Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, Mitsusuke said nothing more.
He could be a bit presumptuous with Hiruzen Sarutobi at times, but he had to judge the situation.
If he forced Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand over the Uchiha matter, it would be a failure to distinguish between insider and outsider; Mitsusuke wasn't that foolish.
Pulling Itachi out of the office, Mitsusuke asked, "Tell me your thoughts. If you want to kill Danzo, I'll tell you his weaknesses so you can easily kill that dog."
"If you intend for Sasuke to avenge his parents, I can guarantee you that in eight years at most, Sasuke will have the strength to kill the enemy with his own hands."
"Whatever choice you make, I'll support you. Although I don't quite like some of your methods, truth be told, you're just a man with a hard life!"
Itachi looked at Mitsusuke with a very calm expression, showing no hint of the grief of having just lost his parents.
A few seconds later, Itachi pulled a scroll from his robes. "My father gave this to me before he died. Now I'm giving it to you. I hope you'll teach Sasuke well. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning."
Sigh!!!
"You Uchiha are truly madmen," Mitsusuke lamented. "Even at a time like this, you're still thinking about the mission. I don't know if having a brother like you is a blessing or a curse for Sasuke?"
"Forget it. Since you've made up your mind, I won't say anything more. Remember what I said before—it's valid forever. Just don't go dying out there."
"Before you leave, take care of your parents' Sharingan. There are plenty of people eyeing them! And the eyes of the deceased as well—dispose of them properly."
"Since they're dead, don't let anyone desecrate their bodies."
Stepping back into the office, Mitsusuke said to Hiruzen Sarutobi, "Old Man, from today onwards, Shisui will be the new Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan."
"You'd better keep an eye on Danzo. If he still has designs on the Uchiha, I'll kill him myself. This time, I won't even show you any face."
"The Uchiha already knelt to sue for peace, and yet he still wouldn't let them go. He's the real traitor to the Village."
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe without saying a word. It was too late for words now.
He knew Danzo had contact with the Uchiha, but Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't expected the Uchiha Clan Great Elder to be so ruthless this time, forcing Fugaku to his death and even killing Sasuke's mother.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who thought he could control everything, suddenly felt that he truly had grown old.
Rising to stand by Fugaku's body, Hiruzen Sarutobi bowed formally three times. "Fugaku, I have failed you. Rest assured, the Uchiha will always be the Village's Uchiha and will never be marginalized again."
"Heh!" Mitsusuke let out a sneer. "Now that the child is dead, you come to offer milk? Where were you earlier? If I were you, I'd send someone to kill Danzo. That's the real Will of Fire—treating everyone equally without any factionalism. Whoever makes a mistake should be punished, rather than the leader taking the lead in favoritism."
After mocking Hiruzen Sarutobi with a few words, Mitsusuke left the Hokage Building. He needed to discuss with Shisui how to break the news to Sasuke.
A seven-year-old child losing both parents in a single night was simply too cruel. Mitsusuke didn't even know how to begin.
When he returned home, Shisui immediately came out to meet him. "Suke, what exactly happened? Why do I feel like Itachi's mood is a bit off?"
"Clan Head Fugaku and his wife are dead."
Boom!!!
The news was like a bomb, exploding instantly in Shisui's mind.
He had guessed that today's operation might not go smoothly, but he never expected Clan Head Fugaku to die.
At this moment, Shisui's tears could no longer be contained. Clan Head Fugaku was the only person in the Uchiha Clan who didn't blame him and treated him very well.
Now that Clan Head Fugaku was dead, Shisui felt an indescribable pain in his heart.
That night, neither Mitsusuke nor Shisui slept. Shisui was considering the future of the Uchiha, while Mitsusuke was thinking about how to tell Sasuke about this.
In the morning, after Sasuke and Naruto woke up, Mitsusuke took Sasuke away.
This matter couldn't be hidden, and there was no point in doing so. It was better to let Sasuke know sooner.
The moment he saw his parents' bodies, Sasuke fainted from crying.
From that moment on, Sasuke changed from a child pampered by his parents into an orphan who had lost them.
Outside the hospital ward, Mitsusuke and Shisui stood guard. "Shisui, Clan Head Fugaku gave me a scroll before he died with some Ninjutsu on it. In the future, I'll have to trouble you with Sasuke's Genjutsu training. You know me—I don't know the first thing about Genjutsu."
"I can do that, but it will have to wait until Sasuke awakens his eyes. Otherwise, he won't be able to practice those Genjutsu."
Mitsusuke flicked some cigarette ash. "True, but I think Sasuke will awaken them when he wakes up. After such a massive shock, it's about time he awakens them."
"But the price for this awakening is just too high."
"Father! Mother!" Just then, Sasuke's roar came from inside the ward.
Mitsusuke and Shisui rushed into the room. Upon entering, they saw Sasuke holding his head in his hands, roaring in agony.
Quickly running to the bedside, Mitsusuke held Sasuke's shoulders. "Sasuke, look at me. Lift your head and look at me."
Sasuke's head was throbbing with pain. Hearing his teacher's voice, he struggled to lift his head.
The moment Sasuke looked up, Mitsusuke and Shisui were surprised to find that Sasuke's eyes had turned into the Single Tomoe.
Ignoring the matter of the Single Tomoe, Mitsusuke said, "Your parents are dead. You must accept this fact. If I were you, I would get out of bed and train, then go and avenge your parents. Crying here has no meaning. Do you understand?"
Shisui tugged at the corner of Mitsusuke's clothes, signaling him to stop. These words were too cruel for a child; his parents had just died, and without giving him even a moment to grieve, he was being told to go for revenge.
Ignoring Shisui's small gesture, Mitsusuke continued, "A man can cry, but after crying, he must strive to stand up. If one lives forever in the shadow of their parents' passing, then that person is finished."
"I'll give you half an hour to be sad, then come out and train with me. The Village will arrange your parents' funeral."
Mitsusuke pulled Shisui out of the ward and glanced up at the time.
"Suke, isn't this too cruel? He's still just a child!"
Without answering Shisui's question, Mitsusuke kept his eyes fixed on the clock on the wall.
After about ten minutes, Sasuke walked out of the ward with a look of determination.
No one knew what kind of psychological struggle Sasuke had gone through, but since he had walked out of the ward, it meant he had passed his internal hurdle.
Gently patting Sasuke's head, Mitsusuke walked toward the hospital exit.
It wasn't that Mitsusuke was heartless, but that Sasuke had to emerge from his grief quickly.
The longer the period of grief, the more detrimental it would be to his growth.