A/N: I came back from the dead to try to continue this story because of someone precious. I hope he's reading.
Disclaimer: Nothing's mine.
Chapter 7 – Demon
He did not see them at first; he was mostly blinded by the sun rays blazing through trees. But they slowly materialized, like some creatures of nightmares.
A five-year-old Uchiha Itachi was stunned. The bodies were standing upright and tied to the trunks of trees, lined up in a row. They showed varying degrees of injury, each being just as terrible as the one before.
To whatever degree of agony they were subjected to when these wounds were inflicted upon them, at least the remnants of what had once been men—did not experience it any longer.
"You shouldn't be here, you know."
He almost froze when he heard the voice. He looked over and saw another boy, not much older than himself, standing about ten meters next to him, looking at the corpses.
"Neither should you," he replied.
Then his gaze shifted back to the trees, where he carefully examined the bodies. The once red blood from their wounds had turned a dark, dried color. Their expressions, captured in time, told a chilling picture of terror.
"I think I'm going to have nightmares when I sleep tonight. We both should leave this place. Let's go," the other boy said. He had pale skin and black eyes. The highland breeze ruffled his thick, unkempt hair.
They both started to move down the hill, carefully treading the craggy cliffs and rockfalls to avoid tumbling down.
"What were you doing there?" Itachi had never seen this boy, but something told him he was also an Uchiha.
"I was looking for mushrooms. Nothing left to cook in my house. That was why I went up that hill. I wasn't expecting to find corpses," he answered, as he pushed away twigs and residue on the forest floor with his feet.
"But at least I'm older than you. You shouldn't have seen those. What were you doing there?"
Itachi did not have to hide anything from this boy, "I was looking for my Father. He fought there."
Both were now paying more attention to the hill floor because it was pebbly. One slip and they could fall rolling and end up with cuts.
"You're older than me. But I think you shouldn't have seen those too," Itachi said, now the vision of the corpses they had seen earlier came back to his mind in a flash.
"Those corpses. They were tortured to death. Weren't they?"
The older boy seemed to think a bit before answering, "I think so. But we could have seen worse."
They finally stepped on even ground and were now walking out together from the entrance of the hill trek.
"So why do people from villages kill each other?"
The sight of the bodies might have prompted Itachi's inquiry, but the thought had percolated in his mind for some time.
"I don't know, that's just how it is, I guess. Adults are like that. You know, like there's nothing in my mom's kitchen, I had to go out and look for something. Finding a rabbit would be a luxury, but mushrooms would be enough. Those people were like that too. Probably looking for things to eat."
For resources, Itachi thought. "I know where you can catch fish."
"Really?" The boy's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Show me."
Between giant boulders, the blue-green water they waded in was rippling and frothy. Water that fell from the cliff roared. It created undulating currents that sparkled with sunlight. The older boy giggled with delight as he stuffed another fish he had caught into the rucksack he had brought along. He then looked at the somewhat brooding boy, not knowing what to call him.
"I forgot to ask you. What's your name?"
"I'm Uchiha Itachi."
"I'm Uchiha Shisui. I kinda knew you were one of us."
"I think I've heard about you," Itachi said. "My father talked highly of you."
"Really, who is he?"
"Head of Police Department, Fugaku."
"Oh, Fugaku-sama? You don't really look like him. You must take after your mother."
Itachi did not know how to reply to that comment. Shisui was now looking up to the skies, it seemed. He then pointed up the hill, to the ledge of the slope above them.
"What's up there?"
"I had no idea you had returned."
Uchiha Shisui turned his head and saw a young man approach him after emerging from the woods behind them: magnificent trees springing up from the ground to brush the sky, their sun-dappled leaves casting shifting shadows on the grass below.
"Itachi," he addressed, giving his friend a small smile, and turned his attention back to the turbulent water falling into the plunge pool in front of him.
The ledge of this canyon offered a full view of the waterfall that led to the Nakano River. The droplets of water were pattering against the rocks and leaves below him. Lush grasses sprouted around the pool, dancing in the wind. A rainbow was shimmering on the periphery of his vision.
In between missions, Shisui often spent time here, just loving the scent of water-saturated air. His recent assignment with the Black Ops to infiltrate a Kirigakure Ninjas team was victorious. They admitted defeat with just a genjutsu he projected from a secret spot two hundred feet away.
"Ao and his crew retreated. That is the reason I am here," he explained. Itachi took his place, standing beside the slightly taller Shisui, whose short and rugged hair was animated by violent air. Knowing Shisui had successfully finished his mission and was now safely back in the village always gave him a sense of relief.
"I know it'd be a piece of cake for you."
Shisui had always felt at ease whenever he was with Itachi. "You overestimate me," he cheerfully replied. Although the younger man rarely spoke, he was often amusing once he did. However, the cheerful face soon turned grave.
He took a deep breath and looked around, "this place. We used to play here a lot, didn't we?"
It's the only place I can feel at ease in, Itachi thought. There was silence for a minute as both young men got lost in their thoughts.
They found this place as kids. It was a place they often spent in to talk to each other: a diversion from the chaos that was going on in their heads concerning the situation the clan was in.
"I need to ask you, Itachi. Your Father, how much of a serious man is he?" He asked; voice laced with grim that Itachi's face started to grow solemn.
His face turned upward a little, trying to recall Fugaku's mannerisms. Itachi never caught his Father in light banter. His old man was known for his authoritative and self-assured manner of speech. He never wavered in his convictions or any decision he had previously made.
Itachi responded firmly, "pretty serious. Why?"
Shisui's eyes started to falter. As he glanced down, the spark in his voice was gone.
