By the time Itachi Uchiha returned home, it was already deep into the night. Sasuke and Mikoto had long since gone to bed, but Fugaku was still busy at the study.
After taking a deep breath, Itachi glanced around at the familiar furnishings of his home before heading into his room.
Before long, he emerged with a packed suitcase and made his way to the entrance.
At that moment, a stern voice came from behind him.
"Where do you plan to go?"
Itachi turned to face his father and replied calmly: "I plan to move out. I've been delayed by the clan's tasks for long enough. I'll have more missions with the Anbu soon, and our home is too far from the village center."
Fugaku's expression remained cold, his lips tightening slightly. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Itachi, some choices, once made, cannot be undone."
Hearing this, Itachi paused in his steps. Then, looking his father straight in the eye, he answered solemnly: "Father, what cannot be undone is the path the clan is on now."
Fugaku Uchiha let out a deep sigh. His Mangekyō Sharingan allowed him to glimpse fragments of the future, visions that changed depending on his thoughts and decisions.
He had once seen himself and Mikoto dying at Itachi's hands, yet Sasuke survived to restore the Uchiha's former glory.
He had tried to alter this fate, even revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan's ability to Itachi in hopes of changing his son's course.
But after exhausting his Mangekyō Sharingan and nearly going blind, the outcome never wavered. He had come to accept his own inevitable end, just as he had once accepted the clan's impending doom.
However, when Kuragami Uchiha forcefully intervened in the clan's affairs, Fugaku's visions of the future shattered.
A new fate emerged one where the Uchiha rose to unprecedented heights, surpassing even their ancestors.
Yet, in this new future, Itachi was nowhere to be found.
Fugaku had tried again and again to save his eldest son, but nothing he did could change the outcome. Calling out to Itachi tonight was his final attempt as a father.
As he watched his son's fading silhouette, Fugaku couldn't help but recall Kuragami's words: "If you hadn't taken four-year-old Itachi onto the battlefield back then, perhaps none of this would have happened."
… … …
The next morning, when Sasuke woke up, the first thing he did was rush to Itachi's room.
Despite their unpleasant conversation last night, Sasuke had resolved to apologize and ask his brother to walk him to school.
But when he pushed open the door, he found the room empty.
Itachi had taken very little with him, only a few changes of clothes and his essential tools, and the one thing that mattered most was a photo of him and Sasuke. After seeing this, Sasuke felt something was wrong.
"Mom? Where did Brother go?" Sasuke ran to the kitchen, where Mikoto was preparing breakfast and packing his lunch.
Before she could answer, Fugaku, who was drinking tea at the dining table, spoke up.
"Itachi will be busy with Anbu's work for a while."
Hearing this, Sasuke lowered his head dejectedly. After a long pause, he murmured.
"Did I make him mad last night?"
"This has nothing to do with you, Sasuke."
Fugaku reassured him. "Now hurry up and eat. You don't want to be late for school."
"Alright... "
Sasuke muttered, his voice lacking energy.
… … …
After spending the night at an inn in the village, Itachi woke up early, donned his Anbu gear, and headed to the Hokage's office to report for duty.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was surprised to see him. He had been aware that Itachi had been sent by the clan to inspect Uchiha-owned businesses throughout the Land of Fire. He had assumed that upon returning, Itachi would follow the clan's arrangements and quietly withdraw from the Anbu.
Yet here he was, reporting for duty.
"Hokage-sama, my apologies for taking such a long leave due to clan duties." While wearing his mask, Itachi bowed respectfully.
"No need to apologize."
Hiruzen replied with a smile. "Whether it's for the clan or for the Anbu, you've been working for the good of the village."
"Are there any missions for me, Hokage-sama?" Itachi asked.
Hiruzen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he countered with a question: "Itachi, the Konoha Military Police Force has done a lot for the village lately. Why don't you consider working with them for a while? The Anbu doesn't have many assignments right now, and the Konoha Military Police Force is closer to your home. Commuting would be much easier."
Recent events, especially seeing Shisui wielding Susanoo in his battle against the Utatane and Mitokado factions, had significantly shaken Hiruzen's trust in Itachi.
"I doubt I'd be of much use in the Konoha Military Police Force."
Itachi responded, bowing his head slightly. "I'm more accustomed to working in the Anbu. As for commuting, I've already decided to move out of the Uchiha district and find a place in the village."
Hiruzen studied him intently for a moment before finally nodding.
"Yesterday, a trade caravan from the Land of Lightning arrived in the village. Some of its members have been acting suspiciously. Shikaku suspects they may be spies trying to rendezvous with their contacts within Konoha."
"I've already assigned Anbu to monitor them. Go and assist them; your Sharingan will be invaluable in uncovering their deception and tracking down any hidden infiltrators."
Hearing this, Itachi nodded firmly. "Understood."
… … …
At the same time, the interrogation of those from the Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane clans who had colluded with Orochimaru was progressing steadily.
The evidence Kuragami Uchiha had orchestrated with Orochimaru's help was a mix of truth and fabrication.
Among the dozens of detainees, some were likely innocent of the specific crimes they were accused of. However, many, especially the hardliners from the Shimura Clan, were indeed guilty.
By Kuragami's design, the Anbu assigned to interrogate them were focusing primarily on these individuals. Under the Anbu's professional methods, it didn't take long to pry confessions from their lips, and so, the Konoha Military Police Force moved in to seize the assets of the three clans, funds that would be used to compensate the victims of their past crimes.