That was it!
Shisui had a flash of inspiration, finally finding the right words for once.
He looked at Haruma hopefully and said, "I've... robbed every small tribe near Konoha."
"All that's left are merchants with decent reputations! You promised me you wouldn't rob those people."
"Too narrow!!!"
Shisui looked baffled. "What's too narrow..."
Haruma shook his head regretfully. "Shisui! Your perspective is still too narrow!"
"How can you limit your sights to the area around Konoha?"
"You need to look further ahead!"
"Are the surroundings of Konoha the only place with heartless, wealthy merchants?!!"
"The Land of Fire, the Land of Water, the Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, the Land of Lightning!"
"Even the entire shinobi world! Don't those places have them too?!!"
Haruma patted the bewildered Shisui on the shoulder and said earnestly, "We should set our sights on the entire shinobi world!!! Not just the area around a mere Konoha!"
"An act of justice like this, carrying out heaven's will! Punishing evil and promoting good! Speaking up for the weak!"
"How could we!!!"
"Only carry it out within the borders of the Land of Fire!"
"Could it be that you... look down on civilians from other countries, Shisui?"
"Or... do you still harbor outdated ideas of regional discrimination?"
"No!"
"I don't!"
"It's just..."
"Well..."
"Um..."
Shisui, who had nearly been successfully manipulated by Haruma, had another flash of inspiration!
"But! Didn't you tell me not to let anyone know I was still alive?"
Hope appeared in Shisui's eyes again. "If I go too far away on a mission and get spotted by Konoha ninja out of the village, or members of that Akatsuki you mentioned, wouldn't that ruin your plans?"
Haruma said, "Shisui?"
"Hm?"
"When you rob... pfft! When you rob the rich to help the poor, do you use your real name?"
Shisui answered meekly, "No. As you instructed, I told them I was Madara Uchiha."
Haruma immediately nodded and smiled. "Exactly!"
"Madara Uchiha is the one doing the robbing!"
"What does that have to do with you, Shisui?"
As realization dawned, Shisui stared at Haruma, dumbstruck. "This... then... I... sigh."
Haruma continued, "Even if people from the village spot you, just insist that you're Madara Uchiha."
"Then you don't need to fight. Just run!"
"With your mastery of the Body Flicker Technique, even someone who has just reached Kage Level wouldn't be able to catch you."
"So your concern... isn't a problem."
"Focus instead on how to spread this righteous act of carrying out heaven's will throughout the shinobi world!"
Haruma sighed softly. "The impoverished people oppressed by these evil merchants number far beyond the millions..."
"They're all such pitiful souls~~"
"Shisui!"
Looking utterly dazed, Shisui turned toward Haruma without a word.
Haruma placed both hands on his shoulders and declared righteously, "In this fucked-up world, someone has to become a ray of light that drives away the darkness!"
"I'm entrusting you with the burden of saving the civilians of this shinobi world!!!"
With that,
Haruma grinned and lowered his head to continue counting money.
And the light in the dazed Shisui's eyes...
Faded away...
"What's wrong with Shisui???"
Taking advantage of Sasuke dragging Itachi off to train, Fugaku quietly slipped into the recuperation area.
He hadn't noticed at first and had spent over half an hour talking to Haruma.
Then he noticed that Shisui beside them had maintained that same look of having nothing left to live for the entire time.
"It's nothing."
Haruma waved a hand and said casually, "He's mentally preparing himself. He'll be fine in a while."
Fugaku looked puzzled. "Mentally preparing for what?"
"Saving the shinobi world!"
Fugaku: "..."
I fucking shouldn't have asked!
Fugaku stood and walked toward Shisui. He still needed Shisui's cooperation to explain the situation to Itachi.
Nothing had better go wrong at this point.
Coming up to Shisui, Fugaku called softly in confusion, "Shisui, Shisui!"
What's with that utterly broken expression?
When Shisui finally came back to his senses and saw Fugaku, his initial confusion turned to delight.
Shisui glanced toward Haruma and said excitedly, "Haruma! I've found someone stronger than me! Someone better suited to completing the mission!!!"
Haruma turned, pointed at Fugaku, and said, "You mean him?"
Shisui nodded frantically, his eyes pleading as he looked at Haruma.
Haruma ignored Shisui's gaze and shook his head. "He won't do."
The light in his eyes slowly dimmed...
Before Shisui could turn to stone, Haruma added, "For now..."
The flame of hope slowly lit up.
His eyes flickering between bright and dim, Shisui murmured, "He won't do for now..."
Beside them, Fugaku stared at the two riddle-speakers, utterly lost.
This is absolutely ridiculous!
He understood every word.
Put them together, and he was completely baffled.
Looking utterly puzzled, Fugaku asked, "So... what are you talking about?"
Shisui turned to his clan leader and answered solemnly, "Saving the shinobi world!"
For fuck's sake!
Riddle-speakers, get out of the Uchiha Clan!!!
Hey!!!
After the three finished discussing the matter of Itachi in the courtyard,
Shisui concealed himself and followed Fugaku all the way home.
Seeing that Itachi had yet to return, Fugaku greeted Mikoto first.
Then he brewed a few cups of hot tea in the inner room and waited for Itachi to arrive.
Half an hour later,
The two brothers returned home from training with matching expressions.
Having been informed of the situation, Mikoto spoke first when she saw them. "Itachi, your father is in the inner room. He wants to talk to you."
"Understood, Mother."
Itachi nodded, said a word to little Sasuke beside him, then headed straight for the inner room.
Before entering, Itachi called out a greeting, then pushed the door open and walked in.
"Father, you..."
But the moment he raised his eyes slightly, Itachi stopped short.
The room was somewhat dim, steam rising from the teacups.
Aside from his father, there was another familiar face in the room that left Itachi aghast.
"Shi... Shisui?!!"
A moment later,
His black eyes transformed into the blood-red Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Staring straight at the person before him, Itachi's cold expression gradually turned to horror!
What's going on?
It's not a Transformation Technique or a Shadow Clone!
He's physically here, and he really is my best friend who died back then!
Shisui Uchiha!
"Shisui! You... you're still alive?!!"
His expression crumbling, Itachi approached Shisui, his eyes filled with conflicting feelings.
"Sigh..."
"Itachi, yes, it's me."
Shisui sighed and looked at his former best friend, his gaze equally complicated.
Fugaku interjected from beside them, "Sit down, and we can talk this through."
"I imagine..."
"You must have plenty of questions, Itachi."