"I will never let you become Hokage."
A sneering voice echoed through the dimly lit Hokage's office.
Shimura Danzō's cold and mocking tone carried an air of disdain as he addressed Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Third Hokage, usually known for his benevolent expression, narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze deepening with hidden contemplation.
Meanwhile…
At the Uchiha Clan's Naka Shrine, in front of the ancient Uchiha Stone Tablet, Uchiha Itachi stood in silent contemplation. His crimson eyes, adorned with the three-tomoe Sharingan, suddenly shifted—morphing into an intricate, pinwheel-like pattern.
The Mangekyō Sharingan.
Under the power of his newly awakened Mangekyō, the hidden inscriptions—altered long ago by Black Zetsu—became clearer in his mind. As his gaze traced the ancient script, his expression turned unreadable. A single phrase stood out among the rest.
"Infinite Tsukuyomi…"
Itachi's mind drifted momentarily.
His own unique Mangekyō technique, Tsukuyomi, allowed him to manipulate time, reality, and perception within an illusory world. A single glance was enough to trap a target, forcing them to endure days of torment in mere seconds. Time, pain, and even reality itself—within Tsukuyomi, all were under his absolute control.
But Infinite Tsukuyomi?
The concept intrigued him. If an illusion could be cast on the entire world, eliminating war, pain, and suffering, would that truly be peace?
Itachi let out a quiet, bitter chuckle.
"Illusion is illusion," he murmured.
"No matter how beautiful, it will eventually shatter."
Those were Uchiha Shisui's words—his dearest friend, who had once believed in a different kind of peace.
Just as Itachi was lost in thought, the space behind him distorted.
A swirling vortex of chakra twisted the air, and from within it, a masked man in a black cloak adorned with red clouds emerged. His only visible eye gleamed with the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Uchiha Obito.
Or rather—the man who claimed to be Madara Uchiha.
"Itachi," Obito spoke, his voice carrying an eerie calm, "you've awakened the Mangekyō and read the tablet, haven't you? Then you should understand by now."
There was an unmistakable fervor in his tone as he continued.
"The world we live in is rotten beyond salvation. A place of endless war and suffering—a world that must be erased."
Obito took a step forward.
"Only through Infinite Tsukuyomi can we create true peace. A world without pain, without war—only eternal tranquility." His voice darkened. "Join us, Itachi. Help us bring forth the new world."
Itachi turned to face him.
His expression was unreadable as memories flashed through his mind. Konoha. The Uchiha Clan. His agreement with Hiruzen Sarutobi. His promise to Shisui.
And above all—Sasuke.
After a long silence, Itachi finally spoke.
"I'll join."
His tone was devoid of emotion, betraying nothing of his inner thoughts.
A gleam of satisfaction flickered in Obito's visible eye. "A wise choice, Itachi." His voice brimmed with excitement, as though he had secured a crucial piece in his grand plan. "You truly are intelligent. Everything we do is for true peace—the destiny of the Uchiha."
Itachi remained silent. He neither agreed nor objected.
Then, without warning, the ground at their feet stirred. From the earth, a peculiar figure emerged—half-black, half-white, its body resembling a plant-like husk. The eerie, dual-toned voice of Zetsu filled the air.
The true game had begun.
A black-and-white figure naturally blended into the darkness.
"The Konoha side is ready."
Zetsu respectfully reported to Uchiha Obito.
Hearing the report, Uchiha Itachi's eyes flickered with complex emotions. Everything had truly reached an irreversible point.
It seemed that he had no choice but to proceed with the plan.
"Shisui… I hope this unfolds as you wished. And that guy, Kazuki… I hope he's truly trustworthy."
"Hahahaha! I've already convinced Uchiha Itachi! It looks like everything is going smoothly!" Uchiha Obito laughed before turning to Itachi.
"Itachi, everything tonight will go as planned."
"…I understand." Itachi nodded solemnly.
Without another word, Obito activated his Kamui, vanishing into the swirling void. Zetsu, too, sank into the ground, disappearing without a trace.
Half a Month Later
The Ninja Academy was lively once more as the new term began.
Kazuki, Tenten, and Rock Lee had officially advanced to the second grade. Meanwhile, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and the rest of Konoha's new generation had smoothly entered the academy as fresh students.
As expected, Naruto had failed to extract chakra during the entrance exam. The Nine-Tails' interference made it difficult, even though Kazuki had given him a chakra-refining scroll in advance.
In the end, the exam proctor made an exception, allowing Naruto to pass with the justification that he "had the talent to become a ninja."
Midnight
A bright full moon hung in the night sky.
At that moment, Kazuki sat at home, absentmindedly twirling a silver mask in his hand—a mask he had crafted himself.
[Hidden Mask]
Rank: Three-Star WeaponAttribute: SpatialSkills:Completely transform into another person's appearance for three minutes.Conceal one's presence and become invisible for ten minutes.Contract-bound: No
The ability to erase his presence, even for a brief moment, was invaluable. Kazuki had tested the mask before. With it, even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi—a Kage-level shinobi—couldn't detect his existence.
Of course, he had been careful not to arouse suspicion. Instead, he had merely wandered into Hiruzen's office, browsed some documents, and left undetected.
And now, he knew what was happening tonight.
This was the night Uchiha Itachi would annihilate his own clan.
The tragedy of the Uchiha had unfolded just as in the original story.
"Even though this world has changed because of my existence… some events still seem inevitable."
"Maybe the Uchiha were never meant to be part of Konoha. The conflicts and resentment that had been brewing since the Warring States Era couldn't simply disappear with time."
"I wonder if Shisui is still alive… If he is, he'd definitely act now."
Just as he was lost in thought, a sudden notification echoed in his mind.
[Mission Issued: Collect at least one Sharingan]
[Reward: Forging Blueprint—Eye of Three Tomoe]
Eye of Three Tomoe?
Its name resembled the Sharingan. Was there a connection?
And why was the system task specifically related to the Sharingan?
Kazuki had never expected such a thing to appear in the system's forging blueprints.
"Could the Eye of Three Tomoe grant abilities similar to the Sharingan?"
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