A/N: Hello my faithful readers! I'm back with the new chapters! I won't say much, have fun!
Another reincarnation story
23.
Itachi had been here countless times. The very walls of this room were familiar, the four people sitting at the table before him even more so. Kneeling down before them, Itachi placed on hand on his thigh to center himself, he placed the other on the floor to reflect his servitude. The ANBU mask that so often became his face rested next to him, exposing him to the inspection of his superior. Remaining silent and unmoving; this position was reassuring, almost tranquil.
He never performed this gesture before anyone but his supreme commander, the one man trusted with the leadership of his home. As an ANBU captain, Itachi would never submit to anyone but his Hokage. He did this the first time he became a shinobi of the Leaf Village and one last time when he was branded an S-ranked criminal. In both worlds and both instances, this simple gesture reminded him of who he really was.
He was an instrument of their will, a sword in the dark. He was a guardian of this village and all life in it. He was Itachi Uchiha of Konoha.
And Uchiha Itachi would never lie to his Hokage.
"Itachi," his lord started, his pipe left completely forgotten on the table, "you have been summoned here because strong accusations against you had been brought to our attention. In full recognition of your status as ANBU Captain, we want to give you the opportunity to explain yourself."
"I am at your disposal, Hokage-sama," Itachi answered. He heard his father's almost inaudible scoff behind him. Clearly, Fugaku didn't like seeing his first son so obedient to someone that wasn't him.
"First, we wish to know if you are aware of the current location regarding Hoshigaki Kisame."
"I am not."
Danzou snorted, "you let him escape capture, did you not?"
"I did."
"Why would you do that?" Elder Koharu asked.
Itachi fixed his gaze on the floor. He needed to word everything very carefully. He would never lie to his Lord Hokage, but he could not afford to say the whole truth with Danzou, Elder Koharu and Homura, his father, his cousin and his two former teammates in the room. So, Itachi said, "I feared his life was in danger. In what was a simple misunderstanding, Hoshigaki-san unknowingly provoked Uchiha Shisui, resulting in their hostility."
"A simple misunderstanding?" Fugaku barked, "that's not what I heard!"
"Uchiha-dono, please do not interrupt." Elder Homura reminded him, "we respect your wish to be present because the incident involves your son, but this is still an ANBU matter."
Fugaku gave a dissatisfied grunt, but otherwise said nothing. It was wise of him not to challenge the elders right now.
"Itachi, are you fully aware of the accusations against you? Your cousin claims that you are taking part in a conspiracy under the influence of Hoshigaki Kisame, although unknowingly."
"I am aware." Itachi said. Well at least they didn't accuse him of fraternizing with the enemy. That would come once the suspicion of treason was cleared.
"And what do you have to say for yourself?" Danzou asked, his half closed eye fixed on every tiny change in Itachi's expression.
"I did not betray Konoha, nor will I." Itachi promised, "Hoshigaki-san and I did not plot to overthrow Konoha or harm any of its citizens. Our meeting was arranged solely out of personal interest."
"Did he at any given time asked you to hand over classified information?" Danzou asked. Oh, so it is an interrogation after all.
Not being able to completely deny it because Kisame was indeed curious about many things, Itachi hesitated briefly, "nothing that concerns the safety of the village."
"So he did ask things of you?" This time, the Hokage seemed surprised. It was reassuring to know that the highest power here still believed in his loyalty.
"He wanted to know of my patrol schedules," Itachi explained, "and those of other teams around the Kiri house."
"To better conceive his treachery, no doubt," Danzou snorted, "Hiruzen, I told you before that letting them in was a mistake."
"No, Danzou-sama," Itachi quickly intervened. "It was merely to escape patrols, in order to meet me."
"So you admit that you gave out classified information so you could meet with Hoshigaki in secret?" Danzou sounded almost excited. "This is treason. And conspiracy."
"Don't be so hasty to decide Itachi's guilt," Hiruzen said, "Itachi has always been loyal to the village. Explain yourself, Itachi. Why would you meet with Hoshigaki and to what end?"
