This time, Shisui would not go alone.
When witnessing by the Hokage’s Direct Subordinates was written into the mission rules, cheers did not immediately erupt in the Uchiha Clan Compound.
Many people had yet to fully grasp what this meant.
To them, it was merely one more witness.
But Gen knew it changed the most dangerous structure underlying Shisui's fate.
Before, Shisui had always gone to meet people alone.
Listened to their advice alone.
Borne the pressure between the village and his clan alone.
Treated his own sacrifice as the solution alone.
And Root liked people like that best.
Because someone willing to shoulder everything alone was the easiest to push into a position where there were no corroborating witnesses.
Now things were different.
Any future missions involving Root that Shisui undertook had to be witnessed by the Hokage’s Direct Subordinates.
That meant if Root wanted to contact Shisui alone again, it would first have to evade the Third Hokage's eyes.
After returning to the Clan District, Shisui gave Fugaku the new rules to put on record.
After reading them, Fugaku said only one thing.
"Don't shoulder everything alone anymore."
Shisui fell silent for a moment.
"I used to think that was something I could do."
Gen looked at him.
Shisui continued, "Now I know some paths weren't ones I chose myself. Other people had laid them out in advance."
Those words silenced the Meeting Hall.
Itachi stood to one side, listening intently.
Gen noticed Itachi's expression.
The breach in Shisui's trajectory was a wake-up call for Itachi.
If even Shisui could be driven along by plans laid in advance, then Itachi would be no exception.
Once Root lost the opportunity to contact Shisui alone, its next move would inevitably be to turn toward Itachi, who was younger and more