11-15

Chapter 11: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi was confident in his brainwashing—oh no, I mean his personal charm—believing that Shisui would never betray him, you can never be too careful.

What if Shisui's behavior over the years was all a facade? One misstep, and this so-called "strongest Hokage" could find himself under the control of Kotoamatsukami, becoming nothing more than a puppet of the Uchiha clan.

This was something he absolutely could not tolerate.

However, as Hokage, he had to always appear as if he were basking in the sunlight. Even if he couldn’t tolerate something, he could never take direct action against his subordinates.

Dark deeds like that were left to Danzo.

With this in mind, he summoned an Anbu. "Go, inform Danzo to meet me at this time tomorrow. Tell him I want to discuss matters concerning the Uchiha clan. Also, bring Itachi to me."

Hiruzen was not ignorant of Danzo’s covetousness toward the Uchiha's Sharingan. If Danzo found out about Shisui's Mangekyo abilities, there would be no need for Hiruzen to hint—Danzo would surely make his move.

But that wasn’t a guarantee; it might not be enough to eliminate Shisui.

Hiruzen planned to use Itachi as the final safeguard.

If Shisui was smart, even if he escaped Danzo’s grasp, he would likely commit suicide to atone to Konoha, temporarily dampening the Uchiha clan’s momentum and strength.

This would halt the coup.

Two birds, one stone.

At the Uchiha Izumi residence...

Aizen slowly opened his eyes, retracting his senses. As he had expected, Shisui had foolishly gone to the Third Hokage to reveal his Mangekyo ability, which had placed him in mortal danger.

Tomorrow was the Uchiha clan’s festival.

Aizen vaguely recalled that the Uchiha, dissatisfied with Konoha, planned to discuss the coup during this event.

Unbeknownst to them, two traitors within their ranks had already betrayed them.

Ultimately, the whole affair would end with Shisui’s suicide.

Thinking of this, Aizen couldn’t help but sigh. "What a truly pitiful clan."

Inside, there were the filial Itachi, the naive Shisui, and the angsty Obito. Even the clan leader was indecisive and weak. It's no wonder the Uchiha were destined for destruction.

At that moment, Izumi’s voice interrupted Aizen’s thoughts, "Aizen, dinner’s ready!"

"Oh, coming," Aizen said, rising and heading toward the table.

The next day, Aizen activated his technique, entering Sage Mode, keeping a constant watch on the chakra of Shisui and Danzo.

By evening, after sending Izumi home, Aizen sensed that the two men’s chakra had finally converged.

Quickly donning a disguise, he tracked them to a secluded corner of Konoha—an abandoned Senju clan site.

The events unfolded just like the original story: Hiruzen, after learning about Shisui’s Mangekyo ability, summoned Danzo.

Right in front of Shisui, he explained Kotoamatsukami’s ability and Shisui’s plan to use it to control Uchiha Fugaku, promising improved treatment for the Uchiha afterward.

The outcome was predictable: Danzo set his sights on Shisui’s Sharingan.

Before the Uchiha festival, Danzo had called Shisui to this location.

He had laid a trap, preparing to seize Shisui’s eyes.

To be honest, Aizen didn’t dislike people like Shisui, the do-gooders.

At least, they were easier to get along with than hypocrites like Hiruzen or snakes like Danzo.

If Aizen wanted to, saving Shisui wouldn’t be difficult.

However, their worldviews were completely opposed.

Anyone who’s watched Naruto knows that Shisui was a die-hard supporter and believer in the Will of Fire.

Even until his death, he believed in Konoha’s leadership.

Although Aizen had Kyoka Suigetsu, his Zanpakuto, and could use its five-sense control to avoid illusions like Tsukuyomi, he could also rely on the mental and physical strength granted by his blade and cultivation technique to break through such illusions.

But Kotoamatsukami, the eye that controlled wills, was dangerous—it could turn anyone seen by the user into their puppet.

If Aizen ever found himself on the opposite side of Konoha, Shisui would surely be the first to confront him.

Better safe than sorry. Abilities as overpowered as that either needed to be eliminated or controlled by Aizen himself—that was the best solution.

