Kurenai Yuhi's Shock

"You... what are you talking about?!"

Kurenai Yuhi, who had a bold personality and liked to act like a tomboy, lost her composure in that instant.

What kind of nonsense was Shimizu spouting?

What did he mean by dressing more lightly?

Kurenai's mind practically short-circuited.

She was still a student at the Ninja Academy, and Shimizu was saying things like that?

In that moment, all the labels Kurenai had attached to Shimizu came crashing down, replaced by two new ones: perverted brat and sleazebag.

"What do you mean by dressing lightly?"

Kurenai tried to convince herself that he didn't mean what she thought he did.

"What do you think? Obviously, wear less. You're dressed so heavily; what am I supposed to look at?"

Shimizu spread his hands.

People in this world matured early. Girls Kurenai's age already knew all about these things.

"If you won't do it, I won't accept your next challenge. You're wasting my time, so you'll have to give me something in return."

Shimizu spoke coolly.

He sounded just like a heartless cad.

He couldn't help it. What if Kurenai kept coming to challenge him every few days?

Was he supposed to stop training?

He might as well make himself look like a scumbag. Then Kurenai wouldn't bother him anymore.

"Hmph... you perverted brat!"

Two red spots bloomed on Kurenai's cheeks. Thinking something herself was one thing.

Hearing someone else say it was another.

She had never heard anyone be so blunt. Even Asuma Sarutobi, who often bothered her, wouldn't go that far. He always kept his distance and acted like a gentleman.

"A pink skirt would work too. It'd make you look more like a girl."

Shimizu was being very considerate.

"Don't... don't look down on my genjutsu!"

Kurenai left him with that threat and hurried away.

Uchiha Shimizu spoke in a playful tone, but his expression remained completely calm.

Kurenai wasn't very useful to him right now, so there was no need to get too close. It was fine if he ruined the image she had of him.

Shimizu wasn't a eunuch; he had desires like any other man.

But he wasn't the kind of person who would lose himself to desire. First, he had to grow stronger. Enjoyment could come later.

At this stage, Shimizu viewed other women as tools.

Nohara Rin, for instance, could be used to keep Obito in check if he played his cards right.

As for how he had managed to defeat Kurenai so easily—

The instant Kurenai said, "I'm starting," he had activated his One-Tomoe Sharingan.

Genjutsu worked by affecting a person's body and thereby influencing their mind and will. It was often conveyed through the senses, such as sight and hearing.

Some highly skilled ninja could even use gestures to cast genjutsu and ensnare their targets.

The technique Shimizu had just used was a visual genjutsu. The Sharingan had the ability to hypnotize its target.

He had trapped Kurenai in an illusion, making her think she had cast a genjutsu when in fact she had been talking to thin air.

He had also planted a suggestion in Kurenai's mind, making her believe that his Sharingan was just an ordinary pair of eyes.

That way, he wouldn't expose the fact that he had the Sharingan.

Awakening the Sharingan at six was truly astonishing.

After all, Itachi hadn't awakened his until he was eight.

Sasuke had been seven when he watched a high-definition documentary of his whole family being wiped out and angrily awakened his One-Tomoe Sharingan.

That was an exceptional case. After all, you only had so many family members; once one was gone, there was one less.

Uchiha Izumi had awakened her eyes early too, but unfortunately, she hadn't lived up to her potential—or perhaps she simply hadn't had enough time to grow. Itachi killed her before she could.

"Come to think of it, Shisui was born today."

According to the official databook, Shisui's birthday was October 19.

The Uchiha were about to welcome their number-one turncoat.

"Let's see whether he was born this way or became this way."

Shimizu thought to himself.

If Uchiha Shisui still ended up siding with the Hidden Leaf Village, just as he had in the original story, Shimizu would kill him with his own hands.

In the original story, much of the Uchiha's predicament stemmed from Shisui's stupidity.

The Uchiha were planning a coup, not the destruction of Konoha, yet Shisui acted as if it were the end of the world and desperately sided with the Konoha High Command.

Did he want to avoid casualties?

Fine. Use Kotoamatsukami on the Third Hokage, then use it on Danzo. Get them all under control. That would make for a bloodless coup, wouldn't it?

Besides, the Uchiha had reasons for planning a coup.

The Uchiha had three demands.

First, the right to participate in political decision-making.

Second, the freedom to live anywhere in the village, not just in the Uchiha Settlement.

Third, to have a Hokage.

The reason they wanted a Hokage was that the Uchiha weren't even allowed to nominate a candidate for the position.

Many scenes from Itachi Shinden flashed through Shimizu's mind. Eventually, he left the alley.

The Uchiha Settlement.

In one of the Uchiha homes, a man came out excitedly, cradling a baby in his arms.

"Lord Fugaku, this is my child—my child!"

The man looked delighted. As he gazed at the baby in his arms, the feeling of their shared blood made him feel that he had to protect this child at all costs.

"Wonderful. You're a father now, too. Congratulations to the Uchiha on welcoming a new member."

As the leader recognized by his clansmen, Uchiha Fugaku had come to offer his blessings to the newborn.

The Uchiha were a large clan, with several thousand people.

That was a considerable population. Few groups in the Hidden Leaf Village were larger than the Uchiha.

The disbanded Senju aside, only the Hyuga could match them in numbers.

Not every clan member was a ninja. Most were ordinary people, and only a minority had the talent to become ninja.

As for the Sharingan, those who could awaken it were an even smaller minority.

Outside the old Warring States Period, the current era was peaceful, and few Uchiha awakened their eyes.

"Have you chosen a name for the child?"

Uchiha Zhao nodded.

"We'll call him Shisui. I hope he'll be as strong as my father, Kagami Uchiha, and carry on our family's bloodline."

"Hahaha! Congratulations, congratulations!"

Many people had gathered around Uchiha Zhao. The clansmen watched the newborn Shisui with curiosity.

Shimizu was among them, standing near the back.

"Carry it on?"

Shimizu thought to himself.

The Second Hokage had praised Kagami Uchiha highly. He possessed a strong Will of Fire and had devoted his life to Konoha.

It was hard to say whether that tendency to side with the Hidden Leaf Village ran in his entire branch of the family.

Uchiha Shisui was Kagami Uchiha's grandson.

Some people in Shimizu's previous life had claimed they were father and son. It was absurd.

Kagami Uchiha had served as a bodyguard to the Second Hokage and taken part in the First and Second Shinobi World Wars.

Shimura Danzō, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu had all been born within Konoha's first five years.

Kagami Uchiha was somewhat younger than them, having been born around Konoha's twelfth year.

Kagami Uchiha had died at the age of twenty-five. In fact, he had fallen during the Second Shinobi World War.

He had left behind only one child: the man now holding the baby.

"Zhao, come have a drink!"

"Exactly! Aren't you going to treat us to a drink?"

"Of course I am. Lord Fugaku, please come too."

At the urging of the clansmen, Uchiha Zhao smiled and invited Uchiha Fugaku.

"Let's go."

Uchiha Fugaku was a man of few words, but becoming clan leader required social skills. He also had to keep working to strengthen his bonds with the clan.

Uchiha Zhao handed Shisui to his younger sister and asked her to take good care of the baby. He told his wife to get some rest and said he would be back soon, then left with the others.

Shimizu glanced at Shisui, then turned and walked away.

There was no denying that the Uchiha were still a close-knit clan.