"That won't do. This kind of decision must be made by the individual himself. Even if you are the head of the Uchiha clan and his father, you cannot make this choice on his behalf."
The Third Hokage's tone was firm—he would never agree.
Even if Itachi himself personally requested to leave ANBU, Hiruzen Sarutobi would refuse. There was no way he would let a shinobi who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan—a power on par with Kage—slip through his fingers.
"Bring Itachi out. If he truly wishes to leave ANBU, I'll consider it."
"Itachi is ill and unable to move at the moment," Fugaku replied calmly.
"Ill, you say? All the more reason for me to see him, as he's an ANBU operative under my care," the Hokage insisted.
"That won't be necessary. You are far too busy to waste your precious time over this, Lord Hokage," Fugaku said with a faint smile.
By now, Hiruzen was certain—something had happened to Itachi.
Worst case scenario: his identity as an informant had been exposed, and he was being held captive.
If that was true, then today he must see Itachi and take him back.
The Hokage's face darkened.
"Clan Head Fugaku… are you preventing me because you've imprisoned him? "
"Imprison him? Lord Hokage, your imagination is far too wild. Itachi is my son, the pride of the Uchiha. Why would I ever imprison him? "
Fugaku let out a laugh, as though he'd just heard a joke.
But Hiruzen knew full well—if Itachi's role as a spy had been exposed, the clan would have every reason to lock him away.
"Clan Head Fugaku, I have reason to suspect Uchiha Itachi is being treated unfairly by your clan," Hiruzen pressed, his voice cold.
"As a member of ANBU, he falls under my jurisdiction. I will see him today, no matter what."
"Your concern is admirable, Lord Hokage," Fugaku said evenly, "but Itachi is no longer a member of ANBU."
"I have not approved his resignation," the Hokage replied sharply.
Fugaku's eyes gleamed with mockery.
"Lord Hokage, it seems you misunderstood my letter. That wasn't a request for approval—it was a notification. I wasn't asking. I was informing you that Itachi has left ANBU."
He had never intended to ask permission. He knew full well Hiruzen would never agree, so his letter had been nothing more than a formal notice.
The Hokage's fury erupted.
"Uchiha Fugaku… to unilaterally decide the fate of an ANBU operative—that is a direct affront to my authority as Hokage! "
His glare could have burned through steel.
Fugaku, however, stood his ground, unflinching under the weight of that killing intent.
"If it were any other ANBU, I'd have no such right. But Itachi is both my son and a member of the Uchiha clan—and he is still a minor. As his father and clan head, I hold that authority."
The two men stared each other down, their wills clashing like blades.
"I will not allow it," the Hokage said icily. "Bring Itachi here. If he wishes to resign, he will say it to me himself."
"This matter will be decided by me—and me alone," Fugaku replied, his voice like steel.
"Then I have no choice but to believe Itachi refused—and your clan has him locked away. I will see him now! "
The Hokage surged forward toward the Uchiha compound. The ANBU at his back immediately followed.
Swish—
In an instant, Fugaku and several Uchiha appeared, blocking their path. The two forces collided in a tense standoff, their killing intent crashing together like two raging storms.
"Lord Hokage… are you planning to force your way into the Uchiha compound? " Fugaku's voice was cold as ice.
"Itachi is my operative. If he is being mistreated, then yes—even if I must break in, I will retrieve him! "
"Try it."
Fugaku's voice was a low growl.
"Enma!"
With a single hand sign, Hiruzen summoned his trusted partner. A clothed simian appeared in a puff of smoke—Monkey King Enma—who immediately transformed into the adamantine staff.
"Adamantine Prison Wall! "
The Hokage hurled the staff, which split into dozens of rods that shot into the ground around Fugaku, forming an unbreakable golden cage.
"You think this can hold me? "
Inside the glowing prison, Fugaku smirked in disdain.
The Adamantine Prison Wall was among the most formidable restraints in existence—its defense so great that even most Kage would struggle to break free in short order.
But against him? It was nothing.
"Susanoo!"
Black chakra erupted like a storm as a colossal warrior of darkness took shape—its third form, clad in onyx armor. The giant spear in its hand swept across the cage with devastating force.
Boom!
The unbreakable prison shattered like brittle glass, fragments scattering like leaves in a storm.
"Ghkk—"
Enma reverted to his simian form with a burst of smoke, coughing blood from the backlash. Even with his body hardened beyond steel—even tougher than chakra metal—he had been crushed by a single strike from Fugaku's Susanoo.
Swish—
Without sparing the wounded Enma a glance, Fugaku vanished in a flicker, reappearing directly in front of the Hokage.
His mastery of the Body Flicker Technique—enhanced after absorbing Shisui's body—had soared to terrifying heights. At this point, even Hiruzen couldn't hope to match his speed.