Q&A

"What did you think of Uchiha Shisui, the new member of the team?"

After the dinner, Orochimaru's Shadow Clone walked side by side with Kagetsu on the way back to the Nara Clan Grounds when he suddenly asked.

"He's very strong, and his talent is visibly exceptional. He's exactly the type Orochimaru Sensei likes best," Kagetsu replied.

"What about more deeply?"

Orochimaru seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Kagetsu's answer.

"What exactly do you mean, Orochimaru Sensei?" Kagetsu stopped walking, raised his head, met Orochimaru's downward gaze, and asked in return.

"He held back today." Orochimaru suddenly changed the subject again.

"Perhaps he deliberately restrained himself in order to fit into our team?" Kagetsu did not discuss Shisui's strength with Orochimaru. As a powerful observer, Orochimaru's eyesight and judgment were far more accurate than his, and he could see more details as well.

"The ninja world is cruel, Kagetsu. Even people from the same village deserve your vigilance. I've heard Shisui's name. He's an Anbu talent the Old Man thinks highly of, and he serves directly under the Old Man in the Anbu."

After saying that, Orochimaru fell silent and escorted Kagetsu back to the Nara Clan Grounds.

Over the following days, Orochimaru seemed to have forgotten what he had told Kagetsu that night. Uchiha Shisui's integration into the team also went exceptionally smoothly.

An Uchiha who was powerful, humble, courteous, and free of the Uchiha Clan's inexplicable arrogance could easily earn people's trust and friendship after spending time with them.

At the very least, Anko did not dislike Shisui, and she quickly came to see him as a genuine part of the team.

Of course, it was hard to say whether that was because Shisui was the only one in the team willing to patiently spar with her, point out her mistakes every time, and help correct them.

"Aren't you bringing Kagetsu along for training?"

Having just finished a teaching match, Shisui looked at Kagetsu lying on a distant tree branch and asked Anko curiously. Over the past few days, Shisui had noticed that Kagetsu rarely participated in this kind of combat training.

"Isn't every member of the Nara Clan like that? I heard Kagetsu is already considered diligent. But if you hadn't joined us, I wouldn't even have a training partner." Anko sounded somewhat resentful.

"Kagetsu is the team's support and Medical Ninja. It's normal for him not to be good at combat. But his support abilities, Medical Ninjutsu, and the Nara Clan's brains are still very important during missions." Shisui smiled.

"Kagetsu can fight. He just hates pointless battles," Anko corrected Shisui's impression of Kagetsu.

If Kagetsu had no combat ability, she would have become the big sister long ago.

Shisui nodded thoughtfully. Although he had not seen Kagetsu display much combat ability these past few days, the Giant Snake Kagetsu had summoned with the Summoning Technique during their first team mission had at least proven the size of his chakra reserves.

"Let's take a break," Shisui suggested, raising a hand.

"Then I'll catch some game for lunch." Anko casually rubbed her stomach, then dashed into the surrounding woods. Most of their lunches these days had been handled by themselves, under the noble excuse of developing wilderness survival skills.

"Kagetsu-kun."

A somewhat nervous call woke Kagetsu, who was groggy from lack of sleep after Orochimaru had dragged him into late-night research.

Opening his eyes, Kagetsu saw Shisui beneath the tree, looking up at him with anticipation and hesitation in his eyes.

"Where's Anko?" Kagetsu leaped down from the tree and landed steadily in the clearing before Shisui. He glanced around, failed to spot Anko's ever-conspicuous figure, and asked instinctively.

"She said she was going to catch some game for lunch," Shisui answered honestly.

"Is there something you want to talk to me about?"

Seeing Shisui's hesitant expression, Kagetsu took the initiative to ask. Whatever Shisui's purpose in joining the team, he had at least been a genuinely good person in the original story. Besides, with that Bloodline Limit of his, Kagetsu was willing to maintain their friendship.

"What do you think of the Uchiha Clan?" Shisui hesitated for a moment, but under Kagetsu's gaze, he finally spoke.

Kagetsu's heart skipped a beat. Looking at Shisui's clearly youthful face, he could see torment and confusion in his eyes.

"In what respect?" Kagetsu sat down beneath the shade of the tree and looked at Shisui, who sat cross-legged across from him.

"The village's opinion of them, and the higher-ups' views." Seeing that Kagetsu was willing to talk, Shisui let out a breath of relief and gave him a grateful look before voicing the thoughts that had been weighing on his heart.

"Is this something you want to ask, or did someone want you to ask it? And why ask a child even younger than you?" Kagetsu propped half his face on one arm, his dull, dead-fish eyes meeting Shisui's.

"I want to ask!" As though afraid Kagetsu might misunderstand, Shisui immediately shifted into a proper kneeling posture, placed his hands on his knees, and answered earnestly.

"As for why I came to you, I just feel that you're more mature than I am and should be able to give me an answer. After all, the Nara Clan is very intelligent, and many of its members serve as the village's advisers.

"Also, as one of Orochimaru-sama's most valued disciples, you should know something about the higher-ups' current views of the Uchiha. You know, the Uchiha Clan's reputation in the village isn't good, and some of the adults in the clan can be rather extreme when dealing with certain matters."

"You're quite sensitive. To think of so much at your age," Kagetsu said after listening to Shisui.

"It's only because the Clan Head spoke with me and mentioned some things, letting me understand the situation a little better." Shisui shook his head honestly and replied frankly.

"This is a complicated issue that can't be explained in a few words. Since your Clan Head let you understand some of these matters, what was his intention?" Kagetsu pressed.

"The Clan Head wants me to gain Orochimaru-sama's attention." Shisui carefully considered what the Clan Head had told him that day, summarized it, and answered.

"Then just do as he says." Kagetsu gave his advice succinctly.

"Huh? Just do as he says?" Shisui looked at Kagetsu in surprise.

"Your Clan Head is hoping for a future Hokage who bears goodwill toward the Uchiha. But he currently has no better candidate, so you have become a wager placed on the Uchiha's future. There may be more than one such wager in the future, but you only need to do what you should do." Kagetsu did not lecture Shisui about lofty principles. He simply gave him the answer.

"The Fourth Hokage?" Shisui became thoughtful for a moment.