Itachi, let me borrow your head

Uchiha Douyang had two things to do today.

First, go on a date with Kurenai Yuhi.

Second, kill Uchiha Itachi.

He liked to leave the most troublesome task for last.

So he decided to kill Uchiha Itachi first.

Winter, year 53 of Konoha.

The cold wind cut like a knife, and heavy snow swirled through the air.

After leaving the village, Uchiha Itachi gazed at the snow-covered forest, his heart heavy.

The Nine-Tails' Attack five years ago had been the greatest disaster Konoha had faced since its founding.

The Third Shinobi World War had only reached Kikyo Castle without damaging the village's foundations, but the Nine-Tails' Attack had destroyed more than half the village and even led to the heroic deaths of the Fourth Hokage and his wife.

The Sharingan in the Nine-Tails' eyes had cast suspicion on the Uchiha Clan, and Danzo had used the replanning of the clans' grounds as an excuse to send the Uchiha Clan to the outskirts of the village.

Although Uchiha Fugaku had been displeased, he had ultimately accepted the arrangement.

After all, there was no denying the Sharingan in the Nine-Tails' eyes.

From that point on, the conflict between the Uchiha and the village had deepened by the day. By now, it had become irreconcilable.

Uchiha Itachi recalled the question the Third Hokage had asked him when he graduated from the Ninja Academy at seven.

A squad of ten was crossing a vast desert.

One member suddenly contracted an infectious disease. If he were allowed to live, the others in the squad would catch it too and die in agony.

If you were the captain, what would you do?

"As captain, I must see the bigger picture!"

"The infected person is doomed to die. The safety of the others in the squad should come first, so I would kill one to save nine."

At the time, Uchiha Itachi had not understood why the Third Hokage had asked him such a question.

Later, he had gradually come to understand that the Uchiha Clan was the infected member of the squad.

Calls for a coup within the clan were growing more fervent. The Uchiha were now like a powder keg that could explode at any moment.

Once the Uchiha launched a coup, it would bring unprecedented disaster upon the village. Other shinobi villages would exploit its weakness, and war would ignite across the Shinobi World again...

"Lord Hokage, I will definitely..."

A flash of resolve crossed Uchiha Itachi's eyes.

"Definitely what?"

Just then, an indifferent voice rang out beside Uchiha Itachi's ear without warning.

Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly, thinking he was under attack, but when he turned and saw who had arrived, he let out a soft breath of relief.

"Douyang, long time no see!"

During the Third Shinobi World War, three prodigious shinobi had emerged in Konoha.

The Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze; Shisui Uchiha of the Body Flicker Technique; and the Uncanny Physician, Uchiha Douyang.

Unlike shinobi who earned their titles through overwhelming combat prowess and astonishing kill counts, Uchiha Douyang was an average fighter who had not even awakened his Sharingan. Yet he had perfectly inherited Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu and even surpassed his teacher.

During the Third Shinobi World War, Uchiha Douyang had rushed between battlefields on all four fronts alone, saving countless lives and earning his peculiar title.

More importantly, unlike the consistently arrogant Uchiha who looked down on outsiders, Douyang got along very well with people outside the clan.

Kakashi and Might Guy were his closest friends, Kurenai Yuhi was his girlfriend, and Uzuki Yugao was his close female confidante.

If that was not convincing enough, the fact that even Tsunade, who had little fondness for the Uchiha, had been willing to take Douyang as her apprentice was enough to convince anyone.

Although rumors claimed that Tsunade had taken Douyang as her apprentice because he closely resembled her deceased younger brother, Nawaki, Uchiha Itachi did not believe such rumors at all. Tsunade must have valued Douyang's capacity to see beyond his clan.

In Uchiha Itachi's eyes, Uchiha Douyang was a kindred spirit who believed in the Will of Fire.

Uchiha Douyang had not taken a position in the Konoha Military Police Force. Instead, he had opened a clinic in the village to treat illnesses and save lives.

This had earned him endless praise from countless villagers, and he never attended clan meetings.

Because of this, the clan's hardliners were quite displeased.

"Itachi, you look troubled."

Uchiha Douyang asked, "Is it because of the conflict between the clan and the village?"

Uchiha Itachi pondered briefly before saying, "Yes. Douyang, you may not know this, but calls for a coup within the clan are growing more fervent. Father is keeping them down, but if this continues, a coup will be inevitable."

In the past, Uchiha Itachi had only discussed such subjects with Shisui Uchiha.

Now that the situation was urgent, Uchiha Itachi intended to bring Uchiha Douyang into the same camp, so he continued the discussion.

As expected, surprise appeared on Uchiha Douyang's face. He frowned and said, "Has the situation already gotten that bad?"

Uchiha Itachi sighed.

"Douyang, you should understand that a coup cannot succeed. The Uchiha will be branded with shame, and the village will be gravely weakened. If other nations exploit that weakness, many innocent people will die."

Uchiha Douyang nodded. "Those who grew up in luxury don't know how terrifying poverty is. Those who live in peace don't understand how hard-won peace is. Our clansmen's vision is confined to the narrow bounds of their clan. That's why things have come to this."

Hearing Uchiha Douyang's words, Uchiha Itachi let out a long breath of relief and thought, I was right about him. Douyang is a like-minded companion.

"Itachi, I have two ways to resolve the conflict between the clan and the village, but I'll need your help."

Uchiha Itachi's eyes lit up. "What are your ideas? What can I do?"

"The first way..."

Uchiha Douyang raised one finger and said solemnly, "We can kill every last Uchiha. Once they're all dead, there won't be a coup. What do you think?"

Uchiha Itachi was shocked and blurted out, "Douyang, you're... you're far too extreme! How could you even think of something like that?"

"Then I have another, relatively mild approach."

Uchiha Douyang raised two fingers and said with complete seriousness, "The second way is... Itachi, let me borrow your head."

The next instant.

A glint of steel rapidly expanded in Uchiha Itachi's vision, piercing his body in an instant.

Amid a chorus of caws, Uchiha Itachi turned into countless crows that scattered in all directions.

The next instant, the crows gathered a short distance away to form Uchiha Itachi's upper body.

"Douyang, what exactly are you trying to do?" Uchiha Itachi demanded in shock and confusion.

"Don't you understand?"

Uchiha Douyang clenched his right fist, his voice icy.

"I was born an Uchiha and raised an Uchiha. The village sent me to the battlefield when I was eight. Without the Uchiha, how could I have survived until now? No matter how bad the Uchiha may be, I will never betray them."

"So your vision is confined to the narrow bounds of your clan too. How laughable that I thought of you as a like-minded companion."

Disappointment filled Uchiha Itachi's face, and his gaze gradually turned cold. "Douyang, you're too powerful. If the clan gains your support, they'll launch a coup without any reservations. So don't blame me."

"Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!"

The moment he finished speaking, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Uchiha Itachi's eyes spun rapidly.