I'm not your scapegoat

Shisui nodded, and Wu withdrew his gaze with satisfaction.

One hand pressed on the lid of the wooden crate and pushed it forward forcefully.

Thud--

The lid hit the ground with a dull thud.

The ferret's eyes were exposed to light again.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze drifting into the distance.

Without much effort, he made eye contact with Shisui, who was standing opposite him.

For a moment, both of their gazes seemed to be fixed on each other.

It's truly Shisui.

That's right.

How did he manage to see Shisui alive?

Itachi's eyes were filled with shock, and he didn't know where to put his hands.

What was happening before his eyes was completely beyond his comprehension.

He stood there stunned, unable to recover for a long time.

What exactly happened?

Did I fall into his trap the moment I encountered Wu?

Is everything in my head just something I made up?

Itachi remained silent, seemingly half-asleep, staring at the two people standing opposite him.

On the other side, Shisui was also stunned.

It wasn't just because I saw an old friend again after so many years.

There are others--

Shisui's gaze swept over Itachi's wounds, and Shisui shut his mouth tightly.

That guy really didn't hold back at all.

Could this be an excuse to settle personal scores?

However, they all look like minor injuries; they should heal in a few days.

Shisui stared at Itachi, pondering the matter over and over in his mind.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Wu put the coffin away and glanced around.

Shouldn't we have a lot to talk about at this time?

Shisui hurriedly looked away.

How could he possibly bring this up with Itachi?

He claims he didn't die at all?

They're living quite comfortably?

Just thinking about it makes me feel like things are going to get bad.

Seeing the two of them frozen in place, Wu had an idea.

The atmosphere is too dry; perhaps he should warm things up first.

He spoke in a very relaxed tone.

"That's right, Itachi."

"The Uchiha was able to successfully relocate that time thanks to Shisui."

"If he hadn't used Genjutsu to distract the eyes of those watching them, the people of the tribe wouldn't have been able to escape so easily."

"Shisui, don't you think?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the room became even quieter than before.

???

Wu, I really have to thank you.

Do you want me to live, or do you wish for my death?

If you can't speak properly, then shut up!

Shisui's lips twitched violently.

Then, looking guilty, he glanced at Itachi across from him.

It's all over.

Itachi also heard what Satoru said.

This professional stalker immediately fell silent.

It turns out they had already discussed it long ago.

The two probably teamed up around the day Shisui fell off the cliff.

No wonder we couldn't find Shisui's body back then.

At that time, he thought he had been swept away by the river.

I really didn't expect this...

Itachi's eyes darkened slightly.

"Shisui's Genjutsu is indeed as good as its reputation." Itachi's tone was calm.

"I didn't notice the slightest flaw at the time."

At this point, Itachi wasn't actually that angry.

If it weren't for them, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't even have survived to this extent.

Besides, how can you have the nerve to get angry when your own hands are stained with blood?

The path we choose is our own, isn't it?

I was just a tiny bit disappointed.

Ultimately, no one was truly willing to believe him.

These words made Shisui's mind even more chaotic.

Ugh, really.

It couldn't be worse.

He scratched his head, looking at Itachi across from him with a worried expression.

To be honest, it wasn't that they intentionally wanted to keep it a secret.

Given the situation at the time, who knew if the plan would even come to fruition?

Moreover, Itachi had already made up his mind by then.

What if Itachi thinks the odds of winning are too low and chooses the optimal path?

They were unsure, so they kept putting it off.

Wu shook his head as he watched Shisui remain silent to the side.

Why is it so difficult for these two?

Hesitant and indecisive.

So, without any ulterior motives, he casually picked up the conversation.

"Shisui's Genjutsu is truly unparalleled."

He also put in a lot of effort in the move.

"To put it bluntly, he came up with almost all the ideas."

"He organized everything by himself from beginning to end."

???

Wu's face was unbelievably upright, yet he was desperately trying to shift the blame onto others.

Shisui stared at him, dumbfounded.

His eyes were filled with shock and disgust.

Is this how you play games?

Is all the blame being pinned on me?

How could he possibly say that?

Still wearing that righteous and awe-inspiring look?

I can't stand it.

"Itachi, this really wasn't my idea, actually it was--" Shisui quickly interrupted.

"No need to say anything, I understand everything," Itachi interrupted him, his voice still calm.

Besides that guy, who else could come up with such an absurd idea?

Shisui doesn't have that kind of thought process.

Only he could do something like that.

Upon hearing this, Shisui felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

At least I didn't take the blame for Wu.

"Rong, it's so good to see you again." Shisui's eyes lit up, revealing a hint of joy.

"It's been a long time since the three of us got together for drinks like we used to."

"What you're saying is practically selling me out!" Wu rested his chin on his hand, a bright smile playing on his lips.

"You were the one who replaced my tea with beer back then."

"I didn't specifically ask for drinks."

Wu raised his hand and sold out Shisui again.

Thank you so much.

Can you shut your mouth and rest for a bit?

Shisui pressed his throbbing temples.

He figured it out: this guy was born to be his nemesis.

Every time, he's put in this difficult situation where he has to choose between two options.

Across from him, Itachi heard this and a faint smile appeared in his eyes.

How could he not know about something like this?

They just kept quiet about it.

It's really nice to see them again now.

only...

After a long while, Itachi finally spoke slowly.

"I didn't plan to stay here."

"This place isn't right for me."

As soon as the words were spoken, the atmosphere returned to that deathly silence.

Shisui listened and remained silent for a long while.

Having been friends with Itachi for so many years, he immediately understood the meaning behind those words.

"Is the integration because of that incident?"

"Back then it was all Genjutsu; nobody actually died."

"You don't need to—"

Itachi didn't let him finish speaking.

"But I didn't know that at the time."

"That's true for me."

"That was the choice I made myself."

Between Konoha and the Uchiha.

He chose to protect Konoha's peace, abandoning the Uchiha.

There are reasons, of course:

Konoha had already figured out the Uchiha's plans and was far stronger than the Uchiha.

Even if it comes at a cost, Konoha will still win in the end.

The fate of the Uchiha will not change.

Whether Konoha, after its pyrrhic victory, can withstand the attacks of outlying ninjas and maintain peace in the village remains uncertain.

To minimize the sacrifices, he chose that path.

Having choices means having choices.

No matter what words you use to cover it up, the essence of things can't be changed.

In the end, he still abandoned his family.

He's probably a selfish and cold-blooded person at heart.

They can easily and skillfully put everyone's lives on a scale and compare them.

Between the majority and the minority, he would always sacrifice the minority to protect the majority.

And even more so in the future.

They kept throwing things away.

The only things he clung to and refused to part with were his two younger brothers.

But fate played another trick on him.

Let him watch as Satoru dies before his very eyes.

Now I know, of course, that was all fake.

But the choices he made back then were real.

He can't forgive himself for that part of himself.

The room fell silent again, and Itachi stopped speaking.

Wu rested his chin on his hand and winked at Shisui.

The meaning is very clear: that's how things are.

The rest is up to you.

I believe in you, Shisui Uchiha.

Shisui on the other side was completely dumbfounded.

He stared at Wu with wide eyes.

My mind is screaming:

What does "hand over to me" mean?

Where did I get the idea?

Don't you know that every member of the Uchiha Clan is a born philosopher?

To put it nicely, you're just a bit more sensitive than others.

To put it bluntly, they're quick to turn evil, report to the police, or even don a black robe at the slightest disagreement.

You're such a weirdo, you wouldn't care even if the sky fell.