Yet Shisui felt dazed, his ears filled with a dull ringing. Every word pierced his heart like needles, leaving him unable to argue back. He had never truly wanted Yunchuan Hyuga to use Genjutsu to help the Uchiha Clan.
He had only wanted to test the Third Hokage's view on his plan to use Kotoamatsukami to control Fugaku Uchiha and end the conflict and coup. Clearly, even the Third Hokage did not accept that plan, let alone the three Hokage Councilors who were even more wary of the Uchiha Clan. The anger, suspicion, and dissatisfaction had long filled the clan members' eyes, and Fugaku Uchiha was only a banner pushed to the front by that tide.
As clan head, Fugaku Uchiha's thoughts mattered, but what mattered more was the will of the clan members themselves. Forcing a change in Fugaku Uchiha's will would only turn him into a traitor in their eyes. Even if it delayed the coup, the opposition and resentment would not disappear.
Kotoamatsukami could change Fugaku Uchiha's will, but it could not change the deeply rooted hatred of the clan. It could not extinguish the fire burning in their hearts, and that fire would only seek new outlets. When that happened, the conflict would erupt in a more brutal form.
"So that's it," he thought. "Itachi, you were wrong."
Shisui Uchiha's gaze lost focus as he reflected silently. He realized that awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan and Kotoamatsukami was not because he hoped conflict would never arise. It was because he had been running away.
He had been avoiding the choice between the village and the clan. He had been avoiding the most fundamental conflict between them. The answer had been there all along, and he could no longer evade it.
With that thought, Shisui Uchiha closed his eyes in pain. He knew that at this point, he had to make a choice. A path without blood or sacrifice no longer existed.
What he had to consider was how to sacrifice a few to save the many. That alone was the question before him. His resolve hardened as the thought settled.
"Shisui, do you understand what I'm saying?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked softly.
"Yes, I understand," Shisui Uchiha replied in a hoarse voice. He slowly lowered his head, black hair falling to cover his eyes. Those eyes, once bright, now held only cold resolve.
Deep within them, the Mangekyo he had intended to reveal quietly dimmed and vanished, as if it had never existed. He chose to conceal his eyes and his Dojutsu. Since the village leadership did not approve his plan, it was better to act in secret than invite suspicion.
"If I cannot save everyone," he thought calmly, "then I will sacrifice the few who are beyond saving." With the smallest cost, he would exchange it for the greatest peace. That was his choice.
To carry out this plan, he still needed to control Fugaku Uchiha to act. The radical clan members did not trust him or Itachi, and he could not even lure them out to be dealt with otherwise.
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched him lower his head and misunderstood it as repentance. He thought the boy was dispirited by the collapse of his ideals. Feeling a trace of sympathy, he softened his tone.
"Shisui, I understand your intentions," he said gently. He praised him as a child who cared for both the village and the clan, a blessing to Konoha and the Uchiha Clan. He urged him to keep working, to seek chances for communication and to become a bridge between the village and the clan.
He paused briefly, then added that safeguarding internal stability was a vital duty of a Konoha ninja. Hiruzen Sarutobi truly hoped the Uchiha Clan would not cause more trouble, especially after the losses at the Land of Rain battlefield. He did not realize that his words had instead strengthened Shisui's resolve.
"Yes, Third Hokage, I will continue to work hard," Shisui Uchiha said. He looked up with a smile, appearing renewed. "Mm, go on," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied with relief.
Shisui stood, bowed, and vanished from sight.
Far from the clan grounds, at a secluded Training Ground, Itachi Uchiha leaned against a tree, nearly blending into the darkness. Only the crimson of his eyes revealed the unrest within him. Light footsteps approached swiftly, and Shisui Uchiha appeared before him.
Their gazes met, and without words, a heavy understanding passed between them. "Itachi," Shisui said hoarsely, his tone cold with resolve. He explained that the Third Hokage had not approved his plan, and that he had not revealed his Dojutsu.
"I have a new plan," he said.
Itachi Uchiha frowned at first upon hearing that the Dojutsu had been hidden, then quickly asked what the plan was. Shisui Uchiha looked toward the distant Uchiha compound. He said he would use Kotoamatsukami to control Fugaku Uchiha and force the irredeemable radicals into the open.
He would even make Fugaku Uchiha personally kill those clan members. With minimal sacrifice, he would secure peace for most of the Uchiha Clan and for Konoha. His words were calm, but the intent was severe.
Itachi Uchiha's pupils shrank as he lowered his head to think it through. Light slowly appeared in his eyes, but he raised a concern. He asked whether Kotoamatsukami could fully suppress his father's own consciousness, especially if emotional shock caused him to awaken his eyes.
Surprised by his calmness, Shisui Uchiha paused, then nodded with a smile. He assured him that those controlled by Kotoamatsukami did not possess self-awareness. Hearing this, Itachi Uchiha finally relaxed.
Only then did the cruelty of the plan fully sink in, and he was startled by Shisui's determination. Yet immediately after, he felt genuine respect for the resolve to shoulder darkness and blood for the clan's survival. There was no hesitation and no retreat.
Itachi Uchiha stepped forward, his Sharingan blazing with firm resolve. He declared that he would help lure his father out. Shisui Uchiha's body trembled faintly as he placed a heavy hand on his shoulder and agreed.
Their crimson eyes reflected one another in the dark.
At the same time, in the distant shadows, White Zetsu relayed everything while Obito Uchiha and Black Zetsu fell into silence. At last, the White Zetsu possessed by Black Zetsu muttered that the Uchiha Clan were all mad, wondering how they could speak of such things with righteous faces. After a glare from Obito Uchiha, it zipped its mouth shut.
"At least we don't need to interfere much anymore," Black Zetsu said hoarsely. He suggested only patching gaps and letting things proceed naturally. Obito Uchiha corrected him, noting that Itachi Uchiha still needed to kill a parent to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Given the situation, only Mikoto Uchiha could be used. Understanding dawned on Black Zetsu, who smiled darkly. It was necessary that Itachi Uchiha's mother discover the truth, so that he would kill her for the so-called greater good.
In his cold thoughts, Black Zetsu compared Itachi Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha. One had talent close to Madara Uchiha, the other's birth aligned with Madara Uchiha's death. Whichever was Indra's reincarnation, neither would escape his grasp.
Though he suspected Sasuke Uchiha more, he kept that guess hidden even from Obito Uchiha. Unseen by all of them, another pair of eyes watched from above. Those were the eyes of the oriole behind the mantis.
Wearing a Shadow Cloak, Yunchuan Hyuga merged with the shadows and observed everything. He noted that things had begun earlier and with new changes, but it did not matter. He had never restrained himself over fear of changing fate.