As Itachi sat on the high branch of the tree near the training grounds and watched the clear night stars he sensed movement below.
Three familiar figures from the Uchiha clan walked toward him.
They were Inabi Uchiha Yashiro Uchiha and Tekka Uchiha.
All three were grown men who held the rank of jonin.
Yashiro spoke first in a stern voice that held no warmth.
“Itachi where were you yesterday when the rest of the clan gathered?
Your absence was noticed by everyone.” Itachi looked down at them with a deepening frown and answered in a flat tone.
“I was on a mission for the village.” Yashiro continued without accepting the simple reply.
“What mission could keep you away from a full clan meeting?
Yesterday only two Uchiha were missing from the gathering.
One was you and the other was Shisui.
No one entered or left the compound during the hours of the meeting.” “Shisuis body was found in the Naka river close to the Uchiha training grounds and the compound itself.
You returned later that same day from the exact direction of the river.
The patrol teams have already given their reports so do not insult us with lies.” The frown on Itachis face grew heavier.
He opened his three tomoe Sharingan and looked directly at the three older shinobi.
The red eyes glowed in the darkness.
He spoke in a voice that carried clear anger.
“Are you insinuating that I had something to do with Shisuis death?
Are you standing here and claiming that I harmed the only true friend I have ever trusted inside this clan?” Inabi stepped forward and answered with cold accusation.
“You are the heir of the Uchiha clan and yet you follow every order that comes from the Third Hokage without question.
Who can say what secret orders he gave you?
Perhaps he told you to weaken the clan by removing one of our strongest jonin.
Shisui was a pillar of our strength and now he is gone.
The timing of your mission and his death is too convenient to ignore.” Itachi kept his glowing eyes fixed on them and replied with firm conviction.
“I am the heir of the clan and that is exactly why I refuse to join idiocies such as the coup you keep pushing.
The plan you and the other hot blooded members promote will only bring destruction down on every Uchiha.
I will not place the future of the children of this clan on the same level as your pride.” Inabi opened his mouth to interrupt but Itachi cut across him with a sharper glare.
“I am not finished speaking.
You will listen until I am done.” He continued in a voice that dripped with scorn.
“I wonder whether Shisui took that final step because of people like you.
Perhaps he could no longer bear to be associated with fools who would rather burn the clan than protect it.
Your endless talk of rebellion may have been the weight that finally broke him.” The three jonin glared up at him with gritted teeth.
The insult had landed exactly where Itachi intended.
Yashiro clenched his fists and spoke in a low dangerous tone.
“Are you asking for a fight Itachi?
A twelve year old boy should know better than to provoke three fully trained jonin.” Itachi answered with open mockery.
“Three adult Uchiha become angry over a few honest words from a twelve year old member of their own clan.
If that is all it takes to make you reach for weapons then yes I believe I am asking for the fight you offer.” Inside the shared mind the original Itachi spoke with sudden alarm.
‘What are you doing Julian?
This is reckless and unnecessary.
Walking into an open clash with three clan jonin will create problems we do not need tonight.’ Itachi replied with cold reasoning drawn from the memories they both carried.
‘According to your own memories these three are among the loudest voices that have been forcing your father and the other elders toward a coup against the village.
They have caused constant trouble for you and for Shisui.
Do you not think they deserve a clear beating for the pressure they have piled on both of you for months?’ The original Itachi tried to hold the line of caution.
‘They are experienced jonin.
Each of them has years of real battle behind him.’ The new Itachi answered without hesitation.
‘So am I.
This body holds the rank and the skill of a jonin even if the face still looks young.’ The original Itachi pressed the next obvious danger.
‘You are still outnumbered three to one.
Numbers matter in a real fight.’ The new Itachi allowed a small smirk to form on the face they shared.
‘Outnumbered by weaklings does not concern me.
After fifteen years of fighting my own clones at full strength I have been waiting for the chance to test these skills against real shinobi who can feel pain and bleed.
Tonight is as good a time as any.’ The original Itachi offered the final protest that carried the weight of his old personality.
‘But the real Itachi would never start something like this.
I always avoided open conflict inside the clan whenever I could.’ Itachi answered with a ready explanation that closed every remaining argument.
‘You are supposed to be grieving.
A grieving Uchiha is known to become emotionally unstable and extremely dangerous.
Your father and mother will understand that the loss of Shisui pushed their son past the usual limits of control.
After that truth there is nothing more you need to say.’ The original Itachi found no further counter and fell silent.
On the ground Yashiro decided that words had ended.
He infused a kunai with chakra and threw it with full force toward the figure on the branch.
The blade passed straight through Itachis body and buried itself in the trunk behind him.
The chakra caused the kunai to explode outward and shatter a wide section of bark.
Yashiro stared at the empty space with open shock.
“What?” he mumbled as his mind struggled to accept the miss.
Tekka shouted a sudden warning.
“Behind you!” The warning came too late.
Itachi had already appeared at Yashiros back.
The afterimage on the tree faded completely as the real body delivered a powerful kick that caught the older jonin square in the spine.
Yashiro was launched forward like a broken doll and crashed through the same tree his own kunai had damaged.
Wood splintered and the man fell to the ground with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Yashiro pushed himself up on shaking arms and spoke through the pain.
“How did I not see him move?
The speed was beyond anything I expected.” Tekka answered with grim recognition.
“That was Shisuis body flicker jutsu.
I am certain of it.
The same impossible speed and the same vanishing step.” All three jonin activated their Sharingan at once.
Each pair of eyes held three tomoe .
Without another word the three adult Uchiha launched themselves at the twelve year old boy who stood calmly in the clearing.
Itachi watched them come and thought, ‘They call themselves proud Uchiha yet three grown men feel the need to gang up on one child.
This sight is so shameful.’ A second thought followed at once.
‘Well I would not have enjoyed the fight nearly as much if they had decided to be fair.’ ———Author Notes——– Thankyou Ouraga_n for supporting me!