Land of Fire — Konohagakure — Hokage Office
At this moment, the expressions of the three individuals present were all markedly different.
Bai Ye leaned lazily in his seat, one arm wrapped casually around Tsunade as he yawned, his expression indifferent. Things had progressed to this point—it was only natural.
Meanwhile, Itachi knelt on one knee before them, his demeanor resolute. He hadn't let Bai Ye down.
Ever since Itachi chose to join the Uchiha Guard, Bai Ye had observed subtle changes in him. People are shaped by influence over time—those involved might not perceive it, but outside observers could see it clearly. Bai Ye was certain: before stepping into the Hokage's office today, Itachi had wrestled with immense internal conflict.
But this time, unlike in the original timeline, the extermination of the Uchiha clan would take a very different path.
Fifth Hokage Tsunade remained composed, watching quietly and waiting for Itachi to speak first. She had insisted on taking responsibility for managing this critical matter herself, and Bai Ye had agreed, giving her space to gain experience as Hokage. The fact that Uchiha tensions had not erupted into chaos was already a testament to her control—and an invaluable lesson in leadership.
After this incident, Bai Ye figured he could wash his hands of Konoha's politics and return to enjoying his idle days as a "salted fish" captain.
Finally, Itachi spoke.
"There's guilt weighing heavily on me," he began, eyes lifting to meet Bai Ye's with clear sincerity. "Before I came here, I hesitated. That hesitation left me feeling... tainted. As a member of the Guard, such weakness should not exist in me. I feel deep shame for that lapse."
Having confessed his emotions, Itachi drew a deep breath and rose slowly to his feet. The internal turmoil that once haunted his gaze was now gone.
This time, he had not chosen to shoulder all the consequences alone. Instead, he was opening up—laying the situation bare and placing the decision in the hands of both the Captain and the Hokage.
There was still hope. The clan had not reached the brink of annihilation. Problems could be viewed from different perspectives—when they were, solutions could emerge.
The Itachi who once believed extermination was the only path had changed. That change had begun the moment he defied Sarutobi Hiruzen's covert orders and chose instead to align himself with the Guard three years ago.
His silence then had been the first seed of rebellion.
And once that seed sprouted, it became habit. He began seeing the Guard's code as truth and purpose. His presence here today was no accident—it was inevitable.
"A few days ago, Danzo was released from prison," Itachi said evenly, emotion now tucked away beneath the mask of a proper subordinate making his report.
"He first sought out Shisui, learned about the situation between the Uchiha and the village, and treated it as an opportunity."
Itachi's voice grew heavier. "Shisui's heart is pure. I tried to stop him from engaging with Danzo, but he believed Danzo's intentions were still for the sake of the village."
He paused, then silently summoned a crow. One of Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan eyes shimmered in its socket.
"This is his eye," Itachi explained. "The other has been taken by Danzo."
Tsunade's eyes widened slightly. "Don't tell me Shisui... told Danzo about Kotoamatsukami? The true power of that eye?"
Itachi gave a somber nod.
He had always known Shisui was the type to stubbornly rush toward disaster, and words alone would not change his mind. What he hadn't expected was that, in the end, Shisui would entrust him with the remaining eye—then choose death.
Even now, Itachi could not fully understand what went through Shisui's mind.
Danzo wasn't even a high-ranking figure anymore. Technically, he was just a former Jōnin wandering the village after release—viewed by some as reformed, by others as a criminal who had served his sentence.
Even if the Uchiha clan came to believe Danzo had attacked Shisui, the village leadership wouldn't necessarily bear responsibility.
Thus, the tension wouldn't explode like it once had.
Danzo had already lost much of his power—and that was a key reason why Itachi had not taken the original path of slaughter.
The core conflict between the Uchiha and the village hadn't escalated to a life-or-death standoff.
Tsunade was not Sarutobi. She harbored no desire to annihilate the Uchiha and would never allow the situation to devolve that far. She had her own ways of balancing Uchiha restlessness. And if those methods failed?
Bai Ye would never allow harm to come to his woman.
Itachi continued. "After that, Danzo came to me."
A deep frown creased his face.
"I don't know what emboldened him, but he threatened me—using my brother Sasuke—and tried to manipulate me into wiping out the Uchiha. He wanted to trap the Captain into a dilemma."
"At that moment, I considered killing him outright. As a guard, his attack on Shisui alone is enough to charge him with multiple violations."
He paused. "But I didn't do it."
Bai Ye remained silent. He knew what was coming. This was the test—this was the proof that Itachi had chosen a new path.
Itachi explained. "There were two reasons for my hesitation. I ask Captain and Hokage-sama to listen and decide whether Danzo should still be apprehended."
Bai Ye nodded. "Speak."
He had already anticipated Itachi's strategy. These were the moments where a subordinate proved himself—not by obedience, but by insight.
"First," Itachi said firmly, "I pretended to agree with Danzo. I told him I would eliminate the Uchiha. But instead, I used the time to begin investigating those in the clan who have been deliberately stoking hatred and pushing for conflict."
"Konoha's Uchiha are not unified. The discontent stems largely from radicals who manipulate the masses."
"If we use this moment to remove them, then the Uchiha will no longer be a threat to village peace."
He bowed slightly. "I ask that the Captain and Hokage-sama show mercy to the rest of the clan. The radicals deserve punishment, but the innocent do not."
The difference was now unmistakable.
This was not the Itachi of the original timeline who had slaughtered his kin indiscriminately. This was a man who sought precision, not bloodshed.
The rift between the Uchiha and Konoha was not one-sided. Danzo and Sarutobi's manipulation had fanned the flames. But it had also stemmed from years of marginalization—the Uchiha, co-founders of the village, felt like outsiders under Senju dominance.
Second Hokage Tobirama's measures against them had only deepened that divide.
Konoha owed the Uchiha a chance at fair treatment.
And the Uchiha, in turn, needed to stop feeding the flames of rebellion.
To Tsunade, none of this was unsolvable. She was not afraid of Uchiha power—not with Bai Ye behind her. But the radicals demanding Fugaku become Hokage and Tsunade step down? That was laughable.
The door to dialogue was open. But they had to be willing to walk through it.
Bai Ye saw it too.
The plan had worked. With the right push, Itachi had avoided the genocide path and instead sought a just solution. Neutralize the radicals, spare the innocent.
A clean path forward.
Suddenly, Bai Ye spoke.
"Do you know why I kept Danzo alive?"
He pulled out a slip of paper and flicked it toward Itachi.
"Even radicals are human lives. But sometimes... the pot shadow has to serve his purpose."
Itachi caught the paper and unfolded it.
His eyes widened as he scanned the names.
A list of confirmed radicals. The irredeemable ones.
So the Captain had already prepared everything? Down to the last justification?
He'd given Itachi the path to act—without guilt.
At that moment, Itachi's heart was full. Gratitude and admiration stirred within him.
The Captain… had always been watching over him.
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