[After failing again, you continue to make new attempts. After hundreds of deaths, you finally uncover all the details of the Uchiha Clan Massacre.]
[You discover that everything points to a key figure—Uchiha Shisui. It was after he revealed the power of his Mangekyō to the Konoha's higher-ups that he aroused Shimura Danzō's greed. Danzō lured him out and stole his right eye through a sneak attack.]
[At that moment, Uchiha Shisui was filled with despair. He struggled to escape the pursuit and, after giving his remaining left eye to Uchiha Itachi, chose to commit suicide! It was because of this that Uchiha Itachi awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and gained even greater power.]
[And because of Uchiha Shisui's death, the balance of power between the Uchiha and the Konoha higher-ups was broken. This further heightened the Uchiha's sensitive nerves and accelerated the pace of the coup. Uchiha Itachi felt disappointed in the Uchiha Clan. Ignoring Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen's arrangements, he accepted Danzō's orders, leading to everything that followed.]
On the Sky Screen, the scene slowly shifted.
A cliff overlooking the water, outside Konoha.
The roar of the waterfall thundered, drowning out all other sounds.
The cold moonlight bathed two solitary figures standing at the edge of the cliff.
Uchiha Shisui stood with his back to Uchiha Itachi. His right eye socket was empty, leaving only a ghastly trail of blood slowly trickling down his cheek.
His voice carried a deep sense of despair.
"I was planning on using Kotoamatsukami to stop the coup… but Danzō took my right eye."
"He didn't trust what I was trying to do. He's bent on protecting the village in his own way."
After speaking, Shisui turned around, revealing his pale face.
"They'll come after my left eye, too. Before that happens, I want you to have it."
As his voice fell, he raised his hand and thrust it violently into his own left eye.
Squelch!
Blood splattered.
Shisui's left Mangekyō Sharingan, dug out by his own hand, rested in his palm.
"You're really the only friend I can trust… Protect the village, and the Uchiha name as well."
Under the gaze of the crescent moon, Itachi slowly closed his eyes. A black crow suddenly appeared and took the eye from Shisui's hand.
Finally, Shisui gave a bitter smile. His body tilted backward and fell from the cliff.
The screen went pitch black. Only a flash of crimson light streaked across—then, as blood slowly trickled down, the deep red gradually formed the shape of a Mangekyō Sharingan.
Though not explicitly stated, everyone understood: Uchiha Itachi had awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Only now, across all timelines and spaces, did the people of the Shinobi World finally grasp the full sequence of the Uchiha clan massacre.
---
[Konoha Year One]
Madara fell into deep thought.
What sort of Dōjutsu had this Uchiha Shisui awakened to arouse such covetousness from Konoha's higher-ups at the time?
Suddenly, a flash of lightning went through Madara's mind.
Earlier, the Sky Screen had introduced some of the Mangekyō abilities possessed by the Uchiha. Among them, someone had awakened the "Ultimate Genjutsu"—the power to alter others' will! Combining that with the current information, Madara was certain: that was exactly the ability Shisui had awakened.
Madara's eyes snapped wide open. "So that's how it is!"
He turned to look at Hashirama, "That brat named Danzō—that was the ability he coveted! A Genjutsu capable of forcibly altering another's will. If it had been used on Fugaku, the coup would never have happened!"
Hashirama sighed upon hearing that, "A Dōjutsu that could have changed everything… wasted like that."
Madara nodded.
"Foolish! Both Danzō and that suicidal Shisui—they are both foolish to the extreme."
---
[Konoha Year 20]
Tobirama had also caught on, and his heart was instantly filled with extreme dissatisfaction.
Why was this guy Danzō so dark?!
If Uchiha Shisui had used his Dōjutsu ability on Fugaku, he might have been able to stop the coup from happening.
At the very least, if he hadn't died, that extremist Uchiha Itachi wouldn't have awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, and the situation wouldn't have escalated to the irreparable point of a clan massacre.
Just surgically eliminate the hardline faction of the Uchiha, that's all! It was said that the entire Uchiha Clan had rebelled, but among a hundred people, there were a hundred varieties. A considerable number of Uchiha definitely didn't want a coup—they were merely dissatisfied with the segregation policy. Those people could have been won over!
Moreover, what about the innocent elderly, the women, and the children? Hiruzen, this guy, really lost his nerve as he got older—he lacked the resolve! As for Danzō—he's even more foolish beyond compare.
Tobirama made up his mind. He would temper Danzō a bit more and observe him for a while longer. If Danzō's thinking remained inclined toward darkness, then he would have no choice but to abandon him and set him aside.
---
[Konoha, Year 52]
Uchiha Clan Grounds.
The Uchiha gathered around Shisui, all talking at once.
"Shisui, you absolutely must not do anything stupid!"
Tetsuka grabbed Shisui's arm, his face full of tension.
"If you kill yourself, what happens to us?"
Inabi also leaned in: "Yeah, yeah! Didn't you notice? The Sky Screen already revealed future events, so they won't happen anymore! You can't die!"
Yashiro was even more agitated.
"You're the bridge between our clan and the village! Fugaku… the clan head and his son are too unreliable. It has to be you!"
Shisui stood in the middle of the crowd, listening to the barrage of voices, a wry smile on his face.
His future self really was cowardly, though it did indeed match his personality.
Shisui looked up at the others, a glint of determination flashing in his eyes.
"Everyone, rest assured. No matter what, I will not commit suicide!"
The Uchiha crowd finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Shisui turned his gaze toward a small figure not far away—Uchiha Itachi. At this moment, Itachi was looking down, lost in thought.
Shisui walked over and gently patted his shoulder.
"Itachi."
Itachi looked up at him.
"I'm sorry. My future self was truly useless, dumping all the responsibility onto you."
"You're still too young. Even though you've learned the Hokage's way of thinking, it's easy to go to extremes. From now on, I'll guide you properly."
Itachi looked at him, something seemed to flicker in those dark eyes.
"Shisui…"
Shisui smiled, "Don't overthink it. Together, we'll change the future."
---
[Konoha, Year 60]
Akatsuki Hideout.
Itachi was silent. If he had followed the Third Hokage's arrangements back then, would the outcome have been different?
Meanwhile, the other Akatsuki members were now looking at Itachi with completely different eyes.
They weren't fools. What Madara and Tobirama could figure out, they could figure out too. This guy, Itachi, still possessed a Mangekyō Sharingan with the power to alter others' will!
Even Nagato couldn't help but feel wary. In the future, he must never let Konan and Itachi meet. Even for himself, any meeting must be through Tendō Pain; his true body must never meet Uchiha Itachi.
---
Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen sat in his chair, replaying the revelation of Shisui's death in his mind, silent for a long time.
After a while, he spoke calmly to Tsunade.
"Tsunade, I request that you dispatch the ANBU immediately to place Danzō under surveillance."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Now?"
"Yes. Now."
"Once this matter here is concluded, I'll personally lead a team to see him."
"The power of Kotoamatsukami is far too dangerous. It cannot remain in his possession. I must make him hand it over."
Then he turned to Jiraiya. "You'll come with me. To prevent Danzō from doing something desperate, Tsunade, you stay in the back as backup and don't show yourself."
Tsunade nodded. "Alright."
Following her orders, a group of ANBU swiftly departed from the Hokage Building.
*****
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