Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Seeing Shisui Again
Itachi's heart pounded as he walked into the darkened hallways of the ANBU base. This was it. His training had begun. He had been assigned to ANBU at the age of eleven, a year earlier than his previous timeline, where he had joined at thirteen. He had been accepted into the shadows of Konoha, the secretive elite force whose job was to protect the village in ways that ordinary shinobi could never understand.
Itachi had heard the protests loud and clear. Kakashi, Rin, Obito, and even his mother had all expressed their concerns. He had seen their faces twist with worry and disbelief. How could someone so young, someone still a child, be thrust into such a dangerous world?
But he had known, deep down, that it was the only way forward. The role of ANBU was harsh, a life with no promises of survival. It was a job that typically had a shelf life of five to six months. The missions were brutal—assassinations, infiltrations, gathering intel in the darkest corners of the world. It was a life where the line between good and evil blurred into nothingness, where only results mattered, and the cost of failure was death.
Itachi had trained to be a shinobi since he could walk. He had already been through the brutal tests of the shinobi world, but this was different. This was the true darkness of the shinobi life. He had no illusions about what lay ahead. The job would be hard, and the mission even harder.
But this wasn’t his first rodeo. In this timeline, Itachi had already lived through these moments once before. He knew the risks. He knew the danger. And most importantly, he knew that it was the only way to get closer to the root of the rot in the village—the one who held the true strings of power: Danzo.
The Uchiha clan had long been kept away from the ANBU ranks by laws put in place by the Second Hokage, laws that effectively limited the number of Uchiha who could join the ANBU to just twenty. Itachi had been chosen for a reason. He was an Uchiha, yes, but he was also someone who had the potential to rise above the clan's constraints. Minato, the current Hokage, had been steadily working to remove those oppressive laws, but for now, the restrictions remained.
The Uchiha clan avoided joining ANBU, preferring to stay separate and detached from the shadowy organization. But Itachi didn’t have the luxury of avoiding it. He had to get closer to Danzo, to uncover his schemes, and to protect the people he loved. Shisui, his closest friend, was still out there in the shadows, and Itachi couldn't let the darkness consume him, not again.
Itachi’s thoughts were interrupted as he stepped into the training hall, where the ANBU squad members were waiting. Among them stood a familiar face—Shisui Uchiha.
Itachi’s breath hitched for a moment as he saw him. This was different. In the old timeline, he had met Shisui long before joining ANBU, but now, here they were, in the same place for the first time. Shisui's black hair framed his face in the same carefree, mischievous way Itachi remembered. He wore the traditional ANBU mask, but it didn’t mask the bond they shared. Itachi had always admired Shisui, his best friend, and mentor, and now he would have to rely on him more than ever.
Shisui’s eyes locked onto him, and there was no mistaking the flash of recognition and warmth there. He had always been able to see through Itachi's calm façade, to see the weight of the world in his eyes. But that had been before. In this new timeline, they would have to rebuild their relationship, start from scratch, and forge a new path together.
Itachi walked up to him, keeping his mask in hand. He was determined, more than ever, to protect Shisui, to prevent him from falling victim to the same fate that had claimed him in the old timeline.
“Welcome, Itachi,” Shisui said with his usual calm smile, though there was a note of seriousness in his voice. “I’m glad you’re here. The ANBU can be brutal, but you’re ready for this. I’ll be your guide.”
Itachi nodded, his expression hardening with resolve. “I won’t let you down.”
Shisui didn’t respond right away. He studied Itachi closely, as if weighing his words carefully. Then, without a word, he handed Itachi his ANBU mask. “This is the first step. If you’re going to be a part of this world, you’ll need to wear it with pride. It’s a part of who we are now.”
Itachi took the mask in his hands, his fingers brushing over the cold porcelain. The mask symbolized the world of shadows that he was now a part of, a world where emotions and personal connections were often buried beneath layers of duty and secrecy.
He could feel the weight of it. It was more than just a physical object—it was a promise. A promise to serve Konoha, to protect the village, and to ensure that Sasuke, the clan, and everyone he cared for would survive. But more than that, it was a promise to himself. He had failed before, but he would not fail again.
As they began their training, Shisui was tough on him, pushing him to his limits. He ran Itachi through the rules of ANBU, explaining the dangerous missions that lay ahead. His lessons were hard, but Itachi welcomed them. He needed to be stronger, faster, more capable than ever before. He had no time to waste. There were enemies to be taken down, and there was one in particular he needed to eliminate—Danzo.
His second mentor, Kakashi, was less than thrilled about Itachi’s early induction into ANBU. He had never agreed with the decision, and his frustration was obvious. But Kakashi was still a good teacher, and his lessons in strategy and tactics would be invaluable. Itachi needed to learn quickly if he was going to confront Danzo, who lurked in the shadows, manipulating the strings of power within the village.
Itachi’s resolve grew stronger with each passing day. The darkness of ANBU was not something he could avoid. It was his new reality, and he would make it work. He had to get closer to the truth, and for that, he needed to play the game. He needed to protect the ones he loved, especially Sasuke and Shisui, and make sure that history would not repeat itself.
Shisui had always been his light, the one person who could ground him. In this new timeline, Itachi vowed to keep that light from being extinguished.