Chapter:16

After leaving the meeting room, the Third Hokage returned to his office. Two ninjas, one tall and one shorter, both wearing Anbu masks, awaited him. These two were Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.

"Hokage-sama," they greeted respectfully upon seeing him, their eyes filled with admiration and loyalty.

The Third Hokage nodded in acknowledgment. Seeing their devotion, he felt a sense of pride. Though he was often lauded as "the strongest Hokage," he knew his strength paled in comparison to the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. However, he took pride in one thing — his ability to mold others, something even the previous Hokage couldn't match.

"Remove your masks," the Third Hokage instructed.

"Yes, sir," both Itachi and Shisui replied, removing their masks to reveal their faces.

"The mission I am about to assign requires you both to operate as ordinary shinobi, not as Anbu," he explained briefly before turning his attention to Shisui. "Shisui, you've heard about the deaths of Shimura Ryoma, Shimura Sosuke, and Shimura Ichiro, correct?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama, I've heard from the seniors in Anbu."

"Good. You will be participating in the investigation into their deaths," the Third Hokage said.

"Of course, Itachi and I will give our all in this investigation," Shisui responded.

"No, Shisui, only you will be involved in the investigation. I have another task for Itachi," the Hokage said, his gaze shifting to Itachi.

"Itachi, your mission will be to monitor the movements of the Uchiha clan."

"Monitor the Uchiha clan?" both Itachi and Shisui asked, clearly shocked.

Although both had already aligned themselves with the Hokage, hearing such a directive took them by surprise. The idea of spying on their own clan was something neither had anticipated.

"Hokage-sama, may I ask why the Uchiha clan is under surveillance?" Shisui asked cautiously.

Itachi, though silent, also gazed intently at the Third Hokage, awaiting his explanation.

"A few days ago, the Uchiha clan held a meeting, and during that meeting, the clan leader voiced support for a coup," the Hokage explained slowly.

"What? The clan leader... supports a coup?" Shisui and Itachi both reacted with utter disbelief.

They were well aware of the rumors within the Uchiha clan about a coup and had reported these concerns to the Hokage without hesitation. However, their father, Uchiha Fugaku, had always been an ardent opponent of the idea. To hear now that he had changed his stance was a shock.

"Hokage-sama, could there be some mistake?" Itachi asked hurriedly.

"The source of this information is highly reliable," the Third Hokage replied firmly.

Though Shisui and Itachi were startled by the revelation, they quickly realized that the Hokage must have other informants within the Uchiha clan.

"Besides you two, there are others in the Uchiha clan who have come to trust and follow me," the Hokage revealed.

Itachi and Shisui were further surprised, realizing that even within their own clan, others had sided with the Hokage.

"Since the Fourth Hokage's death, the other great ninja villages have been watching Konoha closely. If a coup or rebellion occurs within the village, it could trigger the Fourth Great Ninja War," the Hokage explained with a grave expression, positioning himself as a protector of peace.

He conveniently ignored the fact that it was his and the village council's actions that had pushed the Uchiha clan to consider a coup in the first place. The pressure on the Uchiha had only grown under the current administration, leading to rising tensions.

But such thoughts never crossed his mind, and even if they did, he would never change his stance. The suppression of the Uchiha had been a decision passed down from the Second Hokage, and he was committed to maintaining that policy.

"Could a coup really lead to another war?" Itachi and Shisui exchanged worried glances.

Shisui, having experienced the horrors of the Third Ninja War firsthand, felt a deep fear of another war. Although Itachi was too young to have fought in the war, he remembered the frequent funerals held in Konoha and the somber atmosphere that had pervaded the village during that time.

Neither wanted to see that tragedy unfold again.

"You must stop the Uchiha's coup, Itachi. Only you can be trusted with this task," the Third Hokage said gravely.

"I understand," Itachi nodded resolutely.

For the sake of the village, he would not let his family drag Konoha into a war. And if it came to it, he would not hesitate to take drastic measures to prevent that outcome.

For the first time, a dark thought crept into Itachi's mind — if it meant peace for the village, he would destroy his own clan.

Once the thought took hold, it was hard to shake off.

"You have the Will of Fire. I'm proud of you, Itachi," the Third Hokage said with a smile, pleased with Itachi's determination.

Itachi's resolve only grew stronger.

After leaving the Hokage's office, both Shisui and Itachi walked with purpose. They knew their path would be filled with hardships, but their loyalty to the village would never waver.

The office door closed behind them, and the warm, fatherly demeanor of the Hokage faded. His expression grew cold and calculating.

No matter how talented, they were still young and impressionable. Despite their sharp intellect, they had a narrow view of the world, easily manipulated by a carefully crafted sense of justice.

The balance between village and clan was a delicate one. Both were essential, yet the Hokage had successfully made Itachi and Shisui believe that the village must come first.

(End of the chapter)

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