Bait

BOOM!

The secret chamber fell into instant, deathly silence.

Tekka and Yashiro's expressions shifted drastically.

Fugaku's gaze also narrowed sharply.

Shisui's body stiffened.

He stared fixedly at Shin-getsu.

"How do you know that?"

Shin-getsu said calmly:

"That is not important."

Shisui said in a deep voice:

"It is very important."

The Mangekyō Sharingan was the Uchiha clan's highest-level secret.

Within the entire clan, those who knew Shisui had awakened the Mangekyō were few and far between.

How could Shin-getsu, a nine-year-old child, possibly know?

Shin-getsu offered no explanation for his source, continuing instead:

"What's more important is that your Mangekyō ability is quite special."

Shisui's breath hitched.

Shin-getsu looked into his eyes, enunciating every word:

"Kotoamatsukami."

As soon as those three words were uttered, Shisui's complexion changed completely.

Fugaku also snapped his head toward Shisui.

"Kotoamatsukami?"

Tekka looked on in confusion.

"What is that?"

Shin-getsu said:

"One of the strongest genjutsu."

"It can permanently alter a person's will without them ever realizing it."

Tekka's pupils shrank to pinpricks.

"Alter their will?"

Yashiro drew a sharp breath.

The look in Fugaku's eyes as he gazed at Shisui changed entirely.

"Shisui, is what he says true?"

Shisui remained silent.

Silence was an admission.

Tekka exploded instantly.

"If you have eyes like that, no wonder Danzo wanted to steal them!"

"Wait..."

He suddenly realized something and glared at Shisui.

"You didn't think about using this thing to control the clan, did you?"

Shisui's face went pale.

Fury erupted in Tekka's eyes.

"You really thought about it?"

Shisui said immediately:

"I only wanted to prevent conflict!"

"I don't want the Uchiha and the village to go to war!"

Tekka slammed his fist against the wall.

BOOM!

The wall vibrated.

"So you wanted to control your own people?"

"Control the clan head?"

"Control the Uchiha?"

Shisui opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Shin-getsu watched him coldly.

"This is the reason I said you were dangerous."

"Senior Shisui."

"You are too naive."

"You think that by using Kotoamatsukami to change one person's thoughts, you can trade for peace."

"But have you ever considered what Danzo would do once he knows about those eyes?"

Shisui's face grew paler and paler.

Shin-getsu continued:

"He will steal your eyes."

"Then he will use Kotoamatsukami to control the Hokage, control the Uchiha, control the Daimyo, and control anyone else he wishes."

"You want to use it to prevent tragedy."

"But in Danzo's hands, it will create an even greater tragedy."

Tekka shouted in anger:

"Shisui, you are muddled!"

Shisui lowered his head, his fists clenched tight.

For the first time, he could not refute the claim.

Because everything Shin-getsu said was likely to happen.

No.

Not just likely.

Judging by the movements of Root these past few days, Danzo would definitely do exactly that.

Fugaku said in a deep voice:

"Shisui, did you intend to use Kotoamatsukami to influence me before?"

Shisui's body trembled.

After a long silence.

He spoke with difficulty.

"I thought about it."

Tekka was so furious he drew his blade.

"You bastard!"

Fugaku raised a hand.

"Tekka."

Tekka gritted his teeth and stopped.

Fugaku looked at Shisui, his eyes complex.

He was not enraged.

Instead, there was a profound sense of disappointment.

"Shisui."

"You have disappointed me greatly."

Shisui's face was deathly pale.

"Clan Head, I..."

Fugaku cut him off.

"You want to save the Uchiha."

"But you nearly betrayed the Uchiha in the most cruel way possible."

The secret chamber was terrifyingly quiet.

Shin-getsu did not continue to press Shisui, for his goal had already been achieved.

He needed to wake Shisui up.

Not destroy him.

Shisui was an important combat asset.

He had to be brought back.

And so, Shin-getsu spoke:

"There is still a chance now."

Shisui looked up at him.

Shin-getsu said:

"Danzo hasn't taken your eyes yet."

"And you haven't used Kotoamatsukami to control the clansmen yet."

"You haven't reached the end of the wrong path."

"So, come back."

Shisui's gaze trembled.

"Come back?"

Shin-getsu looked at him.

"Don't stand between the village and the Uchiha Clan playing the saint."

"You'll only be crushed by both sides if you do."

"You are Uchiha."

"Stand firmly with your own clansmen first."

"Then talk about how to save the village."

These words struck Shisui's heart like a heavy hammer.

Stand firmly with his own clansmen first.

Then talk about saving the village.

