Itachi Uchiha

"Vice Clan Head, sir, we just found Shisui's suicide note at his house!"

"Uchiha Chikura and the others have already gone straight to the clan head's house to question Itachi Uchiha."

Senya took the suicide note Inabi Uchiha handed him.

"I can't endure these endless missions anymore. If things go on like this, the Uchiha will inevitably be destroyed. I can't keep betraying the way of the ninja I believe in."

Reading the final words Shisui had left behind, Senya felt a pang of regret. He had gone on several missions with Shisui himself. They hadn't been especially close, but at least Shisui still cared about the clan.

Unlike that guy Itachi, who had already leaked the clan's intelligence to the Konoha High Command for the sake of the village.

He had to change things while he still had time after Shisui's death. He hoped Fugaku hadn't forgotten his warning from last night.

He put away Shisui's suicide note.

"Come on. We're going to Fugaku's house to find Itachi, right now."

"Yes."

"Shisui killed himself at the Naka River last night. Where were you?"

"I told you. I was on an Anbu mission."

"I hope that's true. Hmph!"

Uchiha Chikura turned to leave with the other two.

Itachi Uchiha looked up at the three men standing at the doorway.

"If you have something to say, say it. You suspect I'm the culprit, don't you?"

Chikura looked back at him, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan fixed on Itachi Uchiha.

"That's right, you brat."

"Listen. If you dare betray the clan, we'll never forgive you!"

Shisui's final words from the night before suddenly came back to him. Uchiha Chikura and the others' accusations kept needling at his nerves.

Itachi lunged forward and punched all three men, knocking them to the ground.

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

He bowed his head, staring at the three men lying on the ground.

"All you ever say is 'the clan, the clan.'"

"You self-righteous fools."

"How could you possibly understand the depths of my abilities?"

"That's why I knocked you flat."

Just as Itachi Uchiha was about to strike again, Fugaku appeared at the end of the street and hurried over.

"Stop! Itachi, what's going on...?"

"Whoosh—Thwack!"

He swiftly flung a Kunai with his right hand. It embedded itself in the mural on the wall beside them. Cracks spread across the wall, and the Uchiha Gunbai depicted in the mural splintered.

"My abilities have lost all hope in this arrogant, worthless clan."

"Hey, Itachi, how can you say that when you're the clan head's son?"

Senya jumped down from the eaves and stood facing Itachi. Inabi followed close behind and hurried to help the three men up.

Fugaku watched from the side.

He had no idea what Senya was going to do next. Remembering what had happened at last night's clan meeting, he thought, Senya really does have a nasty personality. He didn't even tell me how to play along. I hope he doesn't give Itachi too hard a time.

He silently prayed for Itachi...

"Uchiha Senya, this has nothing to do with you."

Itachi knew Senya, the clan's prodigy who was considered second only to Shisui and himself. He had also awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan at a young age.

But clearly, since Itachi had missed last night's clan meeting, he didn't know that Senya had not only awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, but had also become Vice Clan Head.

Senya smiled and shook his head as he looked at the traitor standing before him.

"Right now, I'm the clan's Vice Clan Head. Do you think I have the right to get involved?"

Itachi frowned and turned to his father, seeking confirmation that what Senya had said was true.

Seeing Fugaku nod, Itachi couldn't think of a way to argue. Senya was right—he did have the authority to get involved.

Senya looked at the now-silent Itachi and pretended to think for a moment.

"Itachi, come to the Naka River with Fugaku tonight."

With that, Senya left with Inabi, Chikura, and the others.

Watching Senya and the others leave, Itachi turned to Fugaku.

"Father, why did Senya suddenly become Vice Clan Head?"

Fugaku told Itachi everything that had happened at the clan meeting. Seeing the shock on Itachi's face, he wasn't sure if there was anything else he ought to say.

But considering Senya's plan, he thought, Sorry, son. I'll let Senya explain some things to you tonight. I'm not deliberately keeping this from you.

