Naruto Shippuuden Episode 299

[DarthEnderX]

Itachi killed everyone, and Sasuke walked in on him.

I'm pretty sure they show Itachi sitting on top of a telephone pole watching Sasuke come home first, obviously waiting for him to show up.

EDIT: Yes. http://www.mangahere.com/manga/naruto/v25/c224/16.html

Hokage would have spread the word already. Itachi's corpse would have been missing, and the village would have needed to find the one responsible. If no one from the village did it, then they would have needed to direct their suspicions at other villages, which defies the point of killing the Uchihas to maintain village stability and well-being.

Still, having the village blame Itachi leaves Sasuke room for doubt, and possible paths besides mindless revenge.

Confronting him and telling him you totally did it and also that the reason you did it is because you're super evil and the only way you can make it right is to become evil too is...again...the stupidest fucking plan ever.

[Buffalobiian]

I'm pretty sure they show Itachi sitting on top of a telephone pole watching Sasuke come home first, obviously waiting for him to show up.

EDIT: Yes. http://www.mangahere.com/manga/naruto/v25/c224/16.html

While that frame shows that Itachi was on a pole when Sasuke came home, it doesn't actually mean he was done killing and felt like waiting for his younger brother.

However, what it does indicate is that Itachi knew Sasuke was coming home.. and should he have tried hard enough to avoid running into him.. he could have.

So ultimately.. I'll agree with you here that his meeting with Sasuke was most likely intentional. Perhaps if he intended to leave Sasuke alive all along, then it was only convenient that Sasuke also served as a witness to reinforce the idea to the village that Itachi really did kill the clan to test his strength.

[DarthEnderX]

Okay so, something else confuses me. If Shisui disappeared without leaving a body behind, how come everything thinks he drown? In order for them to know how he died wouldn't they have to have found his body?

[DB_Hunter]

Didn't he leave a suicide note?

[DarthEnderX]

I don't remember.

[DB_Hunter]

I think he did, which is why the clan suspected Itachi as if it had been murder then someone with a Sharingan activated and a close enough relationship to Shisui would be able to mimick his handwriting to produce the note.