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
Sunlight slashed between the trees, blinding him. Then the shapes resolved—figures tied to trunks, bodies twisted and stained dark. He stood still, a scream trapped in his throat.
The eyes of a five-year-old Uchiha Itachi widened. 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.
They were so still, like something had broken inside them.
"You shouldn't be here, you know."
He almost froze when he heard the voice. He saw another boy, looking at the corpses. The boy wasn't much older than himself, standing about ten meters away.
"Neither should you," he retorted.
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, etched 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."
Water splashed against Itachi's knees as he waded after Shisui, the older boy's laughter echoing between the boulders. Sunshine warmed his skin, but the roar of the waterfall was so loud he barely heard his own thoughts.
Shisui whooped, holding a wriggling fish aloft. Water dripped from its silvery scales, sparkling in the sunlight. He tossed it into the rucksack, where it flopped against the others. A mossy scent rose from the bag as he turned to Itachi, a grin splitting his face.
"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 didn't know how to reply to that.
Shisui was now looking up at the sky, where larks circled lazily under a veil of clouds. A warm breeze stirred Itachi's hair as he followed Shisui's gaze, wondering what had caught the older boy's attention.
Shisui 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 towards Itachi, a small smile on his lips. He turned back to the turbulent water below, a rainbow shimmering at the edge of his vision.
"Ao and his crew retreated," he explained. Itachi took his place beside the slightly taller Shisui, relief washing over him as always when Shisui returned safely from a mission.
"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, 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. Silence lingered 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, nor 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's voice cracked, barely a whisper. "They talk about overthrowing the Hokage, of breaking free with our own council... what if it comes to that?"
Shisui's hands clenched. "They'd have us kill women, children... even those like Sasuke? I don't want to do it," Shisui's voice was low, 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. It was ordinary table, save for the ornate carving that decorated its edge.
Shisui had been making thorough observations on the Uchiha over the past few months, unearthing hidden rivalries and the most recent conflicts.
"We must deal with this threat," Danzou stated. "Hesitation leads to weakness. Weakness leads to destruction." His face remained impassive, his voice a steady drone.
Shisui saw this as his moment to offer his proposal.
"I would like to suggest a different course of action. If you would grant me permission, I believe there's a way to stop the coup without bloodshed."
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."
Hiruzen's eye widened, slight nods in approval. 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.
He vanished with a flicker of movement, his steps light and eager.
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. The breeze shifted, carrying whispers of discontent to Shisui's ears. He overheard snatches of hushed conversation, of elders stoking the fires of resentment towards the village leadership. His fingers curled into a fist, then uncurled just as quickly. Using force was no solution, but the frustration burned within him.
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—Sharingan activating on reflex. The air crackled with a sudden unseen tension. It wasn't just danger he sensed, but pure, cold hostility. Someone, or something, was out there, waiting for him.
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. That eye's got a reputation, and not a friendly 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. Below him, the river churned, frothing and crashing.
Taint…my hands further.
He snapped out of his trance when he heard crows cawing 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.
They really want to kill me, the thought appeared in his mind. He could feel the poison bugs make their way, colonizing his body. He knew his death was imminent, a gradual but certain approach. His chest heaved; his breathing labored—struggling to remain awake.
"And to guarantee that you won't use Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku, I will have to take your left eye as well."
No! The thought reverberated in Shisui's mind, a silent command. Overhead, crows he'd fed just days ago shifted and stirred, their black eyes now fixed on him. Shisui steeled himself. He tightened his ribs, trying to create pressure in his core.
There was still one trump card left in his deck.
Emerald flash...terrible pain raging throughout the Root's bodies ... they saw Shisui, enclosed in a shapely green aura. A mighty warrior, towering and terrifying, crackling with raw energy, loomed before them. It held a long, drill-like sword in its hand.
"What the hell...what the hell IS that?" one of the Root yelled.
Shisui appeared in pain, but 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 whispered weakly, and the Root screamed in terror as the sword drilled into his heart. A crimson mist exploded in the air, gleaming for an instant before vanishing.
"Youji!" One of the Roots shouted.
Youji's lifeless corpse bathed in blood, was dangling helplessly from the emerald green sword as it was hoisted, then discarded carelessly to the ground like a plaything. The Root's mask remained intact.
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, the aura faded as seconds passed. The emerald green warrior completely vanished shortly after, the Black Op operative collapsed on his stomach.
"Do it now! Refrain from destroying his head!"
Each Root member took out an exploding tag—aiming to ruin Shisui's lower body with it and remove his remaining eye.
A blur of motion, a rain of fireballs...but they never found their target. Explosions ripped through the air as Itachi's Housenka intercepted the Root's attack.
