Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 138: Itachi's Actions

The clear sound of wind chimes swayed gently in the breeze.

Samehada retracted from the lifeless body of a ninja, having drained his chakra in a moment of unawareness. Just as Kisame was about to leave, he noticed something. He stretched out his hand and retrieved a newly updated list of rogue ninja bounties from the dead body.

"Itachi, look what I found."

Quickly flipping through it, Kisame's eyes lit up as he smiled at Itachi, who was sitting on a large rock nearby. 

"Uchiha Sasuke, Konoha's S-class rogue ninja, charged with unauthorized departure from the village, invasion of the Fire Temple, and intrusion into the Tsuchigumo Clan... Haha, it seems your brother has caused quite a stir in our absence."

Itachi Uchiha, who had been resting with his eyes closed on the rock, opened them slightly. The black tomoe in his blood-red Sharingan spun faintly.

"Wait, there's more."

Kisame found another bounty sheet on the dead ninja and, upon reading the latest page, remarked in surprise,

"Itachi, your brother's bounty in the black market has reached thirty million. Tsk tsk, with such a large sum, we need to be wary of Kakuzu. He won't pass up this lucrative opportunity."

Sasuke's bounty was on par with Gari's. Although Sasuke's strength was not as formidable, being the last surviving member of Konoha's Uchiha clan and having the Sharingan significantly boosted his value, placing him among the elite bounties. The only reason he didn't reach the standard of Sarutobi Asuma's thirty-five million was because Asuma also carried the added value of being the Third Hokage's son.

Itachi remained silent, his gaze distant.

However, an unfamiliar, playful voice suddenly interjected: "Kakuzu is currently busy as a mercenary, fighting for a small country. He has no time to target Itachi's brother. Besides, to claim that thirty million, one would first need to locate Uchiha Sasuke."

As the words finished, Zetsu, half black and half white, emerged from the ground wrapped in tree bark.

Unfazed by Zetsu's sudden appearance, Kisame asked, "Even you don't have information on Itachi's brother?"

"Even the Sage of the Six Paths wasn't omnipotent, let alone us," the somber voice of Black Zetsu replied.

He wasn't lying. The ninja world was vast, and even with ten thousand White Zetsu, it was impossible to gather every piece of information. Moreover, only a few White Zetsu were currently active.

Sasuke being with Hagoromo Gengetsu made tracking them particularly difficult.

"Is there a new mission from the leader?" Itachi finally spoke, ignoring the topic of his brother.

White Zetsu turned to Itachi and in a playful tone said, "Not a mission per se, but the leader wants to know if there are any other Uchiha who have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"Mangekyō Sharingan?" Itachi's expression shifted slightly. "Why ask that?"

"Yo~~ You guys don't know?" White Zetsu feigned exaggerated surprise, spreading his hands wide.

Black Zetsu, uninterested in the theatrics, explained directly, "A man with a Mangekyō Sharingan has appeared by Sasuke's side. The leader is curious about this person."

Although they hadn't located Sasuke, White Zetsu had gathered information about the recent battles at the Fire Temple and Mt. Katsuragi. The leader, Pain, had instructed to make contact and invite the new Mangekyō Sharingan user to join Akatsuki, given the Sharingan's effectiveness in capturing tailed beasts. Pain believed that any conflicts between this new user and Itachi could be resolved under his command.

After understanding the situation, Itachi remained calm and shook his head, "I have no knowledge of this person."

"Just as I thought." White Zetsu shrugged, mocking their leader, "Pain should realize that if there were another Mangekyō Sharingan within the Uchiha clan, Itachi's massacre wouldn't have been so effortless."

Black Zetsu gave Itachi a deep look before disappearing back into the ground.

"Kisame, the next steps must be taken with caution. Since there is another Mangekyō Sharingan user with Sasuke, we can assume their hostility towards you."

Itachi acknowledged with a hum, internally connecting the dots. As a firsthand witness, he knew the truth about Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan. One of Shisui's eyes was with him, and the other had been taken by Danzo. With Danzo dead and his Root faction eliminated by Hagoromo Gengetsu, it made sense that Gengetsu had taken Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan. Given that Sasuke followed Gengetsu, it was plausible for a Mangekyō Sharingan user to be with Sasuke.

Yet, who was using Shisui's eye? Itachi was uncertain. It could be Gengetsu himself or one of his associates. The Mangekyō Sharingan wasn't like the Byakugan, easily transferable and functional; only those with exceptional talent could wield it effectively.

"Uchiha Hagoromo Gengetsu... What are your true intentions?"

Seeing Sasuke straying further from Konoha, Itachi's eyes reflected a hint of worry. He wasn't entirely sure of Gengetsu's motives, unlike Orochimaru, whom he understood well. The enigmatic nature of Gengetsu made Itachi's concerns more tangible.

"Maybe I should see for myself. If Sasuke strays too far off track, I may have to..."

Resolute, Itachi tightened his grip on Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan and, donning his straw hat, set out with the ringing of the wind chimes.

Kisame, noticing, asked, "We're on break, Itachi. Where are you headed?"

"To take care of some business."

Kisame grinned, "The leader's orders are clear: Akatsuki members must act in pairs. Since you have business, I'll join you."

"As you wish," Itachi replied, not looking back.