He didn’t want to live in constant fear, relying on Kyoka Suigetsu to keep tabs on Shisui and live on edge.

"If Shisui doesn’t die, I won’t sleep peacefully."

With that thought, Aizen's eyes, hidden beneath his cloak, coldly fixed on Danzo and Shisui, who were conversing up ahead.

"Is there something you needed from me, Lord Danzo? The gathering is about to begin," Shisui asked, puzzled.

"If the village takes action against Fugaku and the Uchiha, but doesn’t change its treatment of them, what would you do?" Danzo, his right eye covered by bandages and his left half-closed, asked without striking yet.

The answer was predictable. Shisui’s response disappointed Danzo, further cementing his resolve to take Kotoamatsukami.

"Lord Hokage promised me there would be change," Shisui replied firmly.

"Even if you convince the Third Hokage, the village’s suspicion of the Uchiha won’t disappear," Danzo said with disdain as he mentioned Hiruzen. His eyes filled with greed as he looked at Shisui.

Out of trust in Konoha, Shisui failed to sense the approaching danger, still holding onto his naive beliefs.

"I understand. In time, I will—" Shisui started, but Danzo interrupted him.

"That’s exactly the problem. Someone as suspicious as me won’t change their mind easily. When that time comes, what will you do?" Danzo half-lowered his head, his wrinkled face hidden in shadow. His right eye, covered by bandages, was already prepared for Izanagi.

"But, Lord Danzo—" Shisui began again, only to be cut off once more.

"Would you use Kotoamatsukami against me when that time comes?" Danzo asked.

As he spoke, he raised his head, his face revealing a vicious expression. Throwing aside his cane, he reached with his left hand, clawing at Shisui’s eyes.

"These Sharingan of yours, hand them over to me."

Shisui was momentarily shocked, but being a genius of the Uchiha clan, he wasn’t naive enough to be caught off guard. He grabbed Danzo’s left hand, casting a genjutsu to freeze him in place.

"This is just a normal illusion; it’ll wear off soon." Shisui slowly lowered Danzo’s left hand, disappointment flashing through his eyes as he turned to leave.

But before he could take a few steps, Danzo, who had just been under the genjutsu, suddenly appeared before him, delivering a powerful punch to Shisui’s abdomen. With his left hand, he ripped out Shisui’s right eye, a long trail of blood following in the air, the movement quick and seamless.

Shisui, in pain, covered the now empty socket of his right eye and jumped back, quickly distancing himself from Danzo.

---

(End of chapter)

**Chapter 12: Danzo Loses His Arm, Shisui's Death**

"It's time." Just as the two were about to part, at the critical moment, Aizen, who had been hidden in the shadows for some time, made his move. With the fourth level of *Heaven* activated, he unleashed a combination of its flash technique and the *Body Flicker Technique*, moving at an almost unimaginable speed.

Even Shisui, who was in pain after having his right eye taken, couldn't see what had happened. All anyone saw was a flash of a blade passing between the two. By the time they separated, Shisui had lost his right eye, and Danzo had lost his entire left arm.

"W-What just happened?" Danzo, who thought he had victory in hand, stared blankly at his severed arm lying on the ground. His palm was open, and the Sharingan had vanished. In the next second, a searing pain deep in his soul overwhelmed him. Danzo couldn't hold back and let out a heart-wrenching scream, "Aaaah!"

Aizen coldly smirked, not pausing for a second as he walked away. Danzo's left arm was now completely ruined. Struck by the *Zanpakutō*, it severed not only his flesh but also his soul.

From now on, unless he fitted a puppet arm, even if he transplanted a new arm, it would rot and be unable to gather chakra. 

Let Danzo worry about that problem himself.

"Lord Danzo!" The Root shinobi, hidden in the shadows, were also taken aback and immediately surrounded Danzo.

None of them had seen what truly happened.

They had only seen a fleeting shadow, and then Danzo's arm was gone.

Shisui, reacting quickly, covered his now empty right eye. Seeing Danzo's left arm severed at the base, he realized that a third party had intervened. His hands swiftly formed seals.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

A massive fireball rushed toward Danzo and the Root ninjas.

