"Itachi-kun?"
Kakashi furrowed his brows slightly and called out, seemingly noticing the young man beside him had spaced out.
"Huh? Yes."
Uchiha Itachi first froze, then emerged from his somewhat heavy thoughts, looking up at him.
Noticing his appearance, Kakashi uncharacteristically showed concern: "If your injuries aren't healed yet, perhaps you should go to Konoha Hospital to get them checked."
"The inspection here should be fine. It's almost confirmed to be a Root Ninja. I'll just keep an eye on things myself."
Although many people said he lacked emotional intelligence, Kakashi thought he was quite clever.
He knew that at times like this, he should show concern for his junior.
"Kakashi-senpai, I..."
Uchiha Itachi said, looking as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.
Kakashi Hatake, as usual, took out his orange book and leaned against the doorframe beside him:
"I'm not very good at comforting people; perhaps Sōusuke is better at that kind of thing."
"But if you have anything you want to tell your senior, I will listen quietly."
"..."
The moment he heard the name Sōusuke, Uchiha Itachi's body stiffened imperceptibly, and his smile was a bit forced:
"No."
"It's not necessary."
"..."
Kakashi turned to look at him, nodded slightly, and then continued to lower his head, starting to read with his lifeless eyes.
Uchiha Itachi turned around and walked in the direction of his home.
Ever since earlier, he had been thinking about what Aizen had told him in the forest.
Rather than a long conversation, it was more like a 'prophecy' about the future.
As long as he cooperated with Aizen's performance, the path for the Uchiha Clan to fully integrate into Konoha would be easily realized.
Although Aizen had displayed strength far beyond conventional understanding in front of him, Uchiha Itachi still harbored a sliver of doubt about such empty words.
The concealment in front of the Third Hokage today was just the first act.
The second act would take place at home.
Uchiha Itachi recalled Aizen's demeanor when he spoke at that moment; every gaze, every detail, every subtle change in tone was deeply etched into his mind like a brand:
"—After hearing your request to decline participation in the clan meeting, Uchiha Fugaku unexpectedly agreed with your opinion."
"And in the following days, he will consecutively hold multiple emergency clan meetings."
Uchiha Itachi recalled Aizen's words, stepping into his home.
Sasuke's familiar footsteps echoed in the hallway, and the aroma of stewed tomatoes and meat filled the entire room. Uchiha Itachi, as always, soothed the energetic Sasuke and slowly walked towards his father's study.
Based on past experience, what Aizen said was simply impossible to happen.
From the moment he displayed his extraordinary Ninja talent, Uchiha Itachi had been groomed to be the next clan leader, never missing a single clan meeting.
Or rather, his father wouldn't allow him to miss it.
However, as if thinking of something, Uchiha Itachi pursed his lips slightly and decided to give it a try.
"Father."
"Enter."
Uchiha Fugaku sat quietly at his desk as usual, as if waiting for his arrival.
A letter was still on the table.
Uchiha Itachi seemed to have made up his mind and spoke directly:
"Father."
"I'm afraid I won't be able to participate in the upcoming clan meeting."
"..."
Uchiha Fugaku looked up at him but said nothing.
In the silent atmosphere, Uchiha Itachi seemed a bit nervous and added in a low voice:
"There are some Anbu missions that need to be handled."
Normally, what awaited him would either be a severe reprimand or earnest guidance.
However, this time, his father's silence was unusually long.
He just looked at his eldest son.
After a long while, he finally spoke calmly:
"Then do as you wish."
"?!"
Uchiha Itachi froze, looking up at him in astonishment.
Uchiha Fugaku met his gaze without flinching, but offered no explanation.
After a moment, Itachi seemed to have just processed it and nodded:
"Yes."
The exchange between father and son was very brief, as if they had only decided on a minor matter.
However, shortly after dinner, his father put on his Ninja uniform again and left the house alone.
"Itachi?"