"The coup d'état. Your Father…the Police Force harbors a suspicion on you. Last night, in the clan meeting, they asked me to spy on you."
Nothing had surprised Itachi. The Police Force's distrust of him was not new. He had tried to lighten the air between them but had not lifted their doubts so far.
"Because of this, I need you to lay low for the time being."
"They are intent on carrying on with the plan, aren't they?"
Shisui let out a long sigh.
"If current trends continue, that appears to be the only viable option for them. On the other hand, I can't say that I blame them. They'd be wary, given the village's treatment so far. It's easy to figure out that the Uchiha District is a dormant volcano."
"Do you have any plan on how we should solve this?"
"Kotoamatsukami. I will tone things down with it by casting it on your Father. The clan will adhere to his authority. We don't need to go Danzou's way. I'll talk to the Sandaime."
Itachi sighed with relief. "I knew I could count on you. I don't want the village to go to war with them."
"I had to come out with a plan. Because we can't let them decide to wipe out the clan."
"But what if there's no other choice?"
"Itachi. We're killers. It's rooted in our blood. I'm not going to lie to myself about who we are," Shisui replied, but he seemed to be quite bothered by something.
"The innocent would have to be sacrificed if the clan had to be wiped out. Because neither of the other members of Black Ops has the skills necessary to complete the mission, they'll likely ask one of us, or both of us, to take on the responsibility. But here's the thing. I don't want to do it…."
Shisui was looking down the whole time, but Itachi still picked up on the hurt in his voice.
"And I don't want you to do it. I care about you. You are the closest I have to a brother I never had."
Shisui was now staring vacantly ahead of him, but Itachi knew he was not looking anywhere near his field of vision.
"Which is why my plan with Kotoamatsukami needs to work. That way, we don't go to war. You can stay close to Sasuke. There won't be any pointless loss of life among women and children."
Itachi was a firstborn son. Responsibilities were placed upon his shoulders not long after he was born. So, it was nice to be looked after by a kinsman. An older brother.
"It is unnecessary for either of us to further taint our hands with the blood of innocent people. Itachi, we have to make this work. Together. We're in this together."
"According to the current situation, the coup attempt is proceeding as planned," Shisui reported, as he knelt in front of the four-person council of Konohagakure.
The Sandaime and Danzou were seated on either side of the lengthy table. At the same time, the Elders took their places in the center of the table.
Shisui had been making thorough observations on the Uchiha over the past few months, unearthing hidden rivalries and the most recent conflicts.
"What are you going to do now, Hiruzen? If we continue to do nothing, it will be too late to do anything about it," Danzou said.
Shisui saw this as his moment to offer his proposal.
"I would like to suggest a different course of action. If I have your permission, I believe it could work."
Sandaime's eyes lit up at this point.
"A plan? What exactly is it?"
"I am going to employ the Mangekyou Sharingan against my clan."
"What do you mean you plan to use Mangekyou Sharingan on your clan?"
"I woke up an ability, the Kotoamatsukami. It's a Genjutsu."
Everyone in the council, except for Danzou, appeared interested in Shisui's proposal.
"If I cast it on Fugaku-sama, he will act according to how I wish him to act, in this case, choosing peace. And he will not notice it. Whatever he chooses, the clan will follow suit."
Danzou was unsatisfied with his suggestion and tried to interject.
"Hiruzen. A leader must sometimes be willing to make difficult choices. Now is the appropriate time. If you don't take action right now, it may be too late for us to stop the coup from happening, especially considering that it's going to happen anyhow."
However, the Sandaime tried to ignore it. He then asked, "what do the Elders have to say about it?"
"If this young man is capable of making his scheme successful, then I believe we ought to give him a chance," Utatane Koharu answered. She, too, wanted a less bloody way of solving the conflict.
"That's what I've been thinking exactly," Mitokado Homura added.
"The outcome has been determined. You, Shisui, hold the key to the future of the Uchiha clan in your hands. Make it work," The Sandaime ruled.
Shisui's eyes shined with relief.
"Thank you, Sandaime-sama. I will do my best," he said, as he bowed and disappeared.
As Uchiha Shisui made his steps toward the canyon of the Nakano River to meet Itachi, he could hear the birds calling, squirrels chatting, and the insects humming. He was in no hurry. He would have to trek through the forest for approximately three hundred meters to reach his destination.
The meeting with Itachi had been planned since yesterday. He was well aware that he was bearing the weight of a significant duty on his shoulders. He needed to stifle the currents of hostility and hatred of the Uchiha before they could manifest. Too many were at stake.
Most of all, his and Itachi's humanity.
He needed to plan what to do with Itachi, learn more about Fugaku and prepare using Kotoamatsukami. The Sandaime had already given him the green light. If he exercised caution, his plans could be successful, he would retain the Uchiha's trust, and a conflict would not ensue.
Something was amiss.
Shisui froze in his tracks, his awareness sharpened. His ANBU uniform and hair were being blown around by a solid and dry wind. The joyful noises created by the animals of the forest suddenly ceased. It appeared as though they had sensed potential danger and decided to leave.
He was able to make out the distant sound of footsteps.
His brows contracted, and his eyes became as icy as a wolf darting around the field. Was death looking at him from around the bushes? He activated his Sharingan.
Where are you? Look at me in the eyes…
"It's pointless to hide. I am aware of where each and every one of you is currently located. Either get out of my way or face me," he called out.
Suddenly, five Shinobi, one with a white robe, the others wearing hooded black robes and masks appeared in front of Shisui in the open grass field.
