Itachi's Idea

"The Uchiha Clan's problem right now is the divide between its radicals and moderates. The radicals want change—to overthrow those in power—while the moderates hope to make one of their own Hokage! Some are neutral, neither close to the village nor determined to overthrow it. For a while, everyone managed to coexist!"

"The two sides were fairly evenly matched!"

"But then Konoha's distrust led it to blame the Uchiha Clan for the Nine-Tails attack a few years ago, making the conflict worse. Moving the clan to a remote part of the village pushed some of the neutrals toward the radicals and made the radicals stronger!"

"That's why support for a coup has been growing within the Uchiha Clan!"

Uchiha Yoru laid out the clan's problems piece by piece. There was one thing he left unsaid: the emergence of Uchiha Itachi and Kagami Uchiha had given those people confidence that they could succeed.

With a genius like Uchiha Itachi and Body Flicker Shisui on their side, some people had begun to entertain the idea.

What no one had expected was that both of them would side with the Hokage.

Uchiha Itachi couldn't help asking, "Is there any way to resolve this?"

His younger brother really had been hiding his abilities all along, just as Itachi had suspected. But...

"Become Hokage. Tell Sarutobi and those old men on the council that if they make you Hokage, the Uchiha Clan won't stage a coup!" Uchiha Yoru said.

Uchiha Itachi looked flustered. He had never considered becoming Hokage.

He was only in his teens. Konoha had never had a Hokage that young!

"It's the best way to settle everything peacefully. Don't those leaders claim everything they do is for Konoha? Ask them that!" Uchiha Yoru said with a smile.

"Are they really acting for Konoha, or for their own power? If the Uchiha Clan stages a coup, won't Konoha be plunged into war?"

"I'm going to sleep. Think it over!" Uchiha Yoru said, dismissing him.

Uchiha Itachi was left dazed by everything Yoru had said. He walked out in silence, his thoughts a mystery.

I've told you the solution, Uchiha Itachi. The rest is up to you, Uchiha Yoru thought.

Uchiha Itachi was undoubtedly one of the most tragic figures in the Hokage's world. This was Uchiha Yoru's first step toward changing his fate.

He wanted Itachi to see the Konoha High Command for what they truly were, rather than let their pious masks sway him.

And was becoming Hokage really so easy? The leaders might promote it as everyone's dream, but ordinary people hardly had a chance!

From the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, to the Second, Tobirama Senju, the position had always gone to someone with the right connections.

The Third was Tobirama Senju's student. The Fourth was the student of the Third's student. The Fifth was Hashirama Senju's granddaughter. The Sixth had been taught by the Fourth...

Follow that chain, and it was clear that outsiders had almost no chance of becoming Hokage.

Kiba Inuzuka was always going on about becoming Hokage, but he didn't know it would never happen in his lifetime.

The Inuzuka Clan lacked the close ties enjoyed by trusted allies like Ino-Shika-Cho, and Kiba wasn't a disciple of anyone in the Hokage's circle. No matter how many times the succession came around, it would never be their turn.

If Uchiha Itachi put forward that idea, it was easy to imagine what he would face!

For the sake of the Uchiha Clan, the leaders might not kill Itachi, but they would no longer trust him as much.

This was also Lin Ye's way of winning Uchiha Itachi over.

In a forest.

A man walked through it in a daze.

"Itachi, what are you thinking about?"

A man dropped from above and called out to Uchiha Itachi, unable to hide the concern in his voice. He wore a dark, high-collared short-sleeved shirt and triangular protective gear, with matching pants and leg wraps.

This was one of their small secret meeting places. They came here to train and discuss matters.

Itachi was never this distracted! Shisui Uchiha couldn't help worrying about him. Caught between the village and his clan, Itachi had to be suffering.

"Brother Shisui, could I become Hokage?" Uchiha Itachi asked suddenly, his eyes lighting up when he saw Shisui.

Shisui Uchiha had never seen that look in Itachi's eyes before.

Uchiha Itachi had realized that his younger brother's idea might actually work.

"If I became Hokage, wouldn't that resolve the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha? And as the clan leader's son and heir, I could use my position to resolve the conflict between the clan and the villagers too!"

Shisui Uchiha was taken aback by Itachi's bold words.

He knew his closest friend. Itachi wasn't after power; he sincerely wanted to resolve the problems between the Uchiha Clan and the village once and for all.

"If that's what you want, I'll help you!"

Shisui Uchiha patted Itachi on the shoulder and gave him a look of trust.

He had planned to tell the leaders that he could use his eyes to change the Uchiha Clan's minds about the coup completely.

Then the village and the Uchiha could coexist. But now he saw things clearly: rather than trust the Konoha High Command's promises, he would trust his friend Uchiha Itachi.

Their years of friendship weren't just words.

If it's Itachi, he'll surely make a good Hokage!

The two agreed at once. Uchiha Itachi intended to tell the leaders what he wanted. Even a promise from them would help ease the current tensions.

And Shisui would help him.

Uchiha Itachi had no idea how Shisui intended to help him become Hokage.

Elsewhere, two old men were talking in a meeting room.

"Sarutobi, according to our intelligence, the Uchiha Clan is holding another clan meeting!"

"It's time to act!"

"Wait a little longer. Shisui hasn't returned yet!"

"Shisui is an Uchiha. Neither of us can guarantee he won't turn against us!"

"You and I both know the Uchiha Clan is a powder keg right now. Sarutobi, stop hesitating. Delay could change everything!" the bandaged old man snapped.

"Wait a little longer!"

Shimura Danzō despised his old friend's indecision, but there was nothing he could do. He was the Root beneath the surface, while Sarutobi was Konoha in the light. Danzō could act in secret, but he had little authority over matters like this.

Just then, a Root ninja entered.

"Lord Danzo, Lord Hokage, Shisui and Itachi request an audience! They say they want to meet with you and the council members. They have a way to stop the Uchiha Clan's coup!"

Both men were startled. Why had those two come to see them at such a critical moment?

Things were getting interesting!