Shisui, Can You Help Naruto Find Out About His Origins?

Several days later, before Naka Waterfall.

"Since you're here, come out."

The young man standing by the cliff turned slightly, his expression serene and his voice gentle.

Hearing this, Arata slowly emerged from behind the Giant Tree, his gaze cold as he watched the figure before him.

A tall, upright frame, sharp short hair, and an ordinary yet infinitely reassuring face—Uchiha Shisui. If they were comrades, he would undoubtedly be the most reliable and powerful support.

However, Arata did not think highly of Shisui.

Indecisiveness was his greatest flaw.

He clearly possessed eyes capable of changing the will of Konoha's upper ranks, yet he only thought of using them on his own clan. One had to know that it was precisely the distrust of those old men that had driven the Uchiha Clan into this situation!

What was more, he had disrupted Arata's plan several days ago. All of this combined had swiftly deepened Arata's hostility toward him.

Still, Shisui was ultimately unlike Itachi.

He had not clearly chosen the village's side. He always cared about the clan, and even in the end, he had not forcibly controlled the clan members' wills.

In that regard, he was more than a hundred times better than Itachi, the clan head's son!

"Yo, long time no see, Arata."

"I remember when you headed to the border, you were only this tall."

Uchiha Shisui did not immediately ask why Arata had acted as he did during their sparring match. Instead, he greeted him like an older brother next door, gesturing at his height.

He was gentle toward everyone. Even when fighting enemies, he rarely hurt them.

That was Shisui's personality.

But such gentleness in this Ninja World was nothing more than a white lotus. Sooner or later, it would wither.

And it would wither miserably.

"I wanted to kill Itachi."

Arata skipped the pleasantries and spoke coldly.

Rather than letting Shisui interrogate him with genjutsu, it was better to confess obediently himself.

After all, he could not even resist Itachi's Three Tomoe Sharingan, much less the Mangekyō of the Ninja World's greatest genjutsu master.

Besides, apart from Kotoamatsukami, he knew nothing of Shisui's true strength. If he carelessly exposed the existence of the Hundred Ghost Scroll and the Shikigami Record, he truly would have no chance to turn things around.

Arata's candor made Shisui freeze slightly.

The gentleness on his face was disrupted in that instant. An inexplicable certainty lingered in his heart, clearly telling him that this was the real answer.

"Why?"

Only after a moment did Shisui ask.

He had thought Arata would use the cruel torture within the Kasegui world, or something else, as an excuse.

But he had never expected Arata to be so direct. This little fellow had truly made up his mind long ago.

"Because Itachi stands with the village."

"Once something happens, he will definitely act against the clan. So, I want to remove this hidden danger for the Uchiha Clan."

Arata's voice was cold and composed.

He had made that decision back in the hospital room.

Deception was useless against someone proficient in genjutsu.

He might as well lay everything bare.

If he could also change Shisui's resolve, it would be a blessing for the entire clan!

These past days of thought and reflection had also made him understand one thing: stopping the clan massacre by himself alone was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Because at Itachi's side were not only Shisui and Obito, but also Shimura Danzō and the Root he commanded!

What he needed was not merely greater personal strength, but more companions who could walk the same path!

"Itachi wouldn't—"

Uchiha Shisui had intended to deny that speculation without hesitation, but he suddenly recalled the hesitation on Itachi's face when he had questioned him on the day of their spar.

For a moment, even he became uncertain.

After all, even he wanted to use Kotoamatsukami to change the clan members' wills.

"The village is indeed more important."

"Without Konoha, there would be no Uchiha Clan."

"You're still young. Leave the matters between the village and the clan to us."

Shisui changed the subject.

He did not dare to think too deeply about it.

Since returning from the border, he had indeed noticed that Itachi had changed somewhat. Not only did he have more on his mind, but the distance between them had also grown wider.

"Brother Shisui."

After considering it for a moment, Arata still chose to address him that way.

Because he could sense Shisui's wavering. Perhaps this was an opening.

"Have you already forgotten history?"

"Konoha was founded by the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan. Yet now, the Senju Clan no longer exists. Even Hashirama's granddaughter is wandering outside the village."

"Meanwhile, the Sarutobi Clan occupies Konoha's central district, continuously growing and expanding."

"Has the Third Hokage truly ever considered us?"

The boy's voice was soft, no longer carrying its earlier chill, yet every sentence struck at the heart.

"Arata! Watch your words!"

Uchiha Shisui suddenly shouted, the gentleness on his face completely torn away.

He deeply respected the current Hokage and believed that the man truly wished to achieve peaceful coexistence between the village and the Uchiha Clan.

And now, that highly respected elder was being questioned like this, instantly touching Shisui's bottom line.

Yet when he met the boy's eyes, which held no trace of retreat, turbulent waves inadvertently rose from the depths of his heart.

"Pity, contempt, mockery, ridicule."

Those negative emotions were plain to see.

"On graduation day, Sister Izumi took me to Konoha's main city."

"There, I met a little guy. Every resident and ninja living there called him a calamity and a fox demon."

"Sister Izumi said that, like me, he was an orphan."

"And all we did was treat him to a bowl of ramen, but that night, Konoha Anbu warned us not to go near him again."

"He said his name was Naruto Uzumaki."

"Brother Shisui, you're in the Anbu. Can you find out about his origins?"

"Can you prove that he isn't a fox demon?"

Uchiha Arata's voice was very soft.

He was simply recounting a story.

Yet every word and sentence landed in Shisui's heart like the tolling of a great bell, reverberating endlessly.

Naturally, he knew that little fellow who bore the name of the Nine-Tails.

In fact, aside from the squad he belonged to, every Anbu member had once been assigned to monitor him.

As for the little fellow's origins—

He seemed to be the Fourth Hokage's child.

Of course, that was only information Shisui had uncovered from scattered clues. He could not yet be completely certain.

As he met Arata's gaze, Uchiha Shisui's state of mind wavered more and more. He even began to forget what his primary purpose had been.

"Itachi is in contact with an outsider. Brother Shisui, did you know about this?"

At that moment, Arata threw out another bombshell.

Fewer than a handful of people knew of Obito's existence, and as a reincarnator, Arata happened to be among them.

Moreover, if that man had not dealt with the elites in the Police Force, Itachi alone would not truly have been enough to wipe out an entire clan!

"I happened to see them meeting. That person wore a mask, so I couldn't make out his appearance."

Arata continued, blurring some of the details.

After all, Obito's mask was vastly different from an Anbu mask.

"That may have merely been Anbu colleagues passing along a mission."

Shisui defended him.

But his confidence grew increasingly weak.

"Mm."

In response, Arata merely gave a perfunctory hum and said nothing more.