"I..." He hesitated but summoned his determination. "I enjoyed his company and did not want to cause any rumors. I am aware of the speculations and wanted merely to keep it discrete."
Danzou huffed. "Shisui was right all along, then. He is using you to gain information on the village. What else have you told him? Perhaps the formula for the barrier around Konoha? Is this why he could escape so swiftly after your were discovered? Don't bother to deny it, Itachi. We know that the barrier was triggered shortly after Shisui and the ANBU tried to arrest him. Admit it here, boy. It is your only chance to prove that your loyalty has not wavered."
"You are mistaken, Danzou-sama." Itachi insisted, "Kisame harbors no ill-will against the village, I can vouch for it!"
"You word isn't worth much right now!" Danzou barked, his walking stick hammered against the floor. "Tell us his plan! We know he is back in the village somewhere! Where is he hiding? Is he allied with the Uchiha?"
"The Uchiha has nothing to do with it!" Itachi shouted before his father could even object. He stopped himself from turning back to look, but knew Fugaku was equally surprised. "My meeting with Kisame happened without my clan's knowledge. It was my decision. Please leave my clan out of this, Danzou-sama."
"Is that so?" Danzou seemed bolder with every minute. Maybe Itachi's control was growing weaker with time. "I can see through your lies, now. You met up with the swordsman on your clan's behalf to secretly conspire against the village. You clearly still harbor thoughts of treason! Once you were discovered, you pretend it is simply a misunderstanding. Then, you have your cousin attack Hoshigaki to shut him up, isn't it? You were trying to resume your coup d'etat from two years ago, wasn't it?"
"Danzou!" Hiruzen barked. "Don't jump to conclusions."
"That is not what happened," Itachi snapped. His fist on the ground was shaking, his eyes burning. He had forbidden Danzou from striking at his clan, yet Danzou was still here, making things worse as always. He needed to repeat his lesson, so the old man knew who his master was. But he could not do it here, not with his cousin, father and Kakashi present. They were all powerful users of the Sharingan and would no doubt see his attempt should he try it now. All he needed was but a small opening to force Danzou to his will again. Without him barking accusations, things would be going so much more smoothly.
Perhaps he could remain silent and let Danzou aggravate his father. Or he could say something incriminating or bold to provoke Shisui. With them causing a scene, the opportunity would surely come.
Yet, the moment of action came not from him. It was right when Itachi turned his focus back to the Leader of Root that they were all interrupted by a knock on the door. A fellow agent stepped in and came to kneel next to Itachi. He lowered his head in respect as the Hokage nodded.
"Hokage-sama" he reported, "the Mizukage is here with Hoshigaki Kisame. She demands an audience with you to discuss the situation."
"She has Hoshigaki with her?" the Hokage sounded surprised.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. But he doesn't seem to be under guard. In fact, he says that he wants to address you personally."
"That is most unusual," the Hokage remarked. "Where are they now?"
"They say they will be waiting for you in your office." The ANBU reported. "They ask you to bring Itachi with you."
"Hiruzen, this is a trap!" Danzou said immediately. "They want to lure you away from ANBU. I am coming with you."
"There is no need," The Hokage stood. Again, his compassion and dignity put Itachi to shame. "I'm sure the good men present are more than capable of protecting me."
Kakashi and Tenzou both knelt down before him in unison. "We are at your disposal, Hokage-sama."
"Captain, take your man and escort Itachi to my office." He turned towards Fugaku. "Uchiha-dono, I'm sure you want to hear this as well. Why not accompany me and aid me should this really be a trap?"
If Fugaku was surprised, he didn't show it. But he wasn't completely able to hide his gratitude for this chance from Itachi's eyes. There might be hope yet. "It will be my honor, Hokage-sama. Shisui, I place our safety in your hands."
"I will do my best!" Shisui promised and followed them out.
