Chapitre 91: Chapter 91: Itachi: "Akira, Shisui Would Be Proud of You"
That night, the Uchiha clan—and indeed, the entire village of Konoha—was destined to remain sleepless.
Countless shinobi lost their lives that night, including members of the Anbu, the Root division, and even the Uchiha clan itself.
On that night, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, also met his end.
By the time dawn broke the next morning, the villagers of Konoha realized that the world had changed.
The Third Hokage had been killed!
After taking some time to regroup, the bodies of the fallen shinobi were handed over to their respective families for burial.
As for Itachi Uchiha, the son of the Uchiha clan leader, he was imprisoned in the Uchiha's dungeon for betraying the clan.
Fugaku Uchiha, the clan leader, had not slept at all that night.
After handling all these matters, Fugaku sent out messages to the leaders of other prominent clans in Konoha, including the Hyuga, Aburame, and Inuzuka clans, inviting them to a meeting at the Hokage's office.
With the Third Hokage dead, the most pressing issue now was to quickly decide on the Fifth Hokage before news of Konoha's internal strife spread.
There was still an hour left before the meeting, but Uchiha Akira did not rush to accompany his grandfather and the clan leader Fugaku, to the gathering.
Instead, he replayed the events of the previous night in his mind, considering what he had gained and what he had revealed.
The most significant gain was, of course, the successful elimination of Konoha's higher-ups, which had allowed the Uchiha to avoid the massacre that was originally destined to happen.
However, the night had also exposed some of Akira's abilities, such as the Eight Gates, Izanagi, and his overall strength.
Additionally, the existence of Uchiha Obito had been intentionally brought to light. No longer lurking in the shadows like a hidden puppet master, Obito's presence—marked by his distinctive spiral mask—was now known to many shinobi in Konoha.
"Master Akira, Young Master Sasuke is looking for you," said Keiko, who had been busy all night, knowing there would be no rest today. She approached Uchiha Akira with the message.
"Let him in," Uchiha Akira sighed internally at Keiko's words. He already knew why Sasuke was coming to see him.
"Akira, Itachi has been imprisoned in the clan's dungeon. Please, you have to save him!" Sasuke's first words as he approached Akira were a plea for help.
"Why don't you ask your father? He's the clan leader," Akira asked.
"I did, but he refused to budge," Sasuke admitted. "As the clan leader, he must set an example."
Last night, Itachi had openly sided with Konoha and even struck down members of his own clan. Given such a crime, Fugaku, as the clan leader, could only uphold justice, even if it meant condemning his own grandson.
If he were to show favoritism and release Itachi, he would not only risk his position as clan leader but would also face the wrath of the entire Uchiha clan.
"If your father couldn't do it, what makes you think I can?" Akira asked, looking at Sasuke.
"You can! Everyone in the Uchiha clan is calling you a hero now, the one who saved our clan. If you're willing to help, you can do it!" Sasuke insisted, even though he knew he was asking a lot.
It was clear that Sasuke had no other options and had come to Akira out of desperation.
Reflecting on the time Sasuke had shared half of his 200 ryo with him, which had led Akira to discover his life simulation ability, Akira couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude.
Of course, the main reason was that Akira had no intention of letting Itachi die. After all, a living Itachi could still be of great use.
"Alright, I'll give it a try," Akira finally agreed after some thought. Whether for personal or practical reasons, he had no plans to see Itachi killed.
"Thank you so much, Akira! Thank you!" Sasuke was deeply moved. He knew how difficult it was to ask Akira to do something his own father had refused to do, but seeing Akira agree gave him a glimmer of hope.
As he glanced at the time, Akira realized there was only about an hour left before the Uchiha and the other clan leaders were to meet and discuss the Hokage position. As the executor of the decapitation plan, he had to be there.
Time was tight.
Originally, he had planned to wait until the Hokage issue was resolved before dealing with Itachi. But since he had promised Sasuke, Akira stood up to leave.
"Master, breakfast is ready!" Keiko called out as she saw Akira heading out. After opening the Eight Gates and staying up all night, Akira hadn't eaten anything yet.
"I have something to take care of. I'll be back within the hour!" Akira replied, grabbing a few rice balls from the table before heading out with Sasuke.
