Itachi Uchiha frowned as he listened to the Hokage.
His figure began to blur, dissolving into the shadows, though his voice remained, echoing in the office: "Enough Uchiha blood has been spilled. Lord Third, you all have your own clans. I was able to slaughter the Uchiha in a single night; I am just as capable of slaughtering yours."
"I do not wish to see Sasuke in any danger while he lives in this village."
With those final words, Itachi's presence vanished completely.
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a heavy, weary sigh as he stared at the spot where the young man had stood.
"Uchiha Genjutsu... it truly is elusive."
"I should be glad that Itachi chose to stand with the Leaf back then. It seems my stance must become firmer. I will thoroughly restrict and strip Danzo of his authority. Consider it an explanation to Itachi."
Hiruzen made his silent resolve.
Back at the inn, Itachi's closed eyes snapped open.
Jūzō Biwa immediately asked, "Itachi-san, how did it go?"
"I used Genjutsu to deliver a warning," Itachi said slowly. "However, it appears the masterminds behind the attack are a different group."
Jūzō grew suspicious. "Who? Who exactly is targeting your uncle?"
Itachi stood up. "Danzō Shimura and the two Consultants."
"Back then, they were the ones who most aggressively advocated for the extermination of the Uchiha. For the sake of the village and the clan's name, I chose to bear the burden of everything. Why must they continue to target them?"
"They pose no threat to the village anymore!"
The fire of suppressed anger flickered in Itachi's calm eyes.
"What's the plan, Itachi-san? Shall we raise some hell in the Leaf?" Jūzō licked his lips, ready to follow Itachi into battle.
Itachi replied, "The Root is the source of Danzo's power. We'll pay them a visit."
Jūzō let out a cold laugh. "Finally, some real work. Heh, Itachi-san, my blade is itching for a drink."
"We'll strike in the early hours of the morning, then leave the village immediately. For now, rest and gather your strength."
The dead of night arrived. In the pre-dawn hours, most of the village was deep in slumber.
Two figures materialized before the hidden entrance of the Root's headquarters.
"Kill them, Jūzō," Itachi said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Cause enough chaos, then we leave quickly."
Jūzō unsheathed the massive executioner's blade from his back. "Understood, Itachi-san."
"Who goes there?!"
Being Danzo's base, guards detected them the moment they approached. A small squad of Root ninjas flickered in, blocking their path.
Itachi looked at the three men with indifference. He stepped forward, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan spinning, instantly casting a Genjutsu.
"What's happening?" "I can't move!" "What is this?!"
The three guards watched in horror as Itachi walked toward them. Much like Orochimaru during his encounter with Itachi, they were completely paralyzed by a Body-Binding Genjutsu.
Jūzō acted with practiced efficiency. Seeing the enemies frozen, he swung his heavy blade in a clean arc, decapitating all three in a single stroke.
"Kill our way in, then kill our way out," Itachi said coldly.
"Itachi-san, just keep up the Genjutsu support. I'll handle the chopping," Jūzō said excitedly. With Itachi as a partner, he only had to worry about swinging his blade; Itachi handled everything else.
"I am angry this time. I will end some of them personally."
The two became blurs of motion, charging into the depths of the underground base. After a flurry of screams and a trail of bodies, Itachi stood puzzled before a restrained Root ninja.
"What's wrong?" Jūzō asked.
"We've reached the inner sanctum, but only a small portion of the Root was present. Where are the rest? And where is Danzo?"
Itachi frowned and tried to use Genjutsu to extract information, but the man's body began to convulse. He was like a mute, unable to speak.
"It seems we won't get anything out of him. Danzo has effective methods for controlling his subordinates."
Itachi coldly ended the ninja's life with a kunai.
"Itachi-san, they're all dead. Now what?"
"Let's go. If we stay any longer and alert the other ninjas, even with the leverage I have over Hiruzen, he'll be forced to mobilize against us to save face. We can't handle being surrounded by the entire village."
Itachi left behind a single crow programmed with a specific message, then vanished into the darkness with Jūzō.
Danzō Shimura was still on his way back from his meeting with Orochimaru. He had no idea his nest had been raided. When he finally returned to the base and saw the blood-soaked corridors, his face turned a terrifying shade of ashen-purple.
"Who did this?!"
In Konoha, he was practically untouchable; even the Hokage gave him leeway. Yet, after being away for only three days, someone had gutted his headquarters. It was a direct slap in the face.
"Lord Danzo, the detachment we left behind... all killed," a Root ninja reported after investigating.
Just then, a crow materialized in front of Danzo. An image of Itachi Uchiha flickered into existence before the bird.
"Danzo, this is your only warning. If there is a next time, I will slaughter your entire clan."
The image flickered and died. Danzo's face was black with rage. "Itachi Uchiha! It was you!"
"DAMN IT! How did he know?!"
Danzo was beyond furious. He had moved against Raizen, and almost immediately, Itachi had come for revenge. He refused to believe it was a coincidence; someone had tipped Itachi off.
Only he and the two Consultants knew of the plan to strike at Raizen. Koharu and Homura would never tip off a rogue ninja.
That left only one possibility. In Konoha, the only person who could track his movements against the Uchiha so easily was Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hiruzen... what a move!" "Using Itachi to suppress me!"
Danzo grit his teeth so hard they nearly cracked. He wanted nothing more than to walk into the Hokage's office and end him.
At the same time, Hiruzen had summoned the two Consultants.
Koharu Utatane stood before him, narrowing her eyes. "Hiruzen, why have you called us here so late?"
"Itachi has returned," Hiruzen said, his tone neither warm nor cold as he stared at her.
"What?!"
Koharu and Homura were visibly shaken.
"Itachi knows everything," Hiruzen continued, his voice heavy. "He knows about the three of you conspiring to deal with Raizen and Sasuke."
Homura snapped out of his shock, glaring at Hiruzen. "Hiruzen! Did you leak intelligence to a rogue ninja?!"
"Whether Itachi is a 'rogue' or not, you know the truth in your heart. And no, I was not the one who told him about your attack."
"You know Itachi's power. Sasuke is his bottom line, and you have crossed it."
Hiruzen's gaze locked onto them, cold and unyielding. "Will you abandon Danzo? Or will you follow him down this dark path to the end? Think carefully. You aren't alone in this world. Think of your families and your clans behind you!"