Shisui nodded slowly.
The difference from before was clear.
If he still failed to grow after being pushed this far—then he truly would be worthless.
Yes.
Unlike Itachi in the original timeline, Shisui could listen.
He was willing to hear different voices.
Especially now.
They hadn't just spoken empty words.
They had placed irrefutable proof directly in front of him.
If these words had come from the Uchiha alone, he might have doubted them.
But now?
The one speaking was from the Yamanaka clan.
Was there any reason for them to fabricate something like this?
So—
Shisui let out a long, bitter sigh.
His shoulders sagged, his expression hollow.
How could he possibly be calm?
Uchiha Kagami was his grandfather.
Now that he finally knew the truth behind his grandfather's death, how could he remain indifferent?
Revenge.
The thought surged up violently, refusing to dissipate.
If he hadn't known before, it would have been one thing.
But now that he truly knew—
If he didn't avenge his grandfather, even he himself would never forgive it.
And just as that thought took hold—
Yamanaka Shintarō suddenly spoke again.
"Right."
"The two elders held far too many memories. I haven't even finished sorting them all out."
"But I did discover something… something directly related to you, Shisui."
Shisui's heart clenched.
Shintarō looked at him and spoke slowly.
"Do you know why Danzo's right eye is always wrapped in bandages?"
A terrible premonition struck.
Before Shisui could answer, Shintarō continued.
"According to the elders' memories…"
"The Mangekyō Sharingan of your grandfather—Uchiha Kagami—"
"Was transplanted into Danzo's right eye."
Hiss—
The sound of sharp inhalations echoed through the room.
Shisui froze.
Completely.
The previous revelations had already shaken him to the core.
This—
This was the final blow.
Not only had his grandfather been murdered—
Even his Mangekyō had been stolen and implanted into Danzo's body.
Shameless.
Utterly shameless.
Shisui's body began to tremble violently.
His Sharingan spun uncontrollably.
In the next instant—
His Mangekyō Sharingan opened.
A chilling pressure burst outward, filling the entire room.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
Nara Kōji's scalp went numb.
He spoke immediately.
"Shisui, calm down!"
"I know you're furious—but now is not the time!"
"We will settle accounts eventually, but right now you must restrain yourself!"
Yes.
He was genuinely afraid.
Kōji understood the Uchiha too well.
Shisui appeared gentle and sincere, but once truly enraged—
Who could guarantee he wouldn't lose control and charge straight at Danzo?
That could not be allowed.
Although the Uchiha alliance was already strong, they did not yet possess absolute legitimacy.
They could not afford to tear everything apart now.
The two elders were different.
They were symbols—old, weak, expendable.
Danzo was not.
He controlled Root.
A vast, hidden force.
Killing him now—especially without perfect preparation—would only push the entire village into immediate chaos.
And once Danzo fell—
With the two elders already dead, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Hokage faction would immediately turn their blades toward the Uchiha.
At that point—
Everything would collapse.
Yamanaka Shintarō and Fugaku understood this clearly as well.
Both of them spoke up at once, urging Shisui to calm down, afraid he might act on impulse.
They truly were scared.
Shisui was not an ordinary Uchiha.
Even before awakening the Mangekyō, he had earned the title Shunshin no Shisui on the battlefield.
His strength was unquestionable.
Now that his Mangekyō was active—
He was already a shadow-level existence.
If he lost control, no one could stop him.
Time passed slowly.
After nearly five minutes, Shisui finally drew in a deep breath.
The violent chakra fluctuations gradually subsided.
His Mangekyō closed.
When he opened his eyes again, they were bloodshot.
He forced a smile—
Ugly. Worse than crying.
"Everyone… don't worry."
"Although I hate Danzo to the bone…"
"I understand that the bigger picture comes first."
"I will avenge my grandfather."
"But not now."
The moment those words fell, everyone present finally exhaled in relief.
They truly had no other choice.
Shisui calming down was the best possible outcome.
After all—
If he had charged out to kill Danzo tonight, even if he succeeded, it would have spelled disaster for the Uchiha.
Fortunately—
He endured.
Letting out a long breath, Nara Kōji finally spoke.
"Alright."
"The mission is complete, and everyone is exhausted."
"Return and rest."
"The Uchiha will not interfere in the conflict between Danzo and the Hokage faction."
"We'll simply take the necessary precautions."
"Let them fight."
"The fiercer it becomes, the better it is for us."
The others nodded.
No one objected.
At this point, everyone trusted Nara Kōji's judgment completely.
And this time—
Even Shisui, the softest among them, said nothing.
After learning so many truths, he no longer held even a shred of goodwill toward Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others.
The fact that he hadn't drawn his blade on the spot was already remarkable restraint.
Sympathy?
There was none left.
After a few brief exchanges, everyone quietly dispersed and returned to rest.
…
Meanwhile—
Elsewhere.
Far from the Uchiha compound.
Beneath Konoha, deep underground—
Root headquarters.
Inside a dimly lit office, candlelight flickered weakly.
Shimura Danzo sat in silence, his body wrapped in bandages, radiating a chilling aura.
He narrowed his eyes.
Then, turning toward the man beside him, he smiled faintly.
"Orochimaru."
"This time, our target is your teacher's clan."
"Do you really have the heart to do it?"
His tone was low, his gaze sharp, filled with probing intent.
He wanted to see—
What Orochimaru truly felt.
Orochimaru glanced at him, eyes filled with unconcealed disdain.
He snorted softly before speaking.
"Teacher?"
"Yes. He was my teacher."
"But people die eventually."
"I'm merely helping them move forward a little sooner."
"Humans are so fragile."
"And besides…"
"Their corpses can still contribute to great research."
"To the pursuit of immortality."
"They should be grateful to me."
A smile curled across Orochimaru's face.
Cold.
Distorted.
Yes.
This was his true objective.
The Sarutobi clan.
More than five thousand shinobi.
As long as Danzo's plan succeeded—even at the minimum target—
Over two thousand bodies.
Fresh experimental material.
His recent research had reached a critical juncture.
He desperately needed resources.
In the past, the chaos of war had allowed him to quietly collect corpses through Root.
But now?
The Third Great Ninja War was ending.
The Five Kage Summit was underway.
Once the battlefield fully closed—
That supply would be cut off completely.
In that sense—
Danzo's plan was nothing short of a guiding light.
As long as it succeeded, Orochimaru would not lack experimental materials for a very long time.
With such an opportunity—
How could he possibly refuse?
As for the bond between teacher and student?
With Senju Nawaki's death, Tsunade's departure, and Jiraiya's wandering—
The last traces of human warmth within him had long since faded.
Compared to eternity—
Everything else was meaningless.
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