The tension on Shinsuke’s face finally eased slightly before turning solemn again.
“Uncle, Aunt…
there’s something you need to prepare yourselves for.
We most likely…
won’t be able to bring Itachi with us.” The moment those words left his mouth, Fugaku and Mikoto froze.
They remembered what Shinsuke had said earlier, that Itachi had already decided to work with Konoha’s higher ups to purge the entire clan.
Their eyes immediately filled with emotions too complicated to describe.
“If you’re worried about his safety, you don’t have to be.” Seeing their expressions, Shinsuke calmly added, “He’s already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.” “What?!” Fugaku shot to his feet again, disbelief written all over his face.
“You’re telling the truth?!” “He awakened it on the day Shisui died.” Shinsuke’s voice remained calm as he dropped another bombshell.
“And Shisui didn’t commit suicide.
He died at Shimura Danzō’s hands.
He had already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan as well.
Danzō gouged out one of his eyes, and the other is now in Itachi’s possession.” Fugaku was completely stunned.
His eldest son had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan without telling him.
Shisui, the clan’s once in a century genius, had also awakened it, only to die at Danzō’s hands after having one of his eyes ripped out.
“Shimura Danzō!
How dare he?!
I’ll kill him!” The rage he had suppressed for so long finally erupted.
Fugaku slammed his palm onto the table, sending the teacup crashing to the floor.
His crimson Sharingan spun wildly as killing intent poured from his body.
“Uncle, calm down.” Shinsuke’s icy voice extinguished Fugaku’s towering rage like a bucket of freezing water.
“Shisui’s Mangekyō ability is called Kotoamatsukami.
It’s the strongest genjutsu, capable of silently rewriting a person’s mind.” “Danzō now possesses Kotoamatsukami.
His arm is embedded with several Three Tomoe Sharingan, and he also has Izanagi.
Do you really think you can kill him?
If Kotoamatsukami controls you instead, the Uchiha will truly be beyond saving.” Fugaku stiffened.
He stared at Shinsuke for a long time before finally forcing out a sentence.
“Shinsuke…
how do you know all of this?” “My ability lets me glimpse part of this world’s future.
Only this world.” Shinsuke answered casually, brushing the question aside.
Fugaku took a deep breath and chose not to ask any further.
Every shinobi had secrets of their own.
Digging into someone else’s trump card was one of the greatest taboos in the shinobi world.
“When do we begin?” Returning to his seat, every trace of hesitation had vanished from his voice, leaving behind only unwavering resolve.
“Today.” Shinsuke’s expression immediately became serious.
“Uncle, everything I’m about to tell you must be remembered exactly.
There can be no mistakes.” “First, contact the Ninja Cat Clan.
Starting today, every Uchiha business throughout the Land of Fire is to be sold off to the Daimyō and merchants under his direct authority as quickly as possible, even at bargain prices.
Every payment we receive must be converted into food, medicine, explosive tags, and ninja tools.
Use Summoning Technique to store everything inside the underground chamber beneath Naka Shrine.” “Beginning tomorrow, announce that Naka Shrine is closing for expansion and that a grand ancestral ceremony will be held to pray for our forefathers.
Every member of the clan must participate.
Use that as an excuse to lock down the clan’s core district.” “Immediately recall every clan member currently on missions, regardless of rank.
They are to return to the clan compound as quickly as possible.
At the same time, have the elders proficient in Sealing Techniques construct the strongest defensive barriers and trapping formations around the clan’s perimeter.
The faster, the better.” “Every ninjutsu scroll, every secret inheritance, every notebook left behind by our ancestors, and every supply stored in the warehouses must be transferred to Naka Shrine in secret.
Not a single item can be left behind.” “I also need five elite Jonin who have awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan, along with ten more clan members who are at least Jonin level.
I have another assignment for them.
You choose the candidates, but they must be absolutely loyal and able to keep their mouths shut.” “Once everyone has returned, have the Ninja Cat Clan post an enormous bounty through the underground black market.” “The targets will be…
our own Uchiha Clan members.” “And one last thing.” Shinsuke paused before continuing.
“You need to personally visit the Hokage Building and meet Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Tell him the Uchiha are willing to temporarily hand over command of the Konoha Police Force.” “Once the mastermind behind Shisui’s assassination has been found and public attention dies down, we’ll discuss taking it back.” “At the same time, tell him that, for the safety of the entire clan, you request the ANBU to establish defensive positions around the Uchiha compound.” “Why?” A look of confusion immediately appeared on Fugaku’s face.
He could understand every other arrangement.
But voluntarily surrendering control of the Police Force while inviting the ANBU to guard the outside of the clan compound…
Wasn’t that the same as placing their own necks beneath someone else’s blade?
He could understand every other arrangement.
But voluntarily surrendering control of the Police Force while inviting the ANBU to guard the perimeter of the clan compound…
Wasn’t that the same as placing their own necks beneath someone else’s blade?
“I can’t explain the details yet.” Shinsuke calmly shook his head.
“Just do as I say.
It may look risky now, but in the long run it will only benefit us.
In fact, it may determine whether more members of the Uchiha can awaken the Sharingan…
or even the Mangekyō Sharingan in the future.” Fugaku stared into his unwavering eyes.
After a long silence, he finally let out a heavy sigh and nodded firmly.
“Fine!
Since I’ve already wagered the future of the entire clan on you, then I’ll follow your plan completely!” That very night, the lights throughout the Uchiha Clan Compound burned until dawn.
Without wasting a single moment, Fugaku saw Shinsuke off and immediately summoned the clan’s seven core elders, along with Uchiha Ye and the other elite Jonin whose loyalty was beyond question, to hold a secret meeting inside the underground chamber beneath Naka Shrine.
He said nothing about another world, nor did he reveal the coming massacre.
Instead, he repeated exactly what Shinsuke had instructed him to say.
He told them only that the village’s suspicion toward the Uchiha had reached its limit, that Shisui’s death was no accident, and that the higher ups had already begun sharpening their blades.
The clan had to immediately consolidate its strength, use an ancestral ceremony as a reason to tighten control over the clan, and prepare for every possible outcome.
The moment those words were spoken, the underground chamber erupted.
Years of discrimination, comrades dying under mysterious circumstances, and Root’s constant surveillance had pushed everyone’s resentment to the breaking point.
In the past, Fugaku had always ordered them to endure.
Now that the Clan Head had finally changed his stance, not a single person voiced any objection.
One order after another was issued without delay.
At the first light of dawn, messengers from the Ninja Cat Clan departed with sealed letters, scattering across every corner of the Land of Fire.
Every shop, mine, and estate the Uchiha had spent decades building throughout the Land of Fire was put up for sale overnight.
Every buyer was an official merchant directly affiliated with the Land of Fire’s Daimyō.
Not a single transaction passed through Konoha’s channels.
Every payment was immediately converted into hard currency and scarce supplies before being transported through Summoning Technique, shipment after shipment, into the underground warehouse beneath Naka Shrine.