Hunter and Prey

Outside the Hokage Building.

The night wind was icy.

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

He had originally thought 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 stop 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 suppress Danzo either.

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

He had merely tolerated it all along.

And for 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 go talk to Itachi."

Uchiha You glanced at him.

"Talk to him?"

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 beside them:

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Go find Itachi now!"

"Make Itachi stand with the clan again!"

"He's an ANBU prodigy. If Itachi returns too, our Uchiha Clan will have even less to fear from Konoha's upper ranks!"

Several Uchiha Police Force members nearby nodded in agreement as well.

That was right.

Shisui was unharmed.

You possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

If Itachi also returned to the clan.

The Uchiha Clan's strength would immediately soar.

Would Danzo still dare make a move then?

If he dared come, the Uchiha Clan 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 profound.

"Itachi cannot openly return to our side."

The moment he said that, everyone was stunned.

Uchiha Chuan frowned.

"Why?"

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

Uchiha You said calmly:

"Precisely because we would be stronger, we cannot let Konoha's upper ranks know."

Everyone fell silent.

Uchiha You continued:

"How do you think Danzo and the Third Hokage will judge the Uchiha Clan after tonight?"

"Danzo has already pushed Shisui into wavering."

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

"The clan has begun preparing itself."

"Root failed to steal an eye."

"If Itachi openly sides with the Uchiha Clan at a time like this, what do you think Konoha's upper ranks will think?"

Uchiha Chuan opened his mouth.

But Shisui realized it first, and his expression changed.

"They'll believe the Uchiha Clan has completely spiraled out of control."

Uchiha You nodded.

"That's right."

"Then, they may act ahead of schedule."

"Or they may temporarily pull back and secretly unite more of Konoha's ninja clans."

"They may even completely brand the Uchiha Clan 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 Clan would indeed bolster the clan's momentum.

But at the same time, it would make Konoha's upper ranks completely wary.

The reason Konoha's upper ranks still dared scheme against the Uchiha Clan was because they believed the clan was not unified 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 merely an unpredictable factor.

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

Konoha's upper ranks would immediately realize:

The Uchiha Clan had completed its internal consolidation.

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

So what Uchiha You truly needed to do was make the upper ranks believe the Uchiha Clan could still be exterminated.

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

Then close the door and beat the dogs.

Uchiha Chuan could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

"You, you mean to..."

Uchiha You looked at him, his tone calm:

"I want them to make the first move."

"That way, when we kill them in return, it will not 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 in one sweep."

Shisui's heart shook violently.

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

You did not merely want to protect the Uchiha Clan.

He was laying a trap.

A trap that would make Konoha's upper ranks continue believing they controlled the situation while actually walking step by step into a snare.

Danzo believed himself to be the hunter.

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

ANBU believed the Uchiha Clan remained under surveillance.

But in truth, Uchiha You had already prepared to hunt them in reverse.

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

"So Itachi cannot openly return."

Uchiha You nodded.

"Itachi must remain in ANBU."

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

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

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

Shisui said gravely:

"But that makes things too dangerous for Itachi."

Uchiha You looked at him.

"That is why we must first let him know the truth."

"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.

"Correct."

"Win him over in secret."

"Make Konoha's upper ranks believe Itachi is still on their side."

"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 passed through Uchiha You's eyes.

"Itachi's blade will be the one that stabs back into their hearts."

Uchiha Chuan's scalp went numb as he listened.

This was true ruthlessness.

Letting Itachi openly return would, at most, frighten Konoha's upper ranks.

But winning Itachi over in secret would make them misjudge the situation.

They believed they held the trump card.

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

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

That scene...

Just imagining it made Uchiha Chuan's blood boil.

Amazing!

Too amazing!

This was not merely slapping them in the face.

This was making Danzo present his own face, then using the blade he was most proud of to strike it back at him!

Shisui took a deep breath.

"I understand."

"We'll talk to Itachi in private."

"We cannot 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 truthfully report tonight's events to the clan head."

"But the plan concerning Itachi is not to be spread."

Uchiha Chuan immediately grew serious.

"Understood!"

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

"In private, he is one of us."

Uchiha You corrected him:

"Not one of us."

Uchiha Chuan froze.

Uchiha You said calmly:

"They're from the Uchiha Clan."

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

"Yes!"