Chapter 42: Meeting! Uchiha Itachi’s Stance

"Natsuhane, let's meet."

Inside the scroll, there was only this one imposing sentence.

"..."

"Seriously?!"

"That's it?"

Natsuhane was speechless.

Clearly, Uchiha Itachi had never arranged a meeting before!

Three key elements for a meeting: time, place, and participants.

There was only one participant, no time or place!

How was he supposed to meet?

Was he supposed to bump into him on the street?

Natsuhane closed the scroll and decided to let things take their course. After all, his main focus was on more important matters.

Natsuhane stood up and started walking across the street.

"Caw—Caw—"

Suddenly, the cawing of crows echoed in the sky.

A crow was circling above Natsuhane's head, refusing to leave.

When it came to crows, it had to be Uchiha Itachi.

The crow, realizing that Natsuhane had noticed it, stopped circling and flew towards the back mountain.

Natsuhane understood that this crow was Itachi's guide. He started following it slowly.

In truth, he had long wanted to meet Uchiha Itachi…

...

Back mountain, a small grove.

The moment the crow disappeared, Uchiha Itachi's figure emerged from the depths of the forest.

"Itachi, you called me here for something?" Natsuhane asked expressionlessly.

Hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Itachi's eyes. He then asked, "Do you...not hate me?"

He had expected Natsuhane to attack the moment they met.

After all, the direct perpetrator of the clan's massacre was him.

"Hate or not, it doesn't matter anymore. I came here just to ask you about your current stance."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you choose the village or the Uchiha?"

"..." Uchiha Itachi's pupils shrank again. He felt as though Natsuhane knew a lot of things.

"Natsuhane, I don't understand what you mean. My choice is to constantly test my own limits. Whether it's the village or the clan, it has nothing to do with me..."

Natsuhane waved dismissively, "Alright, alright, no need to go on about that. I already took down Danzo, so do you really think I don't know your secrets?"

Uchiha Itachi fell silent. After a long time, he finally spoke, "Natsuhane, I'm truly surprised. Everything you've done in the past two years, and your words today, all surprise me."

"Since you won't speak, I'll clarify my stance." Natsuhane decided to be open and honest, not wanting to engage in meaningless word games with Itachi:

"My goal is to have both the Uchiha and the village. On a larger scale, even the entire ninja world. This is what I'm currently striving for. Also, your brother Sasuke is living well. You don't need to worry."

"!"

How does he know I'm concerned about Sasuke?

Itachi's expression was complex. He hadn't expected Natsuhane to know so much!

It seemed there was no need for further evasive talk.

"I am Uchiha Itachi of Konoha. Naturally, I will always protect Konoha. This...is my stance."

Itachi stated his true intentions.

Natsuhane countered, "So, you're abandoning the clan?"

"For the village, it's a necessary sacrifice..."

"Heh..."

Natsuhane laughed coldly.

Itachi truly embodied the Will of Fire, sacrificing himself to illuminate others.

He wasn't just a slogan-shouter; he had actually done it.

"Itachi, in a way, I should thank you. If it weren't for what you did, I might not have awakened this power."

Of course, Natsuhane wouldn't tell Itachi the true source and nature of his power. Instead, he gave a plausible explanation to mislead him:

"After so many clan members died, a current flashed through my mind, and I unexpectedly awakened eyes like yours. Through these eyes, I saw many things…"

"Do you know why I know about you? Aren't you curious why I took down Danzo?"

"Because my Mangekyou Sharingan ability is to see through everything."

"Everything in this world—this sky, these clouds, you, and everyone else—nothing can hide from my Mangekyou...only the truth!"

The distinct pattern of the Mangekyou Sharingan flashed in Natsuhane's eyes.

"See through...everything?"

"This is your Mangekyou ability?"

Uchiha Itachi finally understood.

No wonder it felt like Natsuhane could see through him completely.

It turned out his Mangekyou Sharingan had such a powerful ability!

To see through everything!

Itachi's expression showed that he believed him.

He had to believe it; otherwise, there was no way to explain how Natsuhane knew everything.

What Itachi didn't know was that Natsuhane was merely recounting everything he had seen in the anime as a transmigrator.

"Itachi, join me. I'll give you a chance to atone. It's not too late to turn back. Protecting Sasuke doesn't mean you have to continue on your current path."

"Instead of protecting the village under the Third Hokage, why not change the village?"

Hearing this, Uchiha Itachi raised his head slightly, "Taking down Danzo wasn't enough? Do you intend to take down the Third Hokage as well?"

"Yes…" Natsuhane nodded solemnly, his expression serious.

"The Third's policy is always about sacrificing the few for the greater good, whether for himself or others. From a ruler's perspective, this isn't necessarily wrong, but I prefer a different approach. I want it all! I want to protect everyone who belongs to us!"

After saying this, Natsuhane himself was taken aback.

These words sounded so familiar.

They were the same words Naruto and Boruto often said.

Who would have thought he'd say the same thing one day?

Was this the standard setup for a protagonist?

Heh…

No way!

Natsuhane knew he wasn't finished yet.

There was one more thing to say.

"And those who harm us must be eradicated! Not just eradicated, but their sins must be made public, cursed for eternity, leaving behind a legacy of infamy!"

Hearing this, Uchiha Itachi smirked, self-mockingly, "Then I suppose that will be my fate as well. The harm and sins I've inflicted on the Uchiha are deep…"

Natsuhane chuckled, "Hehe… That's why I'm offering you a chance to atone. When you've atoned enough, you can leave your eyes to Sasuke and then die with your infamy…"

"While your frail body can still move, do something meaningful for the Uchiha, for your brother…"

Uchiha Itachi turned his head, gazing at the land he grew up in, contemplating for a long time.

"Alright… Natsuhane, how do you want me to atone?"

"You don't need to do anything. Just continue to protect Konoha from the shadows. But this time, protect a Konoha that belongs to the Uchiha... By the way, is there a woman named Konan in your organization?"

This time, Uchiha Itachi wasn't surprised. He understood that Natsuhane's knowledge of Konan was likely due to his Mangekyou Sharingan ability.

"Yes, there is. Why?"

"Can you arrange for me to meet her sometime?"

"Oh? Do you know her?"

"No, I don't... Don't worry, I won't trouble you. I don't need to meet her face-to-face." Natsuhane shook his head, his eyes flashing with the Mangekyou Sharingan again:

"I just want to see her with these eyes. Just a few seconds will be enough…"

...