Uchiha Inabi questioned Itachi sharply:
"Two people didn't attend yesterday's assembly. Why weren't you there?!"
Itachi did not answer.
Inabi continued pressing him. "I know that after joining the ANBU you're often sent out to deal with troublesome matters. Your father frequently uses that excuse to smooth things over for you. But we don't intend to treat you as a special case."
Itachi closed his eyes and gave a slight nod. "I understand. I'll be more mindful in the future. If that's all, please—"
Uchiha Yashiro cut in, fixing Itachi with a piercing stare. "Yes, but I still have something else I want to ask. Last night, about Uchiha Shisui, who allegedly jumped into the Naka River and committed suicide. The other person who didn't attend the meeting was Shisui. He seemed to be your friend."
There was no change in Itachi's expression. Calmly, he replied, "Is that so? I haven't seen him at all lately. That's regrettable."
Uchiha Inabi tried to detect something in Itachi's face, but Itachi showed no cracks whatsoever. Finally, Inabi said, "The Police Force has decided to conduct a full investigation."
"An investigation?" Itachi asked.
Uchiha Yashiro took out a sheet of paper. "This is the suicide note Shisui left behind. A handwriting analysis has already been done. There's no doubt it was written by him."
"If it wasn't murder, then why investigate?" Itachi asked.
"If it was someone capable of using the Sharingan," Yashiro replied, "then copying handwriting would be child's play."
He handed the paper to Itachi, who unfolded it and read.
I am exhausted by my missions. At this rate, the Uchiha Clan has no future. And I can no longer continue living such a heretical life.
Yashiro continued, "He was one of the Uchiha's greatest elites—feared as 'Shisui of the Body Flicker.' A man who would throw himself into any mission for the sake of the clan. It's hard to imagine someone like that leaving behind a note like this and choosing suicide."
"It's best not to judge based on appearances or assumptions," Itachi emphasized.
"In any case," Yashiro said, "we'll leave the note in your care for now. Take it with you and submit a request to the ANBU to assist in the investigation."
"I understand," Itachi replied.
The three men turned to leave. As he did, Yashiro added pointedly, "It would be good if we could obtain some useful leads."
Inabi followed up, "We'll also be conducting our own investigation along different lines from the ANBU. So if you, Uchiha Itachi, don't submit that request, we'll know."
"If you have something to say," Itachi said coldly, "then say it plainly."
He clenched Shisui's suicide note tightly in his hand. His gaze became terrifying as the three-tomoe Sharingan spun in his eyes, locking onto the three men.
"…Are you suspecting me?"
Uchiha Tekka answered bluntly, "Yeah. We are, you brat."
Yashiro threatened him openly. "Listen carefully, Itachi. If you dare betray the clan, we will not let it go."
Slowly, Itachi drew the sword at his waist. With overwhelming force, he struck all three of them down, leaving them sprawled on the ground.
Looking down at them with contempt, Itachi said mockingly, "I already told you—it's best not to judge based on appearances or delusions. You assumed I was patient and thought you could lecture me with that attitude, constantly preaching about 'the clan.' That was a grave miscalculation of your own abilities. It's precisely because you don't understand my strength that you're crawling on the ground now."
Pain wracked Yashiro's body as cold sweat poured down his face. "Shisui was monitoring you half a year ago. Since joining the ANBU, your strange behavior has become unbearable. What exactly are you thinking?"
"Being obsessed with organizations, obsessed with the clan, obsessed with titles—these things shackle a person and severely limit their potential. And fearing and hating what you've never seen or understood… that's nothing but foolishness!"
"Stop it, Itachi!"
Uchiha Fugaku's stern voice rang out from nearby.
He confronted his son. "What is the meaning of this, Itachi? You've been acting strange lately!"
Facing his father, Itachi's gaze wavered slightly. "There's nothing strange. I'm simply carrying out my missions. That's all."
"Then why weren't you there last night?"
"…For survival."
"What did you say?" Fugaku asked, unable to understand.
Itachi chose not to explain further. He turned to Yashiro and the others and bowed slightly. "I was not the one who killed Shisui. I apologize for my actions. I'm truly sorry."
"ANBU missions have been particularly demanding lately. You seem exhausted," Fugaku said. "Yashiro, Inabi, Tekka—I, as his father, will take full responsibility for keeping watch over him. Please."
With Fugaku saying this, the three men could say nothing more and withdrew for the time being.
"Itachi! Come with me!"
Itachi followed Fugaku into a room.
With his back to Itachi, Fugaku stared at the Uchiha clan crest hanging on the wall. "Right now, our entire clan is united, striving for the resurgence of the Uchiha. As my eldest son, what exactly are you thinking?"
"I'm not thinking of anything in particular, Clan Head," Itachi replied respectfully.
"Itachi, I'm not speaking to you as the clan leader now," Fugaku said firmly. "I'm speaking as your father."
Dropping all pretense, Itachi asked directly, "Father… will a coup truly change the Uchiha Clan?"
Fugaku had anticipated this question. "The more we yield, the more our living space is compressed. The Uchiha are already backed into a corner."
"The Third Hokage's ANBU and Danzō's Root have been monitoring the Uchiha constantly. Our intention to stage a coup has long since been exposed. Success is almost impossible."
"I know," Fugaku said helplessly. "But there's no other option. Ever since we were forced to relocate here, Uchiha clan members have been disappearing one after another. This isn't the work of other villages—it's people within Konoha coveting our Sharingan.
"And the Konoha Police Force, led by the Uchiha, is already police in name only. If we stop resisting, the Uchiha will eventually vanish. If we fight back, at least we have a slim chance."
Itachi voiced a question he had long held inside. "Father… if Konoha has no place for the Uchiha, why don't we leave the village?"
Fugaku looked at him in surprise. "Because Konoha is the village built jointly by the Uchiha and the Senju. Our roots are here."
"But Konoha no longer needs the Uchiha," Itachi said quietly. "Isn't that true?"
With sorrow in his voice, Fugaku replied, "The Uchiha joining any faction would greatly strengthen it. That's why Konoha would never allow the Uchiha to leave.
"And if we were to establish ourselves independently, we wouldn't only face Konoha's attack—we'd also have to constantly guard against other shinobi coveting our Sharingan.
"Once we leave Konoha, the Uchiha's room for survival would shrink even further. With our strength alone, it would be extremely difficult to reach agreements with any nation. No one would allow such a powerful force to fall into someone else's hands."
After finishing, Fugaku sensed Itachi's intent. "Itachi… are you saying that you—"
"Yes," Itachi said without hesitation. "Father, I intend to take part of the Uchiha clan and leave Konoha in search of a place where we can survive."
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