He had always tried to view problems from a higher vantage point.

But he had forgotten that if he couldn't even protect the clansmen beneath his feet, his so-called peace was nothing but a joke.

Shisui slowly closed his eyes.

A moment later, he opened them.

His gaze had changed.

No longer wavering.

No longer evading.

"I understand."

He looked toward Fugaku and knelt on one knee.

"Clan Head, I am willing to accept supervision within the clan."

"Until the threat from Danzo is resolved, I will not leave the clan grounds alone."

"My Mangekyo will not be used on our clansmen, either."

Tekka's expression finally softened a little.

Fugaku looked at Shisui.

"Are you certain?"

Shisui nodded.

"Certain."

A system notification suddenly rang out in Shin-getsu's mind.

[Host has laid Kotoamatsukami on the table, successfully altering Shisui's original trajectory of thought.]

[Shisui has abandoned the use of Kotoamatsukami to control the Uchiha Clan Head.]

[The cause of Shisui's death has deviated significantly.]

[Obtained Causality Points: 12,000.]

[Night of the Clan Massacre Deviation increased.]

[Current Deviation: 35%.]

A sharp glint flashed in the depths of Shin-getsu's eyes.

Satisfying.

This move directly corrected Shisui's most critical mistake.

Furthermore, his Causality Points had skyrocketed.

He immediately opened his panel.

[Current Causality Points: 28,700]

[Optional Enhancements:]

[1. Three-Tomoe Perfection: 8,000 Causality Points]

[2. Lightning Style: Earth Flash Mastery: 3000 Causality Points]

[3. Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique Mastery: 2000 Causality Points]

[4. Body Flicker Technique Basic Deduction: 5000 Causality Points]

[5. Destiny Rehearsal: Shisui's Eye Seizing Crisis, costs 10000 Causality Points]

Shin-getsu did not hesitate.

"Rehearse Shisui's Eye Seizing Crisis."

The next instant.

The system interface unfolded.

Three days later.

The side courtyard of the Hokage building.

Shisui receives a private summons from the Third Hokage.

En route, Danzo intercepts him.

Root barrier seals the area.

Yamanaka Fu and Fu Yamanaka join forces to suppress him.

Danzo takes advantage of Shisui's hesitation to launch a sneak attack and seize his eye.

Shisui escapes, heavily wounded.

Ultimately, by the Naka River, he entrusts his remaining eye to Itachi.

Then, he throws himself into the river.

The images came to an abrupt halt.

Killing intent boiled in Shin-getsu's eyes.

As expected.

Even if the plot was advanced, Danzo would still use the same routine.

Summon.

Intercept.

Seize the eye.

But this time, Shisui had already been warned in advance.

So, the roles of hunter and prey should be swapped.

Shin-getsu looked up.

"Danzo will make his move in three days."

Everyone's expression shifted.

Fugaku asked in a deep voice:

"Location?"

Shin-getsu spoke slowly:

"Between the side courtyard of the Hokage building and the Naka River."

"He will use a private summons to lure Shisui out."

"Root will set up a barrier in advance."

"The target is Shisui's eyes."

Tekka stood up abruptly.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"We'll ambush him directly in three days!"

Shin-getsu shook his head.

"No."

Tekka was stunned.

Shin-getsu's gaze was icy.

"Not in three days."

"Tomorrow."

Fugaku frowned.

"You want to strike early?"

Shin-getsu nodded.

"Danzo thinks he is the hunter."

"Then we shall give him bait."

Shisui looked at Shin-getsu.

"The bait is me?"

Shin-getsu replied:

"Correct."

"But this time, you won't be alone."

He turned his gaze to Fugaku.

"Clan Head, let the word spread tomorrow."

"Say that Shisui has been questioned by the clan and is preparing to meet the Hokage alone to explain Kotoamatsukami."

Tekka's eyes lit up.

"Danzo will definitely be unable to sit still!"

A cold arc curled at the corner of Shin-getsu's mouth.

"He wants to steal Shisui's eyes."

"We will let him come."

"And then..."

The Three-Tomoe in Shin-getsu's eyes spun slowly.

"We chop his hands off."

The system notification chimed.

[Anti-Hunting Plan triggered: Naka River Gambit.]

[Objective: Prevent Danzo from seizing Shisui's Mangekyo and heavily wound Danzo.]

[Mission Rewards: 20,000 Causality Points, Special Trait, Mangekyo Awakening Progress.]

Shin-getsu stood in the center of the secret chamber, his voice low, yet it made everyone's blood boil.

"Tomorrow."

"We hunt Danzo."