A few days later, inside the Police Force office.
"Captain, we still haven't found Uchiha Shisui."
Uchiha Yaku reported to Uchiha Fugaku.
"Still no sign of him?" Fugaku raised his brows slightly.
Ever since Shisui's identity as a spy had been exposed, he had never returned to the Uchiha clan. His trail within the village had also completely vanished.
Clearly, after being revealed as a mole, Shisui feared the clan's retribution and chose to disappear.
After a moment of thought, Fugaku said,
"I'll try other methods to track Shisui's whereabouts. But you must continue searching as well."
"I understand." Yaku nodded before taking his leave.
When he finished dealing with the piled-up paperwork, Fugaku left the office and made his way home.
"Clan head."
"Clan head."
"Clan head."
Along the way, the Uchiha clansmen greeted him with respect.
Having subdued the three elders and united the clan under his leadership, Fugaku now held full control over the Uchiha.
The only thing lacking was awe. The Uchiha respected strength above all, and though they respected him as their leader, they did not yet fear his power.
Some who had accompanied him to the Land of Rice Fields knew he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, but that knowledge had not spread to the entire clan.
This, however, was not a concern. At the right time, he would reveal his true strength, and then the Uchiha would not only respect him—they would fear him.
When he arrived home—
"You're back!"
Mikoto greeted him with a gentle smile, dressed in a beige gown that outlined her graceful figure. Her long black hair swayed with each step, carrying the faint fragrance of shampoo.
Thump, thump, thump!
Sounds of sparring echoed from the back courtyard.
"Who's Sasuke training with?" Fugaku asked.
"Itachi. He hasn't had many missions lately, so he often trains with Sasuke."
Mikoto smiled warmly. The close bond between her two sons was something she cherished.
"Itachi, huh…" Fugaku's brow twitched almost imperceptibly before he quickly smoothed it out, making sure Mikoto didn't notice.
He had no desire to see Sasuke grow too attached to Itachi. That bond could complicate things later, when he inevitably had to deal with the clan's "white-eyed wolf."
If Sasuke grew to hate him because of Itachi… that would be a problem.
Still, he couldn't openly stop his sons from spending time together.
In the courtyard, he found them sparring with fists and kicks, practicing pure taijutsu without any ninja tools.
"Sasuke, Itachi—take a break."
"Yes, Father!"
Sasuke, sweating, jogged over eagerly. Fugaku accepted a towel from a servant and wiped his son's forehead.
Itachi followed close behind.
"No missions lately, Itachi?" Fugaku asked calmly.
"Not many. The Anbu has been quieter." Itachi replied, forcing a natural tone.
In truth, he wasn't home more often because of a lack of missions. He had been ordered by the Third Hokage to monitor the Uchiha.
"I see…" Fugaku gave no clear reaction.
If Itachi were not a spy, he might have believed him. But knowing the truth, he suspected Itachi was indeed acting under Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders to watch the clan closely.
"The Third Elder reported that Shisui hasn't returned in quite some time. You're in Anbu with him—do you know why?"
"Shisui… accepted a mission. He's been away from the village for a long time."
Itachi's heart raced, though he kept his expression steady.
Had his father discovered Shisui's identity? And if so, did he also suspect him?
"No wonder." Fugaku nodded as if convinced.
Not long after, Mikoto called them to lunch. After eating, Itachi left the house while Fugaku remained behind.
"Gone from the village for a long time, hmm?"
Fugaku chuckled coldly.
Of course, he didn't believe Itachi. That excuse might fool the unsuspecting clansmen, but not him.
"It seems the Third Hokage has no intention of letting Shisui return to the Uchiha."
At least, not anytime soon.
"This complicates things… how can I draw him out if I don't know where he is?"
He paused, then a calculating smile spread across his face.
"Actually, I don't need to find Shisui at all. I just need to make him show himself."
And the surest way to force Shisui out… was to anger the Third Hokage.
Shisui would appear the moment he thought the clan's conflict with the Hokage had reached the point of no return—when he felt compelled to use Kotoamatsukami to control him.
When that time came, Fugaku would be waiting with an ambush. And Shisui would die.
Just then, he noticed Mikoto preparing to take Sasuke to the park.
A plan formed instantly.
With a smile, he said,
"Since I have some free time, I'll join you."