Different Uchiha, Different Thoughts

Different Uchiha, Different Thoughts

Watching Shisui leave, Itachi's emotions churned as he stared at the distant mountains and forests, letting out a deep sigh.

Brother Shisui's eyes were the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan, capable of rewriting another person's will.

If peace between the clan and the village could truly be achieved, Itachi would not oppose Shisui controlling his father.

But toward the village, it was not individual Uchiha who harbored hostility toward the higher-ups—it was the entire group. Because of declining treatment and discrimination, the clan as a whole resented the Konoha High Command.

Even if his father's will were altered, the other clansmen would reignite their hostility toward the higher-ups.

This was practically an unsolvable problem, unless the clan was willing to relinquish control of the Military Police Force and give up its obsession with having an Uchiha Hokage. But that was impossible.

Brother Shisui was too idealistic, fantasizing that the clan and the village could coexist harmoniously.

He was different. Having joined Root and witnessed the dealings between shinobi villages, after learning of the darkness, he had already abandoned unrealistic fantasies and resolved to protect the light from within the dark.

Leaving the cliff, Itachi headed for Root, preparing to engage in a battle of wits with Danzo, the leader of the Root organization.

After traveling for a while, Itachi stopped and looked toward a large tree not far away, where faint ripples suddenly spread.

Then, a figure wearing a tiger-striped mask slowly emerged from the vortex. Standing atop the tree, he silently watched Itachi Uchiha as though admiring an exceptional work of art.

Itachi immediately went on high alert, staring intently at the Masked Man before him.

During the mission to protect the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire, this man had killed his teammate, allowing him to understand the meaning of love and awaken his Sharingan.

There were few shinobi who dared assassinate the Daimyo, but what concerned him more was the Sharingan beneath the man's mask.

If that eye had not been stolen, then like himself, the other man carried Uchiha blood.

But why had the Masked Man done this? To help him awaken his Sharingan? And why had he appeared near the village now? Could he be planning to make a move against the Third Lord?

Itachi had many questions to ask, but the Masked Man gave him no chance. His figure vanished into the vortex.

This only made Itachi even less able to fathom the Masked Man's intentions.

After Itachi left, the Masked Man emerged from the vortex once more and watched Itachi's retreating back, seemingly lost in thought.

Just then, a strange figure clamped between two pitcher plant leaves rose from underground. Looking up at the Masked Man, he said, "Obito, did you come to Konoha this time just for that Uchiha brat?"

The Masked Man shook his head. "I did not come for him, but his rate of growth has indeed exceeded my expectations. At only twelve, he was actually able to notice my presence. Letting him go back then was not a mistake."

Zetsu emerged from the ground and came to the Masked Man's side, smiling. "Isn't that thanks to you? You killed his teammate and helped him awaken the Double Tomoe Sharingan. But afterward, it seems he joined the Anbu and started hanging around with Body Flicker Shisui."

"Body Flicker Shisui?!"

At the mention of that name, Obito froze slightly before his gaze turned profound.

Over the years, he had also heard of how Body Flicker Shisui had frightened off Kirigakure's elite with a single glance. He was deeply wary of that clansman, who was close to him in age.

He even vaguely suspected that the other man's Dojutsu power had surpassed the limit of the Triple Tomoe and evolved into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

It was precisely because he feared that unknown ocular technique that he had reduced the number of times he set foot in Konoha and slowed his plan to weaken the Konoha shinobi village.

However, judging from the intelligence Zetsu had delivered, Konoha already showed signs of internal strife without needing his guidance.

It had to be said, Konoha truly had a talent for infighting.

Pulling back his increasingly scattered thoughts, Obito said to Zetsu, "All right, all right. We have seen everyone we needed to see. It is time to go back and report to Nagato. Today is not a good time to make a move against Konoha."

"Why? Are you afraid? That does not sound like you..."

Obito gave Zetsu a deep look before saying,

"Afraid? Not really. No one in all of Konoha is my match. But if my appearance causes the Uchiha and Konoha to temporarily set aside their differences, then we will not get to watch the spectacle of internal strife. Weakening Konoha and preparing to collect the Tailed Beasts in the future—that is the purpose of this trip."

"I never expected you to be so heartless toward the Konoha and Uchiha that raised you."

Obito snorted. "Black Zetsu, aren't you the same? You betrayed the village and attacked Konoha with the Nine-Tails, causing descendants like us to suffer decades of discrimination."

Black Zetsu, who called himself Madara's will, realized he had said the wrong thing and chose to respond with silence.

Looking at Konoha's nightscape, Obito seemed somewhat nostalgic for the past, but he quickly returned to his cold demeanor, his eyes becoming utterly resolute. "There is nothing in this boring world worth remembering. I must create a world where Rin exists."

On the other side, Fugaku left Naka Shrine and walked the streets alone.

The small meeting just now had discussed the clan's coup plan against the higher-ups. The coup did not necessarily have to be launched, but it absolutely had to exist. It was also the Uchiha clan's final available measure.

They would seize by force everything the Uchiha should have obtained.

There was no other reason—the higher-ups had been far too harsh toward the Uchiha.

Whether in terms of historical standing or clan strength, the Uchiha should have been allocated more benefits. Yet most of those benefits had been taken by members of the Hokage faction, while the Uchiha received only the offending Military Police Force.

If this continued, the clan would only suffer more and more discrimination, and an Uchiha Hokage would never emerge.

Before long, Fugaku returned home. As his wife tended to him, he looked toward Sasuke and Itachi's rooms and frowned. "Mikoto, where has Itachi run off to this time?"

Mikoto stroked Sasuke's head and said, "Itachi went to carry out a mission."

Fugaku snorted. "He did not go on a mission. He went to leak information to Hiruzen and Shimura. He always considers the village's interests and has never thought of himself as an Uchiha."

"The Uchiha are also part of the village... Still, Itachi does seem to favor outsiders somewhat."

After hearing his wife's consolation, Fugaku's expression eased considerably. He asked again, "Is Sasuke asleep? He has done quite well. He befriended the Jinchuriki. Though his talent does not compare to Itachi's, he is at least loyal to the clan."

Mikoto nodded, then looked at Fugaku reproachfully. "Sasuke is still a child. Why speak of loyalty or disloyalty? Besides, Naruto is Kushina's child. He has a name."

"Who in the village knows that he is Minato's son?"

Fugaku spoke dismissively, then continued, "Still, I support Sasuke becoming friends with him. Once Sasuke wakes up, tell him to bring Naruto to visit the clan more often. The Uchiha welcome him."

"Welcome him? You want to use the Nine-Tails' power to add to the chips in your hand."

Fugaku glanced at Mikoto, his voice faint. "Wasn't Hiruzen Sarutobi also deceiving him all along, using the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to stabilize his position as Hokage? Naruto would merely be changing environments to become a pawn."

"If I become Hokage, I will at least tell Naruto that he is the Fourth Hokage's son."