These Root members, already prepared to deal with Shisui Uchiha, immediately formed seals in response. "Water Style: Water Colliding Wave!"

Water and fire clashed, sending steam billowing into the air.

Shisui used the opportunity to escape swiftly.

The Root shinobi turned to Danzo. "Lord Danzo, Uchiha Shisui has escaped."

"Damn it, who could it be?" Danzo, clutching his left shoulder in pain, his forehead veins bulging, was filled with anger and frustration.

For someone who always calculated everything perfectly, having someone else steal the prize was infuriating.

"Lord Danzo, should we pursue him?" one of the Root shinobi suggested.

"Pursue? Pursue what? Quickly pick up my arm and take me back to the base!" Danzo roared. Even though he hadn't seen who severed his arm, he knew it couldn't have been Shisui.

In that situation, Shisui lacked both the strength and the audacity.

Now, with his Sharingan used up, and his body severely injured, Danzo’s right hand—implanted with Hashirama’s cells—remained sealed, making it unsuitable for use in Konoha.

If that mysterious person attacked again, his life would be over!

Meanwhile, Aizen, having obtained Shisui's *Kotoamatsukami*, chose not to reveal himself yet.

Instead, he headed to the Naka River, the site of Shisui Uchiha's demise.

"So, this is *Kotoamatsukami*?"

Looking at Shisui’s right eye, which he had taken from Danzo, Aizen felt a wave of disgust and quickly stored it in his system inventory.

The time and space inside the system inventory were in complete stasis. He had once experimented by tossing in a rabbit and a fish, and after some time, they remained unscathed, which meant he could safely preserve the Sharingan there.

As for transplantation?

Aizen had no such intention.

He wasn't about to gouge out his own eye in such a grotesque manner.

He also didn’t want to end up like Kakashi, whose non-Uchiha bloodline had caused the Sharingan to drain his energy and eventually blind him. That would be far too tragic.

Besides, a single Sharingan was simply too unsightly.

Rather than that, he would prefer to follow Uchiha Itachi’s example and transplant it into a summoning beast. Wouldn’t that be much better?

However, just as he tossed the Sharingan into the system inventory, the long-absent system prompt sounded.

**Ding! The system inventory has detected a Sharingan from the Naruto world. Do you wish to fuse with it?**

"What happens after the fusion?" Aizen asked in surprise.

**Ding! After fusion, it will replace the host's right eye.**

"No way! I don't want to be another Kakashi!" Aizen's mouth twitched, and he looked up at the top of the cliff, his eyes filled with thought. "System, what would happen if I tossed Uchiha Shisui into the system inventory?"

**Ding! If the host is not afraid of developing dissociative identity disorder, feel free to proceed.**

"Screw that! Only an idiot would do that," Aizen cursed inwardly.

Not bothering with unnecessary details, he resolved to toss Shisui into the system inventory first and see what would happen. After all, Shisui was going to commit suicide anyway. Dead or alive, it didn’t really matter.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Shisui and Itachi had already reached the top of the cliff.

This was the place where they had often played as children.

"Shisui... your eye?" Itachi, normally not one to express his emotions, remained calm in appearance, but deep inside, he was seething with anger.

"As you can see, it's been taken." Shisui turned, revealing his empty right eye socket with a self-mocking smile.

He continued, "The Uchiha coup is inevitable. If we allow an internal conflict in Konoha, other nations will surely seize the opportunity to invade, triggering the Fourth Great Ninja War. I had intended to use *Kotoamatsukami* to stop the coup, but Danzo took my right eye."

"I was too naive. Danzo never trusted anyone. He will sacrifice anything to protect the village in his own way."

"In the end, it was all for nothing. I’ve made a wedding dress for someone else."

"There was a mysterious person who appeared right when Danzo took my eye, cutting off Danzo’s left arm. His speed was so fast, even my *Body Flicker* technique couldn't match it. I’m afraid my left eye will become his next target, and Danzo won’t stop, either."

Pausing briefly, Shisui removed his remaining left eye. "So, before it's taken from me, I plan to entrust it to you."