"That would be an easy victory for you to take. It is in our best interest to avoid making eye contact with you since we know that the next thing we might see will not be a pleasant one…"
Shisui unsheathed his Katana. He knew the one who was talking with the white tiger mask was known by the codename Sugaru, a descendant of the Aburame clan.
"Impressive. You know animosity, as though you could smell it. When Ao and his crews realized you were going to intercept them, it's little wonder they decided to just leave."
He knew he should have felt good about the flattery. Instead, Shisui felt annoyed.
"Does the Root have nothing better to do than to get in the way of a fellow Shinobi?"
"Relax. There's no need for bloodshed. We're just here to accompany you to see Danzou-sama."
And the old man with bandaged forehead and right eye appeared behind the Root soldiers. They made way for him before all of them teleported back to their original locations.
Upon seeing Danzou, Shisui sheathed his Katana, which was strapped behind him.
The water crushed and roared as it hit the moss-covered rocks beneath his vantage point. Uchiha Itachi stood on this canyon's ledge as the Nakano River water flowed on this land of Hidden Leaves. The gust of wind purred through the treetops, shaking the limbs and caressing his hair."
'It is unnecessary for either of us to further taint our hands with the blood of innocent people.'
He extended his hands to the air, spread his fingers, and looked at them as he did so. Rough water continued to froth and crash to the rocks in the river below him.
Taint…my hands further.
He snapped out of his daydream when he heard crows caw in the distance, tilting his head to the direction of the forest. The crows gave off an edgy vibe. He had to concentrate and sharpen his senses to single out the message.
It seemed that they were telling him that trouble was brewing.
His eyes widened in surprise.
'Shisui…'
"This is probably not a convenient time, but I need to talk to you about your plan to use the Mangekyou Sharingan on Fugaku," the older man said. His face exuded casual displeasure and discontent, and Shisui could tell that Danzou wanted to object to his plan.
"I've gotten Sandaime's approval. There isn't a further need for discussion."
The older man did not care that Shisui was brushing him off.
"I have to admit that you have good intentions. Innocent but naive. Did you seriously believe you could keep Fugaku under your thumb indefinitely? The most you might hope for is to put off the inevitable. Suppose the Uchiha found out about your plan; what then?"
"If you don't tell them, there's no way they'll find out."
"You truly believe that someone so set on waging war against the village can suddenly alter their mind and desire peace without the other Uchiha suspecting anything amiss?"
"You give the impression that you do not want my strategy to be successful. And if we go your way, what's in it for you?"
"How will we be sure that you did not use your ability to control Sandaime when he gave you his approval? And how will we be sure that you won't use your Mangekyou Sharingan to control even the Elders and me in the future?"
Though a smirk of resentment appeared on Shisui's face, his words were delivered with a note of disappointment.
"I'm not sure what you're accusing me of. Why don't you just trust me and stop being so pessimistic?"
Danzou sneered before replying, "a pragmatist is all I am. If you look deeply into the circumstances, you'll understand that my way is the best course of action to put a surefire end to the coup. This is the only way to keep Konoha safe from civil conflict and other villages from invading us."
Shisui felt furiousness creep up his face, but he kept calm. He studied the old man in front of him before replying:
"I can read you like a book. That eye of yours is not capable of concealing your motives. You only want the Uchiha to perish, don't you?"
Shisui's words pushed a button inside the older man in front of him, whose face reddened.
"Are you aware to whom you are speaking right now?"
"You're one of the echelons of Konoha, but I'm not one of your Roots," Shisui responded vehemently. "Since I am a member of Black Ops, my loyalty lies with the village and the Sandaime, who has sanctioned my strategy and not with you. I am not going to allow you to exterminate the Uchiha."
"Then you'd realize my allegiance is also to the village. Therefore, I have to stop you from wasting our precious time with your pipe dream strategy."
The realization of what Danzou would do came crashing down on Shisui like a tidal wave. "What are you-"
And it happened. Shisui could see Danzou's hand reaching out to his face, his fingers curled as though wanting to pluck out his right eye.
But Danzou's intent was predictable to the visualization of the Sharingan, especially one as efficient as Shisui's. The younger man managed to cast a genjutsu on Danzou before it happened. Danzou imagined himself successful, even though he was already trapped. Shisui now knew the older man's ill intent against him, though he could not say he was surprised.
"It's just Genjutsu. You'll snap out of it in time."
But just as he was about to move, he felt someone hold him from behind, restricting his movement.
"Get him!" Danzou shouted, holding Shisui to immobilize him.
In an instant, the Root with the tiger mask and white robe teleported and touched Shisui's arm, releasing thousands of minute poison bugs into his cells. Four other Roots circled them, each grabbing Shisui by his arms and legs to restrain him, strengthening their hold with Chakra.
"What the…you all are intent on killing me?"
"Like you, my allegiance is to the village; if it means protecting it with your death, I'll do it," Danzou answered from behind him.
"But how did you escape the hold of my genjutsu so quickly?"
"Only a doujutsu user can break free easily from a Sharingan genjutsu. You'd think I'd have one lying around, wouldn't you? I undid your genjutsu with Izanagi. But the Sharingan eye I possess is now disabled since I used it. Such is a price to pay with its invincibility. I'll never get this chance again, so it's all worth it."
Shisui felt nauseous at how composed Danzou was explaining his clan's jutsu to him, talking about some Sharingan eye that the old man had undoubtedly stolen from his kinsmen.
'So this was the benefit to him. A trove of Uchiha eyes to select from, to steal the abilities once his own plan eventuated.'
"And that is also why I shall take your Sharingan eye to replace it," Danzou continued. At hearing his words, Shisui's chest throbbed. His vision narrowed as his muscles tensed, trying to escape their grip.
