Upon hearing Uchiha Itachi's response, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane both breathed a sigh of relief.
Danzo Shimura's lips curled into a faint smirk. Smart man—he knows how to adapt to the situation. As expected from a former Root operative—obedient as ever.
Danzo gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a triumphant glance before speaking to Homura and Koharu in a low, firm voice.
"The situation is urgent!I suggest we strike first before the Uchiha clan makes their move!"
Hiruzen tapped the end of his pipe, smoke curling around his face, hiding his expression. After a moment, he finally spoke in a grave tone,
"The Uchiha were once our comrades in arms.I want to resolve this through communication, not force.I'll come up with a strategy."
Then, turning to Itachi:
"You may leave for now."
"Yes, Lord Third," Itachi replied respectfully and turned to leave.
But just as he neared the door, Danzo used Wind Release: Secret Wind Technique to send a covert message directly to Itachi's ear:
"Don't be fooled by the Third Hokage's kind words. When it truly matters, he'll protect Konoha above all else.""You need to make your decision soon, Itachi.""Will you stand with your clan, participate in a coup, and die alongside them?Or will you side with the village, leave only your younger brother alive, and help eliminate the Uchiha clan before the chaos begins?"
"For the sake of the village, this must be stopped before it erupts.""And only you—a double agent of both the Uchiha and Konoha—can do it.""No one else is capable. Think it through carefully, Itachi.Are you willing to accept this mission?"
At the threshold, Itachi's steps paused.
So it's come to this...
Eliminate the entire Uchiha clan?
No one else but me can do it?
He chuckled silently to himself.
As he closed the door behind him, he glanced back at the four elders inside. Hmph...
Hiruzen and Danzo, one plays the "good cop," the other the "bad cop."Do they really think I'm still that naive?
With Konoha's current strength, they think they can wipe out the Uchiha clan? That's laughable.
After Orochimaru defected, Jiraiya roamed the world, and Tsunade succumbed to her fear of blood and gambling addiction. The Fourth Hokage died, and after the Nine-Tails' rampage, Konoha was left in shambles. Even Hiashi Hyuga was forced to fake his death.
Despite the loss of Shisui—the clan's top fighter—the Uchiha are still the strongest clan in Konoha.
And now, with aging relics like Hiruzen, Danzo, Homura, and Koharu trying to take them down?
In your dreams.
I'm not the same fool I used to be. Sorry to disappoint you, but things won't go your way anymore.
After stepping out of the Hokage's office, Itachi glanced at a nearby building. Inside, dozens of elite Anbu lay in ambush—likely all Special Jonin level. If he'd refused earlier, he would've left the room as a corpse.
Heh.
—
Back at the Uchiha compound, Itachi wasted no time and called out to the system.
[Welcome to the Love and Peace System. Random events will trigger corresponding rewards for the host.]
Random events? Itachi blinked. So it just rewards me whenever it feels like it? That's pretty arbitrary.
Suddenly remembering something, he asked,
"System, do you have any kind of newbie gift pack or starting bonus?"
[As this is your first activation, you are eligible for one free reward.][Please choose from the following three options:]
Ten thousand explosive tags.
A fully-equipped T-800 unit.
The complete Edo Tensei (Reanimation) Jutsu.[You may only choose one. Please state your choice.]
Ten thousand explosive tags? What am I, Deidara? Should I use Shadow Clones to create an "art is an explosion" finale and take the whole village down with me?
Mutually Multiplying Explosive TagsToo bad I don't have the Second Hokage's Mutual Multiplication Explosive Tags. Then that'd be useful.
Pass.
Second option, T-800... Schwarzenegger? Itachi stroked his chin.
A T-800 has a microprocessor-controlled endoskeleton made of a corrosion- and heat-resistant titanium alloy. It's emotionless, tireless, fearless, and relentlessly pursues its target until the mission is complete. A perfect assassin.
But this is the world of shinobi. A T-800 wouldn't stand a chance against a veteran ninja like Hiruzen or Danzo—it'd probably be dismantled on the spot.
Pass.
Third option, the complete Edo Tensei Jutsu... Now that's powerful.
The Edo Tensei, developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, is an S-rank forbidden Summoning Jutsu that revives deceased ninja by binding their souls to living vessels. The process requires the target's DNA and a living sacrifice, whose body is then transformed using ash and chakra into the likeness of the deceased. Control over the reanimated being is dictated by the user—down to whether they retain their will or not.
Definitely the best choice.
With this, as long as I gather the right DNA, I can solve the Uchiha problem entirely on my own terms.
"I choose the third option," Itachi declared silently in his mind.
Ding.
A moment later, with a mere thought, a scroll materialized in his palm.
"System, I have a question. If I use Edo Tensei to revive someone with their original will intact, is there a risk that they'll disobey, resist, or even break free and dissolve the technique?"
In the original timeline, some reanimated ninja were able to break free if they retained their own strong will—like Shin or Sasori. Others regained their autonomy but remained bound to the summoning, like Itachi himself during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Some, like Madara Uchiha and Tobirama Senju, were able to sever the contract entirely and remain in the world as immortal beings with infinite chakra.
If I'm going to use this jutsu as part of my plan, I need to be sure.
[Please rest assured: all items provided by the system are 100% safe. No backlash, no betrayal, and complete control over all summoned entities.]
Itachi exhaled with relief.
"Then I can finally proceed."
With the system's guarantee, Itachi now had the confidence to visit the Uchiha clan's Naka Shrine—and even Konoha's major clan cemeteries—for some "archaeological" research.
Just then, a familiar voice called out from outside his room.
"Itachi, no mission today? You're back early."
It was Mikoto Uchiha, passing by. She noticed his door wasn't fully closed, peeked in, and smiled gently.
"Come on in, Mom. No mission today, so I came home early," Itachi replied quickly.