Uchiha Mikoto looked at him with some worry, her tone very cautious: "Did something happen again?"
Uchiha Itachi sat in place, his hand on his thigh subtly trembling.
"No, Mother."
"Nothing happened."
Just as Aizen had 'prophesied' to him, in the following days, the Uchiha Clan Compound, which had originally been filled with various radical emotions and constant noise, displayed an unusual calm.
Like the sea before a storm.
Only in the secret room beneath the Naka Shrine were clan meetings held one after another.
But during this period of calm, Uchiha Itachi's mood became increasingly agitated and urgent, like a critically ill patient awaiting their death, fearful and helpless.
Because after this, it would be the third act.
"—Soon, news of the death of another Uchiha squad on an external mission will reach the clan compound. A large number of radical clan members and Konoha Military Police Force members will gather under the organization of Uchiha Setsuna."
"To prevent unrest, Root Ninja led by Danzo Shimura will completely surround the entire Uchiha Clan Compound as a precaution."
"You will also receive an urgent mission to immediately return to the Anbu ranks."
Aizen's whispers that night, in these few short days, constantly haunted Uchiha Itachi's mind like a curse, filling him with fear and disbelief.
How could anyone achieve such a feat?
To manipulate all of Konoha like puppets in the palm of his hand, was this truly possible?
But whether he believed it or not, time continued to move forward.
The news of the clan member's death arrived as scheduled, and the clan compound, which had only been calm for a few days, once again erupted.
Under Uchiha Itachi's trembling gaze, his Anbu colleague appeared at his room window as usual, speaking urgently:
"Uchiha Itachi."
"Urgent mission, report for duty immediately."
"Wait!"
"Please wait!"
Almost the instant he heard those words, Uchiha Itachi straightened up as if in shock.
"Hm?"
The Anbu Ninja immediately glanced at him, his gaze under the mask clearly showing some vigilance.
Uchiha Itachi stared at him intently, ignoring the other party's wary look, his tone urgent:
"This time, who gave the order?"
"The Hokage's direct order is here."
The Anbu opposite looked at him somewhat bewildered, but still showed the token as per regulations.
However, upon seeing that token, Uchiha Itachi's face inexplicably turned pale.
What exactly was going on?
Rather than believing Aizen truly possessed the power to manipulate all of Konoha, Uchiha Itachi began to suspect whether the other party had mastered some special Kekkei Genkai that could see into the future.
But no matter which possibility it was, it made Uchiha Itachi feel a strong sense of powerlessness.
After he changed into his Anbu uniform and left with his teammates in front.
A commotion had already broken out in front of the Uchiha Clan Compound gate.
In front of the gate blocked by Root, loud shouts and quarrels intertwined. The two torrents of blue and black, formed by Uchiha Clan members and Root Ninja, confronted each other, like a powder keg with a lit fuse.
It could explode at any moment.
Uchiha Itachi, now wearing his mask, held onto a last shred of hope, gazing at the scene in the distance.
His murmur even involuntarily carried a hint of pleading:
"No."
"Please, not at this time..."
Unfortunately, every word Aizen had uttered was like a re-telling of an inevitable fact, easily trampling all his prayers to dust.
"—In this unyielding standoff between the two sides, a Root member will be the first to draw his sword, slashing the shoulder of a Uchiha Clan member who is pushing forward."
"Hmph!"
The short, white-haired figure stood in front of the crowd, mercilessly drawing his blade and cutting down the foremost Uchiha Clan member who was trying to charge the clan compound gate, shouting sternly:
"Everyone, step back!"
With just that one draw of the sword, the fuse connected to the powder keg finally burned out.
In front of the line drawn by that streak of blood, many Uchiha Clan members, already furious, simultaneously opened their eyes, and crimson tomoe swirled within their orbits.
In the distance.
Uchiha Itachi stared blankly at this scene, his entire body stiffening in place as if drained of strength, his pupils unfocused.
"—And so, the coup began."