"Shisui..." Hearing this, Itachi, normally stoic, couldn't hold back any longer. His eyes misted over, and he spoke with difficulty.

"After all, you're the only friend I can trust with it. You must protect the village, and protect the Uchiha," Shisui said, showing a serene smile as he extended his blood-soaked eye. By now, he had resigned himself to his fate.

Itachi closed his eyes in pain, summoning a crow to take Shisui’s eye. "I’ve secured your eye. What will you do next?"

"If I die, the situation will change. The Uchiha coup will come to an end. I’ve already left behind a suicide note." Shisui slowly backed toward the edge of the cliff.

"Wait... Shisui!" Seeing this, Itachi could no longer remain calm. He wanted to stop him but heard Shisui say, "Don't stop me, not if you’re truly my friend."

With those words, Shisui fell backward, disappearing into the darkness below.

---

*End of Chapter*

**Chapter 13: Obito Takes the Blame**

Uchiha Shisui ultimately died.

It was to prevent the Uchiha coup and the outbreak of civil war, as well as to help Uchiha Itachi awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

With his arms outstretched and a smile on his face, he fell off the cliff, peacefully accepting his death.

At the moment Shisui died, two streams of bloody tears slid down Uchiha Itachi's face. His three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, transforming into the shape of a windmill.

He had successfully awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Meanwhile, Aizen, who had been waiting below, quickly stored Shisui’s body in his system inventory.

“Ding, a special bloodline organism has been detected in the system warehouse. Would you like to extract it?”

“Extract?” Aizen paused for a moment. “Are you sure it's not fusion?”

“Ding, fusion is also an option if you prefer.”

“Then extract it.”

“Ding, congratulations! You have acquired a portion of the Uchiha clan’s bloodline. It has been automatically stored in your system inventory. Would you like to devour it?”

“Devour it.”

“Ding, devouring successful. Congratulations! You have obtained the Uchiha bloodline!”

“Ding, a Sharingan has been detected in the system warehouse. Would you like to devour it?”

“Devour.” Now that he had the Uchiha bloodline, he no longer needed to worry about being unable to deactivate the Sharingan.

“Ding, devouring successful. Congratulations! You have unlocked the right eye’s Mangekyō Sharingan.”

Aizen walked to the riverbank and looked at his reflection in the water. He couldn't help but complain, “One eye… how ugly.”

Without transplanting Hashirama cells, excessive use of the Mangekyō Sharingan carried the risk of blindness.

But the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan didn’t have this drawback. All one needed to do was find another Mangekyō user, devour their Sharingan and bloodline, and they could break the curse that only blood relatives could fuse their Mangekyō, unlocking the Eternal Mangekyō.

However, Aizen didn’t plan to use this power just yet.

He didn’t want to become a one-eyed man.

Quickly, he deactivated his Sharingan. “System, open my personal panel.”

“Ding, opening the Waifu panel.”

**Host:** Fujiwara Aizen  
**Gender:** Male  
**Age:** 11 years old  

**Kekkei Genkai:** Sharingan  

**Chakra Nature:** Fire, Lightning, Earth, Yin, Yang  
**Chakra Amount:** 30 units  

**Secret Technique:** heaven Art (Fourth Level, includes body armor and teleportation)  
**Ninjutsu:** Fire Style: Great Fireball, Fire Style: Phoenix Flower, Fire Style: Dragon Fire, Shadow Clone, Transformation Jutsu, Body Flicker Jutsu, Summoning Jutsu  
**Summoned Beast:** Crow  
**Genjutsu:** Kyōka Suigetsu (once the enemy sees its Shikai, it can directly affect the soul, controlling all five senses, and it can manipulate chakra perception in the world of *Naruto*), Kotoamatsukami, Genjutsu: Sharingan  

**Taijutsu:** Basic Leaf Taijutsu, heaven Art techniques, Uchiha-style shurikenjutsu, kunai throwing  

**Chakra Nature Transformations:** Fire, Lightning, Earth  
**Inventory:** Kyōka Suigetsu Zanpakutō, Uchiha Shisui (deceased), Kunai ×15, Shuriken ×11, Various Clothes, Space Storage Scroll, Substitution Logs ×9  

“Genjutsu and the summoning beast are inherited, and the body is intact,” Aizen muttered softly, turning his gaze downstream. A figure was rapidly approaching. Aizen murmured, “Is Itachi coming? In that case, I’ll leave this Kotoamatsukami Sharingan with you for now.”

