Itachi was a bit confused at this moment.
Ever since Yuuki became the Clan Head, Itachi had been worried that the Clan would clash with the Village.
At first, things were pretty much as Itachi had guessed; the Clan quickly came into conflict with Root.
Itachi had predicted the beginning but not the end; the Clan did indeed clash with Root.
However, it didn't lead to the Village and the Clan becoming adversarial, as Itachi had imagined.
Subsequently, the developments further exceeded Itachi's expectations, and the Clan quickly achieved victory.
The complete annihilation of Root and the death of Elder Danzo did not seem to escalate the conflict between the Village and the Clan.
Hokage-sama simply watched Root be eliminated without taking any other action.
Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction, the relationship between the Village and the Clan eased, and the relationship between the Clan members and the villagers also began to become harmonious.
All these changes were not what Itachi had originally envisioned; everything Itachi feared did not come to pass.
Just as Itachi was caught in a denial of his own beliefs, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned him privately.
He informed Itachi of a piece of intelligence and assigned him an important mission.
The intelligence was that Hidden Mist envoys had come for peace, but they were either killed or captured by the Military Police Force, and war was now inevitable.
The mission was for Itachi to find a way to leave Anbu and join the Military Police Force, and to gather as much intelligence from the Military Police Force as possible without exposing himself.
Is war going to start again?
Itachi recalled the image of war from his memory with a sense of dread.
Itachi, only four years old, was brought to the Battlefield by Fugaku; it was a hellish scene.
Various severed limbs flew, and omnipresent explosions brought both shock and fear to Itachi.
This was the first time Itachi felt the passing of life.
Itachi saw a heavily wounded Iwagakure Ninja struggling to survive.
At this moment, Itachi felt he should do something; he went forward, wanting to help that Iwagakure Ninja.
Initially, the Iwagakure Ninja accepted Itachi's help, but only after seeing the Uchiha Clan crest on Itachi's sleeve.
The Iwagakure Ninja, who had been struggling to survive, disregarded his injuries, his entire face twisted, his eyes filled with venomous resentment, accompanied by his blood-soaked face.
He looked like a fiend from hell; the Iwagakure Ninja displayed a completely different demeanor from his previous struggle for life, desperately trying to kill Itachi.
Itachi watched the Iwagakure Ninja's sudden change in expression in disbelief, somewhat dazed, not knowing what to do.
But driven by instinct, Itachi rolled on the ground and simultaneously pulled out a kunai, attempting to stop the Iwagakure Ninja.
"Ding, ding, ding!"
The Iwagakure Ninja's attacks all missed, and he happened to collide with Itachi's kunai.
Watching the Iwagakure Ninja slowly die in front of him, Itachi completely failed to comprehend any of it.
But the three shuriken embedded in the ground nearby made it clear that his father had intervened.
Then Fugaku walked to Itachi's side, remaining silent.
Itachi's voice, full of confusion, rang out.
"Father, why did he want to kill me? I wanted to..."
"Because this is war!"
"Is that how it is, Father?"
"This is the Ninja World, Itachi. Remember this scene and never forget it!"
A year later, Itachi, only five years old, had a younger brother.
That gave Itachi a completely different feeling from the Battlefield; it was the birth of life, showing Itachi the beauty of the world.
But soon after, the Nine-Tails Disturbance occurred. Itachi didn't know what happened, but he felt that Konoha at that time was like a giant Battlefield.
Confused and ignorant, Itachi tightly hugged Sasuke in his arms, drifting with the current into an underground shelter.
The constant massive tremors felt as if they would destroy the entire shelter and take all lives in the next second.
Itachi spent an entire night in endless panic, but Itachi didn't cry out because he had to protect his younger brother.
After everything ended, after the massive tremors stopped, Itachi looked at the infant in his arms who had given him courage.
"Thank you, Sasuke."
The memories ended there. These were all of Itachi's memories of war, everything so despairing, filled with weariness for this world.
Itachi completely failed to understand why Yuuki wanted to plunge Konoha into war; Itachi knew Yuuki had participated in war.
Didn't Yuuki know the horror of war?
Itachi accepted the mission without hesitation.
Afterward, Itachi, persuaded once again by his father, took the hint and left Anbu.
While taking his younger brother to a picnic, Itachi met Yuuki and took the opportunity to propose joining the Military Police Force. Without any surprises, Itachi smoothly joined the Military Police Force.
Itachi requested to walk with Yuuki, wanting to ask Yuuki what war truly was in his eyes and why he wanted to instigate it.
