Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is now the autumn of Konoha Year 53.

Besides mostly continuing his devoted training in Ryuchi Cave, Yu occasionally uses Kaio's Door Door Fruit to return to Konoha to see Yugao and Kurenai.

However, ever since he, one of Konoha's top combat powers, has been absent, the Uchiha Clan, which had fallen into silence after the last suppression, has once again become restless, and the long-standing conflicts between them and Konoha have finally erupted completely.

Swish...

At dusk, as a breeze blew through the woods behind him, Itachi, standing upstream of the Naka River and gazing at the endless waterfall in front of him, finally couldn't wait to turn around, only to see an unexpected scene.

"Shisui, you finally... Your eyes?!"

Originally planning to stop the Uchiha Clan's coup together with Shisui, Itachi was stunned to see Shisui's current state.

Shisui appeared in front of him, looking as usual, with a short sword strapped to his back. His left eye was open, revealing a blood-red Three Tomoe Sharingan, but his right eye was tightly closed, with a shocking trail of blood running down from the eye socket.

"It was Danzo. I didn't expect that guy to use Izanagi to ambush me. He took my right eye…"

After arriving at the meeting place with Itachi, Shisui, who had lost his right eye, had an indescribable look of dejection on his face. "Just as Yu said, my thoughts were too naive. I originally planned to use Kotoamatsukami to change Clan Head Fugaku's mind about the coup, but Danzo ambushed me and took my right eye…"

"So he intended to eliminate the entire Uchiha Clan from the beginning and never trusted me. He plans to use his extreme methods to protect the village…"

He wasn't dejected because he lost his right eye, but because the Uchiha Clan was about to launch a coup, and Konoha was on the brink of war. He felt heartbroken because he was powerless to stop it.

"Danzo..."

Hearing Shisui's words, Itachi unconsciously clenched his fists. Never before had he felt such intense hatred towards someone.

"So he will surely try to take my left eye as well. This eye possesses a Dojutsu that could spark a war; it must not fall into his hands. I entrust my eye to you, Itachi..."

As he spoke, Shisui slowly reached for his remaining left eye, showing no hesitation on his face.

"Shisui, are you…"

Seeing Shisui's actions, Itachi was shaken to the core and was about to speak to stop him, but Shisui had already handed him a bloodied Sharingan.

"This coup involves the strength of the entire clan; stopping it won't be easy."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"The Uchiha Clan's ninjas have an extraordinary sense of unity and their determination is beyond our imagination."

After removing his last left eye, Shisui's face was streaked with tears of blood. He looked sorrowful. "Yu has already left Konoha. With my strength alone, I can't persuade him to change his mind. And with Danzo interfering, it seems I can no longer stop the Uchiha Clan from launching a coup..."

"If Konoha descends into civil war, other countries will surely seize the opportunity to attack, and then war will be inevitable..."

After saying this, Shisui handed his left eye to Itachi, forcing a cheerful smile like he always had. "So, the only one I can entrust this to is you, my dear friend. Please protect this village for me, and safeguard the honor of the Uchiha Clan..."

"Shisui..."

Facing Shisui's still gentle and cheerful smile, Itachi's hands trembled. He could hardly understand what he was feeling as he took Shisui's eye.

"Don't make that face..."

"Even in my current state, I can still sense your expression."

Though he had lost both eyes, Shisui seemed to feel the bitterness on Itachi's face. He comfortingly patted his shoulder. "Looking so uneasy isn't like you. The Uchiha Itachi I know remains calm no matter what..."

"But..."

Seeing Shisui in front of him, still with a gentle smile even after losing both eyes, Itachi's eyes unknowingly welled up with tears.

"Don't worry, you can definitely do it. Have confidence in yourself."

After entrusting his left eye to Itachi, Shisui continued to encourage him. "For you, the path ahead may be dark and arduous, and I won't be able to walk beside you, but I know you can stick to your direction."

"And what I'm giving you is not just this eye, but a new power—the Mangekyo Sharingan."

After saying this, Shisui's body began to slowly retreat backward. Behind him was a hundred-foot-tall cliff and the endlessly flowing Naka River waterfall.

"Mangekyo Sharingan? Shisui, are you planning to…"

Seeing Shisui's actions, Itachi's worries finally became reality, and he couldn't help but step forward.

"Don't come any closer! Itachi, if you still consider me a friend, don't try to stop me..."

As soon as Itachi took a step forward, Shisui sternly stopped him. "I hope my death can dampen the Uchiha Clan's morale and buy you some time to delay their coup. This is the last thing I can do for you..."

"Oh, and if you get the chance to meet Yu, tell him I'm sorry."

"Using Genjutsu on a friend is unforgivable, but in my eyes, he will always be my friend."

With these final words, a relieved smile appeared on Shisui's face as he closed his eyes. Loosening his footing, he fell from the hundred-foot-high cliff behind him, plunging into the endlessly flowing Naka River below...

"Shisui!!"

Watching Shisui leap into the Naka River to his death, Itachi could no longer control his emotions. He reached out, but could only grasp at empty air...

His only close friend and mentor from childhood, the contemporary Uchiha Clan's strongest genius ninja, renowned as the 'Strongest Genjutsu Ninja,' Body Flicker Shisui, chose such a dishonorable death to stop the war between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha.

Hatred...

For the first time, Uchiha Itachi felt such intense self-loathing for his lack of power. He desperately wished he could control everything and change the minds of Konoha and the Uchiha Clan.

Witnessing his only close friend Shisui commit suicide by jumping into the river, two lines of crimson blood tears flowed from Itachi's eyes. Under the intense mental shock, when he opened his eyes again, his previously blood-red, ordinary Sharingan had transformed into a pair of Three Tomoe shuriken-shaped Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Self-sacrifice... an unnamed ninja maintaining peace in the shadows... that's what a true ninja is."

"Don't worry, Shisui... I will definitely fulfill your wish... definitely."

Recalling the Will of Fire that Shisui had imparted to him, Itachi couldn't help but grip the left eye Shisui had entrusted to him. After wiping away his tears, his figure vanished from the Naka River...

----

You can support me and read up to 50 CHAPTERS ahead of the current releases.

Link www. Pàtreon com/DemonWriter or simply search for DemonWriter