After saying that, Aizen retrieved Shisui’s body from the system inventory, carefully put it back in place, erased all traces, and disappeared from the area.

Aizen planned to recover this eye during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

By then, Obito’s Mangekyō and bloodline would be his third target.

As for the second target, that would naturally be Uchiha Fugaku.

At the same time…

In the Root organization’s base.

After returning to the base, Danzo could no longer endure the pain of his severed arm and soul, immediately summoning a medical ninja to repair his left arm.

“Hurry up! Is it done yet?” Danzo urged constantly, howling in pain.

At that moment, he didn’t yet know that his soul had been severed. All he could feel was an unbearable, stabbing pain at the wound, as though it was drilling into his core, almost making him faint.

“Lord Danzo, it’s done.” The medical ninja wiped his cold sweat, reconnecting the arm, a difficult task indeed. Only medical ninjutsu at a very high level could achieve this.

Fortunately, the one who severed the arm was a skilled blade user, making the cut smooth. Otherwise, even with his medical ninjutsu, it would’ve been difficult to reattach.

However, before they could relax, the freshly reattached left arm began to rot at a visible rate, turning lifeless like a dried-up corpse.

It was exactly like when Orochimaru’s hands were sealed by the Third Hokage during the Konoha Crush.

“What the hell is going on?” Danzo roared in fury.

The medical ninja, who had never encountered such a situation, stammered in fear, “Lord Danzo, I connected the muscles, bones, blood vessels, nerves… everything! This is the first time I’ve seen this happen.”

“Then hurry and figure it out!” Danzo snapped impatiently.

“Yes, Lord Danzo.” Relieved by the command, the medical ninja hurriedly left the room.

Clenching his teeth in pain, Danzo’s eyes were filled with uncertainty.

He didn’t doubt the truthfulness of the medical ninja’s words. In Root, every ninja had been implanted with the Curse of the Tongue Eradication, eliminating any possibility of betrayal.

That meant the problem could only lie with the one who had severed his arm.

But who was it?

Not only did they possess speed surpassing Shisui’s Body Flicker, but they also inflicted such irreversible damage.

Could it have been the person who controlled the Nine-Tails six years ago?

It was possible.

The more Danzo thought about it, the more terrified he became.

If that was the case, it was terrifying.

If Shisui’s eye fell into the hands of someone like that, it would be a disaster for Konoha on the scale of the Nine-Tails attack.

“No, I am the root of Konoha. I cannot sit back and do nothing.” With this thought, Danzo ordered the Root ninja beside him, “Where is Orochimaru now?”

“Lord Danzo, since Orochimaru defected, he has rarely contacted us. It’s said he’s now joined a mysterious organization, but his whereabouts are unknown.”

“Useless, all of you!” Danzo gritted his teeth in fury, his face darkening. “Go! Find Orochimaru at all costs, and have someone keep a close watch on the Uchiha clan. Report any movements to me immediately!”

Ever since losing the position of Hokage, Danzo had never suffered such a loss.

Not only had he lost the Mangekyō Sharingan he had in his grasp, but he also lost his left arm.

He blamed all of this on the Uchiha clan.

Orochimaru was an all-around genius. Danzo’s right arm, infused with Hashirama’s cells, had been transplanted with his help.

With him, there might be a solution.

“Yes,” the Root ninja responded respectfully and disappeared from the room.

On the other side, in the Hokage’s office.

Late into the night, Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, waiting for the outcome of the Uchiha clan’s meeting.

When it came to understanding people’s hearts, Hiruzen had a firm grip.

Whether it was the Uchiha or Danzo.

In truth, he wasn’t worried that the Uchiha would stir up any trouble.

He knew exactly what kind of person Uchiha Fugaku was.

Fugaku always acted cautiously and was even weaker than Hiruzen himself when it came to external affairs.

