I and countless versions of myself simultaneously travel through time.

Ye Yan surveyed the entire room, his tone leaving no room for argument: "I won't say much more. The two former Uchiha clan leaders within the Pure Land are currently inside me; their souls have been summoned. This clan gathering is not for anything else, but solely for the replacement and change of power. Only in this way can we better bring in fresh blood. You don't need to voluntarily step forward to declare your abdication. Uchiha Fugaku, I'm talking about you. Don't look away, and don't hide."

In his early years, Fugaku Uchiha harbored great ambitions. He longed to strive for excellence, lead the Uchiha clan back to its former glory, and do his utmost to enhance the clan's status and influence in Konoha.

In the dead of night, he couldn't help but daydream that perhaps one day he could try to become Hokage.

However, while the ideal is lofty, the reality is harsh and suffocating.

Suspicion from Konoha's higher-ups, internal strife within the clan, and increasing pressure from the external environment... Fugaku gradually became exhausted from repeated maneuvering and compromises.

He found himself unable to completely break free from the village's constraints, nor could he truly awaken the dormant fighting spirit within his people.

In the end, his once burning passion was worn away, and all that remained for him was a sigh.

People say Fugaku is useless, but who knows, he really is useless.

However, only Shisui currently possesses the Mangekyou Sharingan, while Itachi does not. Tobirama was shocked when Shisui took his four-year-old son, Itachi, to the battlefield and brought out the most mentally unstable member of the Uchiha clan.

Shisui frowned, took a step back, and wanted to complain, but saw Tobirama staring at him.

Ye Yan's eye power spread out like a tide, and the pressure that surpassed even the Kaleidoscope made Shisui instantly realize that his proud eye power was utterly insignificant in front of Ye Yan.

Shisui instinctively tried to use the Body Flicker Technique to escape, thinking that Ye Yan was going to rebel and launch a war against Konoha.

However, just as he was about to disappear from the spot, he suddenly sensed an extremely familiar chakra. It was Tobirama Senju, who was actually residing in Ye Yan's body.

Zhi Shui froze, his eyes widening as he stared at Ye Yan in disbelief.

The next second, he was pulled into a separate space of consciousness.

All around was a vast expanse of white, as if time had stood still.

Shisui cautiously looked around, only to see a man with short white hair and wearing blue armor standing in front of him, arms crossed, his red eyes calmly looking at him.

"You must be a descendant of Uchiha Kagami," Tobirama spoke first, his tone surprisingly gentle. "Nice to meet you. I am Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage of Konoha. Don't be nervous. This isn't a genjutsu, nor is it a trap—this is a problem that has been brewing between the Uchiha and Konoha for decades, and I simply want to have a proper talk with you."

Shisui's pupils contracted slightly. He did not dispel his illusionary defenses, but he could sense the sincerity in the other person's words.

The chakra fluctuations belonging to the Second Hokage were so clear, as if the man who had been dead for many years was really standing here.

"Second Generation Lord..." Shisui's voice trembled slightly.

"You can call me Tobirama." Tobirama waved his hand, then sighed. "I'm a dead man now, the past is the past. I saw the memories Ye Yan gave me and learned your original fate. You possessed such a powerful Mangekyou genjutsu, 'Kotoamatsukami,' yet Danzo took your eyes, and you committed suicide by drowning in despair. To be honest, I feel very sorry for you."

Shishui fell silent.

Tobirama continued, "Your very existence proves the success of the Will of Fire. An Uchiha clansman willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good of the village, even at the cost of bearing a stain, is exactly what my brother and I wanted to see when we founded Konoha. But you were too naive, Shisui. You thought you could achieve peace through sacrifice, and you thought you could resolve conflicts by controlling everything with Kotoamatsukami."

Tobirama took a step closer, his tone softening: "Listen to me, get some sleep. Ye Yan isn't betraying Konoha; what he's doing is a revolution, a way to ensure that both Konoha and the Uchiha clan can truly survive. Madara, Izuna, and I have already lent him our power, and the Hokage of this era will understand. You don't need to carry everything alone anymore."

Hearing these words, Shisui breathed a sigh of relief. He finally let down his guard and relaxed completely, muttering, "So that's how it is... Ye Yan deliberately let me sense the Second Hokage. He wanted me to understand the truth. I... I thought he was going to betray the village."

Looking at Shisui's relieved expression, Tobirama couldn't help but sigh again, his voice tinged with nostalgia: "You...you're just like a mirror."

Seeing this bloodless change, Ye Yan opened his eyes and nodded to Zhi Shui. Within the clan council, everyone unquestionably recognized Ye Yan.

There's no other reason than that the power of our ancestors is simply too useful.

Ye Yan tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on Fugaku, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Fugaku, sometimes when you get tired of standing, you get bored. Senior Madara is very worried about you, especially your son, who is utterly outrageous."

Fugaku remained silent for a moment, offering neither explanation nor anger.

He slowly stood up, his movements as steady as a mountain, calmly relinquishing the main seat and stepping aside, his head slightly bowed.

That posture was neither humble nor arrogant, but clearly a silent submission.

Ye Yan casually sat down, and the atmosphere in the entire dark room suddenly became tense, as if that position was rightfully his.

Ye Yan raised his head, his gaze falling on Shisui: "Use Kotoamatsukami to control Itachi. Have him join the Akatsuki organization to monitor the situation in Amegakure."

"The current Itachi is more useful than killing him. After all, he is a reliable fighting force. Rather than letting him go down the path of self-destruction, it is better to let him realize his true value."

Shishui fell silent.

His hand slowly touched his right eye, the eye that housed the "Kotoamatsukami".

He knew Ye Yan was right; Itachi's strength, intelligence, and experience in operating in the shadows were irreplaceable, but being obedient was always better than killing him.

But to lay a hand on someone he considered a younger brother… Shisui sighed deeply, a sigh tinged with helplessness and exhaustion.

Ye Yan did not urge him.

With a wave of his hand, he projected the truth of Itachi's future into the Uchiha clan in the form of genjutsu images: the night of the massacre, joining Akatsuki, the duel with Sasuke, dying at the hands of his younger brother despite being terminally ill... scene after scene, like sharp fragments, severed the cognition of everyone present.

Madara leaned against the wall, not even bothering to lift his eyelids: "It's just a game of make-believe. The tragedy of the Uchiha clan has always been self-inflicted."

Izuna spread his hands, his brow furrowed. "I truly cannot understand... Have the Uchiha clan all lost their minds? Slaughtering their own clansmen, what kind of protection is that?"

Tobirama: "So, the thinking of the Uchiha clan in our generation was at least much more normal."

"Hmph, I abandoned this clan long ago, they deserved to die." Madara thought of some bad memories.

Itachi himself was standing in the crowd.

He watched the images without changing his expression, but his clenched fists betrayed the turmoil within him.

Is that me in the future?

He slaughtered his entire clan, bore the stigma, and finally died in front of Sasuke… Setsuna and Tekka stared wide-eyed at Itachi in disbelief: “You…you actually…”

Halfway through their conversation, the two of them simultaneously took a step back.

The boy before them became a complex figure in everyone's hearts at this moment, both a member of their clan and an enemy.

The still water finally started to move.

He opened his right eye, a strange light surging within it: "Itachi, forgive me, Kotoamatsukami... activate."

Itachi's body stiffened slightly, a momentary struggle flashed in his eyes, and then he returned to calm.

He automatically moved to the side, like a puppet waiting for instructions.

Ye Yan took out another Mangekyou Sharingan from his pocket, removed the chakra receiver from it, and handed over a pair of prepared three-tomoe Sharingan eyes.

"Let's continue, for the sake of the Will of Fire."

He then elaborated on the illusionary elements, implanting in Itachi a memory of "Shisui's death" and a mission to infiltrate the Akatsuki organization with sins on his shoulders.

From this moment on, Itachi will carry this altered truth and walk alone into the darkness.

Fugaku Uchiha stood at the very back of the crowd, watching everything unfold.

He let out a long sigh, as if most of the burden on his shoulders had been lifted at that moment, making him feel much lighter and more tired.

After being a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for so many years, it's finally time to log off.