Chapter 10: Shisui's Sharingan

"Sasuke, why did you come back so late? Mother was so worried. Oh! Naruto, how did you get hurt like this?"

"Auntie, today I was training with Sasuke on Chakra control. I'm almost able to run up to the top of the tree!"

"Really? Naruto, you're so amazing!"

"Thank you, auntie!"

"Good-for-nothing, you've still got a long way to go!"

"Mother!"

Sasuke couldn't control the volume of his voice and it rose. He didn't want such a stupid 'brother'!

"Alright, alright. Hurry up and wash your hands for dinner."

Naruto stuffed his face with food while shyly scratching the back of his head. He thought it would be great if he also had a mother as beautiful, gentle, and good at cooking as Sasuke's.

That night, Naruto fell asleep at Sasuke's home. He had a bad sleeping posture and kicked off a corner of the quilt.

Mikoto saw Naruto sleeping soundly and mumbling in his sleep. She walked over and covered him with the quilt again.

"Is Naruto here again?"

Fugaku had just returned from the Police Department. Dragging his tired body, Fugaku showed evident disappointment in his eyes.

He failed to suppress the anger of the clan's young people. Although he proposed to the Konoha higher - ups that they should coexist peacefully and eliminate the discriminatory treatment. However, it was obvious that the Konoha higher - ups led by Danzo didn't take him seriously and thought he had ulterior motives.

Mikoto looked at the sleeping children and said to Fugaku,

"Sometimes I often wonder, if the Fourth Hokage and Kushina were still alive, would things be different for us?"

Fugaku looked out at the round moon. He recalled carefully the time when the Fourth Hokage was alive. The atmosphere in the village was really great back then. If he hadn't died, but that was just a 'what - if'.

"Mikoto, stop talking about these things. It's all over."

"Does the coup really have to happen? Sasuke is still so young. What if it fails? What should all those kids in the clan who are the same age as Sasuke do?"

"If we don't carry out the coup, one day Konoha will strike first and wipe out the Uchiha clan. Then we'll really have no chance of making a comeback!"

Mikoto still had a smile on her face, clearly not agreeing with what Fugaku said. Especially after seeing Naruto, she even more firmly believed that the coup was a wrong idea.

"Although Naruto looks like the Fourth Hokage, his personality is exactly the same as Kushina's. Both of them are so strong and brave. Even though he's called the demon fox, his dream is still to become the Hokage and gain everyone's recognition. Don't you think that's really amazing?"

Fugaku lowered his head and pondered for a long time. Finally, he looked up at his wife with a look of guilt on his face.

"Mikoto, I'm sorry."

Mikoto took Fugaku's hand and leaned against his chest.

"Well, you don't have to apologize to me. As a couple, we're one. No matter what the result is, I'll bear it with you. But I'm really worried about these kids..."

Mikoto looked at Sasuke and Naruto with a look of deep attachment. Compared with status and fame, she was more reluctant to be separated from her children. 

The bright moonlight bathed the sky at night, and the stars twinkled in the heavens. Such a peaceful and tranquil night was merely the calm before the storm.

....................

In the evening, Itachi looked around during the clan gathering of the Uchiha clan, searching for Shisui's figure. He was afraid that something unexpected might happen during the gathering, so he purposefully stayed behind to help Shisui. However, the figure that should have appeared long ago was nowhere to be seen.

Could it be that he was late? No! Shisui was always a punctual person. Moreover, this gathering was so crucial today that it was impossible for him to be late without reason. Even Sasuke was nowhere to be seen today. Where could they be?

He frowned; a strong sense of unease welled up in his heart.

....................

"Lord Tanzō, what did you call me here for? The opportunity in the clan gathering is about to start."

Shisui anxiously asked. Suddenly, he received a notice from Lord Tanzō and came to this remote place. Looking around and seeing no one, he thought that Lord Tanzō had something important to tell him.

"Shisui, if you use Genjutsu on Fugaku Uchiha to change the minds of the Uchiha clan, but the village doesn't change at all, what will you do?"

"That won't happen. Lord Third Hokage has already promised me that the village will definitely change."

"Even with the Third Hokage's persuasion, the village won't stop suspecting you!"

"I understand, but as long as we're willing to spend more time..."

"There are also people like me who are highly suspicious and won't change their minds easily. What will you do then?"

"Will you use Kotoamatsukami on me then?"

Tanzō's old face showed a sinister look in his eyes. He eagerly stared at Shisui's eyes.

Ah! These Sharingan eyes are so damn beautiful. What a waste on a guy like him!

"I'll take your Sharingan!"

Tanzō leaned towards Shisui Uchiha, and his fingers turned into sharp blades, aiming directly at his eyes. However, in an instant, the Sharingan activated.

The powerful Dōjutsu was unleashed. Shisui and Tanzō's gazes met, and he was completely frozen in place, with his palm tightly clenched.

"Don't you worry, Lord Tanzō. It's just an ordinary Genjutsu. It'll wear off in no time."

After saying that, he turned around and left. He had to reach the gathering venue as soon as possible.

Previously, he thought it was a one - sided problem of the Uchiha clan. However, judging from the current situation, the Konoha higher - ups are really coveting their Sharingan. Even someone of Tanzō's status, a high - ranking official in Konoha, couldn't resist making a move on him.

"Ah!"

He popped his Sharingan wide open, his eyes full of disbelief.

How could this be? Tanzō clearly had been hit by his Genjutsu and fallen behind him. Why was he standing right in front of him now?

Shisui was hit hard in the abdomen. Tanzō concentrated wind - attribute Chakra in his right fist, making this blow extremely heavy. It almost instantly rendered Shisui combat - ineffective.

Shisui was beaten by Tanzō like a tattered puppet without any resistance. His hair was firmly grabbed by Tanzō, and the pulling sensation on his scalp forced him to open his eyes and look at Tanzō's sinister expression.

Tanzō attacked Shisui's left eye with his hand as a blade. Seeing that the hand - blade was only a hair's breadth away from Shisui's eye, his body trembled slightly and he was firmly fixed in place, unable to move at all.

Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique

At the same time, an eager voice sounded.

"Naruto! Now is the time!"

.....................