"No!"
Shisui's scream seemed to have served no purpose other than to startle a few crows in the nearby woods, causing them to caw in alarm. It only took Danzou a fraction of a second to pull his eye out from behind him as though it were a piece of fruit dangling from a branch. Blood began to spurt, and the sudden, severe pain that it brought Shisui was burning in his brain.
They really want to kill me, the thought appeared in his mind, and he could feel the poison bugs making their way to colonize his body. He knew his death was imminent, even though it was approaching him gradually. His chest heaved, and his breathing was labored as he struggled to remain awake.
"And to guarantee that you won't use Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku, I will have to take your left eye as well."
'I can't allow that to take place.'
Shisui steeled himself. He tightened his ribs, trying to create pressure in his core.
There was still one trump card left in his deck.
Danzou and the Roots were suddenly blown away by something they could not see. They found themselves sprawled on the ground, thirty meters away from Shisui, with terrible pain raging throughout their bodies. Their heads felt like they were spinning. Still, they looked in Shisui's direction, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"His eye! What the hell…what the fuck is that?" One of them yelled.
They could see Shisui, enclosed in a shapely green aura that gave the impression of a mighty warrior, towering and terrifying, holding a long, drill-like sword in its hand.
Even though it appeared as though Shisui was in pain, he continued to move closer to them. The sudden impact of being crashed to the ground rendered them unable to move, and they could only watch powerlessly as the warrior's sword was pointed in the direction of the Root wearing the tiger mask.
"An eye for an eye…" Shisui said weakly, and the Root screamed in terror as the sword drilled into his heart.
"Youji!" One of the Roots shouted.
Youji's lifeless corpse, which was bathed in blood, was dangling helplessly from the emerald green sword as it was hoisted, then discarded carelessly to the ground like some child's play, mask still intact when he was thrown.
As they saw Shisui's exhibition of might, Youji's allies could do nothing but watch in absolute horror, afraid of the fate that might befall them if they ventured any closer.
But Shisui was clearly lightheaded, and the aura faded as seconds passed. The emerald green warrior completely vanished shortly after, and the Black Op operative collapsed on his stomach.
"Do it now! Refrain from destroying his head!"
Each Root member took out an exploding tag. They aimed to ruin Shisui's lower body with it and remove his remaining eye.
However, when the Roots made their moves, balls of fire were racing toward them at a rapid speed. It was too late when they realized it, and explosions occurred upon contact with the exploding tags.
In the woods near the canyon, Itachi put Shisui's weak body down so that his back would rest against a tree trunk.
"How did you know…." Shisui asked, but there was no strength in his voice.
"Some birdies told me…."
"Those crows…" the older young man managed to smile. But then, he seemed to have recalled something, his face turning earnest, "Itachi, I got in contact with one of the Root's poison bugs."
"We need to find the Root that injected them into you. He's the only one who can extract—"
"Forget it. It's too late to save me because I've already slain that Root member. And despite my best efforts, I am now unable to rescue the Uchiha with Kotoamatsukami."
All the while, he sounded like he could barely contain himself from crying.
"Danzou did not believe in my strategy and stole my right eye. Before you arrived, he attempted to remove my other eye with the help of the Roots. If he can obtain this eye, he may exploit it for personal gain."
Itachi held Shisui's left shoulder, trying to calm him down.
"Please bring me to the edge of the ledge."
At that moment, Itachi did not want to argue with Shisui. Without hesitation, he helped the older teenager up. They teleported together to the edge of the ledge beside the canyon.
It was Shisui's favorite place, and this was where he chose to be forever.
He distanced himself from Itachi, standing with his back to the river. He raised his hand to his eye and took his left eye out.
"Here. I'm entrusting you with my remaining eye. We can't let it fall into Danzou's hands."
"But—"
"There's no other way, Itachi. You have to protect this eye."
Itachi was speechless. So many things were playing in his mind that he could no longer deliberate clearly. He was going to lose Shisui, one of Uchiha's most beloved sons—the only older brother he ever had.
"Our only hope left is for you to attain the Mangekyou Sharingan. So I'll help you get it."
"No! Shisui—"
"I'm dying anyway, Itachi. It's okay. This is my fate. My journey ends here…and you're my last hope. If you get the Mangekyou Sharingan, it might bring another Sharingan ability that can help us protect the Uchiha name. I'm hoping for that…." Shisui replied with a tone filled with resignation. "Ugh…these poisonous bugs…"
Itachi held his shoulders to stabilize him. Or to hold on to Shisui a little longer—he no longer cared.
"Please, don't follow my trail. You have to protect the Uchiha name. I need you to help me make my departure look like suicide. You can plant the false evidence in my house later."
Itachi's eyes watered, "I—"
"Hey, hey. Don't cry. Please receive my farewell gift and remember me by it."
Shisui tried his best to smile, but his face looked like he was crying blood tears.
"So, this is it. I'm leaving."
Shisui stood with his back to the river and his front to Itachi, who froze.
"Itachi…..your humanity…."
Itachi witnessed Shisui's body freefall into the river, headfirst, landing on the rocks that were being cradled by the raging river tides. The water then surrounded his broken body as though comforting it.
Itachi felt an intense pain in the hollow of his chest, which traveled to the back of his throat. The agony crept upward, like a serpent winding its way through a crack, and directly into his eyes. He could feel them become warm, almost like they were coming to life.
Blood escaped his eyes. The kaleidoscope formed.
The sun shone. He could hear the wind whistle over stones and water coursing downstream over rocks, but Shisui was no more.
