Chapter 45: The Purpose of the "Black-Robed Organization"!
The moment Uchiha Izumi asked her question,
the entire scene fell dead silent.
The question was bizarre.
Extremely bizarre.
So bizarre it felt almost abnormal.
Yet at the same time, it sparked intense curiosity in everyone present—except for Uchiha Itachi himself.
Perhaps because Izumi and Karin's sudden appearance had completely defused the earlier murderous tension,
everyone now vaguely understood that no real fighting was happening today.
So a few of them couldn't help but feel the urge to tease.
"Uchiha Izumi, how could you ask something like that?"
Kisame was the first to speak up.
"I've never even heard of two men being able to be together like that!"
"Stinky fish old man~
You're totally wrong~"
The moment she saw there was gossip to join, Karin dashed over immediately.
She arrived just in time to hear Kisame's comment
and instantly fired back.
"You don't understand the Uchiha at all!
In the Uchiha clan, there's always this thing where two guys end up liking each other.
For example, Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna~
Those two were super in love~
So same-sex love is totally possible! The opposite sex is just for making babies!"
"Uh…"
Everyone froze.
They stared at the young red-haired girl who had just spouted such words with such confidence.
A strange wave of admiration rose in their hearts.
"She actually makes a lot of sense!"
"So young, yet dropping golden quotes left and right.
As expected of someone from the Black-Robed Organization!"
...
After silently praising her in their minds,
the group couldn't help but start gossiping even more enthusiastically.
"I think it's Shisui."
Kurenai, as the only other woman present, spoke first.
She finally stopped keeping her eyes closed and openly sized up both Itachi and Izumi.
"I've heard of the name 'Shunshin no Shisui' before.
Uchiha Shisui wasn't just incredible with Body Flicker—he was also terrifyingly strong in genjutsu.
Itachi's genjutsu is so powerful… it definitely wouldn't have gotten that way without Shisui's guidance."
"Possible!"
Karin nodded vigorously.
"Back then Itachi and Shisui were always stuck together.
Who knows, maybe some feelings developed~"
"I agree."
Kisame nodded too.
"Anyway, it definitely can't be Sasuke.
After all…
Itachi has always wanted to kill Sasuke, right~?"
"That's not necessarily true~"
Karin kept going.
"I know some people are just twisted like that.
Their way of expressing love is… unique.
Maybe Itachi really does like Sasuke.
It's just expressed differently.
His way of showing love is slaughtering the entire clan,
leaving only 'you and me.'
Then they love and kill each other, tormenting back and forth~
Until finally one dies by the other's hand.
I bet Itachi plans to die at Sasuke's hands, right?
That way Sasuke will awaken his eyes!
It's basically proving one truth—
True love is selfless devotion!
I'll carry all the pain myself. As long as you're happy, I'm satisfied.
Since we're blood brothers and can never be together,
I'll just carve an eternal mark of love deep in your heart!
Tsk tsk tsk~
Now that's love!!"
"Isn't that basically the same as that romance novel you were reading the other day?"
Izumi shot Karin a flat look.
"I remember you cried for hours."
"Yeah yeah~
But in the end those two guys finally got together!
So touching!"
"I never thought two men could have love like that.
Am I just getting old?"
Asuma couldn't help throwing in a rare sarcastic comment.
"I think it's Shisui."
Kakashi gritted his teeth to stay conscious, panting as he gossiped along.
"Back in the day I often saw those two kids sneaking off into the forest together!"
...
Uchiha Itachi: "…"
Watching everyone gossip nonstop about him,
Itachi suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of unreality.
"Are we really supposed to be enemies?
And can you people please stop being so interested in my private life?!"
He desperately wanted to complain out loud.
But after thinking about it… he held back.
Instead, he began seriously considering another issue—
Should he actually answer the question?
If it were anyone else asking,
Itachi would have seized them instantly and ripped every secret out of their mind with genjutsu.
But…
the opponent was someone who also possessed a Mangekyō Sharingan.
He had no confidence he could subdue Izumi.
So if he wanted to learn the Black-Robed Organization's true goal…
he had no choice but to answer.
"How should I even put this…?"
Itachi hesitated.
Truthfully, he didn't like anyone in that way.
His feelings for Shisui were friendship.
His feelings for Sasuke were familial love.
As for romantic love…
he felt someone who had killed his comrades didn't deserve such a thing.
So he was about to say he didn't like anyone at all.
But just as he opened his mouth—
Izumi suddenly spoke first.
"Don't try to brush me off with 'I don't like anyone.'"
Uchiha Itachi: "…"
He stared at her, feeling an enormous urge to complain that he didn't know how to voice.
In the end, after thinking it over…
for the sake of uncovering the Black-Robed Organization's secret,
he decided to sacrifice a little dignity.
He was already carrying so much pain anyway.
What was a little more?
"I like Shisui."
After saying it,
he silently added in his heart:
Forgive me, Sasuke.
"Oooooh~"
A chorus of teasing "Ooooohs" erupted around him.
Itachi felt extremely awkward.
So he quickly spoke up again:
"I want to know the purpose of your organization."
The moment Itachi asked,
everyone else immediately shut up.
Because they wanted to know the answer to that question too.
"We are both angels and demons.
Because we will reverse the torrent of fate,
bring the dead back to life,
and overturn destiny itself!"
The weight of Izumi's words hit them like a hammer.
The sheer amount of information was staggering.
Everyone couldn't help but sink into deep thought.
"Alright, we're leaving now."
Izumi smiled as she looked at Itachi.
"But before we go…
I need to supervise you taking your medicine."
"Fine."
Itachi knew that if he refused,
his secret would be exposed.
So he planned to use genjutsu to deceive everyone into thinking he had swallowed the pills.
"Those who have hurt their comrades can never meet a good end.
I am destined to die horribly.
At the same time…
I cannot allow myself to be killed by Sasuke.
Because I cannot let his hands be stained with a comrade's blood.
This terminal illness came at the perfect time.
When I'm about to die, I'll find Sasuke and fight him to the death.
That way, I'll die from the illness—
not from being killed by Sasuke.
My foolish little brother…
Hate me. Despise me.
Only if you hate me will you resist my words.
Only then will you abandon killing comrades for power."
With these thoughts, Itachi opened his mouth, pretending to swallow the medicine,
while simultaneously using genjutsu to cover everything.
But at that exact moment—
he suddenly realized, to his horror,
that the pills were flying straight into his stomach on their own!
Then he saw Izumi's smile.
"My Mangekyō Sharingan can control ninja tools~
Of course… it can also control pills~"
Itachi: "…"