Mastermind of the Akatsuki

Half an hour later, Root leader Danzo and the two elder advisors arrived at the Hokage building.

Once seated, Danzo noticed that the Third Hokage's expression seemed off. Frowning, he asked, "Sarutobi, what urgent matter prompted you to call us here?"

The Third Hokage nodded and got straight to the point. "Shisui just came to see me and reported something very important—it concerns the Uchiha. Some members within the Uchiha clan are planning a coup d'état, a full-scale armed rebellion to seize power and install themselves as Hokage."

Hearing this explosive news, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado's expressions turned grim. Koharu asked sharply, "Is this intelligence reliable? Have the Uchiha truly come to this point?"

Danzo scoffed coldly, then said, "Tobirama-sensei always warned us—the Uchiha are an inherently cursed and dangerous clan. Even after gaining control of the Konoha Police Force, they remain unsatisfied and now aim for a coup. Sarutobi, we can't delay any longer. It's time to strike the Uchiha with decisive force."

Hearing Danzo's harsh proposal, Koharu and Homura hesitated. They had considered a forceful approach to deal with the Uchiha before, but the question remained: Did they truly have the strength to handle the Konoha Police Force?

If it involved the entire Konoha military, eliminating the Uchiha would be feasible. 

However, the Uchiha were not an external enemy like the other ninja villages. They were a clan within Konoha, and relying solely on their loyalists—ANBU, Root, and the Konoha Defense Forces—might not be enough. 

On top of that, disagreements would arise about which forces to deploy. Who would suffer the casualties? If their trusted subordinates bore too many losses, they would risk becoming reliant on other clans in the future.

Breaking the tense silence, the Third Hokage dropped another bombshell. "Aside from the coup, Shisui also revealed a secret about his Mangekyo Sharingan. His Mangekyo possesses a genjutsu called Kotoamatsukami, which can… manipulate a person's will without their knowledge. He plans to use it on Fugaku to stop the coup."

The revelation of Kotoamatsukami shocked Koharu and Homura, who gasped audibly.

A jutsu that could rewrite someone's will without leaving a trace? Such a terrifying ability—of all people, it belonged to an Uchiha.

If Shisui decided to target the leadership, his power could rival that of Madara Uchiha in his prime.

Danzo's face darkened as he processed this information. After a brief pause, he suggested coldly, "We must act against Shisui. His existence poses a greater danger than any other Uchiha. I even suspect that he was behind the Nine-Tails attack years ago. With Kotoamatsukami, he could have controlled the Nine-Tails or even another ninja to orchestrate that chaos."

Danzo's words stunned Koharu and Homura, who turned their gaze toward Hiruzen.

Although Danzo's claim seemed like an attempt to pin the blame on Shisui, there was a twisted logic to it. After all, no one had ever identified the masked man who attacked the village. 

Shisui possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan and the ability to manipulate others. In theory, he was capable of orchestrating such an incident.

Under the intense scrutiny of the others, the Third Hokage finally spoke: 

"The Nine-Tails attack couldn't have been Shisui. Don't forget—he's Kagami Uchiha's grandson, someone raised by those who share the Will of Fire. He risked suspicion and danger to report the Uchiha's coup and even disclosed Kotoamatsukami to us. If we doubt him, we doubt the Will of Fire itself."

At the mention of the "Will of Fire," Koharu and Homura backed down immediately. 

To them, the Uchiha rebellion wasn't particularly concerning. Even if the Uchiha seized power, they would primarily target Danzo and Hiruzen. The advisors' own positions as council elders would likely remain untouched. 

Their only concern was whether the chaos could escalate, inviting interference from other villages.

Danzo clenched his fists, suppressing his frustration. Glaring at Hiruzen, he muttered, "Your leniency will only embolden the Uchiha further, Sarutobi. Mark my words—you will regret your decision."

With that, Danzo stormed out of the meeting room without looking back.

Hiruzen watched Danzo's retreating figure, a smirk of disdain crossing his face. The Uchiha want power, but don't you also crave the Hokage's seat, Danzo? 

The only reason you're not a threat anymore is because you've been steeped in the shadows for too long.

Once Danzo left, Hiruzen turned to Koharu and Homura. 

"Koharu, Homura, let's continue discussing the Uchiha. If we offer the Uchiha a position on the council, do you think that will satisfy them?"

---

Leaving the Hokage building, Danzo walked alone through the shadows. 

Although the meeting had ended poorly, he had gleaned crucial information about Shisui. 

First, Shisui genuinely wished to ease tensions between the Uchiha and the village, to the extent of revealing the secret of Kotoamatsukami. 

Second, this dangerous ability had to be dealt with. 

Danzo's expression darkened as his mind raced. A genjutsu capable of altering a person's will… Shisui Uchiha, you're far too dangerous to be left alive. 

At that moment, Danzo made his decision—Shisui had to be brought under his control, one way or another.

Second, Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan houses a technique called Kotoamatsukami, capable of silently controlling a ninja. This was precisely the power Danzo needed for his own future ambitions. 

Such a dangerous jutsu simply could not be allowed to remain in the possession of an Uchiha. 

Danzo also didn't believe the inherently "cursed" Uchiha could ever coexist peacefully with the village. The clan would never be satisfied with their current position and would inevitably attempt a coup to seize control. 

With these thoughts in mind, Danzo looked toward the Uchiha district and fell into contemplation. 

He already had a plan forming in his mind about how to obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan. 

---

Inside the Forest of Death. 

Shisui stared anxiously at Byakuya, who was calmly fishing ahead. Frustration filled Shisui's voice as he asked, 

"Byakuya-sama, why did you have me reveal the secret of Kotoamatsukami to the Third Hokage? Exposing such a jutsu will only make him wary of me." 

Byakuya reeled in a large fish and glanced at Shisui, who was finally showing signs of strategic thinking. 

After abandoning that foolish 'Will of Fire,' it seems Shisui's intelligence has improved. He's even aware that revealing Kotoamatsukami would cause suspicion and fear. 

That's progress, Byakuya mused to himself. Shisui is slowly evolving into a normal, rational person. 

After placing the fish into a basket, Byakuya turned to Shisui and said, "The heavens don't reveal their secrets. Give it two minutes, and you'll understand why." 

With that cryptic remark, Byakuya vanished into thin air with his catch, leaving Shisui alone. 

Still puzzled, Shisui froze for a moment before his enhanced senses picked up movement in the distance. A moment later, a figure wearing an animal mask emerged from the shadows—one of Danzo's Root operatives. 

The Root ninja stared coldly at Shisui and delivered his message. 

"This is a summons from Danzo-sama. He requests your presence at the Root headquarters to discuss the future of the Uchiha."