Renji's world felt heavier these days. Even in the quiet of their yard, as he practiced hybrid techniques with fire, water, and earth chakra, a tightness pressed in on him—a sense that something far beyond his understanding was shifting in the village. Miyako moved with a careful urgency, returning later from missions with her face set in silence, never speaking the full weight of what was happening.
The streets carried a different weight after Shisui Uchiha's death. Rumors swirled about whether it was truly suicide or something more sinister. Whispers followed Itachi Uchiha as he navigated the village—some reverent, some suspicious.
Itachi was summoned by the Konoha Military Police Force, the Uchiha-led unit, who suspected him of complicity in Shisui's death. The questioning was intense, accusations sharp. "You had motive. You are close to the Hokage, yet Shisui… gone?" one officer demanded.
Itachi, overwhelmed by the pressure and the arrogance of those accusing him, lost his composure. In a burst of restrained fury, he attacked the officers—not to kill, but to demonstrate his disdain and frustration. The clash sent shockwaves through the hall.
Fugaku Uchiha intervened, his voice like iron. "Itachi! This is unbecoming! Apologize at once!"
It was only when Sasuke, small and trembling but insistent, stepped forward and pleaded with his brother that Itachi ceased. Breathing heavily, he turned and issued a cold, measured apology to his father and the officers—masking the storm inside him.
But inside, Itachi's mind was no longer calm. He misinterpreted Shisui's desire for peace, seeing only the arrogance, blind pride, and stubbornness of the Uchiha. He saw a clan unwilling to see reason, unwilling to acknowledge their role in Konoha's growing tension. The thought crystallized into a chilling resolve: if the village's stability required it, the Uchiha must be removed.
When the council convened that night, Hiruzen, Danzo, Homura, and Koharu waited in measured silence. Itachi stood before them, calm but resolute.
"Hokage-sama, council members," he began, "the Uchiha are lost to their arrogance. Even with good intentions, they are unwilling to see beyond their pride. Shisui's death has proven that internal restraint is insufficient. If Konoha is to survive, the Uchiha must be neutralized as a threat. There is no other option."
He added a condition, his voice steady, unwavering: "Sasuke must be spared. He will be left untouched, a final hope for the clan. I will personally handle the rest of the Uchiha, but the ANBU must be removed during the operation for it to succeed."
Danzo's single eye gleamed with interest, while Hiruzen's face remained impassive but his mind raced. This is the young prodigy the village had praised… already shaping the course of history with his calculations.
Koharu Mitokado spoke softly. "This… is extreme. Surely there must be another path."
Homura added quietly, "The village… will be shaped forever by this decision. We must tread carefully."
Itachi's gaze remained fixed, unwavering. "The Uchiha cannot be trusted to act for the village. Their pride and resentment will only bring destruction. I advise that measures be taken to prevent escalation, by removing the threat entirely."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, weighing every consequence. "We will act… but carefully. No unnecessary casualties outside the clan. No opportunity for the village to lose control. Measures must consider what Itachi-san has advised."
Outside, Renji sensed the tightening of the village like a coil ready to snap. He did not know the council's discussions, the strategies debated, or the tragic rationale behind them. Yet the air carried a tension that settled deep in his chest, and Miyako's careful movements only reinforced the weight of unspoken danger.
Night after night, the shadows in Konoha grew longer. The streets emptied early, the hush in the air became oppressive, and Renji felt the unease of a storm before it breaks—a storm whose first strike would come in the night, and whose force would sweep the village into chaos.