He cried out.
"You did it, didn't you?"
Itachi turned his head and noticed that three of his father's men were standing in front of the porch with a menacing expressions on their faces. They were Yashiro, who had spiky greying hair. The other with him was Tekka, and the other was the long-haired Inabi.
"Sasuke, get inside," he said, pushing his little brother gently. Sasuke, who looked apprehensive seeing the three men, slipped the door open before moving it to close.
"I have no idea what you are talking about. Why don't you leave? You're scaring my little brother."
"Only two Uchiha did not attend the last clan meeting. Shisui, and you. We found his corpse in the river, and his head was destroyed. We also found a suicide note in his house, but we know better than to assume that he killed himself. He had no reason to do so. His devotion to the clan was unswerving, and he would never dismiss us as 'pathetic' to the point of suicide."
They did not find remains of poison bugs inside his corpse, Itachi thought. The bugs must have escaped as he died to avoid detection of foul play.
"Also, this note, we all know that his handwriting could easily be copied using the Sharingan. This suicide note proved nothing."
Even though he first did not comprehend their hostility, he understood their purpose for being there.
"Are you implying that I killed Shisui?"
"You both are in Black Ops. You often hang around with him and spend a lot of time with him," Yashiro said. "You suddenly have no idea what happened to him, and you didn't even know he was dead? He would never leave his clan like that!"
Their belief that he could have killed Shisui, the brother he had grieved for, was causing him unimaginable pain.
"It's not wise to judge others by your preconceptions and their appearances. I would never kill Shisui. If you think me capable of doing so, then you have no idea who I am."
"Oh, we think you are capable of anything, even betraying your clan. We know exactly who you are. We'll ask Fugaku-sama to issue your arrest. Where is he?" Tekka asked.
Itachi's impatience became impossible to conceal after this point.
"Get out of here, or I'll force you out."
"Who the fuck do you think you are?"
In quick movements, Itachi instigated Taijutsu against his father's men. The three of them were knocked off their feet, too surprised even to react, seeing that Itachi's Sharingan had already been activated. For a second, with the red eyes beaming, they thought he looked demonic.
"You assumed I have patience. You all need to measure your capacity and see the height of my capacity. As a result, you lie beaten here. You hold onto your organization, your clan, your name… these things limit us and limit our capacities; these things deserve to be shunned."
"Nii-san…"
Itachi turned his head to the side and saw his younger brother stare at him with wide eyes from inside the house, almost as if he were someone he had never seen before.
He felt senses come rushing back to him.
"It's okay, Sasuke. Let's go inside."
"You killed Shisui."
Danzou was looking at Konoha from a vantage point when he twisted his head slightly to the direction of the voice behind him. He then turned completely to face the young man, who was clad in his ANBU uniform.
"And what if I did?"
He could see that the young man had his Sharingan activated. It seemed that Itachi did not trust him, but he would not trust himself if he were him.
"Because of you, the Uchiha suspect that I killed him. They don't trust me anymore and are going on with the coup."
Danzou chuckled.
"It's not a surprise," he replied. "The Uchiha have an uncanny knack for spotting suspicious behavior. This is exactly what I've been arguing."
Itachi's posture was stiff, and he could see visible tension in his eyes. Maybe he had intended to make him pay for killing Shisui. To Danzou, it was only natural that Itachi wanted him to.
"You see, Shisui might have been able to cast the Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku if we let him, but even if he did, they would still somehow suspect foul play. His strategy would ultimately fail, and the coup would still take place. His idea was nothing more than a pointless attempt to postpone the inevitable. Listen to me. You can't save them."
The late noon wind was drifting, creating whistles and bringing the smell of crisp air.
"But you can still save Konoha by annihilating them. I mean all of them, most importantly, your Father. And you must do it as soon as possible."
"But the Sandaime—"
"It will be a matter of time before he seeks the same solution I seek. But we don't have time, Itachi. That's the point Hiruzen's been missing. I see it clear as day."
"You who have killed Shisui don't get to tell me what to do," Itachi retorted.
"I'm not telling you what to do. If you don't do it, others will. And then, every Uchiha will be wiped out, including your little brother. I'm offering you a chance to save him. I am not all that heartless."
Itachi turned his back to Danzou, his thoughts now lingering on Sasuke.
"If you agree to kill the Uchiha, I'll let you and your little brother live. Think about it. You don't have to wait for my cue. Do it as soon as you can. I'll come clean to Hiruzen. It's my order. Just do it; I'll know what to do after that."
Itachi decided he had heard enough. He teleported his way out of the roof of Danzou's mansion.
"Oi."
The man with bushy hair and a face concealed with an orange spiral mask looked toward Itachi. He then looked around the woods, but there were only him and the young man who addressed him there.
"You're talking to me?" He asked, pointing to himself.
"Yes. You."
"You aren't afraid of me? I'll be damned because you're the first one. All this time, everyone who crossed paths with me ran away."
"I saw you back then—the nine-tails. Your hair looks a lot like the Valley of the End statue, but that did not convince me of who you are. Until I saw you look at the stone tablet, only an Uchiha would know its whereabouts. You could control the nine-tail, so you must have the Mangekyou," Itachi said lengthily.
"Ah, remarkable. And you've said nothing about me all this time. I take it that you've deciphered the stone tablet?"
"I know you're plotting against the village. I'm offering you revenge on the Uchiha for rejecting you back then so you'd leave the village in peace. I need you to help me kill the Uchiha."
"Oh, that. Wait, what? You want me to help you wipe out the entire Uchiha clan?"
