Naruto: I am Uchiha Seiryu

Jiraiya's words stunned Itachi.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Fugaku, despite Itachi's unforgivable crime, felt a father's urge to save his son, or at least not let him fall beyond redemption.

"Third Lord, could you do me a small favor?" Fugaku asked.

Hiruzen looked up. Fugaku exchanged glances with Aburame Shibi, and a communication insect flew to Hiruzen.

"Please, try to persuade that child. He listens to you most," Fugaku said.

Hiruzen sighed and nodded, the insect flying to his ear.

On the battlefield, the Aburame clan released their insects, which combined to form a loudspeaker.

Soon, the Third Hokage's voice echoed overhead.

"Stop, Itachi."

"Third Lord?" Itachi stared dazedly at the insect loudspeaker.

"Stop, Itachi. It's over," Hiruzen said.

"Why? Third Lord?!" Itachi screamed in despair.

He received only a heavy sigh in response.

After a long silence, Itachi's arms dropped, his blade falling to the ground.

At that moment, under everyone's gaze, Itachi felt as if needles were pricking his back.

Tonight, apart from Seiryu and the masked man's battle, everything else had come to an end.

Kakashi waved off the medic-nin trying to help him, wrapping his head with bandages. "Let's finish up here and go support Seiryu."

Several Uchiha police members handcuffed those brought by Itachi, including the new Ino-Shika-Cho trio. None resisted.

When it was Itachi's turn, a barely conscious Shisui staggered over, pushing away his caretaker.

"Itachi, that masked man has nothing to do with you, right?" Shisui asked weakly.

"I don't know him..." Itachi murmured after a pause.

"Okay, I believe you." Shisui patted Itachi's shoulder, then turned to everyone.

"Everyone, Itachi was used in this. After everything's been investigated, please give him another chance. That's my only request."

Silence. Only Kakashi spoke: "Shisui, don't drag yourself down. Only Seiryu can decide this."

"Kakashi, I'll go confess to the clan leader. Please don't imprison Itachi for colluding with outsiders, okay? I beg you!"

A few older Uchiha, who had watched Itachi grow up, spoke up. "Itachi's a bit naive, but he wouldn't betray the village."

"Yeah, we can't just take that fake Madara's word for it."

The others followed their lead, showing Itachi some mercy.

Itachi stared in disbelief at those who spoke for him.

"What are you looking at?" One of the senior jonin barked, "Whether you betrayed the village or not, you definitely betrayed the clan tonight! When this is over, you'll have to apologize to everyone at the clan shrine!"

Though his tone was harsh, everyone could hear the protection in his words.

"Hey, watch your words," an Inuzuka nudged the jonin.

"Itachi, let's go. After you explain everything, you'll have to atone to the clan. I'll go with you," Shisui said.

"Haha..." Itachi lowered his head, suddenly laughing.

Itachi felt mixed emotions. The Will of Fire he believed in had abandoned him. The Third Hokage he worshipped had forsaken him. In the end, only these clansmen he'd once scorned stood up for him.

He felt like the world's biggest joke.

"Itachi?" Shisui, sensing something wrong, reached out.

"Hahahahaha!" Itachi threw his head back in bitter laughter.

Blood tears streamed from Itachi's eyes. A huge surge of ocular power erupted, forcing everyone back.

"What's this?" Shisui, experienced, was shocked. "Awakening?"

"Awakening? Didn't he already have three tomoe? Could it be... Mangekyō?" another Uchiha asked.

Kakashi grew serious, reaching for his bandaged left eye, which had also changed after the earlier pain.

If anything changes, I'll have to use this.

"Prepare for battle!" Everyone tensed, knowing the Mangekyō's power.

Some tried to interrupt, but a storm of chakra and ocular power kept them at bay.

Cackling, Itachi's three tomoe spun, morphing into a three-bladed shuriken pattern.

Everyone was on edge, but even after Itachi's awakening, the chakra storm didn't subside—it grew worse.

"No! Stop, Itachi!" Shisui screamed, seeing Itachi's hair turn white and his life force fading.

Soon, the storm ceased. The now-white-haired, withered Itachi collapsed.

"Heh... hehe." Even as he fell, Itachi's laughter continued, now tinged with sobs.

"Itachi!" Shisui rushed over.

"Shisui..." Itachi weakly raised his head, Mangekyō fading. "I'm sorry."

A medic-nin checked quickly, then shook his head.

Itachi's life was gone, his body ruined—nothing could save him.

"Why?" Shisui wept.

Just then, another commotion arose.

"Sasuke! You can't go there! Stop!"

That night, Sasuke felt deeply uneasy. First, his friend who'd stayed over left with a strange white-haired man and didn't come to school. After school, his mother locked him inside, and the clan compound's mood was odd.

The later it got, the more anxious Sasuke became.

Eventually, he snuck out. Though caught by the police, they let him run when they realized who he was.

"Sasuke?" At the commotion, everyone looked back and saw Sasuke running over.

An Uchiha jonin caught him. "What are you doing here?! Take him back now!"

But Sasuke, seeing through the crowd, recognized his brother, even though Itachi's appearance had changed.

"Big Brother?" Sasuke cried.

"It's Sasuke, isn't it?" Itachi asked Shisui.

Shisui nodded through his tears.

"Can you let him through?" Itachi asked weakly.

Shisui signaled, and the jonin let go.

"Big Brother!" Sasuke ran to his brother, tears streaming down his face. "What happened? Why?"

"Sasuke, I made mistakes. I deserve this." Itachi forced himself to speak.

"Shisui," Itachi turned, "my eyes. Please give them to Sasuke."

"Okay." Shisui nodded.

"I don't want your eyes! I want you!" Sasuke cried.

"Don't cry, Sasuke. You once told me you had a great teacher. Listen to him from now on. Don't end up like me." Itachi raised two fingers and touched Sasuke's forehead.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. This is the last time," he said, then his hand fell limp.

"Big Brother!"

Sasuke's heartbroken cries echoed over the Uchiha compound.

In Sasuke's eyes, a red light flashed—when he came to, two tomoe swirled in his eyes.

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