Persuading Shisui

Soon, Uchiha Shaoyu returned to a relatively secluded courtyard within the Uchiha compound. This was the home he shared with his younger brother, Shisui.

Their parents had long since sacrificed themselves during a mission, leaving the two brothers to depend on one another.

A faint light still glowed inside the house. Uchiha Shaoyu landed silently in the courtyard, suppressing all traces of his presence. He walked to the window and peered through a gap.

Inside the room, a young boy with green hair sat upright at a low table, focused intently on a basic ninjutsu scroll by the lamplight.

His features were handsome, bearing a slight resemblance to Uchiha Shaoyu, though they were far more youthful.

Despite his young age, his eyes were exceptionally focused and bright, revealing a composure that surpassed his years. It was none other than Uchiha Shisui.

He seemed to sense something, for he suddenly lifted his head and looked toward the window. His small face showed alertness at first, but the moment he caught the silhouette of the person outside, it instantly transformed into surprise.

"Brother!"

He jumped up, hurried to the door, and pulled it open. Seeing Uchiha Shaoyu standing in the moonlight, travel-worn but with bright eyes, the smile on Shisui's face grew even more radiant. However, he quickly sensed an unusual aura radiating from his brother.

It was an aura of gravity, determination, and an urgency that felt as if it were burning with flames.

"Brother, you're finally back! Elder..."

Before Shisui could finish, Uchiha Shaoyu pulled him into the room, quickly shut the door, and set up a simple sound-dampening barrier.

"My foolish little brother, listen to me—there is no time to explain."

Uchiha Shaoyu crouched down, placed his hands on Shisui's small shoulders, and looked directly into his brother's clear, confused eyes.

"We are leaving Konoha. Now, immediately. Come with me."

Shisui froze, his large eyes blinking as if he hadn't quite processed the words. "Leave... Konoha? Where to? Why?"

"To a place where we can survive, a place where the Uchiha can gain freedom and respect."

Uchiha Shaoyu spoke quickly, yet every word was clear and forceful.

"Konoha is no longer our home. The higher-ups have been ostracizing and suppressing the Uchiha. If we stay here, life will only become harder for us and our clansmen, and we may even be in danger. I cannot wait any longer, and I don't want to leave you alone in this dangerous place."

Shisui looked at the unprecedented seriousness and the hidden pain in his brother's eyes, and the surprise on his young face slowly faded.

He had been clever since childhood and relied heavily on his brother; he was not entirely unaware of the stifling atmosphere within the clan.

His brother had returned in the dead of night and spoken so urgently of "defecting"... this was certainly no joke.

He did not cry or make a scene, nor did he fearfully ask for more details. He simply pressed his lips together tightly and gave a heavy nod.

"I understand, Brother. Wherever you go, I will go."

The crisp and decisive answer revealed a level of trust and resolve far beyond the child's years.

Uchiha Shaoyu felt a warmth in his heart and ruffled Shisui's hair firmly.

Although he possessed the original owner's memories, feeling the bond between himself and his dear little brother so directly still moved him.

Furthermore, Shisui was still young and had not yet been brainwashed by the so-called "Will of Fire." The current Shisui placed 100% of his trust in his genius brother.

"Good brother. Go change into clothes that are easy to move in, bring your ninja tool pouch, and... the short blade your mother left behind. Don't bring anything else; I'll buy you new things later."

"Yes!"

Shisui immediately ran to the inner room. Soon, he returned wearing a dark-colored training outfit, with his small ninja tool pouch strapped on and the well-maintained short blade carefully tucked at his waist.

His movements were swift and orderly, demonstrating excellent ninja discipline.

Uchiha Shaoyu was also packing quickly. He tucked a few important personal items, a small amount of money, and several scrolls recording his insights on Fire Release and genjutsu into a storage scroll.

He looked around the home where they had lived for years, his gaze lingering for a moment on a blurry photograph of their parents before it turned resolute. Lingering would only bring danger.

In less than ten minutes, the two brothers were ready. Shisui stood by Uchiha Shaoyu's side, his small hand gripping the corner of his brother's garment. He looked up, his eyes showing a touch of unease regarding the unknown, but more importantly, complete reliance on his brother and the courage to "face it together."

"Are you afraid?" Uchiha Shaoyu asked.

Shisui shook his head, then nodded, whispering, "A little... but as long as I'm with you, I'm not afraid."

Uchiha Shaoyu took Shisui's hand, feeling the warmth and strength of his small grip. "Hold on tight. Let's go."

He dispelled the sound-dampening barrier and, with Shisui in tow, left the home—which was about to become a relic of the past—like two shadows merging into the night. They sprinted toward their predetermined rendezvous point.

They headed toward the Abandoned Watchtower, which overlooked a portion of Konoha while remaining sufficiently concealed.

In truth, it would have been much safer to tame a few more summons for the Ten Shadows Technique before defecting. But with the Uchiha clan under surveillance by Konoha's higher-ups, it was truly unfavorable for Uchiha Shaoyu to conduct the taming rituals here.

He would deal with that after leaving Konoha; his current strength was sufficient.

With Elder Setsuna providing cover, Konoha would not discover their defection for a while. And although he had yet to further develop the Ten Shadows Technique or the Six Eyes, Uchiha Shaoyu could now use Susanoo. With Susanoo, Uchiha Shaoyu could be considered a legitimate Kage-level combatant.

Unless the Sannin joined forces or Sarutobi Hiruzen hunted him down personally, Uchiha Shaoyu did not hold the others in high regard.

Wait, that wasn't quite right. The three Sannin, even if they combined their efforts, were no match for Hanzo the Salamander. Although Hanzo's strength was indeed terrifying and he could be considered among the top tier of the current ninja world, he still hadn't exceeded the realm of Kage-level.

The fact that he could defeat the Sannin suggested that the Sannin had not yet reached the peak of Kage-level. He didn't know if Jiraiya had learned Sage Mode yet, so all three of them should currently be in the stage between Elite Jonin and Kage-level.

Relying on Susanoo, Uchiha Shaoyu could still put up a fight.

As for Sarutobi Hiruzen, Uchiha Shaoyu certainly couldn't beat him right now. After all, he was in his prime; one cage technique combined with fire, and his Susanoo would likely be shattered.

Although that old man Danzo was also Kage-level, the weight of his Kage-level strength was far inferior to Sarutobi Hiruzen in his prime. Moreover, Danzo's trump cards—the Sharingan and Izanagi—could be said to be clearly understood by Uchiha Shaoyu.

Ninja combat ultimately boiled down to an intelligence gap. If Jiraiya had possessed full intelligence on Pain and entered the battle having already activated Sage Mode, he might not have lost.

After all, Pain's mastery of the Rinnegan was far inferior to Uchiha Madara's.

However, Susanoo consumed vision, so he would avoid using it unless necessary.