The man with the spiral orange mask laughed wholeheartedly. Itachi did not respond. The man knocked himself out for a whole minute before slowly calming down.
"The Uchiha should have known they had it coming. They trusted Hashirama more than me. It would be such a fitting end to that pathetic clan."
'Konoha without the Uchiha clan is a weaker Konoha. I'd want that for sure.'
"Okay, I'll help you with one condition."
Itachi waited and listened to the mysterious Uchiha's term.
"I have a friend in the Rain village seeking new members of an organization. For his sake, I need you to join that organization after we're done."
Her limp body in his arms, Itachi light-footedly climbed the immaculate staircase to her room. With a jerk, her room door opened with a squeak. The wooden floor throbbed with every step he took. The emptiness was speaking to him in low tones. He stopped and looked at the bedroom, illuminated by the faint red light of dusk that filtered through the large window in the center of her room.
On her study desk stood a framed picture of her genin team, and she was in the middle, sporting the brightest smile.
He moved to the side of the bed and gently lowered her onto the mattress lined with a mint green sheet.
He moved her head, fixed her damp hair, straightened her back, and put her in the position he thought she would be most comfortable. As if he was doing her a good deed for the last time.
But it was a lie. He knew it was of no use to her, for he was the scum who had taken her life. His clothes were soaked with her blood. His hands were stained with her death.
His heart had come to understand a pain that surpassed his worst nightmares.
"Daughter, is that you? You're late. I put the food on the table. You should eat it. It's getting cold."
The cheerful voice of her mother distracted him from his thoughts. Itachi tilted his head a little to the right, to where the voice came from.
It was time.
He steeled himself and took his Katana from its sheath.
He had tried. But that night, even men of enormous power had been unable to stop the inevitable.
Like a phantom, he disappeared from her room into the house's lower floor. Shortly after, his blade thwacked into flesh and a woman's heart-rending, horrified scream pierced the dusky air as her soul was torn by his hands before the choking sound, and the deep silence fell.
There was no turning back now. When he slit his lover's throat at the river, he had already crossed the point of no return.
"What is your name? Wait….you are Fugaku-san's son."
Itachi raised his Katana. The moonlight on the metal flashed, temporarily impairing the elderly man's vision. He saw that fresh blood covered it and noticed that some of the blood had trickled onto the rug in his bedroom.
"What are you doing...?"
The younger man was unspeaking. When the knowledge dawned on the old man, he found himself staring open-mouthed.
"So you're going to fight for them now?"
Itachi lunged forward in an instant, and the sword went through the man's chest to stab his heart. The man's eyes widened in disbelief. Death was making its way through him, and he could not fight it off. His world began to collapse as he peered into the brilliant red eyes of the young man standing in front of him.
With great difficulty, he groaned, "...demon…."
During this twilight, the crimson glow of the sky had a powerful intensity. Itachi was aware of his shallow breaths as well as his rapid heartbeats.
Distant screams could be heard coming from the direction of the police station.
The streets were littered with lifeless bodies, their faces were frozen with agony, and he was the last person they saw.
His hands were responsible for drawing out this blood. His hands were tainted with the gravest of crimes.
The moon lit the blood that pooled into rivulets dripping down the drain. The Uchiha insignia, imprinted across walls around the compound, were splattered with this sanguine stain. He stood still. It was so silent now. There was only the sound of blowing wind, crickets chirping, and blood trickling.
From a distance, the crows cawed. His breaths grew shallower. Heartbeat louder. He had penetrated every house and shop. He opened every door and turned off every light. He had ensured the deaths of everyone.
There was only one household left—his own.
He stood in front of the door of his house, where he was raised and cared for, which nurtured him into the man he was. How did it go so wrong? How did he become this? How had it come to the point that he had to protect the village with mass murder? At what point would he murder enough to save everyone? Murder was the only art he knew. The only skill he was so flawless in. What the village deemed he was helpful for.
After a moment's hesitation, he slid the door open. This was not the usual dusk when he would return to his mother to tell her that another one of his ANBU missions was accomplished.
His mission was now to assassinate her.
He saw his parents kneel on the floor with their backs to him. They were waiting for him. He knew they were already resigned to the fate that would befall them.
He drew closer, and they sat still. He clutched the Tsuka of his Katana, trembling.
"It's okay. Just do it, Itachi," Fugaku voiced. There was a calmness in his voice that shook him.
He thought he had himself steeled. Instead, at hearing Fugaku's voice, he disintegrated in an instant. Itachi started to cry and choke with agony.
"I have tirelessly worked for the clan, put the clan at the utmost importance, and failed to instill the same philosophy in you. You are the one who has completely undone the work that I have put in up until this point."
He could almost hear the disappointment in Fugaku's voice. The void in his heart was getting larger. And he was drawing closer.
"I am sorry that I have let you down that you feel this needs to be done. For this offence, we will die for you."
"Don't say any more, Father. Mother, I'm sorry."
Outside, the moon continued to pierce down on the Uchiha District. Itachi looked sorrowfully at the Uchiha insignia imprinted behind his father's Hakama.
"Promise us one thing, Itachi. Please take care of Sasuke," Mikoto said.
He raised his hand, the blade of his Katana gleaming under the moonlight.
Fugaku took Mikoto's waist, drawing her to him, his other arm curled around her neck. She held him close, burying her face in his shoulder.
"I will."
Both hands holding his Tsuka, his Katana lunged and pierced the Uchiha insignia at Fugaku's back. He was wincing, his chin trembling, tears streaming down his cheeks like a river. The blade came out of Fugaku's chest to penetrate Mikoto's chest. Thick red liquid trickled down and pooled. They started to wither away.
