Konoha's Dispute

Sharingan and Byakugan!

Everyone fell silent. With those two eyes present, Illusionary Techniques should have been impossible.

Not just them—even the Third and the two advisors thought so.

Unfortunately, they had never heard of the Red Eye.

It not only possessed perception on par with the Byakugan, but could also create Illusionary Techniques by making Chakra flow anywhere at will.

It could be called the natural enemy of both the Byakugan and the Sharingan.

Koharu said in an unhurried manner, "With the Byakugan and Sharingan present, we can basically rule out Illusionary Techniques. Uchiha Shisui must have been captured or killed. The question is, was it Root or Orochimaru who did it?"

She narrowed her eyes at Danzo.

"Danzo, do you have an explanation?"

Konoha's higher-ups knew a little about Root's collusion with Orochimaru. But over the years, Danzo and Root had done a lot of dirty work for the village.

After all, Konoha needed Root. It needed that kind of dark power.

So, on many matters, they had turned a blind eye.

Besides, Sarutobi Hiruzen also bore some responsibility for Orochimaru. Back then, he hadn't had the heart to eliminate him, giving him the chance to escape.

Danzo kept his eyes closed, his expression impassive.

"None of Root's personnel were involved. I can guarantee that. If they saw correctly, then Orochimaru must have done it. Orochimaru is a missing-nin from Konoha. He may have framed Root."

He slowly rose to his feet.

"I'll have this thoroughly investigated. I won't allow anyone who threatens the village to remain. I'll send people after Orochimaru and make sure we recover Uchiha Shisui's body. We can't let the Sharingan fall into the hands of outsiders."

Since Kakashi, who had a Sharingan, and members of the Hyuga Clan were in the Anbu, there was no way they could have been mistaken. Even Danzo believed them.

That bastard Orochimaru must have said something to Uchiha Shisui. After all, he had once been a senior member of Root and had worked with Danzo many times.

The other advisor, Mitokado Homura, also stood up and said, "After it happened, I sent people to investigate as well. We found signs of a battle involving a giant snake, confirming that Orochimaru was responsible. As for Uchiha Shisui, there are still some doubts. I also received word that the star was stolen from Hoshikage Village, and they saw Konoha's Anbu there. The Third Hoshikage has sent a formal complaint to Konoha. But as far as I know, no Anbu went to the Land of Bears during that time. There's only one explanation: someone is targeting Konoha."

The four of them had been classmates in the same year and students of the Second Hokage. They knew one another fairly well.

Danzo was ambitious and sometimes did things in secret that he shouldn't, but he was deeply loyal to the village.

With the Uchiha and the village already seriously at odds, Danzo wouldn't stir up more trouble between them now.

The only possibility was that Orochimaru had framed him.

After all, Orochimaru, one of the Konoha Sannin, knew full well how tense the relationship between the Uchiha and the village was. It was entirely possible he had provoked them.

The theft in Hoshikage Village was suspicious too. Konoha was a major power, full of experts, and wouldn't stoop to robbing a small village.

"I agree!"

Koharu nodded slowly.

She found Homura's analysis quite convincing.

Danzo was gloomy and she didn't like him, but he wouldn't waver when it came to the village.

At a time like this, Root wouldn't start a war.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a few puffs from his pipe and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke.

He didn't believe Danzo had done it either. This was a critical moment, and Danzo shouldn't be foolish enough to act now.

Besides, killing Shisui at a time like this would only drive the Uchiha and the village further apart. It would do the village no good.

Neither the Uchiha nor Konoha's leadership was ready.

Orochimaru, though...

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.

He knew that student of his very well.

Ordinary Sharingan weren't enough for him anymore. He wanted the Uchiha Clan's Mangekyō Sharingan.

At the thought, Sarutobi Hiruzen grew suspicious.

Like his grandfather, Kagami Uchiha, Uchiha Shisui was one of the few in the Uchiha Clan with a broad outlook. They didn't limit their attention to their own clan. So when Shisui awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he hadn't kept it secret. Instead, he had come clean to Konoha's leadership. Even the Uchiha Clan knew nothing about it.

How had Orochimaru found out?

Danzo!

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head inwardly.

That man might covet the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, but he wouldn't have leaked it to someone outside the village.

But...

A glint flashed in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes.

Lately, Danzo had been making moves behind his back, often acting on his own. Though his intentions were for the village's sake, it had greatly displeased the Third.

This was the perfect chance to put him in his place.

"Danzo, you haven't cleared yourself of suspicion."

Sarutobi Hiruzen put out his pipe and said, "The Uchiha are one of us, and an indispensable force in Konoha. As long as I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, am alive, I'll protect the village."

He walked up to Danzo and said coldly, "Since Root is under suspicion, Root will handle this. Remember, you must give the Uchiha an answer. Otherwise, you can forget about holding the office of Hokage Advisor."

A flash of anger crossed Danzo's one visible eye, but he quickly suppressed it.

He and Sarutobi Hiruzen had been rivals all their lives, and they still didn't get along in their old age.

Where there was light, there was darkness. Where there was sunshine, there were shadows.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was Konoha basking in the sunlight; Danzo was Root buried underground.

"I understand!"

Danzo closed his eyes.

The evidence was heavily against him. He had no choice but to yield.

"Meeting adjourned!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen waved a hand and led the way out of the conference room.

The senior officials filed out, and Kakashi put on his mask and took his subordinates back to the Anbu break room.

Just then, a small figure suddenly appeared in the room, wearing the standard Anbu uniform and a mask.

It was Uchiha Itachi.

The senior officials had originally kept the meeting from the Uchiha Clan, since Root was under suspicion in Shisui's case.

But Uchiha Itachi had noticed something was wrong from a few clues left by his companions. He had secretly slipped into the meeting room and heard the shocking news.

Uchiha Shisui—the man he had regarded as an older brother—was dead. And he had been killed by Root and Orochimaru.

The Sharingan with its Tomoe showed through the mask's eyeholes, and Itachi began to tremble uncontrollably.

Within the Uchiha Clan, the only person close to him besides his younger brother, Sasuke, was probably Shisui.

Now he was gone too?

"Shisui!"

Uchiha Itachi suddenly raised his head. Tears glimmered in his eyes as his Sharingan changed, its three Tomoe slowly transforming into a strange triangle.

What had happened to Uchiha Shisui awakened the young Uchiha Itachi's power, causing him to unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan.