Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

Itachi opened his mouth, wanting to refute, wanting to say that those higher-ups were also doing it for the stability of the village...

But looking at the fanatical eyes of the people around him, all his words seemed so powerless.

"But......"

Itachi gritted his teeth, still making a final struggle, "Those Anbu, and the other Konoha ninja, they will obey the Hokage's orders! Once we start fighting, we will be facing the power of the entire village!"

"What will you do then? Are you going to kill everyone?!"

"They won't have a chance to speak."

Sasuke said calmly, "Danzo and the Third Hokage..."

He raised his hand, lightning appearing in his palm, then gently squeezed and crushed it.

"They will disappear from this world before they even give the order."

"!!!"

Itachi's pupils contracted sharply, and a chill ran through him.

Assassinate the Hokage?!

Is this guy serious?!

"The Uchiha clan does not need to sacrifice its members to beg for the village's acceptance."

Sasuke turned around, faced all his clansmen, and opened his arms.

"What the Uchiha clan needs to do is take over this village and then protect it according to our will."

"..."

Uchiha Itachi stood there, stunned, staring at the crazed man before him, finding himself unable to refute his logic.

However, this is too dangerous.

This completely contradicts his long-held will of fire and his original intention to achieve peace at the lowest possible cost.

How can power seized through killing and violence possibly bring true peace?

This man is a madman, a demon who will push the Uchiha clan and Konoha to their doom!

must......

We must report this to the Third Hokage immediately!

Itachi took a deep breath, took one last deep look at his father who sat silently in the main seat, then turned around abruptly, activated his Body Flicker Technique, and disappeared at the entrance of the main hall.

But no one stopped him.

Only after his aura completely disappeared did Fugaku Uchiha, who had been silent all along, stand up and walk to Sasuke's side.

"You let him go on purpose, didn't you?"

Fugaku's voice was low as he looked toward the doorway, his eyes filled with worry.

"You know he's a squad leader in the Dark Division, so you should also know where he'll go after he leaves here."

The implication was clear: Itachi would inform on them, and the Konoha leadership would soon find out everything that had happened.

"I know." Sasuke didn't turn around, his voice calm. "This is the last chance I'm giving him."

"An opportunity?" Fugaku was taken aback.

"A choice." Sasuke's eyes appeared particularly cold in the shadows.

"If he can come to his senses and stand on the side of the clan, then he is still Uchiha Itachi."

“But if…” Sasuke paused, “if it comes to this point, and he still chooses to stand on the side of those corrupt high-ranking officials, still chooses to point the knife at his own clansmen.”

"Then I will not hesitate to send him to his death."

Fugaku's body trembled violently. He opened his mouth as if to plead for his eldest son, but looking at the resolute back of the man in front of him, he couldn't say a word.

He sensed a strange familiarity from this man, and he seemed extremely confident, as if he could truly see the future.

That's why he didn't interrupt Sasuke's power grab earlier.

Sasuke ignored Fugaku and turned to face his clansmen, who were already filled with fervor in the main hall.

His long black robe fluttered without wind, and his scarlet Mangekyou Sharingan shone with a captivating light in the dim candlelight.

Listen carefully!

"From this moment forward, the Uchiha clan is on high alert!"

"All police officers stationed outside the village must immediately cease all duties in the village and return to their ancestral homeland!"

"Seal off the gates to the clan's territory!"

"In the past two days, anyone who has approached the Uchiha clan's territory, whether from the Anbu or Root..."

Sasuke's eyes burned with murderous intent.

"Kill them all without exception!"

After a brief silence.

"Yes!!!"

"I will obey your command!!"

Inside the main hall, dozens of Uchiha clansmen echoed in unison.

Uchiha Inahisa, Yatsushiro, and other hawkish ninjas had flushed faces and their eyes gleamed with bloodlust.

They have waited far too long for this day, for this order!

Looking down at the excited clansmen below, Fugaku Uchiha closed his eyes helplessly.

He knew that the mysterious man's strength was the key reason why he was able to take control of the situation so quickly.

But more importantly...

This is the deepest and most genuine desire in the hearts of our people.

Compared to his indecisive and compromising chieftain, the decisive and ruthless man before them was the leader they truly longed for.

"...Never mind."

Fugaku sighed and looked at the man standing on the high platform with a complicated expression.

For some reason, looking at that figure from behind, he always had a strange feeling, as if the person standing there wasn't a stranger...

He shook his head, banishing the absurd thought from his mind, and a resolute look appeared in his eyes.

In any case, the arrow is already on the bowstring and must be released.

..........

The night wind howled, rustling the leaves.

Itachi Uchiha darted through the rainforest at breakneck speed, his breathing becoming rapid.

The appearance of that unfathomably powerful man completely disrupted the entire game.

Although the family's coup was radical, it was still within a controllable range.

Even though my father was coerced by the hawks, he still longed for peace. If things were handled properly, there was still room for maneuver.

But things are different now; that guy is a madman.

If he were to actually make a move, Konoha would inevitably descend into an unprecedented civil war, with countless lives lost in the infighting, and it might even attract the covetous eyes of neighboring countries, leading to the village's destruction.

We must stop him!

However, with my current strength, I simply cannot do it.

That man could immobilize me simply by releasing his aura; if they were to actually fight, I probably wouldn't even have a chance to form hand seals.

The only thing left in Itachi's mind was that straw that offered him solace.

Only Shisui's eye technique can...

With this in mind, the chakra beneath his feet surged once more, increasing his speed as he rushed toward the cliff of the Namaka River where he usually met up with Shisui in secret.

Just as he was about to cross the dense forest and approach the agreed location.

Several figures suddenly emerged from the shadows and blocked his path.

Itachi abruptly stopped, halting about ten meters away from his opponent.

When Itachi saw who it was, his pupils contracted slightly.

Standing at the very front was an elderly man who appeared particularly somber even in the darkness of night.

He was using a cane, his right eye was wrapped in a white bandage, and he had an "X"-shaped scar on his chin.

It was Danzo Shimura, and standing beside him was a gentle-looking young man with curly hair.

"Weasel?"

Uchiha Shisui looked somewhat surprised when he saw who it was, and then quickly stepped forward. "Why are you here? Isn't tonight the clan gathering?"

"Shisui..."

When Itachi saw that familiar face, his tense nerves relaxed slightly.

"Itachi".

Danzo's hoarse voice rang out, his one-eyed man staring intently at Itachi with a scrutinizing look.

"Just as Shisui said, tonight is an extremely important secret gathering of the Uchiha clan."

"Shouldn't you be at the Nanga Shrine at this time, monitoring your father and the clansmen's movements?"

Danzo's voice suddenly turned cold, exuding a chilling aura.

"Or have you already made your choice and decided to betray the village?"

"No, Lord Danzo."

Itachi took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He knew that now was not the time to hide it, and the seriousness of the situation had exceeded everyone's expectations.

“The situation has changed.” Itachi’s voice was grave. “The clan council has spiraled out of control.”

"out of control?"