37. Incurable Disease

and of Fire, Daimyo Mansion!

The Fire Nation daimyo was leisurely shaking his fan while the maid at his side peeled fresh fruit and placed it into his mouth.

On both sides of the hall stood Uchiha shinobi. Although these Uchiha looked arrogant and serious, even a bit cold, they gave the daimyo a true sense of security.

Compared to the wandering shinobi and samurai guards he'd recruited with enormous sums, this was the image befitting a daimyo!

"Itachi, is each Uchiha so silent?"

The daimyo looked at Itachi with great interest. Although Itachi had left the Daimyo Mansion without notice some time ago, which had irked him slightly, his annoyance faded once he learned the reason. The Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo were well-documented in the Daimyo's records. Who would complain about having such powerful protection around?

"Daimyo-sama, people differ and have their own personalities. However, as shinobi, we can gain insight into more situations by keeping quiet."

Itachi spoke calmly, but his vision suddenly blurred, and his body swayed slightly.

"Itachi! Are you all right?"

The daimyo's expression changed, and two Uchiha nearby hurried over to support Itachi.

"It's fine, don't worry, Daimyo-sama. Perhaps... I've just been standing too long."

Itachi felt a bit uneasy. He'd heard about the drawbacks of the Mangekyō Sharingan but hadn't told the daimyo. His episode just now was likely not a coincidence. It seemed he should consult his father or Yagami.

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"My god! Travelling by boat is so uncomfortable. I feel like my left and right brains are getting mixed together..."

Back in Konoha, Yagami and his companions headed straight to the bathhouse. They had gained a lot on this trip but suffered a bit as well. At this moment, Yagami was quite envious of Minato, who was able to teleport using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

"Alright, Yagami, enough complaints. You should head back to the family after soaking; the patriarch sounded a little anxious!"

Yan reminded him. On his way here, he'd encountered their clan members, and it seemed Fugaku was in some trouble.

"Damn! The patriarch is getting lazy, isn't he? As a mature leader, he should learn to handle things himself instead of coming to me, an underage kid, for everything!"

Yagami grumbled. He'd just returned, hadn't had a moment to rest, and already had responsibilities piling up. Not even the workhorses of the production teams were this overworked!

"You? Underage! Believe it or not, Terumi Mei would come running from Kirigakure looking for you."

It was bound to be troublesome, right? That had been four days ago…

Fugaku had been the clan head for a long time, and he didn't panic over minor issues. Since he was urgently seeking Yagami, it was likely something serious, so Yagami soon headed to the clan meeting.

"Clan head, what's the rush? Can't I even take a relaxing bath first..."

Yagami complained as soon as he arrived.

"There are two matters. First, it's about Itachi. Something seems to be wrong with his body. His vision has blurred, and he's been feeling weak."

Fugaku didn't argue with Yagami and solemnly handed him the letter Itachi had sent. After all, Itachi was his own son and one of the clan's strongest fighters, so Fugaku couldn't take this lightly.

Hearing this, Yagami was taken aback as well. Is there something wrong with Itachi's eyes? This is not good news!

But Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan isn't used excessively! Could it be because of the incident with the Shimura clan last time? That shouldn't be the case!

The Susaano Armor was also activated in Kirigakure. Although it consumes a significant amount of visual power, it shouldn't be unbearable!

Yagami found Itachi's condition difficult to understand. Although Itachi was stationed to protect the daimyo, there were not many situations where Mangekyō would be used around him. Could it be the incurable illness mentioned in the original series?

Reflecting Itachi's incurable disease it was considered an unsolved mystery in the Naruto world, and Yagami had no other insights!

"Itachi's visual power hasn't diminished, which means it's not because of the Mangekyō Sharingan. It may be a physical issue with Itachi."

After carefully examining the information Itachi sent back, Yagami could only reach this conclusion.

"His body... Should we have Itachi return for a checkup?"

"No need. Besides, whether Konoha's hospital could address the problem is uncertain. If people aligned with the Hokage were to discover Itachi's condition, it would undermine the deterrent effect we've carefully established. If he's to be examined, it should be by a trustworthy, authoritative doctor."

Yagami immediately rejected Fugaku's suggestion, not out of disregard for Itachi but because having him return was unnecessary. Across the shinobi world, the only people who might be able to resolve Itachi's issue were Tsunade and Orochimaru.

It seemed essential to contact the remaining two of the Sannin!

As for Tsunade, although the Senju and Uchiha clans were once old rivals, Tsunade's view of the Uchiha would certainly be better than that of the current Hokage faction. Even though she had a second grandfather who harboured hostility toward the Uchiha, she also had a great-grandfather who shared a complex relationship with them.

As for Orochimaru, he was a complete scientific research fanatic, but under the influence of Kotoamatsukami, all were equal, making it worth trying.

Wait! There's another solution to Itachi's problem: Hashirama's cells!

Moreover, these cells could not only address Itachi's physical condition but also potentially mitigate the Mangekyō Sharingan's drawbacks!

Speaking of which, there was Obito, who used Kamui extensively but whose vision didn't deteriorate as expected. Half of his body was composed of Hashirama's cells, so visual degeneration wasn't an issue—it was practically a miracle.

"I have an idea about Itachi. What's the second matter?"

With a plan in mind, Yagami decided not to dwell on it further. Itachi's situation was not immediately urgent, and he couldn't solve it overnight.

"In recent days, I've noticed signs of someone entering the secret room below the shrine. After observing for a while, I'm certain that someone has been appearing in front of the stone tablet in the secret room."

Relieved that there might be a solution to Itachi's issue, Fugaku continued with the second matter.

"The stone tablet in the secret room... Patriarch, do you believe what it says?"

The person inspecting the monument must be Obito! But if he's already read the tablet, why does he keep coming back?

"Honestly, I used to believe it, especially during the times when I felt heavily ostracized by the village. I even considered leading the clan to carry out the methods written there, but now... I no longer feel that way."

Fugaku sighed, admitting the most extreme thoughts he'd once entertained.

"That's a wise decision. Consider disposing of that tablet! Illusions like those are nothing but deceptive dreams. Besides, who's to say the content on that tablet hasn't been tampered with over time? It's best not to keep it around."

It's one thing for Black Zetsu to manipulate his own foolish and naive mother, but to drag the Uchiha clan down with him is despicable. Madara and Obito were led astray, and the tablet remains to perpetuate this trickery. Black Zetsu's crime is beyond forgiveness.

"And what about the mysterious figure? Shouldn't we do something?"

Fugaku nodded. Only the Mangekyō Sharingan could decipher the tablet's contents, and it wasn't anything beneficial. If it needed to be destroyed, so be it.

Wait! If the tablet can only be deciphered by the Mangekyō Sharingan, and this individual keeps inspecting it, that means...

Fugaku suddenly felt a chill. Besides his own clan, there were other Uchiha out there, and they had also awakened the Mangekyō.

"We can't ignore this. Let's leave the tablet for now. Have Shisui monitor the shrine for a while. If that person appears... Kotoamatsukami will handle it!"

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