"I will never allow you to become Hokage, not in this lifetime."
Shimura Danzo's cold sneer echoed in the office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, usually gentle and kind in demeanor, had a rare flicker of sarcasm in his tone. His gaze deepened ominously as he fell into silence…
---
At the same time,
Uchiha Compound – Naka Shrine
In front of the ancestral stone tablet of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Itachi stood silently, his eyes sharp and contemplative as he read the ancient script carved into the stone.
His Sharingan, glowing scarlet with three tomoe, suddenly twisted and reshaped into the form of a pinwheel shuriken—the Mangekyō Sharingan, the ultimate expression of Uchiha power.
Under the influence of this awakened eye, the hidden messages—altered long ago by Black Zetsu—became visible and began imprinting themselves into Itachi's mind.
As he finished reading, Itachi's expression turned somber and conflicted. He muttered softly: "Infinite Tsukuyomi…"
The name stirred complex thoughts in his heart.
Since awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, he had gained the exclusive ocular genjutsu known as Tsukuyomi.
A formidable illusion that activates upon eye contact, instantly dragging the target's consciousness into Itachi's spiritual realm.
Within the Tsukuyomi world, time, space, and perception are all under his complete control. He often used it to deliver psychological torment, forcing targets to experience days or even years of suffering in the span of seconds.
Yet, it could also be used to show someone their most treasured fantasies.
If the illusion could be prolonged indefinitely…
Could it create an eternal, peaceful world?
But was such a world true peace?
Itachi gently shook his head with a bitter smile.
He could not agree with such a vision.
Illusion is illusion—no matter how beautiful, it is still false.
And, as Shisui had once told him, all illusions eventually shatter.
---
Chapter 31: The Plan with Tobi
As Uchiha Itachi stood immersed in his thoughts,
A sudden spiraling distortion appeared behind him—space itself twisting unnaturally.
A mysterious figure stepped out from the void, masked by an orange spiral-patterned mask, clad in a black cloak adorned with red clouds.
Only a single eye was visible—another Mangekyō Sharingan.
It was Uchiha Obito, masquerading as the legendary Uchiha Madara.
"Itachi, you've unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan and read the secrets on the stone tablet," Obito spoke with fervor. "Then you must understand the truth by now!"
His exposed eye gleamed with manic conviction as he stared at Itachi.
"This world is broken—tainted by war, pain, and lies. It must be destroyed."
"Only through Infinite Tsukuyomi can we create a world without conflict… one of true peace and everlasting happiness!"
"Join us. Help me awaken that new world."
Itachi slowly turned to face the self-proclaimed Madara.
His gaze remained steady, his voice emotionless as he replied—recalling the fragile balance of Konoha, the tension within the Uchiha, his promises to Sarutobi Hiruzen, to Shisui… and to his little brother, Sasuke.
"…I'll join."
No fluctuation in tone, no trace of emotion—it was impossible to read his intent.
"Haha, a wise decision!"
Obito's excitement was palpable, his voice rising with joy, as if grinning beneath the mask.
"You are indeed sharp, Itachi. What we do is for the sake of true peace. It's the burden of the Uchiha to shoulder this responsibility."
Itachi gave no response.
He stood silently, watching, listening.
Then, just as Obito finished speaking,
A bizarre lifeform emerged from the ground nearby—half white, half black, clad in an Akatsuki cloak.
It was Zetsu.
"Konoha's side is ready," Black Zetsu said calmly, reporting to Obito.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of emotion passed through Itachi's eyes.
The moment had come—everything had reached the point of no return.
All that was left… was to follow through with the plan.
Shisui… I hope your ideals hold.
And that boy Tian Yu… I hope he's truly trustworthy.
"Hahaha! Now that I've secured Uchiha Itachi's cooperation, everything is falling into place!" Obito laughed triumphantly. He turned to Itachi.
"Then tonight's operation will proceed as planned."
"I understand," Itachi replied, nodding.
With that, Obito activated Kamui, vanishing into his personal dimension.
Zetsu, too, sank back into the earth and disappeared.
---
Half a month later…
The Ninja Academy was once again filled with youthful energy.
Tian Yu, Tian Tian, and Rock Lee had officially become second-year students.
At the same time, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and other future Leaf Genin had joined the academy, beginning their journey.
Naturally, Naruto still failed to extract chakra during the entrance exam.
The Nine-Tails' interference made chakra control extremely difficult. Even with Tian Yu's chakra refining scroll, Naruto was unable to manifest chakra in time.
Still, the examiner approved his entry, citing his "potential as a ninja."
---
Midnight
The moon hung high and bright in the sky.
Inside his home, Tian Yu sat idly, boredom written on his face.
He was playing with the silver mask he had crafted earlier.
> [Hidden Mask]
Rank: Three-Star Weapon
Attribute: Spatial
Skills:
1. Completely mimics another's appearance for 3 minutes.
2. Conceals all chakra and physical presence for 10 minutes.
Bound: No
This was a rare concealment tool—while its duration was limited, its effectiveness was unparalleled.
Tian Yu had already tested it within the village.
Once activated, even a Kage-level sensor like Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't detect him.
Naturally, Tian Yu didn't do anything reckless.
He had merely wandered through Hiruzen's office, skimmed a few documents, and left.
Thus, he learned easily—
Tonight was the night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall.
The original timeline's tragedy was unfolding, right on schedule.
"Even with my presence, some things still happen as fate dictates," Tian Yu mused aloud.
"The Uchiha… perhaps they were never meant to coexist within Konoha. The grudges from the Warring States Era have festered too deeply."
"I don't know if Shisui is still alive, but if he is… I'm sure he's acting tonight."
Just then,
A chime echoed in Tian Yu's mind—the system had issued a new mission:
> [Mission Unlocked: Collect one or more Sharingan]
Reward: Forging Blueprint – Eye of the Three Tomoe
Eye of the Three Tomoe?
The name bore a striking resemblance to the Sharingan.
Could the two be connected?
It surprised Tian Yu that the system's forging blueprint involved such a powerful visual dojutsu.
Could the artifact emulate the abilities of a true Sharingan?
He had never considered this possibility before.
And now… the path ahead was growing even more complicated.