After Uchiha Shisui left, an elderly man leaning on a cane stepped out from the adjacent room and entered the one where the Third Hokage was.
His right eye and right arm were wrapped in bandages, and a cold, sinister aura radiated from him it was none other than Shimura Danzo.
"You're nurturing a tiger that will come back to bite you!"
Without the slightest courtesy, Danzo spoke bluntly upon entering the room.
"I know exactly what I'm doing. I don't need your reminders,"
the Third Hokage replied with clear displeasure.
"The Uchiha clan cannot be trusted. Aren't you afraid of cultivating an enemy that you can't control?"
Danzo said coldly.
"He's different from the other Uchiha. His loyalty lies with Konoha, not the Uchiha clan. He will not become our enemy,"
the Third Hokage said.
"You're being deceived by his appearance. He carries the blood of the Uchiha—he'll never truly betray his clan to side with us. One day, he will turn against you."
Danzo warned.
"Then what do you propose we do?"
the Third Hokage asked noncommittally.
"Before he grows to become another Madara Uchiha, use that ninja with the Wood Release kekkei genkai to eliminate him cut off the threat at its root,"
Danzo said, his eyes filled with killing intent.
"Kill him? That's your solution?"
The Third Hokage looked at Danzo with a mocking gaze.
"Don't think I don't know you want his Mangekyō Sharingan, don't you?"
"If he dies, those eyes of his naturally belong to Konoha. They must be recovered,"
Danzo replied, making no attempt to deny it. He had indeed set his sights on Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan.
"He is under my command. Even if he betrays the village one day, I will be the one to carry out his execution. I forbid any action taken against him."
"That is an order and a warning."
The Third Hokage spoke in a deep, commanding tone.
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen,"
Danzo snorted coldly, turned, and left with the help of his cane.
In the courtyard, Uchiha Itachi was playing with Uchiha Sasuke.
"Big brother, why haven't we seen Shisui-nii lately?"
Sasuke asked in his soft, childlike voice, blinking his big eyes.
"He's been really busy with missions lately. Once he has some free time, he'll come by,"
Itachi replied with a somewhat forced smile.
Shisui was indeed overwhelmed with missions, but that wasn't the real reason for his absence.
The truth was that Shisui's relationship with their father had deteriorated due to differing views on the internal uprising brewing within the clan.
Not just Shisui even Itachi himself was disappointed with their father's stance on the coup.
But unlike Shisui, Itachi lived in this household and couldn't avoid their father entirely. All he could do was minimize his time at home.
This time, he had returned only because there was "important business."
"I see…"
Sasuke's head drooped in disappointment.
Just before noon, Uchiha Mikoto entered the courtyard, dressed in a dark-colored dress, exuding her usual gentle demeanor.
Seeing Itachi keeping Sasuke company, she smiled warmly and asked:
"Itachi, what would you like for lunch today?"
With Itachi usually away on missions, it was rare for him to be home, and she wanted to prepare a delicious lunch for him while she had the chance.
"Mom, I just got my mission payment. Why don't we eat out today?"
Itachi seized the opportunity and immediately suggested it.
"You got your mission pay? All right, then today you can treat Sasuke and me to a meal at a restaurant,"
Mikoto agreed without suspicion.
"Eat at a restaurant? Big brother, I want fishcake dumplings!"
Sasuke's face lit up with excitement as he looked up at Itachi with anticipation.
"No problem."
Itachi gently patted Sasuke's head and agreed.
Soon, the three of them left their residence and headed for the restaurant district.
Not long after they left, a figure approached the house. Evading the ever-present guards, he stealthily infiltrated the residence.
It was Uchiha Shisui.
Itachi's suggestion to eat out had been part of the plan—to lead Mikoto and Sasuke away and give Shisui an opening to sneak in.
Once inside, Shisui made his way directly to Fugaku's study.
From what Itachi had told him, the study was the most likely location for any secret room in the house.
Entering the study, Shisui searched carefully for signs of a hidden chamber.
As a member of the ANBU, he had received training in searching and reconnaissance—he was quite skilled in locating hidden rooms.
Before long, he found it.
Pushing aside a bookshelf and uncovering a hidden floor panel, he lit a small torch he carried and descended the steps into the secret chamber.
Once inside, his eyes were immediately drawn to a bookshelf on the right. He strode over quickly.
"Advanced Fire Release Scroll."
"Wood Release Ninjutsu Scroll."
"Advanced Genjutsu Scroll."
…
His gaze swept across the scroll titles until he spotted the one he was looking for—a scroll labeled Sharingan Secret Techniques. It was clearly a compilation of advanced Sharingan abilities.
"There's a seal on it."
He picked up the scroll and quickly noticed that it was sealed.
This was a common anti-theft measure—if someone tried to forcibly open it without breaking the seal correctly, the scroll would self-destruct.
"Sharingan."
Activating his Sharingan, the sealing formula became clearly visible to his enhanced vision.
Using both his Sharingan's visual insight and his knowledge of sealing techniques, he successfully dispelled the seal and unrolled the scroll.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at it with anticipation.
"Transcription Seal."
The first jutsu that appeared before his eyes was Transcription Seal. He began reading its description.
This technique allowed specific ocular powers to be sealed into the user's own or another's eye. After a certain period or once preset conditions were met, the sealed power would activate.
It was a special ocular technique developed based on the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan.
After reading the description, Shisui's expression brightened.
It was a highly practical technique. If he could master it, even someone of his current Kage-level strength would benefit greatly.
Using the Sharingan's memorization ability, he quickly imprinted the technique into his memory.
Then, he looked at the second jutsu.
"Izanagi."
According to the scroll, this was the Uchiha clan's ultimate ocular technique—a powerful, forbidden jutsu with a steep price.
It was labeled forbidden because each use required the permanent loss of one Sharingan eye.
But its power matched its price.
Once activated, any injury the user suffered—including death—could be completely undone during its active duration.
"Though the cost is extreme, there's no denying the power of this jutsu!"
Shisui marveled, shocked that the Uchiha clan possessed such a dangerous technique.
Recording it with his Sharingan, he continued reading further…