Morning sunlight filtered through the trees as Itachi and I made our way toward the Hokage Tower, but neither of us enjoyed the warmth.
Not today.
The village felt… tense.
Chunin patrolled with stiffer posture. ANBU masked figures appeared more frequently on the rooftops. Even civilians walked with their heads slightly lowered, sensing an invisible pressure.
Konoha wasn't at war.
But it was preparing for something.
Itachi walked quietly beside me. His steps were light, precise, controlled—but emotionally? He was anything but calm.
His eyes kept darting toward me, full of worry.
"Shisui," he finally said. "A message from Danzo… it's unusual. He rarely calls anyone directly."
Especially not me.
And especially not this early.
"Relax, Itachi," I said gently. "I'm not walking into a battlefield."
He stared at the ground. "Sometimes… talking to certain people feels more dangerous than battle."
I smiled faintly.
Smart kid.
"Stick close, okay? If anything feels suspicious, I'll let you know immediately."
He nodded, but not fully convinced.
And honestly? Neither was I.
---
At the Hokage Tower — An Ominous Welcome took place.
The ANBU at the entrance stepped forward.
"Uchiha Shisui. You are expected."
Expected.
Not invited.
Not requested.
Expected.
The difference wasn't small.
Itachi was stopped at the door.
"Uchiha Itachi. You are not permitted beyond this point."
Itachi stiffened. "He's my—"
"It's okay," I cut in quickly. "Wait outside."
He hesitated, lips pressed tight, but nodded reluctantly.
The ANBU led me through dim corridors toward a secluded wing at the far end of the tower.
A place normal shinobi rarely walked.
A place for black operations.
A place where secrets lived and died.
The door we stopped before was old, solid, reinforced with chakra seals.
The ANBU opened it silently.
"Enter."
The door shut behind me with a heavy thud.
Inside, the room was almost empty.
A low table.
A single candle.
Scrolls stacked neatly on the side.
No windows.
And in the center, the man himself—
Danzo Shimura.
Half-wrapped in bandages.
Single visible eye sharp like a predator's.
Calm.
Watchful.
Cold.
He didn't look up as I entered.
He didn't need to.
"Uchiha Shisui," he said, voice low and dry. "You've grown stronger."
I stood still, straight-backed, respectful.
The perfect shinobi.
The perfect Uchiha.
"Thank you, Danzo-sama."
His visible eye narrowed ever so slightly.
"Your chakra feels… sharper. Heavier. As if you've trained with unusual intensity."
I kept my expression neutral.
"Is that a problem?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he reached for a small scroll, unrolled it, and stared at it as if it contained the secrets of the universe.
"You are young," he murmured. "But talented. Too talented. A prodigy, one might say."
A cold flutter crawled through my chest.
He was probing.
Testing.
"You are considered the strongest of your generation," he continued. "Even compared to Itachi."
I remained silent.
Danzo finally raised his head, and our eyes met.
"When someone grows too quickly," he said, "they often hide things."
There it was.
The real reason I'd been summoned.
"Do you have something you wish to confess?"
My heartbeat slowed.
Not fear.
Control.
"No, Danzo-sama."
Silence.
Then he stood.
Even that small movement made the air feel heavier.
"Walk with me, Shisui."
---
The Hidden Hallway —
He led me through a side passage that spiraled downward.
The candlelight grew faint.
Chakra signatures faded.
This place was under the tower—beneath the public offices, beneath the ANBU rooms.
A root system.
Literally.
The "Root" base.
We stopped at a windowless chamber lined with old weapons and mission logs.
Danzo placed a hand on one of the scrolls.
"Do you know what this is?"
"No, sir."
"A record of Uchiha missions from the Second Shinobi War. Every successful operation. Every mistake. Every failure. Every death."
He rolled the scroll slowly, almost reverently.
"The Uchiha have power. But power breeds arrogance. Arrogance breeds blindness."
His voice hardened.
"And blindness leads to rebellion."
So it begins.
Danzo turned toward me again.
"You are loyal to Konoha, are you not?"
"Yes."
"You value peace?"
"Always."
"You wish to protect young Itachi?"
My chest tightened.
"I do."
Danzo stepped closer. His presence felt like a blade pressed against my throat.
"Then you will help me prevent a tragedy."
There it was.
The manipulation.
The hook.
"Tragedy?" I echoed.
"Your clan," he said bluntly. "You know the whispers. The secret gatherings. The dissatisfaction. Their eyes are turning redder by the day."
I clenched my jaw.
He wasn't wrong.
But he wasn't right, either.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked carefully.
Danzo's expression didn't change, but I felt something shift in the atmosphere.
"I want you," he said calmly, "to monitor your clan. Every meeting. Every whisper. Every conversation."
My hands tightened inside my sleeves.
"And if they move toward rebellion… you will report to me directly."
He paused.
"Because only you can prevent a civil war."
I inhaled slowly.
"So you want me to spy on my own clan."
He tilted his head.
"I want you to protect Konoha — from anyone who threatens it. Even if they share your blood."
The words hit hard.
But not because they were unexpected — I knew this was coming.
Still.
Hearing them from Danzo's own lips made my stomach twist.
He continued:
"I chose you because you are rational. Intelligent. Not blinded by pride. You care for the village more than your clan's ancient grudges."
He stepped closer until we were barely a meter apart.
"Tell me, Shisui… are you loyal to the Uchiha?"
This was the test.
The moment that would determine how Danzo would treat me moving forward.
I met his gaze without flinching.
"I am loyal," I said slowly, "to peace."
Danzo's eye narrowed—then relaxed.
A thin smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Good answer."
He turned away.
"That is all for today. You are dismissed."
---
Leaving the Tower...
I walked back into the sunlight with a faint chill still clinging to my skin.
Itachi immediately rushed to my side.
"What happened? Are you alright?"
I didn't answer at first.
Danzo's words echoed in my head:
"Only you can prevent a civil war."
"Are you loyal to the Uchiha?"
"Report to me directly."
I placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder.
"I'm fine," I said with a calm smile.
But inside?
Inside, everything was shifting.
"Let's talk on the way home."
Itachi nodded, still worried.
As we walked, I looked up at the Hokage Tower.
Danzo wasn't done with me.
And the next time he called…
It wouldn't be just to talk.
---
At Night System anounces itself with a—
DING!
When the moon rose and the district quieted, the system chimed softly inside my mind:
---
New Main Mission Updated:
"Danzo's Game Begins"
Risk Level: Extreme
Objectives:
• Survive Root interference
• Protect the Uchiha
• Mislead Danzo without detection
• Preserve the future
Reward: Hidden Skill (???)
---
I sighed.
"So the real battle starts now."
Danzo wanted a weapon.
Root wanted a pawn.
The clan wanted hope.
And the timeline?
It wanted my death.
I lay back on my bed and stared at the ceiling.
"Fine," I whispered. "If everyone wants to play games…"
A slow smile curled on my lips.
"…I'll play. And I'll win."
---
END OF CHAPTER