Yuuki in his memory wore a very kind smile, gently declining, "Next time for sure, Itachi."
Itachi had been specifically gathering information about Yuuki ever since Yuuki became the Clan Head. Besides initially killing a Clan Elder and a member of the Military Police Force.
Yuuki had never laid a hand on anyone—well, Root excluded—and always wore a benevolent expression and a heartwarming smile towards any Clan member or villager.
Itachi couldn't understand why someone who appeared so kind and gentle could so unhesitatingly kill the Hidden Mist envoys and instigate war.
Everything that happened afterward completely exceeded Itachi's expectations.
There was no brutal slaughter, no massive casualties; Konoha simply and easily defeated Hidden Mist!
Yuuki became the Village's hero, almost single-handedly ending the war with Hidden Mist.
As Yuuki was being cheered by the villagers like a returning hero, Itachi silently observed Yuuki from the crowd.
Watching Yuuki's enthusiastic smile in front of everyone, Itachi felt he had finally discovered the problem.
Instigating war, causing the deaths of so many Ninja, and still being able to smile so happily and freely—is this your goal, to build your supreme reputation with lives?
Itachi felt he had discovered Yuuki's true nature, and the subsequent war with Kumogakure further corroborated Itachi's suspicion.
Yuuki's destructive actions in the Kumogakure camp were still, in Itachi's eyes, done for Yuuki's own reputation.
Yuuki didn't care how many Konoha Ninja or people from the Land of Fire died in the process; all he cared about was his own reputation.
Watching Yuuki still smile so brilliantly after being called the 'Red-Eyed Demon,' Itachi felt an endless chill; it was a complete disregard for life.
Itachi once again thought of the Third Hokage, who, for Konoha and for peace, made concessions again and again to outsiders, and tolerated Yuuki again and again.
Itachi felt that Hiruzen Sarutobi was the true Ninja, capable of enduring everything for peace and for the Village.
However, what Itachi didn't understand was why Hokage-sama hadn't contacted him again after all this time.
Immediately, Itachi thought of his mission; it seemed he couldn't gather any useful intelligence at all, and all the information he could access would be announced to all villagers soon.
Everything in the Military Police Force made Itachi very uncomfortable; it was different from Anbu; everything here seemed so transparent, which was very un-Ninja-like!
But just now, Itachi received a notification that Yuuki wanted him to go to the Department Head's office.
"Department Head!"
"Ah, Itachi, you're here!"
"..."
Yuuki wore an enthusiastic smile and looked at Itachi with great satisfaction.
However, when Itachi saw Yuuki's smile again, a chill instinctively ran through him.
Who could still look so bright after killing so many Ninja?
If Yuuki knew Itachi's thoughts, he would definitely laugh and reply, "I learned everything from Senior Minato!"
Itachi remained silent, simply standing there motionless.
Then Yuuki adopted a slightly more serious expression.
"Itachi, your performance in the Military Police Force during this period has been outstanding. I've seen it all, and therefore, I have an important mission for you!"
Itachi felt his opportunity had come; sure enough, his diligent undercover work had finally brought a turning point to the mission.
If Yuuki knew Itachi's thoughts, he would surely burst into three peals of laughter. As expected of Itachi, you believe pleasantries!
I don't care about your performance at all; I just want you to think this next matter is very important.
"Please tell me, Department Head!"
Then Yuuki thoroughly explained to Itachi the origin and main purpose of the pursuit squad.
Finally, he added a sentence.
"Itachi, you must do well this time. I am your captain, and I will be watching all of your performance."
Itachi replied without hesitation.
"Yes, Department Head!"
"Hmm, Itachi, you are a rare genius within the Clan. I think highly of you. The next Clan Head of the Uchiha will be none other than you!"
Itachi was very excited at this moment, not because of the potential Clan Head position, but because he seemed to have gained Yuuki's trust.
Looking at the excited Itachi in front of him, Yuuki was very satisfied. Indeed, painting a grand picture can enhance the subjective initiative of subordinates.
In the original work, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo also fooled the Uchiha Clan this way, didn't they? Itachi, though you've gone astray, you are indeed an Uchiha!
"Alright, Itachi, you can go. Remember, do well!"
Yuuki seized every opportunity to encourage Itachi.
After leaving, Itachi felt that his mission had finally made breakthrough progress, and he discreetly made his way to the Hokage Building.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Ah! It's Itachi!"
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi conversed for quite some time.
In the Military Police Force office, Yuuki, slowly retracting his Mangekyo Sharingan, wore an expression that said, "Just as I thought."
Itachi, you had already soured before you even matured.
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