Even if Shisui hadn’t used Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku, without Shisui as a powerful asset, the coup would come to nothing.

What he really wanted to hear about was Shisui’s death.

**PS:** First chapter of the day. Please vote for recommendations and monthly tickets!  
(End of chapter)

**Chapter 14: Obito and Zetsu**

There was no other choice.  
Just like with Konoha's White Fang in the past.

No matter how tolerant or great this "strongest Hokage of all time" was,  
he could never allow anything beyond the Hokage’s control to exist in Konoha.

This was a matter of principle.  
He bore the weight of the entire village on his shoulders.

If Uchiha Shisui ever harbored malicious intent,  
and turned him, the Hokage, into a puppet, the damage to Konoha would be far worse than even the Nine-Tails.

As the Third Hokage was lost in thought, an Anbu agent urgently knocked on the door.

“Lord Third, something terrible has happened.”

Sarutobi Hiruzen's lips curled slightly. Even from behind the door, he could sense the urgency in the agent's voice.  
It seemed Danzo had succeeded.

“Come in.”

Hiruzen felt a hint of joy in his heart, but outwardly remained calm, signaling the Anbu to speak.

Creak. The office door opened.  
The Anbu ninja quickly entered, kneeling in the center of the room, fist pressed to the ground, head slightly lowered, waiting for the Hokage to speak.

“What happened?” Hiruzen asked, pretending not to know.

The Anbu took a deep breath and reported the intelligence gathered on the Uchiha clan’s territory. “Lord Hokage, Uchiha Shisui... is dead.”

Hearing this, a subtle flash of joy crossed the depths of Hiruzen’s eyes.

But he feigned shock, quickly rising to his feet with wide eyes, asking with deep anguish, “What?! Shisui is dead? How did this happen?”

“According to reports, Uchiha Shisui has indeed passed. An Anbu agent tasked with surveillance saw Shisui’s body.”

“They say it was suicide, and he left a note, but the cause of death is still under investigation.”

The Anbu, sensing the Third Hokage’s concern for his subordinates, organized his thoughts before continuing.

“However...”  
The Anbu suddenly added, “It appears that Shisui’s eyes were gouged out, and someone saw that he was summoned by Danzo’s Root ninjas earlier today.”

“Danzo...” Upon hearing the name, Hiruzen’s clouded, aging eyes sharpened immediately.  
It seemed his old companion had made quite the haul.

But he’d still need to knock Danzo down a peg, just to keep him in check.

Meanwhile...

In the Land of Water, at the Village Hidden in the Mist,  
Uchiha Obito was controlling the Fourth Mizukage, methodically implementing the “Bloody Mist” policy, eliminating ninja with bloodline abilities.

It was to comfort Rin’s spirit in the afterlife.

As Obito was pondering his next move, the combined form of Black Zetsu and White Zetsu emerged from the ground.

In a raspy voice, Black Zetsu spoke, “Obito, something big has happened in Konoha.”

“How many times have I told you to call me Lord Madara?” Obito’s brow furrowed beneath his mask, his voice cold.

“Yes, Lord Madara,” Black Zetsu replied respectfully on the surface, but secretly looked down on him.

Whether it was Obito or Madara Uchiha, in the end, they were both just pawns to revive his mother.

Hearing this, Obito’s tone softened slightly. “Speak, what happened?”

White Zetsu quickly answered, “The Uchiha clan’s strongest genjutsu user, Uchiha Shisui, has died.”

“Uchiha Shisui is dead?” Obito was stunned. “When?”

Since the Fourth Hokage’s death, who was the one person Obito feared most in Konoha?  
Sarutobi Hiruzen?  
Danzo?  
Uchiha Fugaku?

No, none of them. In the face of his Kamui, they were all like paper tigers.

It was Uchiha Shisui.  

The reason was simple: Shisui had awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan, and his abilities were bizarrely powerful.  

Even with his own Mangekyou, Obito had always avoided direct contact with him.

How could such a powerful individual die?

“Yesterday. The Uchiha clan is holding the funeral right now,” Black Zetsu responded in a voice so raspy it was grating, like dry leaves rustling in the wind.