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, fingers trembling. A single tear rolled down his cheek, mixing with the thin trail of blood already there. With a sharp intake of breath, he closed his eye, then plunged his thumb into the socket. A sickening squelch filled the air. Itachi watched, his own eyes burning, as if they themselves were being violated.
"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 groaned. "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.
An intense pain lingered in the hollow of his chest, traveling to the back of his throat. The agony crept upward, like a serpent winding its way through a crack—directly into his eyes. He felt 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, the water coursing downstream over rocks.
But Shisui was no more.
He cried out, a raw, wordless scream that echoed off the canyon walls like the roar of the waterfall, never to fade.
"You did it, didn't you?"
Itachi whipped his head around. Three of his father's men loomed on the porch, their faces menacing. Yashiro, his once-silver hair now shot through with grey, stood flanked by Tekka and the lank-haired Inabi.
"Sasuke, inside." Itachi suggested, giving his brother a gentle shove. Sasuke, eyes wide, slipped the door open and scrambled through.
"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, his head was destroyed. We also found 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, we all know that his handwriting could easily be copied using the Sharingan. The suicide note proved nothing."
"Are you implying that I killed Shisui?"
"You're both Black Ops. Always around him, spending hours with him," Yashiro accused. "How can you suddenly not know what happened, or even that he was dead? He'd never abandon his clan like that!"
The thought that they believed he could have killed Shisui, the brother he had mourned, pierced him with unimaginable pain.
"It's not wise to judge others by your preconceptions and their appearances. I would never kill Shisui. If you believe otherwise, you truly don't know me."
"Big talk for a traitor," Tekka snarled. "Betraying your clan—we know exactly who you are. Fugaku-sama will have you arrested. Where is he?"
Itachi's composure cracked. "Get out. Now—or I'll make you."
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
Itachi moved in a blur, a whirlwind of taijutsu. His father's men were flung to the ground, too stunned to react, the crimson blaze of his Sharingan the last thing they saw. With the red eyes burning, they saw a flicker of something monstrous.
"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. Sasuke stared from the doorway, eyes wide, as if seeing a stranger.
A jolt of reality slammed into Itachi.
"It's okay, Sasuke. Let's go inside."
"You killed Shisui."
Itachi's voice cut through the air. Danzo barely turned, simply allowing the corner of his lip to twist into a smirk. "And if I did?"
The crimson swirl of Itachi's Sharingan blazed against the pale sky. Danzo met the gaze; in Itachi's place, he wouldn't trust himself either.
"The Uchiha suspect me. Their trust is broken. The coup will happen, all because of you."
Danzo's chuckle was dry. "No surprise there," he rasped. "The Uchiha have a talent for sniffing out deceit. This is exactly what I warned against."
Itachi's stance was rigid, the tension singing through him. Perhaps the boy meant to make him pay. To Danzo, it would only be natural.
"Shisui's Kotoamatsukami might have swayed Fugaku, yes," Danzo said, "but they'd still sense the manipulation. His plan was a mere delay, the coup inevitable. You cannot save them, boy."
The noon wind whistled, sharp and cold.
"You can save Konoha, though. Annihilate them—every last one, your father included. And soon."
"But the Sandaime—"
"Hiruzen will come around, given time. Time we don't have," Danzo cut in, voice sharp. "That is the crucial difference between us, Itachi. I see this clearly."
"You, who murdered Shisui, don't dictate my path," Itachi spat.
"I offer you a choice. Refuse, and others will act. Your precious brother will die with the rest. I'm offering you a way to save him. I have that much compassion."
Itachi turned away, Sasuke's face burning in his mind.
"If you agree to end your clan, I will permit you and your brother to live. Think on it. Act quickly—I'll handle the fallout with Hiruzen. My order. That is all you need."
Enough. Itachi vanished in a flicker, leaving Danzo's words hanging in the empty air.
"Oi."
The masked man turned, scanning the empty woods. The young ANBU gestured. "You. I'm talking to you."
"Scared, aren't you?" The masked man tilted his head, a single eye gleaming. "First one in years. Everyone else runs screaming."
"I saw you—the night of the Nine-Tails. The hair, so like the Valley of the End…but not enough. It was your eyes on the Uchiha tablet, a secret only our clan would know. And then… to command the Nine-Tails… you must have the Mangekyou." Itachi's voice held a dangerous steadiness, a hint of dread beneath the surface.
"Sharp," the masked man rasped. "And you've kept quiet? I assume you understand the tablet then?"
"I know you seek revenge against Konoha. Help me wipe out the Uchiha, and your vengeance is done. Leave, and the village knows peace." Itachi's words were a gamble, a desperate hope against the chilling knowledge of who stood before him.
