When Shisui Uchiha left, as if sensing something, Itachi Uchiha looked back.
Just as Shisui noticed Itachi, Itachi also realized Shisui was observing him.
Although he had already detected Shisui, Itachi could not avoid him at that moment. He could only pretend to ignore him and buy a flatbread at the roadside.
However, watching the other depart, a trace of unease rose in Itachi's heart.
Just as Shisui understood him, he also understood Shisui.
In Itachi's eyes, although his kinsman was powerful, his personality was simply too naive.
The hardliners within the Uchiha were already uncontrollable; eliminating them was imperative.
If Shisui did not interfere in this matter, then a vital combat asset for the Uchiha's future could be preserved.
Thinking back to his last conversation with Kakashi, Itachi hesitated on whether to chase after him.
Finally, after thinking it over, Itachi caught up to Shisui's steps.
After all, according to Lord Hokage, Shisui was not considered a hardliner.
"Itachi, what are you doing?"
Shisui quickly sensed Itachi pursuing him, stopped immediately, and looked at the newcomer.
"What are you planning to do, Shisui?"
While calmly thinking about how to dissuade his kinsman from doing anything superfluous, Itachi silently walked to the front of Shisui, blocking his path.
The direction Shisui was heading was toward the Hokage Residence.
"Don't you understand what I'm doing?"
Looking at his former kinsman before him, Shisui sneered.
"Shisui, don't do meaningless things."
"Everything happening to the clan is of their own making."
"Because of their mistakes, the clan has to pay the price."
"They brought this on themselves."
If it were before, Shisui might have held a shred of expectation for Itachi, but with these words, Shisui understood everything completely.
"Itachi, do you know what you are saying?"
Shisui's face suddenly turned cold. Looking at the kinsman before him, he didn't dare associate this person with the one who used to pester him for training guidance years ago.
"Naturally, I know what I am saying."
"When a person makes a mistake, they must pay for that mistake."
"You were the one who taught me such a simple truth back then, Shisui."
Itachi's expression remained unchanged, his feet not moving an inch.
For Sasuke, for Lord Hokage, for the clan, he wanted to keep Shisui here.
If Shisui chose to ignore what happened next, then not just the clan, but even Lord Hokage and Konoha could preserve some strength.
"You realize your father, mother, Clan Head Fugaku, and Lady Mikoto are also among those people!"
"Even..."
Shisui looked at his kinsman in disbelief. He couldn't imagine Itachi could be so ruthless.
"Sasuke is innocent. Lord Hokage has promised me that those in the clan unrelated to this will not die because of it."
"Lord Hokage is a very benevolent Hokage."
"Shisui, you should understand and sympathize with Lord Hokage."
Hearing Itachi's words, Shisui laughed in anger. His voice suddenly rose, his rage accompanied by a disappointed shout at this kinsman:
"Did you ever fight for your father's or your mother's lives?!"
"Did you ever fight for a chance for your blood relatives to survive?!"
Looking at the furious Shisui, Itachi's expression remained calm.
"They brought all of this on themselves, didn't they?"
"According to my original plan, to prevent ignorant clansmen from directing their anger at Lord Hokage, the entire Uchiha clan—except for Sasuke—should have been left with no survivors."
!
Shisui looked at the kinsman before him in disbelief.
It was as if he was seeing his kinsman's true colors for the first time.
How could he say such frenzied words!
It was simply...
"Animal!"
"Do you know what you're saying?!"
"You are even more deranged than that Kakashi!"
Shisui could no longer suppress the anger in his heart, feeling slightly dizzy.
Where had that cute kinsman gone?
Was this cold-blooded animal before him really that earnest, hardworking boy?
"Lord Hokage is innocent."
"Please, Shisui, do not be so rude to Lord Hokage."
Itachi's expression didn't change; he continued to block the space in front of Shisui.
"Move!"
Shisui felt that if he kept talking, he might just kill the Itachi standing before him with one strike.
"Shisui, don't do meaningless things. Lord Hokage is right."
Smack!
As soon as Itachi finished speaking, Shisui raised his hand and slapped Itachi hard across the face.
"Get lost!"
Shisui roared.
"Shisui, Lord Hokage is right."
Disregarding the stinging pain on his face, Itachi still blocked Shisui, refusing to yield an inch.
"Do you know what you are saying?!"
"A man who is unfilial is nothing but a beast!"
Shisui grabbed Itachi by the collar, staring at him with eyes about to split with rage.
"Lord Hokage is right."
Smack!
Another slap landed hard on Itachi's face, this time knocking him to the ground.
"Shisui, Lord Hokage..."
Coldly watching Itachi, who was lying on the ground but still trying to stop him, Shisui kicked his kinsman directly in the stomach. Under the force of the kick, Itachi curled up uncontrollably.
"You animal, I'll deal with you once the dust settles!"
In the end, even though Itachi had said words Shisui found completely deranged, he still didn't kill him.
But in this moment, Shisui was utterly disappointed in Itachi.
The innocent, kind kinsman in his memories would exist only in memory forever.
The current Itachi, in his eyes, was just a demon wearing human skin.
Even that cold-blooded, heartless Kakashi knew not to harm the innocent, yet his own kinsman wanted to kill everyone, including his parents.
It was absolute madness!
Watching Shisui leave, Itachi gripped the dirt on the ground tightly, his attempt to stop the other having ultimately failed.
Shisui...
I was trying to save you.
Why? Why does it have to be like this?
When people make mistakes, they must pay the price—isn't that what you taught me?
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