Deep in the night, at training ground 417 of Konoha, scattered bonfires burned as the last vestiges of brightness in the dark. Perhaps sensing the wrong atmosphere, the surrounding insects were eerily silent.
Shisui’s face, illuminated by the firelight, looked exceptionally melancholic. Every time he wanted to speak to Itachi, he hesitated.
Such news would be devastating for Itachi; his own father rebelling against the village he loved. Who could accept such a thing?
Even though Itachi was mature and thoughtful from a young age, Shisui still didn’t want to tell him.
He would bear this heavy burden alone.
“Brother Shisui, is something on your mind?”
Hearing this, Shisui’s body trembled involuntarily, and he replied as usual, “Nothing, just thinking about how much room I still have for improvement.”
Itachi nodded, casually added some firewood, and said softly, “The clan head spoke with you today, didn’t he, Brother Shisui?”
“Itachi, you…”
Itachi shook his head and said, “Because he also spoke with me. As his son, how could he not tell me such things?”
Shisui’s heart trembled, and he couldn’t help but ask, “What is your decision?”
Itachi gave a light chuckle, his jet-black pupils looking at Shisui. “I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
Shisui fell silent. He didn’t try to persuade Itachi, nor did he lecture him. Anyone in Itachi’s situation would find it incredibly difficult to make a choice.
Moreover, he himself felt somewhat lost. If he absolutely had to give an answer, then he, Uchiha Shisui, would stand with the village.
“Perhaps we can go talk to Lord Hokage,” Itachi said, glancing towards the Hokage Tower.
“But, Itachi, aren’t you afraid…”
“Brother Shisui, this kind of thing can’t be hidden.”
“Alright.”
*Hiss!*
The firelight was extinguished, as if the last bit of warmth was scattered by the cold wind. The night grew even darker, perhaps as it should have been.
…
The Hokage Tower was still brightly lit at night. Minato Namikaze was still reviewing various documents.
*Mmm…*
“Finally, I can get off work!”
Minato Namikaze stretched, twisting his stiff and sore neck. He then looked at the draft on his desk.
“Who should I send to Sunagakure…”
*Tap, tap, tap…*
“Enter.” Minato Namikaze’s mind was filled with confusion. At this hour, what fool would want him to work overtime?!
“Hm?”
Seeing Shisui and Itachi walk in, Minato Namikaze’s expression became serious. He said, “Is there urgent news from the ANBU?”
Shisui bowed and said, “Lord Hokage, we wish to have a heart-to-heart talk with you.”
“Huh?”
Three question marks appeared above Minato Namikaze’s head. Two men looking for another man to talk to in the middle of the night? This was not normal, not normal at all!
“Ahem! Is there something that must be said right now?”
Shisui and Itachi exchanged a glance. “We are truly sorry for disturbing you at this hour, but we are genuinely conflicted right now.”
Minato Namikaze stared at the two for a while, and after confirming it wasn’t *that* kind of matter, he tidied his clothes slightly and motioned for them to sit.
“Go ahead. Coming to see me so late… is it about your Uchiha clan?”
Their thoughts were guessed, and they were direct. Shisui said, “The clan has been… very restless recently. I’m worried something unexpected might happen.”
Minato Namikaze teased, “Shisui, you’ve come to me now. It can’t be just simple restlessness, can it?”
Shisui’s face flushed red, and then he immediately knelt on one knee. “Please, Lord Hokage, give us some more time. I will definitely resolve this matter!”
Minato Namikaze raised a hand to help Shisui up. He turned around, opened the window, and looked out at the quiet street below. He said slowly,
“I truly love Konoha at this moment, because it’s quiet. It’s too noisy during the day, disturbing my work. But if anyone were to break this peace, I would absolutely not forgive them!”
Shisui said, “I will stop the clan’s rebellion. I will use these eyes to control the clan head and cancel the rebellion.”
At this moment, Shisui didn’t care that Itachi was standing beside him and directly revealed his plan.
Minato Namikaze stared at the Sharingan in Shisui’s eyes. He didn’t believe Shisui would go back on his word, but it was already too late to do this.
*Patta…*
Minato Namikaze took several documents from the files and threw them onto the desk. “These are the most radical representatives of your Uchiha in recent years. If one Fugaku is gone, they can completely replace him with someone else.”
Shisui picked up the documents on the desk and closed his eyes in pain. The information on them was true, and these individuals were indeed stubborn conservatives within the clan.
“Uchiha Yashiro, Uchiha Inabi, Uchiha Tekka, and…”
“Uchiha Setsuna! Is this person still alive?” Shisui asked in shock.
Minato Namikaze said slowly, “Uchiha Setsuna once incited Uchiha members to rebel and cause trouble. He was imprisoned by the Second Hokage. Later, because he didn’t have many years left to live, and the Uchiha performed exceptionally well in the Third Great Ninja War, the Third Hokage specially approved his release, but he was forever forbidden from leaving the clan compound.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi: *Since I’ve already retired, I’ll just bear the blame!*
“This person is a ruthless individual who would do anything for power.”
“Lord Hokage, is there truly no other way?”
Minato Namikaze sighed and said, “Rebellion is something a village absolutely cannot tolerate, as you know, Shisui.”
“If the Uchiha truly rebel, I will have no choice but to suppress them.”
Minato Namikaze patted Shisui’s shoulder and said sternly, “I can only try my best to protect the Uchiha who are not involved, but they will likely not be able to live in Konoha in the future.”
Shisui said nothing, but his body was trembling. Had it finally come to this?
Itachi, who had remained silent throughout, finally spoke.
“If it is merely an internal conflict within the clan, and not a rebellion, would the outcome be different?”
Hearing this, Shisui felt even worse. Minato Namikaze asked, “You mean…”
Itachi said coldly, “It begins with the Uchiha, and it ends with the Uchiha!”
…
In the empty room, Lin Yu stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. He had not been involved in many of the recent events, whether it was Yakura’s revenge plan or the Uchiha clan nearing their destruction.
With his strength, these were mere child’s play. Getting involved would be like an adult bullying a child.
And it would take several more days to depart for the Land of Demons. He was truly bored.
The Ten-Tails needed to consume Otsutsuki members to transform into the Divine Tree…
The cloning experiments for Edo Tensei were still in the optimization and refinement stage…
Looking at it this way, Hashirama and Madara would have to wait a while longer…
Isshiki Otsutsuki was hiding somewhere, and there was no more excitement in this vast ninja world?
*Rustle, rustle…*
“Hm?”
A White Zetsu politely tapped on the window, forcing a smile onto its stiff face.
“Boss, the passage to the moon you were looking for has been found!”