Eyes

"Heh. Read M."

Arata, who had been constantly suppressing his emotions, suddenly let out a soft laugh.

He laughed at himself for having such a foolish thought!

Join forces with that bastard to avenge Shisui?

Who was the other party?

Itachi!

Itachi Uchiha!

The traitor who had personally buried his own clan!

How could he possibly fight Konoha's higher-ups for Brother Shisui, someone with whom he did not share even a drop of blood?

But!

"Suicide?"

Arata stared fixedly at the clansman before him, the fury in his eyes long beyond restraint.

"Itachi, is that your answer? Is that all you know?"

"Wasn't the Anbu watching the entire Uchiha Clan?"

"Wasn't Brother Shisui your closest friend?"

"You really are beyond saving!"

"How far can those false eyes of yours even see?"

Arata's voice grew ever more trembling, ever more frenzied.

Around the corner, Izumi clenched her delicate hands, worry written all over her face.

She had never seen Arata like this.

So hysterical, so enraged.

Yet even so, Itachi still did not change his answer or say another word!

Arata gave up.

He slowly closed his eyes and suppressed all his delusions back into nothingness.

The person before him was not someone he could change.

"You truly do not deserve to be Brother Shisui's friend."

Those were his final words about Uchiha Shisui. He would never mention him again before such a bastard!

At the entrance to the alley.

Fugaku Uchiha, Uncle Yashiro, and Inabi Uchiha had all arrived.

They had heard of what Arata had done in Konoha's city district and feared that the boy, suddenly driven mad, might do something even more extreme.

Naturally, they had heard every word as well.

Shisui's death was the pain of the Uchiha Clan.

Itachi's inaction was the hatred of even more clansmen!

Just a few days ago, Yashiro, Inabi, and Tekka had gone to question him, intending to imprison this fallen genius!

But in the end, the current clan head had stopped them.

"From now on, I will keep my eyes on you. Do not even think of harming another member of the clan, or else—"

Arata abruptly opened his eyes. His scarlet pupils poured forth every negative emotion, a bloody tear slowly sliding from the corner of his eye as the Single-Tomoe in his eye silently became two.

"I will make you taste the same pain!"

A chill surged forth. In an instant, the entire alley froze over, and razor-sharp icicles blasted through the residence's entrance, reaching straight for a little figure who had secretly poked his head out.

Thud.

Sasuke Uchiha fell heavily onto the ground, unmistakable terror showing on his childish face.

The killing intent and bloodlust wrapped around the ice could not be resisted even by Konoha Chunin, much less a tiny child who had only just entered the Academy.

"Arata!"

"Don't go too far!"

His reverse scale touched, Itachi Uchiha instantly roared.

Power surged in that instant. Pinwheel-like Mangekyō Sharingan replaced his black eyes, and a sharp kunai quietly slipped into his palm.

"Mangekyō Sharingan!"

"This guy! He really did meet Brother Shisui!"

"He really does know the truth!"

"Yet even so, he still refuses to avenge Shisui!"

Grief and fury filled Arata's chest, and his right hand hanging at his side gripped the hilt of his blade.

"You want to fight?"

"Fine!"

"Then I'll grant your wish!"

"Itachi, Arata, what do you think you're doing? Stop this at once!"

A deep roar suddenly exploded from the alley entrance. It was Fugaku Uchiha's voice.

At his words, struggle appeared on Itachi's face, but he ultimately restrained his aura. His Sharingan faded, and the kunai disappeared with it, though his eyes remained fixed on the boy in his sight.

Dangerous.

Madman.

Those were the labels he had once again placed on Arata.

But Arata did not respond.

His right hand still gripped the hilt. He was calculating the chances of killing Itachi while the other had not yet fully mastered those eyes!

But.

When that dark green shinobi armor entered his vision as well, every possibility vanished like smoke.

The one standing against him was no longer just one Mangekyō Sharingan.

But two!

Itachi Uchiha and Fugaku Uchiha!!

"Weak."

This was the second time Arata had felt so weak. He had even fantasized about joining forces with the person he hated most to seek revenge!

"Arata, let it go."

A voice came from beside his ear, and his wrist was grasped by a large, rough hand.

"Uncle Yashiro."

Arata turned his face, his eyes already brimming with tears.

"We will definitely investigate Shisui's death to the end. Every sinner will bear the wrath of the Uchiha."

"Even if that sinner comes from within the clan!"

Yashiro Uchiha said fiercely, paying no heed to the clan head standing opposite him.

At that, Fugaku's expression shifted slightly, but he ultimately restrained himself.

"Arata, do you have any explanation for what you did in Konoha's main district? Do you know this will worsen the trust between us and the village?"

He shifted the subject.

He did not want Itachi to become the center of blame.

"Heh."

"What a pity that we have such a weak clan head."

"Use whatever punishment you want to appease Konoha. Do as you please."

With that, Arata gave Uncle Yashiro a slight bow and walked toward the alley entrance. He did not want that father and son to see his weakness and tears.

The night was silent, like a monstrous flood.

Konoha's plan had succeeded.

After Shisui's death, the entire clan was enraged.

But at the same time, a trace of fear had arisen.

Even Body Flicker Shisui could be silently erased. What high-level combat strength could they still count on?

Their endlessly compromising clan head, or Itachi Uchiha, who was growing ever more headstrong and increasingly estranged from the clan?

Some mentioned Arata.

But Arata was only eight years old!

Even if he possessed immeasurable potential, even if he could become the next Shisui, that would still require time.

And would Konoha give them that time?

For a time, silence, sighs, anger, fear, and countless other emotions tangled above the Uchiha Clan.

In the end, they became helplessness.

Curled up in a corner by the wall, Arata unusually did not meditate.

Shisui's figure still remained in his mind.

Those dozen or so days of training had been the most precious memories of his life since reincarnation.

Two people with different ideals, who should have stood on opposing sides, had become brothers because of their shared identity.

Though it had only been confirmed on the final day, there was no doubt that they both cherished that rare bond deeply.

Knock. Knock, knock.

A crisp knocking sound rang out.

Arata ignored it.

Even if it was Sister Izumi coming to call him to eat, Arata did not respond. He merely curled himself tighter in the corner, allowing sorrow to swallow him whole.

Knock knock knock, knock knock knock.

Yet the knocking did not stop just because the room's owner ignored it. Instead, the impacts became increasingly urgent.

Arata raised his gaze toward the source of the sound.

Under the moonlight, a black crow was repeatedly pecking at the windowpane with its beak.

With just one glance, Arata could no longer hold back his tears.

Because those were his brother's eyes!