Night.
Masahiko was in the room, using borrowed Chakra to stretch his body while waiting for the moment to arrive.
Soon.
A screen of light popped up in front of him; he sat down on the chair.
After a brief title sequence, the view shifted to the Uchiha Clan Compound.
The camera rose, then locked onto a corner.
High and to the side, Anbu-clad Kakashi Hatake crouched on a branch, eyes fixed on the Uchiha compound ahead.
"Anbu Kakashi—so cool!"
"Lick lick lick!"
"Front row, behave—quit the cringe!"
The next second the frame drifted downward and dissolved into total darkness.
After a short blackout, Shisui appeared onscreen.
Comments flooded the screen, but Masahiko ignored them, focusing on the plot.
Moments later Shisui ambushed the Masked Man, then exchanged probing words—every scene played out before him.
Masahiko wasn"t surprised.
Shisui had asked for instructions earlier; Masahiko had told him to handle it as he saw fit, so this turn was expected.
The bullet chat, by contrast, was stunned.
"Holy—this masked guy"s an Uchiha?"
As the scene rolled on: "Damn, he"s the founder of the Uchiha? That broken?"
"Uchiha Madara?"
"I don"t think Shisui buys it, but the dude"s definitely linked to the clan."
"The story he just told—about an Uchiha betraying their ancestor back then?"
As the two talked, more and more comments debated the Uchiha.
The one scheming for the clan"s death was an Uchiha—allegedly their forebear—and, given earlier plot, viewers could kinda see "Madara"s" point.
"Honestly, Madara"s got a case."
"Yeah, Shisui"s bending over backwards, yet Danzo still wants him dead—Konoha"s faction clearly won"t spare the Uchiha."
"Not sure if he"s really Madara, but I"m with him on this one."
Not everyone believed the Masked Man was "Madara".
Shisui himself probably didn"t.
With memories of his past life, Masahiko knew Obito"s words were half-truths, but judging by current events he doubted Obito would order Itachi to wipe out the entire clan as before.
Because Shisui was still alive!
The scene cut: Shisui used genjutsu to knock out several Anbu and slipped all the way to the Naka Shrine.
There, before the stone tablet, "Madara" and Shisui spoke—an info-heavy exchange.
Masahiko skimmed the comments—mostly shock, a handful useful.
"The Moon"s Eye sounds like a scam; Shisui can"t truly buy it, right?"
"Without that Black-Robed Mans he might"ve believed it; now I think he"s acting."
"Feels like both are playing open cards."
"Shisui won"t lose his other eye too, will he?"
Many worried.
Strength-wise Masahiko wasn"t concerned.
Obito"s power was tricky, but in raw attack and genjutsu he might not beat Shisui.
The fear was Shisui falling for a ploy.
This Shisui carried shades of Itachi—no wonder they were mentor and friend.
Good.
Knowing the full story, Masahiko was confident he could make Shisui trust him even more when they next met.
Next, Shisui carved his way out from the Naka River.
In the forest lightning flashed.
Wolves of condensed electricity galloped through the trees, lunging at Shisui.
Yet.
Shisui spun and slashed—behind him, Kakashi, mid-hand-seal, froze.
In an instant Kakashi broke the genjutsu.
Clang!
A blade swept inches from his face.
The figure vanished; Kakashi"s single Sharingan locked ahead: "A Shadow Clone?"
"Stopping you lot—one clone"s enough."
Shisui said, "Kakashi Hatake, wielding an Uchiha eye to this level—impressive. But…"
His tomoe whirled.
Not yet Mangekyo, yet Shisui"s genjutsu still trapped Kakashi and the Anbu behind him.
In a blink Kakashi dispelled it, only to see Shisui already striking the Anbu at his rear.
He formed seals; the earth beneath four teammates surged upward.
Still.
A scream rang out behind.
Another Shisui vaulted high, dodging Kunai, shuriken and blades, hands flashing through seals.
Here, the first Shisui mirrored him.
Fireballs, shifting with every Body Flicker, rained down like meteors.
Meanwhile the second clone released three dragon-shaped flames that roared at the four.
Phoenix Sage Fire, Great Dragon Flame!
The two jutsu merged, the whole grove engulfed.
Amid the blaze the camera pulled back.
In the long shot Shisui could be seen leaping at the forest"s edge into a branch of the Naka River—never resurfacing.
The scene changed again.
Comments were still reeling from the spectacle.
Fire, water, earth—multiple jutsu woven into one shot, tactics shifting so fast viewers could barely keep up.
By the time Masahiko met Itachi on-screen they were still typing—
"Sick visuals—absolute hype!"
"Damn, if the anime-original is this cracked, the manga arcs will be insane!"
"Shisui"s broken!"
"Kakashi"s no slouch either—just held back by teammates."
"C"mon, Old Thief again? I want Shisui and Kakashi!"
Watching the bullet chat, Masahiko"s mouth twitched.
Luckily his scene was brief.
He exchanged a few words with Itachi, handed over the notebook, and the cut jumped to Konoha"s Ninja Academy.
This time there were two minutes of combat.
Masahiko did appear.
But in the shot he was basically background, keeping a gentle, handsome smile.
Apparently Sasuke"s matchmaking struck a chord with netizens from another world; comments and heat were high.
Mostly curses at him.
Haters are still fans.
Masahiko didn"t care and hit fast-forward.
Soon—Danzo, blood dripping from his head, stalked out of the Hokage Office, followed by Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado.
Inside, an Anbu knelt before Hiruzen Sarutobi"s desk.
"Itachi, have you decided?"
"Hokage-sama, for Konoha I will obey your command. Also, behind the clan there is another man."
Head lowered, Itachi added, "He never showed himself, but keeps hinting… that he is Uchiha Madara."
"What?"
Hiruzen shot to his feet, face stunned. "Madara? Impossible—he died in the Valley of the End!"
"I doubt he"s the real Madara, but he"s surely linked to the Uchiha; details unknown."
Itachi continued.
Hiruzen frowned, heavy-hearted. "What did he ask of you?"
"He told me to wipe out the Uchiha to prove my worth and join his group—else he would do it himself."
"Huh?"
Hiruzen was dumbstruck.
Itachi knelt. "Hokage-sama, shall I infiltrate? If so, for Konoha and for peace I will do what must not be done!"
"What must not be done…"
Hiruzen studied him, eyes conflicted.
Already shocked, hearing Itachi volunteer so readily left him silent for a while. Then he said:
"Itachi, your resolve gladdens me, but… we can"t dance to his tune, nor let you bear the sin of annihilating your clan."
Hiruzen"s gaze was still tangled. After long thought he opened his eyes. "What is your father"s stance?"
"Father says he hopes I can find a different path; this is the best I can think of…"
Itachi lowered his head.
"No rush."
Hiruzen pondered. "Return and tell him this news; test your father"s attitude."
"Yes, sir!"