During the time when Shinju first entered the Uchiha compound and spoke with Itachi, Itachi told him many things.
For example, on the night of the clan massacre, he was merely the executor, not the one who made the decision.
Ever since the Nine-Tails incident, Konoha had grown increasingly distant from the Uchiha clan.
After all, everyone in the shinobi world knew that only the Uchiha's Sharingan possessed the power to control tailed beasts.
In the end, the proud Uchiha clan could no longer endure years of exclusion and decided to stage a coup.
But unlike the rest of his clan, Itachi's thinking was different. He had experienced the Third Shinobi World War and knew all too well the horrors of war.
Given the situation at the time, if the Uchiha rebelled, Konoha would collapse from within. Surrounded by other shinobi villages eyeing them like predators, this could very well trigger a Fourth Great War.
So, he accepted Danzo's mission—to slaughter the Uchiha clan, prevent the rebellion, and preserve Sasuke's life as the only survivor.
From then on, Itachi planted the seed of hatred in Sasuke's heart, pushing him to live for the sole purpose of surpassing him and killing him.
And in the end, to let Sasuke kill him with his own hands—forcing him, in that extreme emotional state, to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Itachi knew well that the Mangekyo Sharingan would ultimately lead to blindness.
He had even long planned, after his death, to transplant his eyes into Sasuke's to help him awaken the Eternal Mangekyo…
In truth, the one Itachi originally intended to entrust Sasuke's eye transplant to wasn't Shinju.
It was Madara, who had helped him with the massacre.
But Madara was far too unpredictable. Itachi didn't trust him to take care of Sasuke. So after meeting Shinju, he made a last-minute decision instead…
After all, compared to Madara, who was impossible to see through, Shinju was far more reliable.
That was why, the moment Itachi died, Shinju wasted no time in taking his eyes.
The reasons behind the Uchiha clan's destruction were many. But at its root, it was the rift that had existed since the founding of Konoha.
Shinju let out a faint sigh.
He thought, the Uchiha had once been a great clan on par with the Senju. If they were truly incompatible with Konoha, why hadn't they just left…
But on second thought, he realized that was far too naïve.
At that moment, inside the Uchiha compound, Shinju stood facing Uchiha Madara, masked and silent.
Madara glanced at Itachi's corpse on the ground and muttered bitterly,
"So, he really didn't trust me after all."
Shinju ignored the remark and instead asked, "I've always had a question about you."
Madara gave a curious grunt, his interest piqued.
"Go on."
Shinju nodded. "You know I have a keen sense for chakra."
"Itachi told me you are the real Uchiha Madara. I believe it… but not entirely."
"What I want to ask is—why is it that the legendary Uchiha Madara… is using Uchiha Obito's eyes?"
As for why Shinju knew the masked man's eyes belonged to Obito, it was because on his last trip back to the village, he had asked Kakashi about the origin of his Sharingan.
When Madara heard this, his body trembled ever so slightly.
(´°Δ-`)
The fact that Shinju had noticed this surprised him… yet somehow, it made sense.
"Heh… your perception really is sharp."
He forced a dry laugh, unable to think of a proper explanation for such a thing…
And in the end, he simply used his ocular ability and disappeared!
Afterward, Shinju dealt with the aftermath in the Uchiha compound, collecting Itachi's body.
As for whether the masked man was truly Uchiha Madara or Uchiha Obito—Shinju already had his answer.
...
In the city district beyond the forest.
Naruto and Suigetsu had joined forces, locked in a fierce back-and-forth against Hoshigaki Kisame.
Along the way, both Kisame and Suigetsu were shocked to discover that Naruto—the one who always seemed overshadowed by Shinju's presence—could actually use Sage Jutsu!
Kisame nearly took a direct hit from Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.
Barely escaping the blast radius of the Rasenshuriken's explosion, Kisame wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"As expected of someone who follows Shinju. Your strength can't be underestimated."
"Didn't think you were hiding such power, huh." Suigetsu clapped his cheap teammate on the shoulder in surprise.
"Hehehe, it's nothing, really. I've been training under Shinju for quite a while, after all. ୧⍢⃝୨" Naruto said shyly.
At that moment, Karin's expression shifted. She pointed toward the forest not far away and exclaimed in delight,
"I can feel Shinju and Sasuke's chakra! ꉂ(ˊᗜˋ*)"
Kisame's expression tightened. "Just the two of them?"
Before Karin could respond, faint rustling noises came from the forest ahead.
The next moment, Shinju appeared, dragging Sasuke like a dead dog.
Suigetsu frowned. "Sasuke's this badly injured? So Itachi won that brotherly fight? (꒪⌓꒪) "
Shinju shook his head, his gaze shifting toward Kisame. "Itachi is dead."
Kisame had already braced himself for that answer, so he wasn't too surprised—only a little saddened.
"Itachi-san… dead, huh."
"Well, with his illness, it makes sense…"
"You can go now," Shinju said.
For Itachi's sake, he decided not to hand Kisame in for the bounty.
Kisame was quick to take the hint. Hoisting Samehada onto his shoulder, he gave Sasuke a final look before walking off into the distance.
Once Kisame had gone, Shinju said to the others,
"Next, I need to find a quiet place to perform Sasuke's eye transplant surgery."
Before long, Shinju used Wood Release to construct a house within the forest.
He then set up a surgical table, drew out various medical instruments from a summoning scroll, and began the operation…
At one point, Sasuke said he didn't want Itachi's eyes.
But Shinju simply knocked him unconscious.
A few minutes later, the surgery was complete.
Karin and the others stared in shock as Shinju emerged from the operating room.
"Changing eyes… that fast?" Naruto asked.
Shinju spread his hands, showing it was nothing difficult.
"Sharingan transplants are plug-and-play. ┐(´-｀)┌"
Some time later, Sasuke woke on the bed, his eyes wrapped in bandages.
The moment he woke, he called out for Shinju.
"Shinju! Where are you!"
"I'm right in front of you," Shinju said dryly.
"Now that I have Itachi's eyes, it's time you told me everything." Sasuke demanded.
Shinju fell silent.
Truthfully, according to Itachi's final words, he hadn't wanted Sasuke to know the full truth.
But some things simply couldn't be hidden.
After weighing it carefully, Shinju decided to let Sasuke choose for himself.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
"The truth might shatter the image you've always had of Itachi."
That blockhead Sasuke didn't even hesitate—he chose "Yes."
So, Shinju relayed everything Itachi had told him.
When Sasuke finished listening, he sat frozen on the bed, as if under a spell.
Shinju knew he would need time to process this, so he left the room to give him space.
Not long after Shinju stepped out, Naruto appeared, carrying a messenger hawk.
"Shinju, look! News from the village!"
"It says many shinobi with kekkei genkai have mysteriously disappeared near the Land of Earth border. We need to be careful…"