White Zetsu added, “They say it was suicide.”

“You actually believe that nonsense?” Obito said, his tone irritated.

Black Zetsu continued, “Uchiha Shisui did commit suicide. The Uchiha clan is on the brink of a coup, and to prevent a civil war in Konoha, Shisui sacrificed himself to demoralize and weaken his clan.”

“Before he died, it seems he tried to use his Mangekyou Sharingan to control Uchiha Fugaku and stop the coup.  
But he failed. Danzo ambushed him and took his right eye.”

“Hmph, naive fool. A man with that level of power and skill, falling to Danzo in the end? Ridiculous.” Obito sneered, his words dripping with disdain. “So Danzo has Shisui’s eyes now?”

“No, it seems Danzo didn’t get his hands on the Sharingan.”

“According to the intel gathered from my spore clone in Root, not only did Danzo fail to take Shisui’s right eye, but in the moment he tried, a mysterious figure appeared and severed Danzo’s left arm, taking the eye.”

Black Zetsu pieced together the information he had gathered through White Zetsu’s clone.

White Zetsu added gleefully, “Danzo suspects it was you.”

“A mysterious figure? Interesting. It seems Konoha is not as simple as it appears.” Obito mused. “And what about the left eye?”

“We don’t know. But...” Black Zetsu paused for a moment before continuing, “The first person to discover Shisui’s body was Uchiha Itachi.”

“Itachi was Shisui’s close friend. After Shisui’s death, Itachi awakened his own Mangekyou Sharingan. I suspect Shisui’s left eye is now in his possession.”

“Itachi, huh?” Obito frowned. “Another troublesome individual.”

“Madara, what do you plan to do?” Black Zetsu asked.

“The Uchiha coup may have been thwarted this time, but it’s only a matter of time before it happens again. Once I finish things here, I’ll head to Konoha and find a way to recruit Itachi into the Akatsuki,” Obito said. “Any Uchiha with the Mangekyou Sharingan has the qualifications to join. They’ll be useful in capturing the Tailed Beasts.”

“And while you’re at it, figure out who took Shisui’s right eye. To steal from Danzo in Konoha—it must either be someone with space-time ninjutsu or someone on the inside.”

“I understand.” Black Zetsu replied respectfully before slowly sinking back into the ground, disappearing from sight.

The next day, the news of Uchiha Shisui’s death, the Uchiha clan’s most powerful genjutsu user and master of the Body Flicker Technique, spread like wildfire.  
With the loss of their most powerful Mangekyou wielder, the Uchiha clan was deeply shaken.  
Morale plummeted, and even the hawkish elders withdrew, no longer pushing for a coup.

Konoha once again entered a period of brief peace.  
Of course, this was merely the calm before the storm.

*PS: Second update.*

*(End of chapter)*

Chapter 15: Early Graduation

In the Hokage Tower of the Hidden Leaf Village, inside a fully enclosed meeting room.

Early in the morning, Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Itachi Uchiha and called in Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, the two Hokage advisors.

Of course, he also had someone inform Danzo.

However, Danzo had yet to appear.

Hiruzen assumed that Danzo was busy transplanting Shisui's eyes, so he decided not to wait and planned to question him about the situation later.

As for today's discussion, it naturally concerned the death of Shisui Uchiha.

"Regarding Shisui, I deeply regret it. I put too much pressure on that child, which led him to take the path of suicide for the sake of the village, to prevent a civil war in the Leaf."

Right from the start, Hiruzen praised Shisui, acting heartbroken and deeply remorseful.

This moved Itachi, who kneeled on one knee and respectfully said, "Lord Hokage, you're being too kind."

"Shisui was a central figure for the young members of the Uchiha clan. His suicide has caused a sharp decline in both morale and combat strength within the Uchiha. But this was Shisui's own choice," said Homura, squinting his eyes before continuing, "However, Danzo sent word that some in the Uchiha clan suspect you killed Shisui to take his eyes."

"Danzo..." Itachi clenched his fists, suppressing his anger. He explained, "Both Shisui and I were thinking about the future of the Uchiha clan. Those are just rumors spread by people with ulterior motives."

