Waves crashed with an endless roar. Mist and rain shrouded the sea, leaving those aboard the ship unable to make out anything in the distance.
Whoosh!
Rain poured down. Two figures, one tall and one short, sat aboard the ship in straw hats and raincoats, talking as though the downpour did not affect them at all.
"Teacher, you asked me just now how I would choose if the village and my clan came into conflict, didn't you?"
Shisui's expression was grave, his voice low.
The question weighed heavily on him, because signs of that conflict had already appeared. Before he left, Konoha's harassment, suspicion, and distrust of the Uchiha Clan had already grown severe.
It was entirely possible that those tensions would suddenly erupt one day and spark a major battle.
"Choosing your clan or choosing the village-is that a difficult question for you, Shisui?"
River asked with a smile.
Rain dripped from their straw hats onto the deck with a steady patter.
The ship rocked, yet the two still had the leisure to chat.
They had set out from the coast several days earlier, crossing the sea toward the Land of Water, their destination for this journey.
From what River remembered, the Kaguya Clan seemed to have launched its rebellion around this time.
Even if it had not, the conflict between the Kaguya Clan and Kirigakure was even sharper than that between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan.
The two clans could almost be said to share the same fate.
And that was precisely why he had come.
"In the past, it really would have been a difficult choice for me. I have deep bonds with both my clan and the village."
"My friends, my teachers, and my elders all make it impossible for me to choose lightly."
Shisui sighed