An incompetent brat

"Is that so? Become a respected Jōnin, then become Hokage? Itachi, if it's you, I believe you can do it. What a shame. I'd hoped we could become teammates and go on missions together, but if you don't join the ANBU, I suppose that won't happen."

Even if Shisui Uchiha wanted to leave the ANBU and become a Jōnin now, the terrible state of relations between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha meant he would have to remain the Hokage's spy for a long time. There was probably no hope for him.

It was rather laughable, really. Uchiha Itachi, a junior member of his own clan, not only surpassed him by far in potential, but the six-year-old also completely outclassed him in career planning. What on earth had possessed him to join the ANBU in the first place?

"Actually, I could join the ANBU first and become a Jōnin afterward. But I'm worried the village would assign me some strange missions once I joined, and then I wouldn't be able to transfer back. So, Shisui, if you want to go on missions with me, you'll have to work on that yourself."

As Madara Uchiha carved a deep mark into a tree with a shuriken, his words drove another vicious knife into the wound Shisui Uchiha had just exposed.

Forget it, forget it. Itachi, do your best. Become Hokage and save the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan before it collapses. If you were Hokage, dying for you would be a worthy death.

Although Madara Uchiha's words had stung him, Shisui watched him train and once again offered his friend the most heartfelt blessing in his heart.

Three-tomoe Sharingan appeared in Shisui's eyes. Madara Uchiha could have reacted, but deliberately offered no resistance, allowing his friend to draw him into an Illusion.

"Itachi, I'm sorry. The Hokage and Danzo assigned me to sound you out. You've always been careful and levelheaded, but I still hope you'll be cautious for a while. Don't say anything dangerous to others or do anything against the rules."

Members of the ANBU had to carry the details of their missions to the grave. By revealing his mission to its target, Shisui Uchiha had already committed an act tantamount to betraying Konoha, but he simply could not stop himself.

To Shisui, Madara Uchiha was both the best friend and the best teacher he had ever had. His mission to secretly monitor Madara Uchiha had left him so wracked with guilt toward his friend that he could neither eat nor sleep in peace. Since Itachi's answers had proved harmless, Shisui decided to indulge himself just this once and told Itachi the details of the mission he had already completed.

"Understood."

Just as Shisui had expected, even after learning that his friend had been testing him, Madara Uchiha remained utterly calm. Once they emerged from the Illusion, Shisui Uchiha still had no idea what Madara Uchiha thought of him. As he anxiously waited for Madara's next reaction, Madara Uchiha drew the Short Sword Shisui Uchiha had given him and slashed straight at him.

Shisui raised his blade horizontally to block. Although Madara Uchiha's body was still very small, he applied his strength with perfect efficiency, putting his entire body weight behind the blade. The tremendous impact knocked the Short Sword clean out of Shisui's hands as he hastily tried to block.

"You still have a long way to go. Come back here to train tomorrow."

"All right."

When blades crossed, powerful swordsmen could sense their opponent's emotions. Through Madara Uchiha's Short Sword, Shisui Uchiha had felt his unstoppable momentum, along with an appreciation for him entirely free of resentment.

Uchiha Itachi really is a magnanimous friend!

What Shisui Uchiha did not know was that, in Madara Uchiha's eyes, Shisui was a brat too young even to be his grandson. A brat like that probing him with words under pressure from two other old brats was no different from a child playing a prank. Why would Madara Uchiha resent Shisui over it? In fact, neither Danzo nor the Third Hokage could disturb Madara's state of mind in the slightest. Madara Uchiha only disliked those two because they were utterly incompetent, yet still clung to control of the Konoha he and Hashirama had founded.

"A brat from the Uchiha Clan wants to become Hokage? Hmph. How laughable."

In the Hokage's office in Konoha, Danzo and the Third Hokage finished reading the report Shisui had submitted on Madara Uchiha. When Danzo saw that Madara Uchiha dreamed of becoming Hokage, he sneered.

I've poured my heart and effort into this village for decades. Even if the Third Hokage dies, it should be my turn next. Does a six-year-old brat actually think he can steal my position?

"Isn't it a good thing that Itachi dreams of becoming Hokage? His talent is outstanding. If he makes contributions to the village, then letting him become Hokage might mend the rift between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha."

Compared with the hard-line Danzo, the Third Hokage preferred a conciliatory approach to resolving the rift between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha. If Madara truly possessed abilities on par with Minato Namikaze's, the Third Hokage would not be opposed to trying to help him rise to the position.

"Then let us wait and see."

Danzo gave the Third Hokage a cold glance, then left without looking back.

"Ah..."

Watching Danzo leave, the Third Hokage could not help sighing.

No one understood Danzo's ambition to become Hokage better than the Third Hokage. As the Third Hokage grew older, Danzo made less and less effort to conceal that ambition. In the early years, Danzo's Root had indeed done a great deal of dirty work that the Third Hokage could not conveniently handle himself, which made it increasingly difficult for him to rein Danzo in. The Third Hokage had originally hoped to rely on the Fourth Hokage to put an end to the dark legacy of his own tenure, but before the Fourth Hokage could carry out any internal reforms, he had died in the Nine-Tails' Attack.

To prevent Danzo from taking power and causing an even greater catastrophe under the guidance of his dangerous ideology, the Third Hokage had been forced to come out of retirement to keep him in check. Lately, however, he had begun to feel that he no longer had the strength to do so.

"Lord Hokage, more of our ninja have gone missing inside Konoha!"

Just as the Third Hokage was agonizing over how to peacefully resolve the rift between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha, another urgent report arrived on his desk. The list of people who had recently disappeared within Konoha gave him a splitting headache. All the intelligence on these missing people pointed to someone the Third Hokage did not want to confront: Orochimaru, the student he was proudest of.

Orochimaru, please don't let it be you!

After he had chosen Minato Namikaze as his successor, a rift had formed between him and this student. The Third Hokage truly did not want to face his beloved pupil as an enemy.