"Is something wrong?"
Danzo shot Aburame Ryoma a sidelong glance. When the latter stayed silent, his expression immediately turned cold.
"If there weren't absolutely no one else available, you'd never have clawed your way to this position."
"I had high hopes for Orochimaru, but unfortunately, that snake has no interest in wading into Root's murky waters."
By the time Uchiha Shingen heard about the Clan Meeting, he had already clocked out.
Setsuna Uchiha had only recently been released from prison, and the Uchiha Clan had called a Clan Meeting right on the heels of his release. There was no need to say who was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
More importantly, given his past behavior, this Clan Meeting was bound to have a major impact. It might even undo all the progress they had made.
Shisui had naturally realized this.
Itachi was still young and could barely speak. Even for a precocious child, there were limits; for now, he couldn't keep up with Shisui's way of thinking.
Uchiha Shingen was the only one who could really discuss something like this with him.
Shisui followed close behind him, looking troubled.
Seeing this, Uchiha Shingen couldn't help offering some reassurance:
"Worried about the Clan Meeting?"
"Yeah."
Shisui hung his head.
Geniuses in the Shinobi World tended to mature early. Shisui, born into the Uchiha Clan yet deeply influenced by Konoha's Will of Fire, was even more so.
Though he was still young, he had already begun thinking about the village and the clan.
This was far beyond Shisui's capacity—and even Uchiha Shingen's.
Even the title of genius couldn't grant them real power or status. For now, there was very little either Uchiha Shingen or Shisui could do.
Uchiha Shingen rested a hand on Shisui's shoulder and tried to reassure him:
"Rather than worrying over things you can't change, why not train with me? Once your body's tired, you won't have the energy to dwell on all that nonsense."
"Focus on what you can do instead of what you can't change..."
Shisui froze for a moment. When he raised his head again, his eyes reflected the glow of the setting sun.
The worry vanished from his face. Remembering the past few days, when he'd seen Shingen and Jiraiya discussing their writing, he couldn't help asking:
"Is that why you know so much, Big Brother Shingen? Because you write books with Lord Jiraiya?"
"Want to learn?"
Seeing how serious Shisui looked, Uchiha Shingen couldn't resist teasing him a little.
"How far did you get in that copy of Make-Out Hell?"
"..."
Shisui's mouth twitched. He rolled his eyes—an uncommon sight on his usually easygoing face—then gave a helpless smile.
His captain was great in every way. It was just his mouth that needed sewing shut.
"I'm going to train."
After telling Uchiha Shingen, Shisui headed down the other branch of the path on his own.
He was genuinely afraid he might lose his temper and take another swing at Uchiha Shingen. More importantly, he couldn't win.
Even though Shisui had grown a lot lately, he could clearly feel the dangerous aura around Uchiha Shingen climbing almost every day.
By now, it had reached a level he could barely comprehend.
That could only mean Uchiha Shingen was growing stronger at a pace beyond his understanding.
But thinking it over, Shisui could understand why.
After all, Shingen had first gotten the technique he wanted from the clan head, making up for his shortcomings, and then received Jiraiya's guidance. It was only natural that his strength had improved by leaps and bounds.
I need to work harder too. At the very least, I can't become a burden to Captain Shingen!
Shisui clenched his fists, his steps growing heavier.
Uchiha Shingen watched Shisui leave. Only after he disappeared from sight did Shingen turn and head home.
He didn't have many friends in Konoha these days.
The people from Team Minato counted for half, Tezaku counted as one, and Shisui counted as one too. Of them all, Shisui was the most special.
He was young, but his thoughts were far more mature than his years. People like that had a hard time of it.
Uchiha Shingen would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about the Clan Meeting. After all, it concerned his grand plan to slack off. But just as he'd told Shisui, the village's affairs and the Uchiha Clan's affairs weren't things he could interfere with right now.
As long as it didn't interfere with him slacking off in the Police Force, and as long as it didn't come to blows, then so be it if things got tense.
With that in mind, Uchiha Shingen returned home.
Over the next two days, tensions in Konoha continued to rise.
Konoha High Command tightened its surveillance of the Uchiha Clan considerably. Anbu Ninja could be seen patrolling all over the village at all hours.
The atmosphere was almost one of panic, as if everyone feared the slightest disturbance.
That tension peaked two nights later.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Several Anbu Ninja wearing gray flak jackets and animal masks raced through the forest outside Konoha.
They were heading straight for Naka Shrine, beyond the village.
Ever since Konoha was founded, the shrine had been the Uchiha Clan's private domain. The many secrets hidden there had remained unknown to outsiders to this day.
"Captain!"
"Uchiha clansmen spotted ahead!"
An Anbu Ninja wearing a crow mask stepped forward and came up beside the long-haired ninja at the head of the group.
Unlike the others, this man wore no mask.
He had long, silky hair, a gloomy face, and eyes like a venomous snake lurking in the dark.
He was Orochimaru, sent by the Third Hokage to lead the Anbu in keeping watch over the Uchiha Clan Meeting and preventing any unexpected incidents.
"Leave them be," Orochimaru said coolly.
"After all these years, the Uchiha already know full well what we're doing. If we're too secretive, we might only set off their nerves."
"Hm?"
As he spoke, Orochimaru suddenly stopped.
He turned to look to the side. His gaze met a pair of slightly lazy eyes several kilometers away, and he caught sight of the blood-red Three-Tomoe in them.
The stranger's gaze lingered on Orochimaru for just a moment before quietly shifting away.
But Orochimaru's senses didn't miss it. He immediately grew interested.
"Did he notice me?"
"How intriguing!"
An Anbu Ninja beside him followed Orochimaru's gaze. Beneath the mask, a pair of Byakugan opened wide. His exceptional vision instantly took in everything within several kilometers, including the figure who had just been watching them.
"It's Uchiha Shingen!"
"Jiraiya's disciple?"
Orochimaru ran his tongue over his lips. An odd glint flashed in his cold eyes.
"I heard he's only thirteen, yet already has the combat strength of a Jonin. I thought the rumors might have exaggerated, but it seems they didn't."
"His sensory abilities alone are beyond what an ordinary ninja should possess."
"A genius of the Uchiha Clan? What an enviable talent."
"When I was thirteen, even with some of my abilities hidden, I was probably about his level."
Before you continue