·Chapter 59
"Bring me the body of Uchiha Shisui..."
No one knew how much time passed. Under Sarutobi Hiruzen's disbelieving gaze, the Third Hokage finally gave a grave order.
"Yes!!"
At his command, a few ANBU cautiously exited the office.
A minute later, two ANBU returned, carrying a stretcher.
"Hmph..."
Shimura Danzo snorted coldly, then barked out, "Hurry up. Lift the cloth."
"Yes!"
With trembling hands, one of the ANBU pulled back the white sheet covering the body.
Whew!
Hoo!!
As the cloth was lifted, sharp gasps echoed in the office.
When they saw the state of Shisui's corpse — his body cut cleanly in half, blood long since dried — both Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo felt their minds go blank, as if struck by thunder.
Too tragic!
Shisui's death was far worse than they had imagined.
The corpse, severed cleanly, told a story of torture and agony. Even from what remained of his face, it was clear: he had suffered greatly before death.
"His Sharingan...?"
Danzo's voice suddenly turned frantic. His gaze locked onto Shisui's hollow eye sockets, his face twisting in rage.
The prized Mangekyō Sharingan, the power he had schemed so hard for — gone.
How could this be?!
Bang!!
Hiruzen slumped heavily into his chair, his face dark and unreadable.
He knew.
Shisui's death wasn't simple. No matter who killed him, this tragedy would only deepen the already volatile tensions between the Uchiha clan and Konoha's leadership.
"Wait a minute..."
A thought crossed Hiruzen's mind. He frowned, turning a sharp, suspicious look toward Danzo.
Could it be...
Was it Root who killed Shisui?
Was Danzo pretending to grieve while plotting behind his back?
"Why are you looking at me like that, Hiruzen?"
Noticing the distrust in Hiruzen's eyes, Danzo leapt to his feet, roaring, "If it were me, would Shisui have died so cleanly? Do you think he would have resisted?"
Of course, even if it was Danzo's doing, he would never admit it.
Root had already laid a trap to ambush Shisui and seize his eyes... but things hadn't gone as planned.
"You better not be involved..."
Hiruzen gave Danzo a long, heavy stare and said coldly, "With Shisui dead, the only one left who understands the Uchiha is Uchiha Itachi."
Sighing deeply, he added,
"Dead men hold no value. After the shock wears off, we'll have to accept it. Shisui was... a useful tool."
"Tch... it must've been the Uchiha clan!" Danzo said bitterly after a few seconds, grinding his teeth. "Who else could have killed Shisui?"
"Wait..."
A cold light flashed across Hiruzen's eyes.
"Whether it was the Uchiha clan or not, tomorrow, we'll see their reaction."
"No! We can't give them time!" Danzo growled, his face contorted with rage. "The Uchiha are a tumor to Konoha. Shisui's death proves it. For the sake of the village, we must act!"
"...Wait a little longer."
Despite everything, Sarutobi hesitated, shaking his head.
"The Uchiha and the village cannot coexist, Sarutobi."
Danzo's voice was low but firm. "For the Will of Fire and the future of Konoha... some things must be done."
"I'll leave first."
With those grim words, Danzo turned and stormed out of the office.
"I'll have Itachi cooperate with you..."
Just as Danzo reached the door, Hiruzen spoke again, almost like whispering a death sentence.
"I trust that Itachi, who holds the Will of Fire, will make the right choice."
"From now on, whatever you do... I'll pretend I know nothing."
"Good."
Danzo didn't look back. He simply left.
Meanwhile, at the Uchiha Clan Compound
Inside the central meeting hall:
"Patriarch, why isn't Shisui back yet?"
"It's been hours... Should we just leave? It's getting late."
"Maybe Shisui switched sides at the last moment?"
Grumbles of impatience filled the room.
Truthfully, many among the Uchiha once respected Shisui.
But ever since the Nine-Tails attack, Shisui had leaned too heavily toward Konoha's leadership. Many viewed him as a traitor — a double-crosser among their own.
Still, because of Shisui's fearsome Genjutsu prowess, none dared voice it openly.
Now, after so much suffering and mistreatment by the village, fewer and fewer were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"I believe in Shisui."
Uchiha Fugaku's voice was serious. He spoke with confidence, "Shisui is still a Uchiha. In the end, he will stand with his clan."
Bang!!
Before Fugaku could even finish, the conference room door was smashed open.
A bloody half of a corpse rolled into the room.
"...This is?"
Everyone froze.
It was like a nightmare.
Among them, Uchiha Itachi's body went rigid the moment he caught sight of the corpse.
Buzz!
Recognition struck him like a lightning bolt.
"AHHHH!!"
Itachi let out a blood-curdling scream.
Overwhelming grief and rage flooded him, and his dark pupils turned scarlet.
One tomoe... two tomoe... three tomoe...
Finally, under the crushing despair, his Sharingan evolved into a Mangekyō Sharingan, a windmill-shaped kaleidoscope pattern spinning into place.
"Itachi? Are you alright?"
Fugaku was stunned for a moment, but then a proud smile tugged at his lips.
"Good... As expected of my son."
"Patriarch... this... this seems to be Shisui..."
One of the Uchiha shinobi stepped forward, cautiously inspecting the remains.
His voice trembled as he spoke.
"The body was dismembered... and the eyes were gouged out."
"What?! Shisui?!"
The room fell into an uproar.
Moments ago, many had been envious of Itachi's sudden power-up.
Now, staring at Shisui's mutilated corpse... no one could find any words.
Impossible.
Unthinkable.
Yet the evidence lay before them.
As Shisui's half-body was carefully lifted onto the meeting table, a heavy, suffocating silence engulfed the entire room.
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