisui into a desperate situation with no way out, Danzo and Root alone were simply not enough!

Even according to the original plot, where he was ambushed and had one eye stolen, he was still able to escape and survive under the protection of his Susanoo!

Moreover, he had promised him that he would never seek death so easily!

Then there was only one remaining conclusion: others had participated in this hunt, causing Shisui to be at the end of his rope after escaping.

Itachi was a traitor to the clan, and he was the first person Arata thought of—this ungrateful wretch.

But at the same time, he had not been completely blinded by rage.

Itachi, at this moment, should not be capable of participating in the hunt for Shisui.

Therefore, there was only one possibility: the Third Hokage had participated in it!

"I know, but Shisui's death has nothing to do with me."

Itachi Uchiha subconsciously clenched his fists, his tone cold.

Two days ago it was the clan elders, and now it was Arata; the entire clan was doubting him.

Heh.

This hopeless clan!

"So, what do you intend to do?"

Arata tried his best to soften his tone, suppressing his emotions.

He was afraid that he would be unable to stop himself from wanting to kill this bastard in front of him!

But now!

But now, only this person could help him!

Help him avenge Shisui-nii!

Root!

Danzo!

As long as they could join forces, as long as he revealed all his trump cards, combined with the other's Susanoo and the Mangekyō Kotoamatsukami entrusted to him by Shisui, they would definitely be able to flatten that trash that only knew how to hide in the shadows!

Watching the youth filled with hatred and pouring out endless killing intent, Itachi Uchiha's thoughts drifted.

"So, Shisui, is he the one you wanted to mention at the end?"

That night, in front of Naka Waterfall.

"Shisui."

Looking at the young man before him, Itachi was trembling all over, his mind blank for a brief moment.

Blood flowed silently from his tightly closed eyes, and endless weakness and the aura of death clung to him.

A pitch-black Crow stood quietly on his shoulder; this was likely the reason he was able to return here.

"Yo, you're here, Itachi."

"Cough."

Shisui responded, feigning ease.

But with every word he spoke, blood coughed out from the corner of his mouth.

Itachi Uchiha did not speak, nor did he know how to begin.

Vaguely, he had already guessed the reason.

"The Hokage sent an Anbu to deliver a letter to me."

"He said he wanted to consider allowing the Uchiha to return to the clan grounds to ease the current situation, and told me not to tell anyone else."

"Cough, cough."

"However, when I arrived at the meeting place, it was Danzo and his Root I encountered instead."

"Danzo was no longer willing to trust me and took my right eye; he will certainly not give up on hunting for my left, so I have already destroyed it."

"Cough."

Fresh blood slowly trickled from the corner of Shisui's mouth.

He was at the end of his rope.

Opening the Susanoo with a single eye was already his limit; although he had managed to escape with great difficulty, it had exhausted every ounce of his strength.

"Perhaps this was all just a conspiracy by Danzo, and I simply failed to see through it."

There was a trace of deeply hidden mockery in Shisui's tone.

"However, be wary of him, be wary of them, if you wish to protect Sasuke."

These words struck straight at the bottom of Itachi's heart, causing his fists to clench even tighter.

"If I die, the situation between the village and the clan should change; I have already left behind a suicide note."

After spilling the entire truth, Shisui slowly stepped backward; even standing on the cliff's edge, the roar of the surging river could be heard.

"Do you have any other final wishes?"

Itachi tried his best to restrain his emotions, asking while suppressing the grief and indignation in his heart.

This was his best friend, his mentor!

Yet, faced with such a situation, he was powerless to do anything.

For the sake of the village.

And even more so, for the sake of Sasuke!

Hearing this, Shisui suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He thought of one person.

A little guy who earnestly called him brother and warned him to be on guard against the higher-ups of Konoha.

He wanted to entrust Itachi with looking after this little guy who wasn't very good at making people like him.

But the words stopped abruptly at the tip of his tongue.

Because in Itachi's heart, the only priority would always be Sasuke.

"None."

"I am glad to have known you, Itachi."

"I am sorry, I have broken my promise, Arata, my dear brother."

The crows flew away, and a genius fell.

"Shisui committed suicide."

Regaining his senses, Itachi Uchiha replied, enunciating every word.