Perhaps Senya had influenced him, or perhaps there was another reason, but Fugaku's way of thinking had changed a little. For now, though, it was only a little. Who knew what the future would bring?

Night fell, and the faint light of the new moon spilled over the land. Senya arrived early at the cliff by the Naka River and sat gazing at the waterfall before him, planning out the night's events.

After all, Itachi was quite the dutiful son in the original story.

In Senya's eyes, Itachi had lived an exceedingly tragic life. Though he loved sweets, he had spent his entire life suffering.

As a child, he had witnessed the brutality of the battlefield and been forced to grow up too soon.

Misunderstandings between father and son had gradually deepened, causing Itachi to shut his heart away.

Later, he met Shisui Uchiha, who became like an older brother to him. Influenced by the Hokage's way of thinking, Itachi resolved to change the state of the village and the clan alongside Shisui.

But after Shisui killed himself in front of Itachi, the pillar holding him up collapsed. His conflict with his father, Fugaku, and his Hokage-style outlook pushed him, without his realizing it, closer to the Third and Danzo.

Then, after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, Itachi became increasingly obsessive. That was why the Third and Danzo were later able to brainwash him into deciding to wipe out the Uchiha Clan, sparing only his younger brother, Sasuke.

But right now, although Itachi had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he hadn't yet reported it to the Third or Danzo. This was the perfect chance to get ahead of them.

If Senya could break Itachi at this moment, he could turn him into a blade in his own hand and keep him under his control.

Two figures darted through the woods behind him, then stopped at Senya's back.

"Sit down."

Itachi and Fugaku sat on either side of Senya.

Gazing at the waterfall before him, Itachi was reminded of the sight of Shisui killing himself.

After learning from Fugaku what Senya had said at the clan meeting, Itachi had been thinking about it ever since. According to Senya, the clan had no way out. But it seemed Senya already had a plan.

If there was a way for the village and the clan to coexist peacefully, Itachi didn't want to turn his blade against his own people.

"Senya, what exactly is your plan to get the clan out of its current predicament?"

Itachi spoke first, wanting to know the answer.

Senya frowned and glanced at Itachi, who sat to his right.

"Itachi Uchiha, you should figure out what's wrong with you before saying anything else."

"Me? What's wrong with me?"

Senya's question left Itachi confused. He looked at Fugaku, seated to Senya's left.

Fugaku felt Itachi's gaze, but kept his eyes on the waterfall before them. He reminded himself to play along with Senya and sell the act. Senya was now the clan's only hope; he had to cooperate.

Senya silently raised his right hand and smacked his forehead. He grumbled to himself, What was I thinking, expecting too much from Fugaku? Looks like I'll have to handle this myself. Relying on Fugaku? Forget it. That's asking too much of him.

"Answer a few questions for me, Itachi."

"Why did the Uchiha and the Senju found Konoha?"

"What's your surname?"

"Who raised you?"

"What did Shisui say to you at the end?"

Chiba threw the questions at Itachi. Aside from the first one, the others seemed like pointless questions to him, but Itachi suppressed his confusion and answered anyway.

"The Uchiha and the Senju founded Konoha for peace, of course."

"My surname is Uchiha. My parents raised me."

"Shisui told me to protect the village and the name of the Uchiha Clan."

Senya shook his head again and again as he listened. Still, at least Itachi knew his parents had raised him. Combined with Senya's Word Spirit, there was a good chance he could save Itachi from the brainwashing by Danzo and the Third.

Only after hearing Itachi confirm it did Fugaku finally have to believe Shisui had killed himself. Shisui had done it to ease tensions between the clan and the village, but tensions hadn't eased at all. They had only gotten worse.

"Itachi, you're wrong. The Uchiha and the Senju joined forces to found Konoha not for peace, but to protect their people."

"And you've twisted Shisui's final words."

"'Protect the village and the name of the Uchiha Clan.'"

"This is how you should understand them."