The conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the Village has reached a freezing point. Rumors of an armed coup are constantly being confirmed in reports from the Anbu and Root, casting a heavy, oppressive atmosphere over the Konoha Leadership like an impending storm.
Inside the Hokage Office, the atmosphere was solemn. According to their intelligence, the Uchiha Clan had already begun organizing their forces, ready to launch a coup at any moment.
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, his brow furrowed, the sparks in his pipe flickering.
Sitting on either side were the three high-level Advisors: Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Utatane Koharu.
"The Uchiha Clan meetings are becoming more frequent, and there is concrete evidence of stockpiling weapons and conducting targeted tactical drills. I'm afraid..."
Homura Mitokado said in a deep voice, his tone full of worry.
"Fugaku's attitude is already quite clear. He is condoning, and perhaps even guiding, this force."
Utatane Koharu added, her face filled with concern about the situation spiraling out of control.
Danzo remained as gloomy as ever, his single eye lowered as he leaned on his cane, making his expression unreadable. However, a cold, hard aura radiated from him as he spoke.
"We cannot sit and wait for death. I propose the immediate extermination of the Uchiha Clan."
The Sandaime fell into deep thought.
Just then, there was a knock on the office door. After receiving permission, a figure walked in.
It was none other than Uchiha Shisui.
He wore the Uchiha Clan clothing, his expression calm, yet his eyes held an unquestionable determination.
"Sandaime-sama, Advisors."
Shisui bowed respectfully.
"Shisui, you've come."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice carried a hint of fatigue and a sliver of hope.
"I'm sure you're aware of the situation. The Uchiha have reached the edge of the precipice."
"Yes, Sandaime-sama."
Shisui looked up, his gaze clear.
"That is exactly why I am here. Please give me one more chance to persuade Clan Chief Fugaku, to change the Clan Chief's will. Things haven't reached an irreversible point yet."
"Persuade?"
Danzo's cold voice rang out. He looked up, his single eye sharp as a hawk's, staring directly at Shisui.
"Uchiha Fugaku is no longer listening to any advice. The coup is already like an arrow on the string. Your naivety will only plunge the Village into a greater crisis."
Shisui met Danzo's gaze without flinching.
Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a moment, slowly exhaling a puff of smoke.
"How do you intend to change his will?"
Shisui's tone was firm.
"For the sake of the Village and the Uchiha, I will never allow a civil war to happen. If... if words do not work."
He paused, his voice dropping lower.
"Then I will use my genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami. It can rewrite Clan Chief Fugaku's will without being detected."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the office sat up straight.
Danzo and the Sandaime were shocked. Did the Uchiha Clan actually possess such a visual jutsu?
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long sigh.
"I'm counting on you, Shisui. As long as we can buy some time and stop this disaster, Konoha will surely treat the Uchiha Clan well in the future."
"Yes, thank you, Sandaime-sama!"
Shisui bowed deeply, the light of hope reigniting in his eyes.
Danzo, on the other hand, remained silent, his thoughts unknown.
When Shisui left the Hokage Office and was about to take action in the evening, Danzo suddenly summoned him secretly.
Danzo Shimura appeared at the designated location.
Danzo looked at him and spoke first.
"Possessing such a precious power, yet you only want to use it to stop a mere coup."
In Danzo's eyes, Shisui's eyes had a much greater use; they were fully capable of helping Konoha dominate the Ninja World.
"Lord Danzo, what do you mean by this? I am using Kotoamatsukami to prevent war, for the sake of the Village!"
"For the sake of the Village?"
Danzo continued.
"If you use Kotoamatsukami to stop the Uchiha coup, but the Village's attitude toward the Uchiha doesn't change, what will you do?"
"Sandaime Hokage-sama promised that things would definitely change."
Danzo sneered, perhaps at Shisui's naivety.
"Even if the Sandaime truly makes changes and persuades all the high-level officials to accept them, a suspicious person like me still won't change my mind when the time comes."
At this point, Danzo's expression suddenly turned dark.
"When that time comes, will you use Kotoamatsukami on me too!!?"
Danzo's killing intent flared up.
He suddenly lunged forward, his fingers reaching straight for Shisui's eyes to gouge them out.
But Shisui instantly caught Danzo's hand. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan activated instantly, and with a single glare, Danzo lost all means of resistance.
Shisui did not go for the kill, only leaving behind a sentence.
"This is just an ordinary genjutsu. Lord Danzo will wake up soon."
Shisui turned to leave.
But at that moment, Danzo's palm moved slightly; he had a Sharingan hidden in his hand.
"Izanagi."
Danzo's figure blurred and he suddenly appeared in front of Shisui, striking him in the abdomen with a punch that sent saliva flying.
Danzo followed up with a punch to Shisui's face, then grabbed Shisui by the hair and lifted him up.
*Splurt.*
Blood splattered.
Danzo gouged out Shisui's eye.
Shisui stumbled back two steps, only just managing to regain control of his body. He could only cover his eye with one hand as cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
Figures flashed around Danzo as members of Root appeared in front of him; this was an ambush he had prepared.
Danzo placed the eye into the socket beneath his bandages and spoke.
"I'll take one eye."
"Hand over your remaining eye as well."
Shisui remained silent, his expression grim.
The intense pain and the shock of losing an eye shook Shisui to his core.
In his remaining eye, the four-pointed windmill pattern of the Mangekyo suddenly emerged, and an incredibly vast ocular power began to condense frantically!
"Kotoamatsukami..."
Danzo's eyes narrowed, showing deep wariness. He instinctively took half a step back and ordered his subordinates.
"Watch out for his genjutsu!"
However, the ocular power Shisui condensed was not directed at Danzo or any enemy.
Seeing that Shisui had made no move for a long time, Danzo had the Root members swarm forward while he hid behind them.
He was afraid that Shisui would use Kotoamatsukami on him.
The Root members rushed forward together.
At that moment, a massive green phantom suddenly appeared around Shisui, blowing all the Root members away. Then, the phantom became increasingly solid until it formed a colossal figure.
"This is... Susanoo... I didn't expect you to still be able to use it in this state."
Danzo's pupils shrank. He knew Shisui had to be eliminated; he was a massive threat.
The attacks from Root were completely useless. A single strike from the Susanoo instantly neutralized all the Root members.
After completing this, he suddenly turned and sprinted desperately toward the Naka River, his figure quickly disappearing into the dense forest.
Danzo looked in the direction Shisui had fled, his single eye terrifyingly dark.
From a tree in the distance, Hinata witnessed everything before turning and leaving as well.