Mikoto's lifeless body was lying on the wooden floor, and Fugaku's body crumpled down on hers.
He was late.
It was already dark when he woke up from his nap with an empty stomach. Uchiha Sasuke had been training hard. He had been practicing his kunai throw for hours and did not even realize he had dozed off on the forest floor.
He stood up and dusted off his shirt and shorts with his hands before running to go home. He was apprehensive that his mother would lecture him for falling asleep during training and coming home late, but he would shower and know the dinner his mother prepared would be ready.
He saw that the sky was quite red tonight, which he attributed to the full moon.
Even though his home was the first one adjacent to the entry, he was completely oblivious to the crimson stains on the wall.
As he opened the door by sliding it, he noticed that the lights were not switched on, which struck him as odd.
However, the light from the full moon provided more than enough illumination throughout his home.
"Mother? I'm home!" he exclaimed with a smile.
She did not give a response.
The odor of something metallic abruptly assaulted his nose, and as a result, he paused.
On the floor lay the body of his mother and father, blood pooling around them.
"Mother…Father…?"
He saw that his older brother was standing behind their corpses. Unaware, his took a step back.
"Nii-san? Why are Father and Mother on the floor? Why is their blood…."
"Mangekyou Sharingan."
A scream came from Sasuke. His hands were on his head, and he was shaking it as he sat there with his knees on the floor. His eyes were tightly closed as he struggled to keep his voice from cracking. However, he was unable to stop the pictures from playing over and over in his head—images of Itachi slashing their parents to death with his katana.
"Nii-san! Stop! What are you trying to tell me by showing me these? Stop!"
No matter how hard he yelled at Itachi to stop playing it, it continued to play over and over again. He was no longer able to tell the time. He had lost the sensation of hunger brought on by an empty stomach, and he did not even notice when he passed out.
But when he opened his eyes, Itachi was nowhere to be seen within the house.
As soon as he realized what he was looking at, he shot to his feet and bolted out of the house. He was unable to take in the sight of his parents' dead bodies.
He continued running farther into the neighborhood in the hopes of finding assistance. However, all he could see were dead bodies strewn across the street, with horror etched all over their features. He let out a yell.
Everyone! Everyone is dead!
When he looked up and spotted Itachi standing in the street ten meters in front of him, he froze in his track.
"You! It was your doing! You killed everyone! I will kill you!"
"My foolish little brother. If you want to kill me, despise me. And live your loathsome life. Run away, run away. And cling on to your dear life. And then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."
When Itachi finished speaking, Sasuke had the sensation that something had pierced his soul. He collapsed to the ground after experiencing weakness in his knees, and blackness surrounded him as he lay there.
"I've never seen anything like this."
The ANBU Black Ops investigated a body that was lying in the middle of the road. They lifted it with extreme caution and then placed it inside a body bag. When another member of the ANBU performed a Jutsu to clean the ground, the blood that had stained the streets was carried away with the water and drained away.
"Who would do something like this?"
"It's Uchiha Itachi. He despises his own clan," Danzou said.
The masked ANBU with spiky white hair was perplexed.
"Itachi?"
"Get to work, all of you. Make sure all corpses are cleaned up, wash off any trace of blood before sunrise," the Sandaime ordered vehemently. "And Danzou, I need to talk to you."
When they were not in the presence of the ANBU, Danzou made his confession.
"It's true. Itachi received the order from me. It was only necessary for me to do what I could to safeguard Konoha."
"I want to thank you for being honest," the Sandaime replied. "On the other hand, you should not have made such a choice without first discussing it with me and the Elders. From today on, I will exercise the authority bestowed upon me to remove you from your position on the Council. In addition to that, I'm disbanding the Root permanently as the result of this."
"But—"
"You can move out of your office after the sun has risen. I will not give you the same instruction twice."
"Sandaime-sama. This is my last time meeting you, as I'm leaving Konoha."
Itachi knelt as the Sandaime turned to look at him. They were on a balcony on the roof of Hokage building .The wind whistled through the walls and waist-high railings around it.
The Sandaime's expression was grim as he looked at the young man that held so much promise and future, now weighed down by his deed: a massacre of his own kinsmen.
"Itachi. You have proven yourself to be a true Shinobi by effectively serving Konoha. You always have the option to sneak in here if you want to keep an eye on Sasuke due to your status as a Black Op."
"I understand. But whatever happens to me, I need you to let everyone know the Uchiha are innocent. It's just me who did it on a rampage. Let my name be smeared, not theirs."
"Are you sure about this?"
Itachi stared at him emptily.
"I promised Shisui I would protect the Uchiha name. This is the only way. And when I'm gone, I need you to take care of and protect Sasuke."
Itachi stood on the ledge of the canyon where Shisui's spirit resided. Below him was a vast, winding gorge that was home to a river that rushed through with great force.
"I did it, Shisui. I've traded my humanity for the village's safety. I've also tried my best to protect the Uchiha name."
He heard the larks cry. He stared dully at the blue skies.
"I have to leave this place. From now on, I'll protect Konoha from the shadows."
He was tempted to jump off. But he remembered Sasuke, and he could not abandon him, yet.
"And I will follow you. I just have to get somewhere first and do something. Then, I hope to meet you again."
Itachi shut his eyes and let himself be caressed by the gentle breeze of this canyon for the last time, as he did not know when he would return.
However, he opened his eyes because he sensed a presence. He turned his head to look beside him and saw the girl who had white eyes and long hair the color of midnight blue.
She was looking at him with a terrified expression on her face.
He heard something that sounded like a harsh whisper to him.
