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"The choice has been presented. It's time to decide, Itachi."
Kagaya knew the Uchiha Clan Massacre had officially begun.
Though Fugaku's words made sense—Itachi's help could potentially enable a bloodless revolution, preserving both the village and the Uchiha—both Kagaya and Itachi saw a flaw Fugaku overlooked: the possibility of failure.
Even with Itachi's aid, a bloodless revolution wasn't guaranteed to succeed. Moreover, in terms of overall strength, Konoha surpassed the Uchiha. Even if the Uchiha achieved a bloodless revolution, they might not subdue the other clans. And if the revolution failed, the outcome was clear: an all-out war between the Uchiha and Konoha.
What would an all-out war bring? No need to elaborate—other nations would seize the chance to invade, potentially destroying Konoha entirely.
Thus, the Uchiha's plan for a bloodless revolution was a high-stakes gamble. Failure meant death, and even success might not pacify the other clans, leading to war and death regardless.
To Kagaya and Itachi, the risks were too great. Of course, this was from the perspective of protecting Konoha. For the Uchiha, a bloodless revolution was the best—and only—path to a coup.
So, this choice wasn't about picking a method but about choosing between the clan and the village.
Kagaya knew Itachi would choose to protect the village. In Itachi's heart, the village outweighed the clan.
Kagaya didn't intend to interfere. His abilities were limited, and he couldn't oppose all of Konoha. His promise to Shisui also restricted him from acting directly against the village. Akatsuki wasn't willing to help him at this stage either, so Kagaya had few options to address the Uchiha's crisis.
Sitting in a ramen shop, Kagaya ordered a bowl of ramen. It tasted decent.
Though he wore the Akatsuki robe, in the original story, Itachi had eaten dango in Konoha while wearing one even after Orochimaru's invasion. Kagaya doing so now was even less conspicuous.
The people around him paid no attention to his attire.
"Ah, this is so good!" a voice suddenly rang out, catching Kagaya's attention. He turned slightly, surprised under his conical hat.
'Teacher Iruka? I didn't expect to run into him here.'
Iruka sat two seats to Kagaya's right. The hat hid Kagaya's face, so Iruka didn't recognize him.
Kagaya gave a faint smile, feeling a touch of nostalgia. But he couldn't linger. To avoid being recognized, he quickly stood and left.
Right now, the Uchiha clan's situation was more pressing.
---
In a secret room.
Itachi knelt on one knee.
"The Uchiha clan plans to stage a coup in Konoha!"
He had made his choice, as Kagaya predicted—Itachi chose to protect the village.
Above him, from left to right, sat Danzō, Koharu Utatane, the Third Hokage, and Homura Mitokado.
"What?!" Koharu exclaimed first.
Danzō narrowed his eyes. "You have proof, don't you?"
Itachi nodded. "Yes."
Danzō spoke decisively. "We can't delay. We must strike before they act."
As usual, the Third countered Danzō. "The Uchiha are our former comrades. I want to resolve this through communication, not force. I'll think of a solution!"
His final words were firm, as the Hokage's authority left little room for argument.
After the brief discussion, Danzō met Itachi in front of a temple—the same place where he had taken Shisui's Kotoamatsukami. Back then, Danzō had been ruthless, disregarding the Uchiha entirely. Now, he was forced to ask Itachi to clean up the Uchiha mess.
"Don't let the Third's pretty words fool you. When push comes to shove, he'll choose to protect Konoha. So, make your choice: stand with the Uchiha in rebellion and perish with your family, or stand with Konoha, spare only your brother, and help eliminate the Uchiha clan before the rebellion starts."
Itachi's eyes widened. Though he had chosen Konoha, he hadn't considered the brutal option of wiping out the Uchiha. He didn't want to do it—not at all. But there seemed to be no other way.
It wasn't that better options didn't exist, but the deep-seated conflict made both sides unwilling to pursue them.
Take an ordinary person whose family is killed before their eyes. The rational choice is to call the authorities. But if they deeply loved their family, they'd likely seek revenge themselves, even at great cost.
Was revenge the best choice? No. But humans are human, not machines. Expecting someone to always make the most rational decision is a pipe dream.
The Uchiha and Konoha were in such a state. The rank-and-file on both sides were emotionally charged.
A reconciliation without sacrifice? The entire Uchiha clan would likely reject it. Even the idea of "reconciliation" had been discarded.
Humans are animals, not machines. Emotions often defy reason.
The current situation wasn't about choosing the best option but the one neither side could refuse.
Danzō continued, "To protect the village, we must suppress this before chaos erupts. The only one suited for this task is you, Itachi, the double agent of the Uchiha and Konoha. No one else can do it. Will you accept this mission?"
Thunder rumbled in the sky, dark and heavy, mirroring Itachi's mood. That night, no one knew what answer Itachi gave Danzō.
---
The next morning, a crow reached Kagaya. He was surprised—Itachi had sought him out.
Later, across from a waterfall—the place where Shisui died—Kagaya met Itachi.
"Itachi, what's this about?"
Itachi stared at the waterfall, his back to Kagaya, and spoke.
"Kagaya, tell me, do villages, clans, and ninja exist just to create conflict? The village and the clan—what should I do? If it were you, what would you do? If it were Shisui, what would he do?"
The crow on Kagaya's shoulder spread its wings and flew to Itachi's side. It was Itachi's crow.
Kagaya smiled faintly. "If it were me, I'd firmly stand with the Uchiha and join the clan's rebellion."
Itachi froze, confused. Did that mean he was wrong?
But Kagaya wasn't finished. "But if it were Brother Shisui, I think he'd make the same choice as you. tachi, tell me, what's your name?"
Itachi turned, puzzled. Didn't Kagaya know his name? But seeing Kagaya's eyes, he answered, "Uchiha Itachi."
Kagaya smiled again, adjusting his hat slightly downward.
"That's enough. Uchiha Itachi is the trusted friend that Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Kagaya will always believe in. No matter what choice he makes, whether he succeeds or fails, Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Kagaya will forever support him. That's unquestionable."
With that, Kagaya vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
As he disappeared, two Anbu members fell unconscious from the trees nearby.
Itachi stared at the spot where Kagaya had been. After a long pause, a rare smile crossed his face, reminiscent of the days when he, Shisui, and Kagaya trained together. Back then, despite the tension between the Uchiha and Konoha, Itachi and Shisui could find peace. Those were Itachi's last happy moments.
"Thank you, Kagaya."
His parents, Sasuke, Shisui, Kagaya, and Izumi—these were the most important people to Itachi.