Hunter and Prey

Outside the Hokage Building.

The night wind was icy.

Shisui Uchiha stood at the end of the corridor, his expression more solemn than ever before.

He had originally believed that as long as he possessed Kotoamatsukami, he could resolve the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village.

But tonight, Danzo had shown him through his actions.

Some people's greed would not cease because of your goodwill.

If Uchiha You had not laid an ambush in advance, Danzo would have already taken his eye.

And the Third Hokage's response had also made Shisui see one thing clearly.

Lord Hokage might not be Danzo.

But Lord Hokage could not restrain Danzo either.

More precisely, the Third Hokage was not unaware of Danzo's darkness.

He had simply tolerated it all along.

And to the Uchiha Clan, that tolerance was a blade hanging over their heads.

After a long silence, Shisui said in a low voice:

"You."

"I can talk to Itachi."

Uchiha You glanced at him.

"Talk?"

Shisui nodded.

"Itachi has always trusted me."

"If I tell him what happened tonight, he will definitely reconsider his relationship with the village."

Uchiha Chuan immediately said from the side:

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Let's go find Itachi now!"

"Make Itachi stand with the clan again!"

"He's an ANBU prodigy. If Itachi returns too, we Uchiha will have even less to fear from Konoha's higher-ups!"

Several members of the Uchiha Police Force nearby nodded as well.

That was right.

Shisui was unharmed.

You possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

If Itachi stood with the clan too.

The Uchiha Clan's strength would immediately soar.

Would Danzo still dare make a move then?

If he dared come, the Uchiha would dare tear his Root apart!

Yet Uchiha You shook his head.

"No."

Uchiha Chuan froze.

"Why?"

Shisui looked at him as well.

Uchiha You gazed toward the Hokage Building, his eyes unfathomable.

"Itachi cannot openly return to our side."

The moment those words fell, everyone was stunned.

Uchiha Chuan frowned.

"Why?"

"Wouldn't we be stronger if Itachi returned to the clan?"

Uchiha You replied indifferently:

"Precisely because we would be stronger, we cannot let Konoha's higher-ups know."

Everyone fell silent.

Uchiha You continued:

"What do you think Danzo and the Third Hokage will conclude about the Uchiha after tonight?"

"Shisui was pushed into wavering by Danzo."

"I revealed my Mangekyo Sharingan at the clan meeting."

"The clan has begun taking precautions."

"Root failed to seize the eye."

"If Itachi openly defects to the Uchiha at a time like this, what do you think Konoha's higher-ups will think?"

Uchiha Chuan opened his mouth.

But Shisui realized it first, his expression changing.

"They'll believe the Uchiha have completely lost control."

Uchiha You nodded.

"That's right."

"They may move against us ahead of schedule."

"Or they may pull back for the moment and secretly unite with more of Konoha's ninja clans."

"They may even completely brand the Uchiha as an army preparing for rebellion."

"At that point, the situation will become uncontrollable."

Uchiha Chuan's expression gradually turned grave.

He finally understood.

Itachi's open return to the Uchiha would indeed bolster the clan's prestige.

But it would also make Konoha's higher-ups completely vigilant.

The reason Konoha's higher-ups still dared scheme against the Uchiha was because they believed the Uchiha were not united internally.

Shisui leaned toward the village.

Itachi was in ANBU.

Fugaku hesitated.

The Uchiha Radical Faction was in disarray.

And though Uchiha You was dangerous, he was still only an unknown variable.

But if Shisui, Itachi, and Uchiha You all openly stood together, everything would be different.

Konoha's higher-ups would immediately realize:

The Uchiha had completed their internal consolidation.

In that case, Uchiha Massacre Night might not come. But if it did, it would absolutely not be like the original, with only ANBU and Root participating. More people might join in the Uchiha Clan's extermination.

So what Uchiha You truly needed to do was make the higher-ups believe the Uchiha could still be wiped out.

Make Danzo and the Third Hokage continue according to their plan, sending Root, ANBU, and every participant into the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Then shut the door and beat the dogs.

Uchiha Chuan could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

"You, you mean..."

Uchiha You looked at him, his tone calm:

"I want them to strike first."

"That way, when we kill them in return, it won't be rebellion."

"It will be self-defense."

"It will be a reckoning."

"It will be dragging all the filth hidden in Konoha's darkness into the sunlight at once."

Shisui's heart shook violently.

At that moment, he finally understood just how terrifying Uchiha You's plan was.

You did not merely want to protect the Uchiha.

He was setting a trap.

A trap that would make Konoha's higher-ups believe they still controlled the situation, while they actually walked step by step into it.

Danzo believed himself to be the hunter.

The Third Hokage believed he could still keep the situation under control.

ANBU believed the Uchiha remained under surveillance.

But in truth, Uchiha You was already preparing to hunt them in reverse.

The excitement in Uchiha Chuan's eyes was almost impossible to suppress.

"So Itachi can't openly return."

Uchiha You nodded.

"Itachi must remain in ANBU."

"And on the surface, he must continue to keep his distance from the clan."

"In fact, he must be even more distant than before."

"Make Danzo and the Third Hokage believe he is still a blade they can use to stab the Uchiha."

Shisui said gravely:

"But that would be too dangerous for Itachi."

Uchiha You looked at him.

"That's why we need to let him know the truth first."

"But Konoha cannot know that he knows the truth."

Shisui fell silent for a moment.

"Win him over in secret."

The corner of Uchiha You's lips lifted slightly.

"Right."

"Win him over in secret."

"Make Konoha's higher-ups believe Itachi still stands with them."

"Make Danzo believe Uchiha Massacre Night can still be carried out."

"Make them continue gathering their strength, continue preparing their blades."

"When they truly make their move..."

A flash of killing intent crossed Uchiha You's eyes.

"Then Itachi, that blade, will be driven back into their hearts."

Uchiha Chuan's scalp went numb as he listened.

This was true ruthlessness.

Having Itachi openly return would at most frighten Konoha's higher-ups.

But secretly winning Itachi over would make them misjudge the situation.

They thought they held a trump card.

In reality, that trump card had long since changed masters under Uchiha You's hand.

When Uchiha Massacre Night came, Danzo would lead Root onto the field, and Itachi would suddenly turn against them.

That scene...

Just imagining it made Uchiha Chuan's blood boil.

Amazing!

This was too amazing!

This was not merely slapping them in the face.

This was making Danzo offer up his own face, then using the blade he was proudest of to slap him back!

Shisui took a deep breath.

"I understand."

"We'll talk to Itachi in private."

"We can't let any ANBU discover it."

Uchiha You nodded.

"The fewer people who know about this, the better."

He looked at Uchiha Chuan and the other clansmen.

"You may report tonight's events truthfully to the clan head."

"But the plan concerning Itachi must not be spread."

Uchiha Chuan immediately turned serious.

"Understood!"

"On the surface, Itachi is still village ANBU."

"In private, he is one of us."

Uchiha You corrected him:

"Not one of us."

Uchiha Chuan froze.

Uchiha You said calmly:

"It's someone from the Uchiha Clan."

Uchiha Chuan's heart jolted, and he nodded heavily.

"Yes!"