Itachi waited until they left the room. With only Kakashi here and not powerful enough to counter him, Itachi closed his eyes. He gathered chakra in his left one, knowing that he was under careful watch by both the Copy-nin as well as Danzou. But he couldn't wait any longer. With tension so high and the peace so delicate, he could not afford to waste this precious opportunity. Should he not move against Danzou, the elder would find a way to turn the situation against him again. Snapping his left eye open, he stared directly into Danzou's, just before the elder tried to defend himself.
Itachi decided that today, he shall crush this evil man.
Inside his spiritual world of darkness, Danzou crumbled to his knees. He sobbed, knowing what would come. As proud as he might have been in life, now he was just a crippled old man. He was powerless, defenseless and only one step away from being broken.
"Have I not instructed you to hold your tongue?" Itachi walked up to him, his eyes burning like that of a demon. "Have I not given you ample opportunity to change your ways? Have I not been merciful? Yet, you disappoint me."
"I was doing this for the good of the village!" Danzou cried out. "You are a traitor! I cannot let you walk this path and destroy us! You will not get away with this!"
"Perhaps not, but you will not live to see it." Itachi told him.
Physical pain was nothing new to a shinobi, but for a man of Danzou's age it was hard to bear. Itachi willed the old man to be strapped to a cross where he was repeatedly stabbed and cut. His cries filled the world, yet they were muffled and remained meaningless to Itachi's ears.
"If you kill me," Danzou screamed, "Kakashi and Kinoe will kill you on the spot!"
Itachi tilted his head. Curious. "Tell me Danzou-sama, how did you break free of my control?"
Danzou laughed at him, "you're not as powerful as you think!"
"I see," he nodded. "Apparently, I failed to place clear signposts in your head. It is commendable, that your strong conviction enabled you to maneuver around the things I forbade. I'll be more careful next time."
"They'll find out eventually!" Danzou shouted. "And when they do, you'll lose everything you cherish! Your comrades, your friends and your brother, you'll never see them again! They will hunt you like the traitor you are! You'll see."
"You're still so full of yourself," Itachi chuckled almost with pity. "Danzou, have you not realized? Any power you might have possessed is meaningless before my eyes. There is no escape for you. This is the end." He watched with satisfaction as Danzou's eyes widened with fear. "I have decided that your way of the sword ends here."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"This village doesn't need you anymore. Your darkness has consumed you, hiding from you the true path to peace. The good intentions you once had and strived towards aren't enough anymore. Now, you're just a frightened dog, Shimura Danzou. Your meager self lacks the clarity to lead. You can no longer distinguish between friend and foe. Thus, I cannot let your continue. You have schemed for the last time."
"No!" Danzou gasped. "Once you kill me, you'll die with me! Hiruzen will not spare you for killing me! He'll avenge me!"
"As much as I respect Hokage-sama, I doubt he can defeat me." Itachi sighed with humor, "but you have a point. Therefore, I will not kill you. Now now, not here."
The world around them changed, stretching into infinity. In the vast space of Itachi's fantasy, multiple Danzous, from young to old faced multiple Itachis. For what were hours and days, Itachi used everything in his arsenal to pick apart the mind and body of this old warrior. No corner of his deep consciousness was hidden from the genius, no secret untold. This was only a portion of what his new ultimate genjutsu could do. There was still so much potential Itachi could discover, and who else would he try it on if not the man who once drove his clan to extinction.
When they reached the third day, Danzou had forgotten that this wasn't real. Itachi looked deeper into his mind, drawing out his most secret desire. To him Danzou was an open book. All dreams and nightmares were laid bare. All his desperation and hopes reduced to simple concepts for Itachi to use. He drew out the woman from Danzou's heart, a kunoichi Danzou once loved but couldn't have. Itachi made that woman Danzou's wife, gently caring for him and comforting him. She sew Danzou's wounds and made him tea. When he relaxed in her embrace, Itachi let him see her die, again and again. When her corpse was nothing but bones, Itachi let her be resurrected just to start over again.
