Shinobi World No. 1.
Autumn, Year 51 of Konoha.
Itachi's room, Uchiha Clan Compound.
Clouds blocked the moonlight outside the window. No lamps were lit in the room; only a small candle burned on the desk, casting Itachi's shadow on the wall, lonely and distorted. Itachi sat at the desk with a wooden box before him. It was small, without patterns or decorations, with only a little lock, already unlocked. The key was in Itachi's hand.
He stared at the wooden box. He had been staring for a long time.
He did not open it. He knew what was inside. He had seen it countless times. But he kept staring, as though waiting for something-a miracle, a miracle that could never happen.
Shisui's eye.
Shisui Uchiha. The Uchiha Clan's strongest ninja, wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan, the genius his clansmen called "Body Flicker Shisui." He was Itachi's closest friend, his mentor, one of the few people in this world to whom Itachi could speak honestly.
A month ago, Shisui had died.
The official cause of death—retaliation by the Evil God Inheritors. Konoha's announcement said this: while carrying out a mission, Shisui had been surrounded and attacked by remnants of the Jashin Cult. Outnumbered, he had died in battle. His body had been found, but his eyes were missing. Konoha said the Evil God Inheritors had gouged them out.
Itachi knew that was not true.
Itachi had been there the night Shisui died. He had seen everything-Danzo's men had ambushed Shisui, immobilized him with Sealing Jutsu, then gouged out his left eye. Shisui had escaped and used the last of his strength to find Itachi, entrust his right eye to him, then leap into the Naka River.
"Use this eye to protect the Uchiha, to protect Konoha."
Those were Shisui's last