"Wipe out…the whole clan?" A flicker of surprise, then a dry chuckle. Itachi waited, the weight of history settling on his shoulders.
"They always did trust Hashirama more, the fools. A fitting end, for the clan of traitors." The masked figure's voice held a sardonic edge. "Perhaps fitting for the one who carries the name Madara to end them. I'll do it. But I have a condition."
Itachi waited, the name Madara hanging heavy in the air.
"A friend in the Rain, gathering an organization. For his sake, I need you to join after this…cleanup...is done."
Her limp body in his arms, Itachi climbed the immaculate staircase to her room, footsteps light. He pushed open her door, low squeaking sound against the silence. The room throbbed with each step, the emptiness echoing his own. Dusk bled through the window, casting the room in a sickly crimson.
Her genin photo smiled from the desk, a cruel mockery of joy. He laid her gently on the bed, the mint-green sheets a jarring contrast to his blood-soaked clothes. He arranged her, a grotesque parody of care, knowing it was useless. Murderer's hands, stained with her death.
A pain sharper than any nightmare clawed at his insides. This was not a shinobi's duty—this was abomination.
"Daughter? Late for dinner…don't let it get cold…" Her mother's oblivious voice cut through his despair.
Time to finish it. He steeled his heart, katana whispering from its sheath. He'd fought fate, but that night, even the strongest were slaves to its decree.
He vanished from the room, a ghost of his former self. His blade flashed, then came the sickening thud, the scream cleaved short, replaced by choking silence.
There was no turning back. With his lover's blood on his hands, he had crossed a line no man should ever tread.
Moonlight glinted off Itachi's raised katana, the flash blinding the elderly man for an instant. Fresh blood dripped from the blade, staining the pristine rug a chilling crimson.
"What is your name? Wait... you're Fugaku's boy."
No answer. Only when the old man registered the blood, the impossible truth ripped through him. He gaped, speechless.
"So, you fight for them now?"
Itachi lunged. The blade pierced flesh, finding its mark in the heart. The old man's eyes widened, disbelief warring with pain. Death snaked through his veins, unstoppable. His world shattered, replaced by the burning scarlet stare of the young man.
With a final, ragged breath, he choked out, "...demon..."
Twilight painted the sky blood-red, an echo of carnage. Itachi's breath rasped, his pulse drumming against the encroaching silence. Distant screams haunted the air, fading echoes from the police station.
The streets were a massacre he'd painted—corpses contorted in agony, their last sight his face. Blood flowed in rivulets, staining drains, spattering the Uchiha crest. His hands dripped red, tainted by unforgivable sin.
Crows called in the distance. His heartbeat roared in his ears. He'd snuffed out every light, life, and sound. Only one house remained—the home where he'd been nurtured, loved. How did it come to this? Murder as salvation, his sole, terrible talent.
He hesitated before the door, then slid it open. This was not a homecoming, not a report on missions done. He came as his mother's executioner.
His parents knelt, backs turned. They waited, resigned. He approached, each step heavy, and his hand trembled on the hilt of his katana.
"Do it, Itachi," Fugaku said, a desolate calm chilling Itachi to the bone. It was worse than he'd imagined.
"I failed you," the older man rasped. Itachi choked out, the words barely audible against a surge of grief. "Pushed too hard, I saw only the clan...and lost the son before me." Fugaku's voice wavered with a sorrow that tore at Itachi's heart.
"Forgive us, for forcing you to this," Fugaku continued. The emptiness within Itachi grew, each word a hammer blow against his crumbling will.
"Mother…Father…" he could barely speak.
Moonlight poured in, cold and unforgiving. Itachi's eyes fell to the clan emblem on his father's Kimono, sorrow knotting his chest.
"Promise us… to take care of Sasuke…" Mikoto's voice broke.
Fugaku drew Mikoto close, his arm tightening around her. She clung to him, hiding her face. Itachi raised the katana, the blade glinting cruelly.
"I will."
Hands clenched on the katana's hilt, Itachi drove the blade through the Uchiha crest on Fugaku's back. His father flinched, chin trembling, and then a broken sob tore from Itachi's throat. The blade pierced Mikoto's chest a heartbeat later.
Thick crimson welled, flowing, staining the floorboards. Mikoto collapsed, eyes vacant. Fugaku's body crumpled over hers, a grotesque echo of their final embrace.
He was late. Waking from a doze in the darkening forest, Sasuke brushed dirt from his clothes, belly growling.
A scolding for his nap, then his mother's cooking... that was the plan. He ran to the clan's compound, to home.
Tonight, the sky burned red, but he chalked it up to the moon. He didn't even notice the blood-streaked wall by his door.