He should loathe himself for toying with others so mercilessly. But he did not. There was no denying that he could be cruel. He might have been born a gentle being, but the world he lived in had not allowed him to remain one. Deep inside, Itachi was just as broken as those he tortured. In ways that could even impress the most vengeful god, Itachi sought revenge for crimes that had never happened in this reality.
It didn't matter. Danzou deserved to be punished. This man had been the author of all atrocities in Konoha. It was because of men like him, the world needed shinobi. It was because men like Danzou were too afraid to lose that children were forced to grasp weapons when they should have been playing. Danzou was selfish. His pathetic paranoia and suspicion of anything and everything he couldn't control had driven so many into their tragedies. Itachi knew only parts of what this Danzou and the one from his old life had done. But what he knew was enough for Itachi to justify his actions.
In his realm, what he created was reality. In here, Itachi was god and man alike. What he willed, it would happen. In here, he was all: judge, jury and then executioner. It was fortunate that he himself did not perceive time as his victim did. For himself, it was only a moment. But for Danzou, years had passed. By now, the man barely resembled the Leader of a mighty shadow society. Right now, he was but a groveling, drooling broken man.
"Do you know who you are?" Itachi asked, crouching down to take Danzou's jaw into his hand? "Tell me your name."
Danzou could not. Itachi had destroyed his sense of self and any understanding of reality. Without aid, the Danzou in the real world would collapse. Without instruction, Itachi's crime would be evident.
"Listen to me," Itachi said, "your name is Shimura Danzou. You are an Elder of Konohagakure. When we leave this place, you will feel slightly sick. But you will control yourself. You will go home, retrieve your most secret document and place it on your desk. Then, you will make yourself a tea, your favorite kind. You will drink it, then you will take a bath. Take your favorite robe and change into it. Then lay down in your bed. You are an old man, tired and exhausted. You want to sleep. As you close your eyes, you will think of your wife, the woman you loved so much. Think of her beautiful face and then go to her. Close your eyes and go to her. Do you understand?"
Danzou nodded.
"Now tell me, who are you?"
"I am Shimura Danzou," the elder repeated, somewhat convincingly, "I don't feel very well. I want to go home and sleep."
"Good boy," Itachi smirked. He stood, gathering chakra in his eye again. When he opened it, he was back in the council chamber of ANBU HQ. He picked himself from the floor and turned towards the door, ready to face another disaster.
From behind him, he heard Danzou address Koharu, saying that he would return now. She thought nothing of it and Itachi had to smirk. It wasn't the first time he had let someone grow old in his illusion that the mind returning to the real body simply could not hold on anymore. It was the best way to send someone on their way. After everything Danzou had done, after years of torture he had suffered, he deserved a quiet death.
Kakashi's hand landed on his shoulder with a loud slap. It wasn't hard enough to hurt, but enough to let Itachi know that his jutsu hadn't gone unnoticed. It did not surprise Itachi that his former captain would confront him. Had he wanted to escape Kakashi's watchful gaze, he could have. Instead, Itachi had chosen to trust his comrade. Kakashi was a pragmatic man. Just as Itachi, he had done things for the benefit of Konoha that would have driven others mad. In all of Konoha, Kakashi might just be the one who could truly comprehended his mind.
"We will have words later," Kakashi whispered in his ear as he pushed Itachi along, towards the exit. "And you will explain everything to me."
"Only if I get to use the bath first today," Itachi said.
"This is no laughing matter." Kakashi pushed him harder. "Were you not who you are, I would have killed you by now. But sadly, I trust you and know you wouldn't do anything against the village while your brother is here. So for now, I will play along. But if you don't explain it to my satisfaction later, I'll eat all of your dangos in the fridge. And I will find a way to make you watch as I do it!"
"Understood, Taicho."
Muahahahahaha! I waited 23 chapters to do this! Now finally, my most hated character in Konoha is dead! Muahahahahaha!
I hope you liked it. :-D It's a short chapter, so the next will come soon.
Leave a review and let me know what you think. :-D