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The Third Hokage clutched his forehead, speaking with difficulty.
"Itachi, you know some things can't be resolved just by talking. Root did lose two members."
Itachi lowered his head, remaining silent but resolute.
The Third shook his head helplessly.
"Itachi, stand down for now. I'll handle this matter properly."
Itachi had no choice but to rise and leave in silence.
Some time later, another figure appeared before the Third.
White hair, a black mask, and a headband covering his left eye—it was Kakashi.
"Lord Third—"
The Third interrupted Kakashi.
"Kakashi, I know what you're going to say, but this is difficult for me. Danzō's Root did lose two members, and there's no evidence proving Danzō acted first, so I can only detain Kagaya."
Kakashi spoke with firm conviction.
"Even so, I request that you release Kagaya, Lord Hokage. He was my student, though only briefly. It was enough for me to see his character. He trains diligently but is indifferent, even a bit oblivious, to other matters. Someone like him wouldn't actively attack Root members."
The Third stood, turning to face the window, his back to Kakashi.
"Kakashi, I want to resolve this quickly. Letting this drag on will only worsen the relationship between the Uchiha and the village. But I must also consider Danzō's side. His Root lost two members, and without evidence that he struck first, I can't release Kagaya."
Kakashi's expression was hidden beneath his mask, but his exposed right eye clearly showed disappointment. He could tell the Third wouldn't easily change his decision.
"If that's the case, I'll take my leave."
"Mm."
---
Across from a waterfall, Shisui and Itachi stood facing the cascading water.
"Itachi, I have to save Kagaya and his parents," Shisui said.
"I understand, Shisui. What's your plan?"
Shisui turned to Itachi.
"Before rescuing Kagaya, we need to ease the tensions between the Uchiha and the village. With this conflict in place, it'll be hard to free Kagaya from the village's grasp."
Shisui closed his eyes.
"So…"
The next moment, he snapped them open, his pupils transforming from black to blood-red, revealing a pattern with four blade-like shapes.
"I plan to use the power of these eyes to completely change the clan's mindset!"
Itachi stared at Shisui's eyes, recognizing them as the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Are you sure about this?"
Shisui closed his eyes again, and when he reopened them, they were back to their normal black.
"This incident with Kagaya made me realize that aligning the village's leadership with the clan's mindset is nearly impossible. We need other means to achieve peace."
"Kotoamatsukami?" Itachi asked.
Having spent much time with Shisui, Itachi knew a bit about his Mangekyō abilities.
"Yes. There's a clan meeting coming up soon. I plan to use Kotoamatsukami there to completely alter the clan's thoughts of rebellion, then save Kagaya."
"Do you need me to do anything?"
"Not yet. On the day of the meeting, we'll meet first to plan our actions. Then you can assist as needed."
Itachi fell silent for a moment before responding.
"Understood."
Forcing a change in the clan's mindset wasn't Shisui and Itachi's first choice. Their ideal solution was to foster mutual understanding between the Uchiha and the village through their efforts, resolving the tensions.
But the village's ruthless arrest of Kagaya and the growing resentment among the Uchiha made them realize that mutual understanding was too difficult. In the end, forceful measures were necessary.
This went against their long-held ideals. Using such methods meant abandoning their previous efforts, leaving both Shisui and Itachi somber and silent.
---
In the room where Kagaya was detained, the door opened for the first time in a while.
With the black cloth over his eyes, Kagaya couldn't see who entered. Weakened and exhausted, he didn't bother speaking, quietly waiting for the visitor to speak first.
The person soon did.
"Uchiha Kagaya, I'm here to tell you something."
Kagaya froze. He recognized the voice—it was likely Danzō.
"What is it?"
Kagaya's voice was frail; even speaking felt exhausting.
Danzō sneered.
"You may not know, but not only have you been arrested—your parents have been taken by my Root as well."
"You!"
Despite his weakness, Kagaya forced himself to stand, glaring toward the source of the voice, though he couldn't see.
"No need to get so worked up. Rest assured, I won't do anything to your parents—on one condition."
Kagaya gritted his teeth.
"Name it."
Danzō glanced back, and the guards at the door retreated far away, clearly indicating he didn't want the upcoming conversation overheard.
"You know about the tension between the village and the Uchiha, don't you? With things so strained, the Uchiha producing a genius like you is hardly good news for the Leaf. If you were like Shisui or Itachi, wholeheartedly serving the village, that would be ideal. Unfortunately, you're not. You focus solely on improving your strength, showing no interest in this conflict. To Hiruzen, you might seem like an outsider, not worth bothering with. But I see things differently. You're still an Uchiha. Since you won't side with the village, you must be with the Uchiha. For the Leaf, you're an unstable factor. My approach to people like you has always been simple. The two Root members failing to kill you was my mistake. Now that Hiruzen has you detained, I can't touch you—unless… you take care of yourself. Do you understand? You have a choice: your parents or yourself. I'll give you three days. When I return, if I see a living Uchiha Kagaya, you'll see your parents dead. But if I see a dead Uchiha Kagaya, your parents will be safe."
Kagaya roared with all his strength.
"Danzō!!!"
Danzō snorted coldly.
"I've said what I needed to. The choice is yours. I have no interest in wasting words with someone like you. I'm leaving."
The sound of the door closing followed. Danzō was gone.
*****
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