Itachi's voice grew heavier. "Shisui never even appeared at the agreed-upon location..."

Sensing Itachi's rising anger, which could easily spiral out of control, Hiruzen, who knew the truth about Shisui's death, quickly changed the subject: "I believe you, Itachi. Like Shisui, you are a true inheritor of the Will of Fire.

As Itachi said, those are just rumors spread by people with ulterior motives.

You can go now, Itachi. 

The village will not forget what Shisui did.

Now that he's gone, we need you to keep an eye on the Uchiha."

"I'm deeply grateful," Itachi responded respectfully before standing and leaving.

As Itachi walked away, Koharu said with some dissatisfaction, "Hiruzen, why did you defend Itachi? He's highly suspicious in Shisui's death."

Mitokado added, "Koharu's right. We can't fully trust Itachi anymore."

"The village has only just stabilized, and we still need Itachi to keep an eye on the Uchiha. We can't afford any conflict right now." Hiruzen's face twitched. He certainly couldn't tell them that it was his plan and that Danzo was responsible for Shisui's death.

"We can't let Itachi act alone," Koharu insisted.

Hiruzen thought for a moment before responding, "I understand. I'll assign someone else to monitor the Uchiha."

"Do you already have someone in mind?" Homura and Koharu were surprised.

"Yes, Fujiwara Aizen, the son of Fujiwara. He has a good relationship with Izumi Uchiha after saving her during the Nine-Tails' attack. Over the past six years, he's been able to move freely within the Uchiha clan without raising suspicion. If we have him replace Shisui and monitor the Uchiha, no one will suspect a thing."

Hiruzen clapped his hands, and someone immediately brought in Aizen's profile.

After reviewing it, Koharu remarked, "This child seems to have a clean background and a good mindset. He's a good choice, but hasn't he yet to graduate from the ninja academy?"

Hiruzen replied, "No need to worry. He has a strong foundation, and his abilities have already reached the graduation level. He's been training diligently, just keeping a low profile. With a bit of nurturing, he'll have a promising future."

Hearing this, Homura and Koharu exchanged a glance but didn't object. "Then let's have him graduate early. There's no point in him staying in the academy for another year. But who will you assign as his team leader?"

Hiruzen thought for a moment before answering, "Let's have Kurenai lead the team. She's available, and we can pick two other genin from last year's exams to form a squad with her and Aizen."

"Let them assess Aizen's abilities, and after some time, if he meets the minimum standards for the ANBU, we'll bring him into the ANBU as an undercover agent to monitor the Uchiha."

"Graduation?" Aizen looked surprised at his chunin instructor.

The instructor smiled. "Yes, Aizen, you've already mastered the Clone Technique, and you're excelling in all other areas. I'm proud to say you've graduated."

"Graduation isn't the issue, but didn't the school year just start?" Aizen asked lazily, his eyes filled with suspicion.

The chunin instructor laughed awkwardly. "Nothing gets past you, huh? Actually, this is a direct order from the Hokage."

"The Hokage?" Hearing this, Aizen suddenly perked up, acting dramatically enthusiastic.

Seeing this, the instructor laughed even harder and patted Aizen's shoulder. "Yes, the Hokage himself has been watching your progress."

"Really?" Aizen exaggerated his tone even more.

"Of course! Here's your forehead protector, along with a ninja tool pouch and kunai pouch. These last two were gifts from the Hokage himself," the instructor said, handing over the items.

"I won't disappoint the Hokage! I'll dedicate my strength to the village!" Aizen dramatically declared.

The instructor smiled. "Good luck!"

Next, the chunin announced Aizen's early graduation to the entire class.

No one objected. Excluding the prodigy Itachi Uchiha, Aizen was easily the top student in his year.

Today marked Aizen's last day of school.

That night, Izumi Uchiha celebrated Aizen's promotion to genin.

The next morning, Aizen donned his ninja gear, attached his sword, and headed to the academy as instructed to meet his team.

When Aizen arrived at the classroom, his two teammates were already there.

One of them was a blonde, twin-tailed girl named Eri Akizuki, a petite figure with a surprisingly mature physique for her age.