Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Convincing Uchiha Itachi
"Why not?"
"You can return to the village anytime you wish."
"I understand your concerns. Shimura Danzo is dead, I killed him myself. His crimes are now known throughout Konohagakure. As for Sarutobi Hiruzen, he has been confined to his home, stripped of his authority. The corrupt leadership has been purged."
"I can publicly reveal the truth about the Uchiha massacre and revoke your status as a missing-nin. If you prefer, I can even disclose your undercover role in the Akatsuki. You will no longer be seen as a traitor to Konoha but as a hero who bore the weight of great burdens for the village."
Tobirama spoke calmly, his sharp eyes locked on Uchiha Itachi. Deep down, Tobirama knew that Itachi's heart still leaned toward Konoha.
From the perspective of the Uchiha clan, Itachi was undeniably a traitor, a heartless betrayer. But from Konoha's standpoint, his actions could be seen as righteous and self-sacrificing. The Uchiha clan, in Tobirama's view, was a group prone to extremes. His extensive research on their psychology had made him certain of one thing: the Uchiha were deeply emotional—intense in their love, and equally intense in their hatred.
A coup led by such individuals could have brought unimaginable consequences.
From Tobirama's position as Hokage, he couldn't fault Itachi's choices.
"As for whether your brother will accept you again, Itachi, you're overthinking it!" Tobirama's tone grew firm.
"If you truly want Uchiha Sasuke to live a normal life, you must treat him as an equal—your younger brother—not as a tool shaped by hatred toward you or the village."
"You owe it to him to be honest about the truth."
Hearing this, Itachi froze as though struck by a sudden revelation.
He had been so confident, so assured in his ability to control the situation, never stopping to consider Sasuke's feelings or wishes. He had never truly thought about how his brother might perceive his actions.
A pang of guilt crossed Itachi's face, but it was quickly replaced with a glimmer of relief. At least now, he still had a chance to make amends.
"I understand, Hokage-sama. Thank you for your guidance. I am willing to return to Konoha and dedicate myself to rebuilding the village."
Itachi's respect for Tobirama was now genuine. Without this conversation, he might have realized the truth only upon his death.
Seeing Itachi's decision, Tobirama smiled slightly, though his gaze shifted to Itachi's empty eye sockets, and he frowned.
"Your eyes…?"
At Tobirama's question, Itachi explained what had happened.
"Orochimaru. He must have made some kind of deal with the Akatsuki leader. My eyes were the price. That's why Pain and the other Akatsuki members attacked me. My Sharingan… Orochimaru took them."
Itachi's voice carried a trace of helplessness. As a member of the Uchiha, losing his Sharingan felt like a personal failure.
"Orochimaru…" Tobirama muttered the name without surprise. Orochimaru's obsession with the Sharingan had only grown after his past failures against it. Ordinary Sharingan wouldn't satisfy him—only the rarest, most powerful ones.
Given Orochimaru's expertise in science and ninjutsu, the experiments he might conduct with Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan were troubling. Tobirama made a mental note to remain vigilant.
"Shisui's other eye—it's still with you, correct?"
"Yes."
Though unsure why Tobirama asked, Itachi quickly summoned a black crow. The bird turned to reveal its scarlet eye.
"Without this eye, I would've died during their first ambush. I managed to escape by using Kotoamatsukami on Konan, but I couldn't fully activate Shisui's eye. It's likely she's no longer under its influence."
Tobirama's eyes flashed with a mix of surprise and admiration as Itachi recounted his ordeal. The fact that Itachi survived such a dire situation impressed him. His joy at convincing Itachi to return to the village deepened.
After a moment of thought, Tobirama formed a series of seals, summoning a scroll. From within, he retrieved a glass container holding a Sharingan.
"This is Shisui's other eye. I retrieved it from Danzo's corpse. When we return to Konoha, have the medical team implant it for you."
Tobirama's decision wasn't made lightly, but the eye served no purpose in his hands. Besides, he lacked a physical body to utilize it. If Itachi could make use of the eye and potentially awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, it would maximize its value.
"This…" Itachi stared at the glass container in disbelief as Tobirama handed it to him.
"Take it. This eye deserves a rightful owner. Shisui entrusted his eyes to you so you could continue to protect the village and the Uchiha clan."
Thinking of Shisui, Itachi nodded solemnly and accepted the eye.
"When we return to Konoha, we'll arrange for your surgery," Tobirama said.
"Understood, Hokage-sama!" Itachi replied firmly.
As Tobirama prepared to activate the Flying Thunder God Technique, a muffled noise interrupted them.
"Mmgh! Mmmgh!"
Nearby, Hidan, wrapped in vines and unable to speak due to a sealing jutsu, thrashed about furiously.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot about you."
Tobirama walked over, studying Hidan with mild amusement. Despite his immortality, Hidan's curse-based jutsu made him a dangerous asset—though his limited intelligence left much to be desired.
After locating Hidan's severed lower half among the roots, Tobirama reattached it.
"Now we're ready to leave."
Placing one hand on Itachi's shoulder and holding the defeated Hidan with the other, Tobirama activated the Flying Thunder God Technique. A flash of blue light enveloped them, and they vanished.
The once-battle-scarred area was now silent, overrun with dense vegetation.
From the ground emerged Zetsu, black and white halves observing the aftermath.
"Tobirama took Itachi," Black Zetsu said, his tone laced with intrigue. "That was Mokuton, wasn't it?"
"Wow! Itachi got Shisui's eye back. Should we get Orochimaru and try again?" White Zetsu chirped.
Black Zetsu, uncharacteristically, didn't dismiss White Zetsu's suggestion outright. Instead, he fell into deep thought.
"This complicates things. We should report to Tobi first."
With that, Zetsu sank back into the ground, leaving the forest silent once more.
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