Sliding the door open, he blinked at the dimness. Usually, his mother would have the lights on. But the moonlight was bright enough to see...
"Mother? I'm home!"
Silence. Then a whiff of something metallic, sharp and wrong. His smile faltered.
His parents lay motionless on the floor, blood spreading in dark pools beneath them.
"Mother…Father…?" He took a step back, a flicker of unease twisting in his gut.
Then Itachi stood behind them, and Sasuke froze. "Nii-san? Why... why is their blood..."
"Mangekyou Sharingan."
A scream ripped from Sasuke. He clapped his hands over his eyes, shaking as horrifying images seared into his mind: Itachi, katana gleaming, slashing their parents down.
"Stop! Nii-san, stop!" He begged, the pleas echoing uselessly. The nightmare replayed, merciless. Time blurred, the hunger forgotten... until he collapsed, blackness swallowing him.
When he awoke, Itachi was gone. He scrambled to his feet, a desperate need to escape driving him. He burst out of the house, the sight of his parents too much to bear.
He ran out, seeking help, but streets were strewn with corpses, faces etched in final terror. Another scream tore from him.
Everyone was dead.
He looked up...Itachi stood in the street, ten meters away.
"You! You did this! I'll kill you!"
"My foolish little brother. If you want to kill me, despise me. Run away, cling to your pitiful life. And one day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."
As Itachi spoke, a sensation like a spike through his soul pierced Sasuke. He buckled, darkness consuming him once more.
"I've never seen anything like this." The ANBU's voice echoed in the chilling silence. With practiced efficiency, they shrouded a fallen Uchiha in a body bag. A flick of the wrist, and a surge of chakra cleansed the bloodstained street, water swirling crimson before disappearing into the drain.
"Who would do such a thing?" The question hung in the air, laced with horror.
"Uchiha Itachi. He turned on his own," Danzou replied, his voice devoid of emotion.
The masked ANBU with spiky white hair stiffened. Itachi? The prodigy, the pride of the clan…a traitor?
"Get to work. Every corpse accounted for, every trace erased by dawn." The Sandaime's usually gentle tone held a steely edge. "Danzou, a word."
Away from prying eyes, Danzou's mask of control slipped. "It's true. The Uchiha were a threat. Itachi followed my orders. I acted for Konoha."
The Sandaime's eyes hardened. "Your honesty is noted, Danzou. Your reckless disregard for the chain of command is not. As of today, your seat on the Council is forfeit. Root is disbanded. Permanently."
"But—"
"Leave your office by sunrise. I will not repeat myself."
"Sandaime-sama, this is farewell. I depart Konoha tonight." Itachi knelt, his voice steady, yet a flicker of pain shadowed his eyes. The Sandaime turned, the wind whipping at his robes, rustling the leaves of the trees far below.
His face etched with sorrow, the Sandaime regarded the young man before him, a prodigy turned exile. "Itachi, your loyalty has served Konoha well. Though your path is shadowed, know this—as a Black Op, you may return unseen, should you wish to watch over Sasuke."
"I understand." Itachi bowed his head. "But whatever happens to me, please let the Uchiha name remain untainted. The blame falls on me alone."
"Are you certain?" The Sandaime's voice strained against the rising wind.
Itachi's gaze, normally so unreadable, held a stark glint of desperation. "I promised to Shisui I would protect our clan's honor. This... this is the only path. But Sandaime-sama, you must promise—Sasuke must be protected, kept safe."
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…" His voice rasped, a broken echo of the whisper.
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."
"Never thought I'd see a legend on my second day," the rookie guard mumbled. "Sharingan Kakashi... mark my words, grandkids are gonna love this story."
The mountain gates groaned shut, a metallic screech echoing against the cliffs.
"Ha! Legends, schmegends. You might meet some real mean ones soon enough," the senior guard snorted, slumping back in his chair. "Then you'll wish boring was all you had."
"You get used to it, right?" the rookie replied. A rumble of footsteps broke the stillness. "Hey, someone's comin'."
"Don't care. Tell 'em to bugger off," the senior muttered.
The rookie squinted as the figure grew closer. "All in black... kinda lanky... and a pretty face." There was an odd fascination in his voice.
"Curfew, pal," the rookie called out before the stranger was even close enough. "Gates don't open again 'til sunrise."
The man in black stopped, still expressionless. "That's unfortunate. Perhaps a glance at my pass will change your mind."
The rookie blinked. "Pass?" The senior guard finally sat up, cranky.
Then, the stranger's eyes flared. Red pinwheeled against the twilight, and a jolt of unease shot through the rookie.
Something about those eyes…
Tbc.
Music: Taku Iwasaki – No Way Out | Graeme Revell – Lament of the Lost Son | Graeme Revell – City of Angels