"You…" he said.
The fiery rays of the setting sun lit up the sky amidst the rocky mountain ranges that surrounded a dome-like fort in the middle of a wide-open space, hidden inside a circling mountain range when Team Kakashi arrived in the middle of late noon. They walked relaxedly to the main gate as long shadows were cast on the ground, moving with them toward the gates of Iwagakure.
Iwa's security personnel, clad in gray jackets and pants over the red uniform, were able to observe them from a distance and appeared to communicate with one another. At the time, one of them seemed to be giving directions, while the other simply nodded and waited by the gate as the four-man cell from Konoha slowly neared them.
When their eyes finally met, the front guard greeted the Jounin. Kakashi's eye smiled. The mention of Konoha and an Iwa-nin named Kamiya brought smiles and warmth. The massive wooden entrance doors at the mountain's base opened.
"It's useful to have Kakashi-sensei on your side, that's for sure. I bet you we wouldn't have gotten through the gates quite as quickly if it was anybody else," Kiba commented, watching as the door hoisted down.
"That's because the guards would be suspicious of a stranger with your face," Shino shot off rather unexpectedly.
Kiba smirked, "Yeah, and a guy who wears shades at twilight like yourself would not draw any suspicion, eh?"
The Gates themselves weighed a staggering several hundred thousand tons, an amount of weight that could not even be fathomed. A metal plate served as the foundation for their construction, and they featured stonework on the exterior while the interior was finished with dark wood. The gates were hoisted up and down using a gravity-based mechanism that included counterweights.
They took a moment to observe how the gate closed as though it were an intriguing exhibition. The guard then guided them through a sandy tunnel that allowed them to pass through the mountain barrier before arriving at a concrete jungle.
"This is amazing architecture," Kiba said, looking around, admiring the façade of a wild forest of bricks surrounding the site. Rock and stone towers stood at the cliffs like giant bullets sprouting.
"I guess the tallest and the largest building in the middle is the Tsuchikage's office," Shino added, referring to a building with the "Earth" sign on the roof that remained statuesque between the other towers and obelisks.
Afterward, they walked on a lane of arranged gray bricks past a few houses, trading posts, and shops almost leisurely, as they were a bit tired from their long, hastened journey.
"How often do you come here, Sensei?" Kiba asked. Though he had never gone to Iwa, he had heard stories about the village's history of conflict with Konoha, and they were not pleasant.
Kakashi watched the ground as they walked. The terrain they were walking on was the driest he had ever seen. Specks of dust kicked up at each step they took.
"A few times, I am familiar with where to find the greatest meals, and once we have checked into the inn, we will head in that direction."
Most buildings in the city were the color of russet, topped by striking-colored roofs as noticeable as blue and pink. The mountains consisted of small narrow waterfalls in the background; many of Iwa's citizens were walking on the bridges that connected the towers, carrying things or tools on their backs.
They proceeded to stroll along at a casual pace. Kakashi looked across at Hinata, who, as usual, appeared to be preoccupied with her thoughts as though she were a great distance away.
He understood. She had to feel anxious, considering all the dangers she was currently in the midst of and the fact that she was being pursued by an S-rank criminal.
"Hinata."
She was stunned at hearing his voice, broken from her reverie, before turning her head to look at him.
"It is not a good idea for you to go off by yourself. What took place in Taki is not something I want to happen here."
"Yeah, Hinata. You have to be extra careful after this. Make sure you're always with one of us while you're here. But right now, I want to eat and lay my body in bed. That had got to be the fastest I moved in a mission. Now, I'd kill for a freaking Tonkatsu."
"Having practically ridden the entire distance, I agree that Akamaru must be exhausted."
"Hey, I moved on my own for another half."
"Second day as a guard, and already I have met a legend. Never in my pathetic little life would I have dreamed of meeting Sharingan Kakashi. One day I will have great things to tell my descendants," the Iwa guard bragged to his senior.
The doors that led to the mountains were closed with a loud and threatening sound produced by mechanical squeaking.
"Haha. In this job line, you'll meet many great people, kiddo. You'll even meet the notorious ones, and let's hope you'd still be alive when they're done with you," the senior guard said as he dozed off in his chair with his eyes closed inside their station after standing watch in the hot sun for many hours.
"You know what they say, bro. Every job has its risks," the new guard replied before hearing distant footsteps.
"Bro, someone is approaching us."
"Too lazy to look. What does he look like?"
The inexperienced security officer stood there for a few seconds, contemplating the approaching stranger.
"Wearing all black. Skinny. And uh…he kind of has a pretty face," the rookie guard explained, a bit curious about how calm the figure seemed as he walked—it almost seemed like he had all the time in the world, so he squandered it.
"It's past the entrance hours. He's not allowed inside," the senior reminded, still not looking at the man.
"I'll tell him that. He's approaching."
The man in black finally, still looking stoic, stopped near him, "I'd like to get inside."
The rookie guard was unsuspecting, "I'm sorry, sir. It's now the curfew hours. You may come back tomorrow; we'll reopen the gates at six in the morning."
The words did not elicit any reactions from the man, as though it did not matter to him one bit.
"That's...unfortunate. Maybe you'll allow me in once I show you my pass," he said, eyes narrowing a bit before widening again; the placidity in his voice was strangely stirring the rookie guard before him.
"What pass?" The rookie guard answered uncertainly. Even the senior began to straighten his posture in the chair and looked.
And they saw the black eyes of the stranger turn glowing red.
Tbc.
Music: Taku Iwasaki – No Way Out | Graeme Revell – Lament of the Lost Son | Graeme Revell – City of Angels