Uchiha Shisui's breathing grew ragged, like an enraged bull.
He could treat everyone with kindness and warmth, and even tolerate their misdeeds. But his love for Leaf and his devotion to the village were his lifelong beliefs and passions. He would never let anyone sully them!
If Uchiha Gray couldn't give him a convincing reason and was just trampling on his dream, then Shisui would teach him a lesson!
"Heh." Uchiha Gray sneered, as cold as a thousand-year-old iceberg. He enunciated every word. "I said you, Uchiha Shisui, are a complete and utter fool!"
Gray wasn't worried that Shisui would turn on him. Given Shisui's temperament, the worst he'd do was teach Gray a lesson.
But now, Gray had come up with an interesting idea.
Things had already reached this point, and Uchiha Shisui was beginning to doubt Leaf—or, more accurately, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Why not give events a little push, change his mind, and bring him under Gray's command?
Body Flicker Shisui possessed the strongest genjutsu eyes in the Naruto world.
With the right guidance, he'd be the best damn ally Gray could ask for!
"Don't you want to stop the Uchiha Clan from rebelling? By using those Mangekyō Sharingan of yours to kill every Uchiha?" Uchiha Gray asked coldly, his words full of aggression.
"No, of course not!" Uchiha Shisui replied without hesitation.
"I want to..."
Before Shisui could finish, Uchiha Gray cut him off without mercy. "You want to use your Mangekyō Sharingan to hypnotize Fugaku Uchiha and turn him into a puppet who protects Leaf?"
"But will he really become a puppet who protects Leaf—or one who protects Sarutobi Hiruzen?"
The words struck like a thunderclap.
Each one seemed to pound against Uchiha Shisui's heart!
His throat bobbed. Eyes wide with shock, he asked in disbelief, "Gray, how do you know what my Sharingan can do?!"
"Heh." Gray sneered and said calmly, "The Sharingan is the Eye Reflecting the Heart. Since you have such powerful genjutsu, it stands to reason that awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan would grant you even more powerful genjutsu."
"Looks like I guessed right."
Uchiha Shisui was utterly stunned. He tried to argue. "Lord Hokage isn't like that..."
But halfway through, he couldn't bring himself to continue. What had just happened had unfolded right before his eyes. How could he pretend not to see it? How could he lie to himself?
Uchiha Gray wasn't about to let this chance slip by.
If Shisui couldn't say it, Gray would say it for him. "For his own benefit, Sarutobi Hiruzen offered Hizashi Hyuga as an apology to appease Cloud Hidden!"
"But what had Hizashi Hyuga done wrong? You may not know what happened in the Hyuga Clan two days ago, but I'm sure you do. Cloud Hidden tried to kidnap Hinata Hyuga. Their men were killed, and yet they weren't in the wrong. The Hyuga Clan was the one forced to bear their anger!"
"And your so-called Lord Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, did nothing to protect anyone. Instead, he personally brought about Hizashi Hyuga's death."
"In other words, Sarutobi Hiruzen was a murderer too!"
As Gray finished speaking, Uchiha Shisui's face turned deathly pale.
Seeing the confusion in Shisui's expression, Uchiha Gray fell silent. He understood that saying too much could muddy the waters.
He had already made his point.
Uchiha Shisui wasn't stupid. On the contrary, he was very clever. Otherwise, how could he have turned an ordinary Body Flicker Technique into an invincible Body Flicker Technique?
He simply trusted authority too much.
If Gray said any more, it might seem like he was trying too hard to convince Shisui. The best thing now was to let Shisui discover Leaf's dark side for himself.
Then Shisui would come to Gray of his own accord, and the initiative would be back in Gray's hands.
"Ah." Uchiha Gray sighed, yet his expression remained resolute, like a warrior on his way to his death. "So in the end, things still came to this."
"If you can't accept it, then forget everything you've heard. I'll save Leaf my own way!"
With that, he vanished before Uchiha Shisui's bewildered eyes.
Gray hadn't gone far. A playful smile tugged at his lips. He'd left because he'd sensed someone approaching.
Uchiha Itachi? Uchiha Gray's expression turned odd as he looked at the bewildered Uchiha Shisui.
What kind of bizarre situation would arise when these two overthinkers got together?
"Shisui!"
Uchiha Itachi's young face was full of surprise.
He'd been precocious from a young age, and could tell at a glance that Uchiha Shisui looked troubled and mournful, like a man who'd lost his will to live.
This wasn't the energetic, approachable Shisui he knew!
"Wh-what's wrong, Shisui?"
Uchiha Shisui sighed. What he'd just witnessed, and what Uchiha Gray had said to him, had hit like a thunderclap. He still hadn't managed to process it.
What had Gray meant by those final words?
What did he intend to do to change Leaf?
Had he already made a plan, and only kept Shisui at a distance because he didn't want him caught up in the turmoil?
"I can't begin to fathom Uchiha Gray's thoughts," Uchiha Shisui murmured, not answering Uchiha Itachi.
Uchiha Itachi's gaze sharpened!
Uchiha Gray?
Was Shisui like this because of Uchiha Gray?
"Did Uchiha Gray do this to you, Shisui?" Uchiha Itachi couldn't help asking. "I came to see you today because I wanted to ask about him!"
"Today at the Training Ground, I fought Uchiha Gray and discovered he was incredibly strong—already comparable to an elite Chunin!"
Uchiha Shisui's eyes flickered. He lifted his head and looked at Uchiha Itachi, surprised that he'd come to talk about Uchiha Gray too.
Their eyes met, and for an instant they felt a kinship with each other.
"No!" Uchiha Shisui replied without hesitation. "Itachi, you may not know this, but Uchiha Gray has already awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan. His Body Flicker Technique is no less impressive than mine. He's absolutely comparable to an elite Chunin, or even a special Jonin!"
"How is that possible?!"
Uchiha Itachi could no longer keep calm. He cried out in shock.
"Awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan at eight, and has a Body Flicker Technique as good as Shisui's. Just what kind of prodigy is Uchiha Gray?!"
Before you continue