Lotm Rogue-like across worlds.

Shisui was sitting at a low table in the Uchiha clan council room. In the dim candlelight, heavy shadows fell on the walls, and the air was saturated with quiet tension. In front of him, at the table, sat Fugaku, the leader of the clan. His face was unreadable, but his eyes, sparkling with sharingan, were intently studying Shisui.

— What do you think about Itachi's behavior? Fugaku's voice was low and steady, but there was a hint of displeasure in it.

Shisui tensed slightly, inwardly preparing for the conversation.

"I'm still watching Itachi, as you asked," Shisui began, trying to keep his voice level, even though the tension was building up inside. — But there are nuances. He began to contact the Root.

Fugaku frowned, his gaze hardened.

"Uprooted?" Are you sure about this?

Shisui nodded, thinking over every word. He couldn't afford to make even the slightest mistake.

— Yes, I'm sure. According to my observations, he did not fully integrate with them. Now he is rather trying to understand their intentions. His condition... He hesitates.

Fugaku narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Shisui.

"Hesitating?"

"He's torn between the clan and the village,— Shisui continued, lifting his chin slightly to hide his concern. — Danzo and the Third suggested to him that we are the initiators of the conflict.

Fugaku leaned back, his face remained stony, but tension was evident in every movement.

"Does he doubt his loyalty to the clan?"

Shisui paused for a moment before answering.

"Not really. He still believes that he can find a solution that suits everyone. But their influence is growing. Itachi is too young to resist them alone.

Contrary to the original plan, they decided to carry out their plans ahead of schedule. It was originally planned to use the technique in four months, when one of the radical elders returned from a reconnaissance mission. Besides, they wanted to discuss the details with Danzo beforehand. However, after the warning, it became clear that it was too risky to involve the head of the Root in his plans.

Shisui knew that he couldn't afford to delay activating the technique. He began to smoothly focus his chakra, activating the mangekyo sharingan. Kotoamatsukami is a technique of the highest level, almost invisible to the target. But Fugaku was an experienced Shinobi. His gaze suddenly flashed with a warning signal.

"What are you doing, Shisui?" Fugaku's voice turned cold, and in the next second, he folded the seals with incredible speed, activating the defensive genjutsu.

Shisui felt the world around him begin to shake. Before he could say anything, there was a thud behind Fugaku. It was Itachi. His kunai flashed in the dim light, heading for his father's shoulder. Fugaku reacted instantly, knocking Itachi away in one powerful move, but did not attack back.

— Itachi… Are you involved in this too? Fugaku's voice sounded hollow, with a hint of disappointment.

Itachi stood motionless, his face impassive, but there was a shadow of pain in his eyes.

Fugaku froze, and at that moment Shisui tried to activate Kotoamatsukami again. Fugaku felt the flow of chakra and, without hesitation, sent a kunai to his eye, intending to blind Shisui in order to stop his technique. But he didn't make it. Itachi was faster. His blade went through his father's shoulder, piercing his lung but not killing him.

Fugaku coughed, sank to his knees, and then fell to the floor. His breathing became ragged, but his gaze remained clear. Even lying down, he looked at Itachi with bitterness.

—You... chose your path,— he said hoarsely. "Don't regret it.

At that moment, Kotoamatsukami completed his action. Fugaku froze, his eyes closed, and he lost consciousness. Shisui sighed heavily, feeling the tension drain away, leaving only emptiness. But he heard a soft sound nearby—it was Itachi. His shoulders were shaking, and silent tears were streaming from his eyes.

—I'm sorry... father..." he whispered, kneeling down next to Fugaku's body.

When the tears touched the ground, Itachi's eyes flashed with a new pattern. The mangekyo sharingan has awakened.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

It's only been two days since the start of training with Maito Guy, and the problem has already made itself felt. And it's not that I feel drained dry and that all my muscles feel like they're bursting. Guy assured me that this is normal, the body will get used to it, and the load cannot be reduced. The problem is, I don't have time for anything other than training.

I can't take the time to digest "Cryptologist" and "Magician". I can't continue learning fuinjutsu. Even completing the lessons turns into a feat that requires the last of your strength.

A solution has already formed in my head. I need to learn shadow cloning. I'm not sure if clones will be able to help digest knowledge, but they will definitely allow you to continue studying the theory.

Getting this technique, of course, will not be easy. I have two options: one is illusory, the other is long-term. The first is to ask someone to teach me, but that's unlikely. The second is to use a "Cryptologist" and a "Visionary" to try to master it on your own. You can try to guess how the technique works using decoding, or use fortune-telling to get the right pieces of knowledge, and then start studying.

Well, time is running out. Let's start with fortune-telling.

In class, I noticed that Sasuke looked strange. He usually tried to keep his balance, but today his gaze was often directed downwards, and his answers to the teacher sounded quieter than usual. When the bell announced the end of classes, he did not linger talking to anyone, immediately packed his things and headed for the exit.

After saying goodbye to Naruto, I lingered for a few moments, watching Sasuke. The chance to approach him did not seem lost. As I walked to the exit, I caught up with him at the hallway.

"Sasuke," I began, trying to sound neutral. — I'll skip our sparring sessions for now. Treatment.

He barely looked in my direction, nodding.

"Got it." Get well.

His words sounded automatic, without participation, as if his thoughts were already somewhere far away.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, trying not to sound too intrusive.

He hesitated, stopped, but continued to stare in front of him.

"I won't tell anyone,— I added more quietly, tilting my head in his direction.

After a short breath, he finally spoke.:

"My father came home yesterday... The wounded man. Itachi brought him.

His voice was steady, but there was a hint of worry in it with every word.

— The father was unconscious, and Itachi... He looked like that... oppressed.

Sasuke squeezed the strap of his backpack, his steps became faster, but I did not lag behind.

Mikoto was waiting for them at the Academy gates. She smiled and greeted me, but in her eyes, despite her friendliness, I noticed fatigue. Her movements were a little mechanical, as if she was trying to suppress her inner tension.

"Thanks for seeing Sasuke off," she said warmly, but a little hurriedly.

I nodded, watching her put her arm around her son's shoulders before they left.

On the way back, my thoughts revolved around what I had heard. A wounded Fugaku, a depressed Itachi, a tense Mikoto—something was definitely going on in the Uchiha family, I needed to figure out if it was the initial events or the result of some kind of change.