Even the Yamanaka Clan's intelligence network couldn't pinpoint Uchiha Itachi's exact whereabouts, only narrowing it down to a general area. Shisui left marks known only to the two brothers in several hidden spots nearby, then waited.
Late at night, Uchiha Itachi arrived at the lake wearing a black cloak with red clouds. His eyes were filled with doubt. Who had left the marks from earlier in the day?
"Itachi, long time no see. You've grown taller," Shisui emerged from behind a tree.
Uchiha Itachi looked at him warily, a fleeting expression of surprise on his face: "Is it a Genjutsu?"
As the top Genjutsu master of his generation, his words were filled with uncertainty, a rare emotion for him.
"You're much thinner than before." To dispel his doubts, Shisui sincerely recounted their past memories.
Every single one was so real and believable.
"You... you're really... Big Brother Shisui?!" When they were younger, Shisui taught Itachi to practice Shuriken, then carried him home, just as Itachi would later carry Sasuke.
These memories were too deeply ingrained for Itachi. His rationality told him to be cautious, but his subconscious completely believed the fact that Shisui was standing before him.
"As you can see, I am indeed a soul, Itachi. I came to find you because there's something I need to tell you."
Shisui got straight to the point, with little of the usual pleasantries for brothers reuniting, directly stating his purpose.
After listening to his explanation, Itachi summarized it.
"Big Brother Shisui, you're going to use Kotoamatsukami to control Chiyo, and then revive the Fourth Hokage?!"
Itachi had served as the Third Hokage's ANBU Ninja for a long time, and later acted as a double agent between the Village and the Clan. He was quite familiar with the Village's methods, but he was truly shocked by this massive plan.
He pressed, "What if the Impure World Reincarnation fails?"
Ino had also researched this question, and Shisui answered very frankly: "If it fails, the Village can still gain an elder from the Hidden Sand Village who is extremely friendly to Konoha. It's enough for me to do something for the Village one last time."
Itachi understood.
You're completely disregarding your alliance with the Hidden Sand Village and preparing to directly kidnap their elder? Is the current Fifth Hokage really this aggressive? This is completely different from the Third Hokage's style of doing things.
Sasuke hasn't defected from the Village yet and seems to be doing well in Konoha. As an older brother, Itachi hoped Sasuke would become the strongest in the Uchiha Clan, and then, when Konoha faced danger, step forward to fulfill his dying wish and protect the Village in his stead.
Now, this script is completely wrong. Konoha doesn't need protecting; it even wants to actively provoke war! You're invading someone else's home, so is there still a need to arrange someone to 'protect' it? Shouldn't the Hidden Sand Village be protecting their homeland?
Itachi was still young when the Fourth Hokage died, and they never met, but the Fourth Hokage's virtue was always praised throughout the Ninja World. He had a good impression of him.
Keeping Kotoamatsukami was indeed useless to him, and since Shisui himself came to ask for it, for both emotional and logical reasons, he had no reason to refuse.
"No problem, it was your eye to begin with. I was just keeping it for you temporarily." Itachi summoned his summoned crow, took out the Kotoamatsukami left eye that had been stored in the crow's eye socket back then, and handed it to Shisui.
This item itself was an external manifestation of Yin Release Chakra refined to its extreme, different from ordinary flesh and blood.
The Mangekyo Sharingan was connected to his bloodline, and a soul could serve as a vessel for the eye. At this moment, it returned to its left eye socket without much effort.
Shisui's thought moved, and his Dojutsu Power spread. He closed his spinning Mangekyo Sharingan, turning it into a normal eyeball. Itachi, who had been watching him intently, finally let down his last bit of guard.
This was truly his Big Brother Shisui; even the action of closing his Sharingan was identical. It couldn't be an impostor.
"...Big Brother Shisui, I miss you so much."
"Itachi, I miss you too."
Jiraiya of Mount Myōboku tossed and turned.
Shisui retrieved his Mangekyo Sharingan from Itachi.
Kakashi was at home preparing his stealth suit, a sack, and ropes.
Shikaku had been working overtime for several days, solely to formulate the battle plan.
Once a major war broke out, Konoha had to 'protect' the Lord of the Land of Fire immediately, then incite the Hidden Mist Village and Kumogakure in the east to fight, hold off Iwagakure in the northwest, and concentrate forces in the due west to first crush the Hidden Sand Village! Forcing them back to the negotiating table for an alliance.
He had prepared several plans for this, with one core idea: no matter what the situation, attacking the Hidden Sand Village first would definitely be correct! Make them cede territory and pay reparations, then send troops to help Konoha fight.
These important figures in Konoha Village were all incredibly busy.
Ino, the instigator, was still loafing around at the Ninja Academy as if nothing was happening.
Her current status was somewhere between "teacher" and "assistant teacher." With Tsunade backing her, the Ninja Academy dared not neglect her, but also dared not assign her teaching duties.
Ino came to the Ninja Academy to clock in for work, simply for the "good pay, light work, close to home" aspect, and to add a few more D-rank and C-rank missions to her Ninja resume.
After casually lecturing for half a theoretical class, she asked the mischievous children in the classroom.
"What Ninjutsu do you want to learn?"
Konohamaru eagerly raised his hand: "Rasengan!"
Moegi, Ise Udon, and several other children enthusiastically spoke up.
"I want to learn Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Great Fireball Technique!"
There were all sorts of requests in the small classroom.
Tonton, who had visibly gained weight from the good food and drink at the Yamanaka Clan recently, looked up at these children, seemingly not understanding why they were so excited.
Ino made a calming gesture: "Alright, alright, I've heard you all. Let's be democratic and vote. Whatever the vote result is, I'll teach you that. Hmm, there are nine of you, plus me, making ten people in total. Each of you gets one vote."
Konohamaru was overjoyed. He looked at his best friends, Ise Udon and Moegi. That would give him three votes. He then looked to the other side, where there was a new friend named Mugino, who supposedly came from far away to rely on his grandfather. 'My grandfather is already dead, and you're just arriving?' he thought. However, their relationship was quite good, and he could pull him over as an ally now.
There were only nine students in the classroom. He just needed to get one more vote to be in an unbeatable position.
Konohamaru was still calculating votes when Ino spoke again: "I'm the teacher, and I count for ninety-one votes. Today, we're going to practice Shuriken!"
Konohamaru: "..."
Are you kidding me? Fine, whatever you say is right!
Ino was very happy. Whether it was beating up old men, kidnapping old women, or playing tricks on children, she never tired of these things, filled with a sense of accomplishment.
The Chakra pathways of these students at the Ninja Academy were still relatively fragile, unable to refine too much Chakra. It wasn't suitable to teach them anything else right now. They should honestly practice Shuriken!
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