As they left, Akira handed one of the rice balls to Sasuke and said, "Go wait for me in the small forest outside the clan grounds. If I manage to get Itachi out, I'll send him to find you."
Sasuke nodded firmly, took the rice ball, and the two went their separate ways.
The Uchiha prison wasn't large, designed only to hold criminals within the clan.
Originally, Itachi's status had soared after awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan, but his actions against the clan members the previous night had turned him into a criminal in the eyes of the Uchiha.
The higher his previous status, the more severe the clan's condemnation.
Itachi was now bound with chains imbued with sealing power, guarded by two elite clan members at the entrance.
"Master Akira!" The guards immediately saluted when they saw Uchiha Akira approaching, knowing that while Itachi was restricted, Akira had risen to hero status within the clan.
Although only seven years old, Akira's reputation in the clan was now on par with that of Fugaku, who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Without saying a word, Akira glanced at the two guards, and the three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes spun into view. Instantly, the two elite guards rolled their eyes and collapsed, unconscious.
Though both guards also had the three-tomoe Sharingan, their strength was merely at the level of Jonin, while Akira had already reached Kage-level. With his expertise in ninjutsu and genjutsu honed through countless simulations, the guards had no chance.
With ease, Akira opened the door and entered the prison.
Inside, Itachi sat calmly, showing no signs of fear or distress despite being a prisoner.
"You're here," Itachi said evenly as he saw Akira enter.
"Want one?" Akira offered, raising the last rice ball in his left hand after having nearly finished the one in his right.
"I can't exactly take it with my hands tied like this," Itachi replied, nodding toward the chains binding him.
Akira nodded back, shoved the remaining half of his rice ball into his mouth, and then approached Itachi. Grasping the chains, he gave them a firm tug. The chains were taut, but they held firm.
Undeterred, Akira continued to release more power, opening the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates. Finally, the chains, unable to withstand his strength, snapped.
"Not bad, these chains were pretty strong to hold someone with the Mangekyo Sharingan," Akira remarked as he offered the last rice ball to Itachi.
Itachi looked at Akira in surprise, not having expected him to simply break the chains through sheer force. Without hesitation, he took the rice ball and asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll find a way to escape?"
"Go ahead. I came here to release you, after all," Akira replied casually.
"Release me? Why?" Itachi was even more perplexed. Despite betraying the Uchiha, killing members of his clan, and holding opposing ideals to Akira, he was being set free?
"I had no choice. Sasuke came to me, begging me to save you. I don't have many friends in the clan—Sasuke is one of them. It was the first favor he asked of me, so I couldn't just refuse," Akira explained nonchalantly.
"Sasuke," Itachi murmured, a tender look crossing his face. Sasuke had gone to Akira for help, all to save him.
"But even if Sasuke asked, that can't be the only reason you're releasing me, right?" Itachi asked, regaining his composure and looking at Akira with determination.
"You're right. Even without his request, I had already planned to let you go," Akira admitted candidly. Although he had foreknowledge of events, Akira knew that in terms of intellect, he was no match for Itachi.
There was no point in hiding the truth.
"Last night, the man with the spiral-patterned mask—you know who he is, don't you?" Akira asked.
"Don't look so surprised. I know him too," Akira added. "He claims to be Madara Uchiha, but he's not. You don't need to worry about that."
"But make no mistake, he will be a source of chaos for Konoha, and perhaps even the entire shinobi world," Akira continued. "So, I want you to leave the village as a rogue ninja and keep an eye on him."
Akira knew that the Akatsuki organization would still pose the greatest threat in the future. With the Uchiha coup now a success, Itachi no longer had a place in Konoha. Sending him to monitor the Akatsuki, as in the original story, seemed like the best course of action.
And Akira was certain that for the sake of Konoha and the peace of the shinobi world, Itachi would not refuse.
"Alright," Itachi agreed without hesitation. He knew that the man who claimed to be Madara Uchiha was a dangerous element, and he quickly made up his mind. After finishing the rice ball, Itachi left.
"By the way, make sure to say goodbye to Sasuke in the small forest near the clan grounds. He's waiting for you," Akira called out as Itachi walked away.
Itachi paused for a moment, then continued walking.
"Akira, although our ideals differ, you've done well. You're better than I am. I'm sure Shisui would be proud of you," Itachi's voice echoed as he disappeared into the distance.
*****
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