"Big Brother Akira!"
Uchiha Itachi had barely entered the Uchiha Clan compound when he hurried over, the worry on his face even heavier. "Perhaps because Shisui is gone, the voices calling for rebellion within the clan have grown much quieter. But their opposition to and hatred for the village have become even stronger."
"If this continues, I'm afraid it will become impossible to control."
The good news: the Uchiha Clan would not rebel for the time being.
The bad news: it was only a matter of time.
For the past few days, he had been so worried that he could barely eat.
But thanks to Big Brother Akira stepping in earlier and clearing him of suspicion for killing Shisui, otherwise he would have been interrogated by Uchiha Yashiro's trio every day, and they might even have resorted to force!
"Not just the radicals—even Elder Yashiro of the moderates has become somewhat frantic these past two days in his efforts to find the murderer."
His expression was conflicted.
He felt that the Uchiha Clan was far too divided now.
"That's only natural. In Yashiro's eyes, if they don't find Shisui's killer, the Uchiha Clan could rebel at any moment."
Uchiha Akira shrugged, unconcerned.
"As a moderate who advocates peaceful coexistence with the village, of course he won't just stand by. That's why he's desperately searching for the culprit. Don't worry. That old fart Yashiro just loves worrying about pointless nonsense."
He was already over forty.
Wouldn't he get tired of it, fretting all day long?
Suddenly.
Uchiha Itachi's expression changed slightly. "Big Brother Akira, isn't it a little inappropriate to speak of Senior Yashiro like that?"
"What's inappropriate about it?"
Akira waved a hand, his complaints growing even fiercer.
"At his age, what's the point of thinking about so much? Look at Jiraiya, one of the Three Ninja—he visits brothels every day and enjoys life!"
"And Uchiha Uehaya, his friend, has long since gone off to hold his grandchildren. Yet he still spends every day thinking about this crap. No wonder all his hair has gone white!"
"Especially when he comes to my house every day to wake me up. Is that something a person should do?!"
The more he spoke, the more worked up he became.
For some reason, though, Akira felt as if the sky had darkened.
He turned to look at the sky. It was clear and cloudless, a pure wash of blue. "It's not dark out. Why does it feel like there's a dark curtain overhead?"
When he turned back again, his expression suddenly froze.
Narrow eyes, gaunt frame, and spiky hair like Sasuke's.
Akira gave a dry laugh. "Uncle Yashiro, why are you here? Is there still no lead on Shisui's case? Do you need my help?"
"Uchiha Akira!"
Yashiro roared furiously, "You fucking remember this: the Senju Clan is not your home! The Uchiha Clan is!!!"
"Yes, yes, you're right."
Akira agreed repeatedly without arguing back at all.
Uchiha Itachi smiled at the sight. In all of Konoha, Yashiro might be the only one who could make Big Brother Akira lower his head now. But Itachi knew the reason even better. Back when Big Brother Akira had been "ordinary,"
Senior Yashiro had been the one who never gave up on him, providing money, education, and companionship.
It would not be an exaggeration to call him a father.
"Akira, remember this!"
Uchiha Yashiro was so furious that his face and neck had turned red. Before leaving, he threw down one final warning.
"The next time I hear you talking about the Senju Clan, I'll break your damn legs!"
Well then.
Akira understood now. Yashiro did not care that he had spent half the day calling him an old fart. He only cared about where Akira's heart truly belonged.
Loyalty!
"That old fart sure has a lot to do every day."
Watching Yashiro leave, Uchiha Akira curled his lip. "Itachi, I'm giving you a task. Starting now, spread this information throughout the entire village. I don't care how you do it—I want these messages to reach all of Konoha."
As he spoke, he handed Uchiha Itachi a sheet of paper.
Uchiha Itachi took it and began reading. In an instant, his pupils contracted sharply, as though he had seen a ghost.
"Big Brother Akira, i-is this true or false?"
His Adam's apple bobbed soundlessly, and his voice stuttered.
The thin sheet of paper in his hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. He was certain that if the information on it got out, Konoha would undergo enormous changes!
"No one cares whether it's true or false."
Uchiha Akira's gaze was distant as he glanced at Itachi.
"Only after victory and defeat have been decided can that sheet of paper determine what is true and what is false."
Itachi looked dazed, as if he had understood something. "I understand, Big Brother Akira. I'll make sure everything is done properly!"
So that was it.
So that was how it was!
The conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village was difficult to resolve, so Big Brother Akira had found the key to breaking the deadlock.
That key was Shimura Danzō!
Perhaps Big Brother Akira had uncovered something!
Thinking this,
he looked at Uchiha Akira with even greater admiration. Every time he followed Big Brother Akira, he felt an indescribable sense of growth. It was not an increase in strength, but a transformation in the way he thought.
From his current perspective,
the self from a month ago had seemed as childish as a toddler!
With that, he hurried away, carrying an inexplicable excitement in his heart.
But the moment he returned home,
a stern yet deliberately gentle voice sounded beside his ear. "Itachi, has Lord Hokage said anything to you recently regarding the Uchiha Clan?"
Uchiha Fugaku asked in a deep voice.
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. His subordinates had already informed him that Itachi had spoken with Uchiha Akira for a long time. He wanted to see whether Itachi had changed in any new way lately.
"Father."
Itachi stopped walking, his heart calm.
If it had been his former self, he would have appeared calm on the surface while inwardly resenting his father's probing. Now, he only found it perfectly natural.
What clan head would not care about his clansmen?
Besides, he too was an Uchiha!
"Lord Hokage has not made any unusual moves recently."
Uchiha Itachi said in a low voice, "However, Danzo has been meeting Lord Hokage very frequently lately, and he has targeted our Uchiha Clan more than once. Based on this, it can be determined that he is absolutely one of the Konoha High Command members opposed to the Uchiha Clan."
"Perhaps he was even involved in the Uchiha Clan being pushed out of the village back then!"
"If possible, Father, you should consider whether the key to breaking this deadlock can be found through Danzo."
Big Brother Akira's words had just opened his mind completely.
Since it could not be resolved head-on,
then break the whole through a single point!
Deal with Shimura Danzō first!
That was the answer Big Brother Akira had just given regarding the Uchiha Clan's predicament!
"What?!"
Uchiha Fugaku opened his mouth in shock, as though he were meeting his precious son for the first time. His eyes burst with disbelief and delight!
In the past, whenever his precious son had been questioned by the Konoha High Command, he had always been evasive and vague.
Yet today, he had said so much.
He had even offered confidential information and advice!
"Itachi, Itachi, did you deduce all of this yourself?"
Fugaku's heart pounded violently. Delight nearly spilled from his eyes, and even his voice began to tremble.
His precious son had not turned out useless after all!
"This was something Big Brother Akira came up with."
Uchiha Itachi frowned and explained.
"I could never have thought of these things before, but because of Big Brother Akira, I was able to understand them. I thought about it for a long time. Although the Uchiha Clan's current predicament is partly due to the clan trapping itself in its own cocoon,"
"Father, when you took the initiative to befriend Minato Namikaze back then, you were sincere as well."
His face was utterly candid. "The fault has nothing to do with you, Father."
Before you continue