Late at night, Uchiha Itachi stood silently at the edge of the cliff where he and Shisui used to meet in secret.
Staring into the endless drop below, his heart was filled with sorrow.
Ever since returning from his break, he realized the world he knew had changed completely.
First was Shisui—the man he saw as an older brother, who taught and helped him since childhood, who always spoke of peace between the village and the clan. That Shisui had changed.
He'd become someone unfamiliar, no longer the Shisui Itachi remembered. And the new ideals Shisui proposed had utterly shattered his beliefs.
Itachi had never wanted to go against the village—he always tried to see things from the Hokage's perspective.
Konoha was in bad shape. Thanks to what Kumogakure had pulled, the village's credibility had tanked, and mission contracts were drying up.
In such dire times, any serious clash—or worse, a coup—between the clan and the village would be catastrophic.
Even if someone won that internal war, Konoha would be left fatally weakened.
Every ninja village had spies. News of Konoha's inner turmoil would reach the others in no time.
And a weakened Konoha would be like blood in the water. The hatred left from the Third Great War hadn't faded—revenge would come.
Once the other villages pounced, Konoha wouldn't be able to resist. It'd be destroyed.
"That can't be allowed to happen!"
Itachi swore to himself. For the sake of the village, the clan, and especially his little brother, he could not allow that conflict to break out.
That's why Shisui's words hit him so hard. The man's change made Itachi feel like the Shisui he knew was already dead.
And in that emotional turmoil, he felt something awaken in his eyes.
But it wasn't complete—not yet. He still clung to a bit of hope, of wishful thinking.
That hope was shattered the previous night, when he'd tried to attend the clan meeting and was stopped by Shisui.
Why wasn't he allowed in? Because he was a member of the ANBU. Because Shisui knew he'd report everything to the Hokage.
And why fear that? Because the clan was planning something terrible. That was the only explanation.
Realizing that truth, a chill gripped Itachi's heart. Despair closed in like a vice.
And under that intense emotional pressure—he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"But… it's still not enough."
Despite gaining the Uchiha's most powerful eyes, Itachi knew he wasn't the only one. Shisui, the person he'd once looked up to most, had them too—and had possessed them far longer.
He couldn't beat Shisui. And now, locked out of the clan meeting, he had no idea what the clan was planning next.
That uncertainty and hopelessness left him feeling completely lost.
"Who's there?"
Suddenly, Itachi's voice turned cold. One hand reached behind his back, gripping a kunai.
Just a moment ago, he sensed a strange, unfamiliar chakra nearby. Someone was close.
In a situation like this, he had to stay on high alert.
Suddenly, space rippled—and a cloaked figure emerged.
The figure wore a hood. Under the moonlight, Itachi could barely make out the yellow mask covering his lower face. That was all.
"First time meeting, no need to make things so tense, right, Itachi?" the masked man said with a soft chuckle.
"Answer my question," Itachi replied, ignoring the greeting, eyes sharp with suspicion.
His Sharingan gleamed blood-red, locked tightly onto the man's every move, ready to strike.
"Tch. Kids these days are way too jumpy," the man muttered. Then he slowly removed his hood.
His mask came into full view—decorated with swirls, a single hole over the right eye. Through that hole: a three-tomoe Sharingan.
"I'll introduce myself. I'm a member of Akatsuki. My name is Uchiha Madara."
Before the words even finished, a silver flash tore through the moonlight.
The instant the man showed even a hint of vulnerability, Itachi struck.
His kunai cut through the air, slicing directly across the man's throat as they passed.
But nothing happened.
The masked man calmly turned around, his Sharingan emotionlessly locked onto Itachi.
"Cheap tricks like that are pointless. I'm not here with hostile intent. But if you insist on making me your enemy... you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
Bathed in moonlight, speaking as if he had the whole world in his hands—his presence pressed down on Itachi like a weight he'd never felt before.
Even Shisui had never given him this kind of pressure. Not once.
Itachi stared at the man who claimed to be Uchiha Madara, finally speaking in a low tone. "If that's the case, let's start with something honest.
You just said you're Uchiha Madara. Sorry, but I can't believe that. No one in their right mind would.
If you mean no harm, then take off your mask."
The man let out a quiet laugh, his voice low and cold. "Foolish Uchiha brat. So even you are just like the rest—trapped in your narrow little world.
Everyone says Uchiha Madara is dead. But what's the truth? People treat their ignorance as truth simply because they don't understand.
Just remember this—I am Uchiha Madara. I don't need to prove it to the likes of you. And right now, it's you who's standing on the edge of disaster."
"Even if you are Uchiha Madara, why come to me?" Itachi asked, his tone heavy with suspicion.
"My goal?" The man still smiled, calm and detached as ever.
"I have no specific goal. I came simply to see you.
I can tell you're troubled. But I have no interest in the Uchiha's plight or Konoha's politics.
So you don't need to be on guard. At the very least, we have no direct conflict—right?"
Itachi didn't respond. He still couldn't figure out this man's true purpose. Especially after that brief exchange—both verbal and physical—he'd been clearly outmatched.
"Heh. Still so wary, huh?" The man chuckled.
"But that's fine. If you were the type to trust easily, you wouldn't be worth my time.
It's getting late. Let's end tonight's talk here.
But remember this—your clan is teetering on the edge of a cliff.
Not just the Uchiha—this entire world is on the brink.
If you ever find yourself cornered... or forced to make a decision… don't hesitate to come find me."
As he spoke, his body began to blur and flicker. But just before he vanished, he left Itachi with one last line—one that left him completely silent.
"I'll come find you again. Tell whoever you want, say whatever you like—but next time, I expect a real answer.
Remember—my name is Uchiha Madara!"
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Extra chapter: Every 150 Powerstone