Time is a cruel master, and not even the genius of the Sharingan was immune to the decay of the flesh. While Konoha prospered under the silent vigilance of the duo, an internal shadow began to consume Itachi.
The meeting took place at the highest point of the Hokage Monument, beneath the cold mist of dawn.
Shin sensed Itachi's frequency before even seeing him—but something was wrong. The Uchiha's chakra, once an ocean of flames, now flickered like a candle in the wind.
Itachi emerged from the shadows, but not with his usual elegance.
He staggered slightly, and a deep, dry cough broke the silence. When he pulled his hand away from his mouth, the crimson sheen of fresh blood stained his gloves.
— My body… — Itachi's voice came out hoarse, stripped of its usual authority. — It's failing, Shin. The Mangekyō consumes more than I can replenish. I'm not getting stronger. I'm dying.
Shin stepped closer, his cold eyes analyzing the micro-oscillations in Itachi's nervous system through Latent Induction. He could see the chakra pathways suffering systemic inflammation. The Uchiha genius was a machine too powerful for its own frame.
— You are a vital asset to the peace we've built, Itachi — Shin said, his tone pragmatic, yet carrying a trace of genuine concern. — If you fall, the balance with your clan and the containment of the Akatsuki will collapse. We cannot allow that.
— What do you suggest? — Itachi asked, wiping the blood away. — My physicians have found no cure.
— There is only one person in the world capable of rebuilding a nervous and cellular system at this level — Shin looked toward the horizon. — Tsunade Senju. The greatest medical ninja in history.
They descended to the Hokage's building. The arrival of the two prodigies in Hiruzen's office silenced the guards instantly. Since the "silent revolution" that removed Danzō and stabilized the Uchiha Clan, the Third Hokage had kept a cautious distance from Shin and Itachi. He knew they were the true architects of the current order, operating in a sphere of power he could barely monitor.
Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke, watching Itachi cough again. His sharp eyes gleamed. He saw what he had waited years for: a crack in the armor of the two prodigies.
— So, the masters of the night need a favor from the old Hokage? — Hiruzen gave an enigmatic smile behind his pipe.
— Itachi needs treatment — Shin said bluntly, his mental presence filling the room like an impenetrable barrier. — And you know where she is.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair. He knew that by giving this information, he would place the two strongest shinobi of the village in his debt. It was his chance to regain control of internal politics.
— Tsunade is a wandering soul — Hiruzen said, retrieving an old map from a sealed drawer. — But my informants have located her in a place she swore never to return to because of war memories. She is in the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools (Uzu no Kuni).
Shin memorized the coordinates instantly.
— You will find her there — Hiruzen continued, his voice heavy. — But remember: she does not heal out of charity. And I do not give information for free. When the time comes for Konoha to require a sacrifice that only you can make… I will collect.
Shin simply nodded.
— The debt is acknowledged, Hokage-sama.
Hours later, at the village gates, Shin paused briefly in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Ino was arranging flowers in the display window. He touched the necklace beneath his uniform, feeling the connection. He couldn't tell her where he was going, but the promise of return was etched into the frequency he emitted.
Itachi waited in the shadows of the gate, hooded.
— To the Land of Whirlpools, then — Itachi said.
— Let's go — Shin replied. — If she refuses to heal you, I will use my mind to convince her that the fate of the world depends on your life.
The two vanished into the forest, leaving Konoha behind in search of the only woman capable of preventing the fire of the Uchiha from burning out too soon.