"Itachi, you rejected me?"
At first, Yun Xi thought Uchiha Itachi had turned him down simply because he considered Yun Xi too weak and didn't want him involved in the Uchiha Clan Massacre.
That was why Yun Xi had taken the initiative and asked Uchiha Itachi to spar.
But what Yun Xi hadn't expected was...
They had sparred.
And Uchiha Itachi had been satisfied with his performance.
But the result...
Wasn't what Yun Xi had imagined.
Uchiha Itachi had still rejected him without hesitation...
"Yeah. This isn't as simple as you think..."
Faced with Yun Xi's question, Uchiha Itachi answered directly. Then he slowly walked to a wide, open stretch of ground and gazed at Konoha in the distance with an exceedingly complicated look in his eyes.
Seeing this, Yun Xi followed behind Uchiha Itachi.
The two fell silent for a long while.
A conflicted atmosphere hung in the air...
In the end, Uchiha Itachi was the first to speak...
He glanced at Yun Xi beside him.
In a voice tinged with sorrow, Uchiha Itachi asked, "Yun Xi, what do you think of this village, Konoha?"
"It's bad, but it's good, too."
Yun Xi was taken aback by Uchiha Itachi's question.
He hadn't expected Uchiha Itachi to ask him something like that.
Though Yun Xi didn't understand what was on Uchiha Itachi's mind, he still gave his honest answer...
"Bad? But good, too?"
The moment Yun Xi answered, a hint of confusion crossed Uchiha Itachi's face. He asked, perplexed, "What do you mean?"
"Of course, there are plenty of bad things in Konoha, along with an unavoidable darkness and rot. But there are always people willing to pay a terrible price to protect this village, even giving up their lives."
"Konoha's atmosphere is rather peaceful. By comparison, that little bit of darkness seems insignificant..."
Yun Xi spoke slowly. When he finished, he pointed toward the streets of Konoha in the distance and continued, "Everything has two sides. If you're wandering in the dark, why not try searching for a little light within it..."
"Yun Xi, you really are something..."
Uchiha Itachi looked at Yun Xi's smile, but a bitter smile rose on his own face. He murmured, "Darkness, light..."
"How can you know it won't work if you don't try?"
Yun Xi didn't bring up the Uchiha Clan Massacre. The moment Uchiha Itachi had asked his question, Yun Xi had already guessed what was on his mind.
Judging by the original Naruto story, Uchiha Itachi was undoubtedly in a deeply conflicted state at this point.
On one side were the village and peace.
If his clan started a war, Konoha would have to pay an extremely heavy price to put an end to it.
For Uchiha Itachi, who cherished peace, that was absolutely unacceptable.
And on the other side...
Danzo and some of the Konoha High Command had used Uchiha Sasuke as leverage to make Uchiha Itachi a double agent.
That was even more unacceptable to Uchiha Itachi...
And although Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had always wanted to resolve the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha's leadership through negotiation...
The truth was...
Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't put much effort into the matter.
In the end, that indirectly led to the tragedy that befell the Uchiha Clan...
Though he seemed innocent, the Third Hokage's self-righteous kindness meant he couldn't escape responsibility for the Uchiha Clan Massacre!
Although Uchiha Itachi had chosen to slaughter every Uchiha except Uchiha Sasuke in the original Naruto story, Yun Xi could tell from the way he was now that this was definitely not the outcome Uchiha Itachi wanted!
That was why!
Yun Xi wanted to change everything.
To change this tragic ending!
Why should Uchiha Itachi have to make such an impossible choice?
As Yun Xi's only friend in the world of Naruto, he couldn't just watch Uchiha Itachi continue down the path laid out in the original story!
"There's no way to try..."
After a long silence, Uchiha Itachi spoke again. Gazing at Konoha in the distance, he said to Yun Xi, "Sometimes, people can't choose whether they're in the light or hiding in the depths of darkness. Every choice comes at a price."
"Yun Xi, aside from Shisui, you're my only friend. I can't drag you into the darkness, too..."
At those words, Yun Xi could clearly sense a hint of sadness in Uchiha Itachi, who was usually so aloof.
A sadness born of helplessness!
In the more than a week Yun Xi had spent with Uchiha Itachi, this was the first time he had seen such a negative emotion on his face!
Seeing this, Yun Xi couldn't hold back any longer!
He strode over to Uchiha Itachi and gathered the fire-elemental energy around him into his fist.
In an instant, brilliant flames flared over Yun Xi's hands.
Then Yun Xi slowly raised his hands and said, "Darkness is nothing but confusion. If there really is darkness and oppression ahead, then use the fire in your hands to drive it away!"
With that, Yun Xi threw a heavy punch, and a dazzling blaze burst into the air...
Seeing this, Uchiha Itachi's expression shifted subtly...
"Itachi, give me a week. I'll help you drive away the darkness in your heart..."
Seeing Uchiha Itachi like this, Yun Xi pressed his advantage and voiced what he had in mind!
"This..."
Looking at the confident Yun Xi before him, Uchiha Itachi could hardly believe that just a week ago, people had called this boy the dead last at the Ninja Academy!
Everyone had looked down on him!
For a long while.
Uchiha Itachi clenched both hands into fists, his face full of conflict. He didn't say a word, but Yun Xi could tell he was thinking something over.
Seeing this, Yun Xi didn't urge him. He simply stood beside Uchiha Itachi and watched him quietly...
"Yun Xi, I accept."
About ten minutes later, Uchiha Itachi seemed to have made up his mind, and his expression changed in an instant.
The conflict on his face gave way to a faint smile.
He slowly walked up to Yun Xi and murmured, "You gave me a shock unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. This time, I choose to trust you!"
The moment Uchiha Itachi finished speaking, a new prompt appeared in Yun Xi's mind.
Congratulations, host. You have activated the unique choice—Change / Keep Things As They Are? {Option One: Help Uchiha Itachi fight Danzo and change the original story. Reward: Two-Tomoe Sharingan...}
Before you continue