After that night, both Itachi and Shisui's expressions were unnatural, and the two, who used to talk about everything, were now somewhat silent.
It wasn't until they walked into the forest and confirmed that no one was around that they both spoke at the same time:
"Was Root that night..."
"The loose ends from before couldn't possibly..."
Mid-sentence, the two exchanged glances, first looking at each other in bewilderment, then breaking into helpless smiles.
"It seems there really is an unknown Mangekyo?"
Uchiha Shisui's voice was slightly nuanced, his gaze lowered towards the bright crescent moon over the cliff edge by the forest, and his tone seemed to follow, sinking a few degrees.
Uchiha Itachi knew very well that his dear friend was actually the most worried person in the entire Uchiha Clan.
He was the undisputed strongest in the clan, and also the center of everyone around him; many of his attitudes would influence many people.
In the Ninja World, the strong are respected, and that's no joke.
Uchiha Itachi was silent for a long time, then asked, "Even with Shisui-kun's Mangekyo, is there no way to detect the existence of another Mangekyo?"
"Mangekyo is merely a qualitative change at the level of ocular power; it's not something so easy to use."
Uchiha Shisui said, unconsciously rubbing his eye sockets.
His eyes had been awakened for several years, and although he usually tried his best to maintain them, his vision was still severely declining.
Perhaps, he should get a pair of contact lenses?
"Speaking of which, are you still looking for that information?"
Uchiha Shisui's tone seemed nonchalant, but in reality, he was observing every subtle change in Itachi's expression out of the corner of his eye.
He was very worried about Itachi's current change in thinking.
"Not anymore."
Uchiha Itachi's tone was flat, his gaze somewhat hollow as he looked into the distance.
That look clearly wasn't one of relief, but rather a surrender born of powerlessness.
"Shisui, do you know?"
"On the day the Root incident occurred, Danzo-sama went to Third Hokage's office and had a huge argument in front of Kakashi-senpai and me."
"Afterward, Third Hokage solemnly promised me that he would absolutely stop Root... and then, it turned into what it is today."
He said, turning to look at the other party:
"Shisui."
"Are the things we are doing now truly correct?"
"Why do innocent people always have to die?"
Uchiha Shisui's silence, under the night and the sound of waves by the Naka River, grew even more profound.
It wasn't until a long time had passed that he was heard to say in a low voice:
"You might not understand, but Danzo-sama... he has always been that kind of extreme person."
"A few years ago, he even plotted an assassination attempt on Third Hokage; I heard it was stopped by Kakashi-senpai, which is why it didn't succeed."
Uchiha Itachi, suddenly hearing such a big revelation, subconsciously looked up at him: "Then why did Third Hokage still..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Shisui interrupted him:
"Because what Danzo-sama represents is not just his opinion, but also the opinions of many high-ranking Ninja officials."
"To kill him would be to cut off the political lives of many people—even Third Hokage cannot bear such a price."
Uchiha Shisui turned around and looked at Itachi with unprecedented seriousness, stating solemnly: "Itachi-kun, many things I'm saying now you might not be able to fully understand, but I hope you remember all of them."
"In this Village, the actions of every high-ranking official, and even every Ninja, are not entirely autonomous."
"Whether it's Third Hokage, Danzo-sama, or Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga... and even us nobodies."
"All of our actions are driven by different people!"
"Many things that seem completely unreasonable to you and me, if you truly see the full picture, actually become the best choice for certain people at certain times... or the only option within their capabilities."
"So, I can understand your anger when you see a lot of negative content about Konoha, but I hope you—no! I beg you, please consider your clansmen more."
As he spoke, he bowed deeply in Itachi's direction.
Uchiha Shisui's tone was so humble it was almost pleading; he showed such a posture to someone he treated like a younger brother, which instead made Uchiha Itachi at this moment suddenly feel a bit at a loss.
He had never seen Shisui like this.
However, as he recalled the small incidents he had seen and experienced these past few days, Uchiha Itachi's voice gradually lowered, calling out as he did when he was young:
"Shisui-nii."
"Even someone like Sakumo Hatake-sama died under their constant accusations. Even if the Uchiha had made great contributions in the past, and no matter how hard we try in the future, the Uchiha Clan might not necessarily survive, right?"
The pessimism and heaviness in his tone made one feel involuntarily depressed.
"What's more, Third Hokage can no longer suppress Danzo's opinions and actions... If, I mean if."
"When the day comes for Danzo to act, and he truly intends to wipe out the entire Uchiha from the Ninja World without leaving a single one, what should we do?"
Both Shisui and Itachi knew very well that from the moment they embarked on this path, they had already cast aside life and death.
If sacrificing their own lives could bring peace to the Village and their clan, both of them would not hesitate to commit suicide on the spot.
What they truly couldn't let go of had always been the future of the Village and the future of the Uchiha Clan.
—The Uchiha Itachi who had not awakened the Mangekyo still had a clear head, for now.
The moment he heard this question, Uchiha Shisui's expression seemed to freeze for an instant, but then quickly firmed up, his voice devoid of any wavering:
"At that time, we will probably only be able to kill all Uchiha clansmen involved in the coup, using their lives to pave a path for the survival of the remaining clansmen."
"If that's still not enough, we can only continue to kill, until the Village no longer feels uneasy about the surname 'Uchiha'."
"..."
Uchiha Itachi was startled, looking at him blankly.
Uchiha Shisui, however, showed no intention of stopping; his voice continued:
"I have researched historical archives. Ever since the majority of the Senju Clan's combat personnel were killed in action, the remaining members all safely withdrew from the political arena."
"Although the clan's strength is now weak, only comparable to a third-rate Ninja Clans apart from Lady Tsunade, it still exists, and can even secure teaching positions in the Ninja Academy based on its clan seniority, living a stable life."
"As long as the Uchiha Clan can survive, that is our victory."
"Given Third Hokage's character, he would not completely eradicate a clan that no longer poses a threat."
Perhaps the conflict between the clan and the Village was already imminent, or perhaps Danzo's recent attitude towards him made Uchiha Shisui feel a sense of unease in the dark, or perhaps the increasingly heavy pressure brought by the gradual blindness of his Mangekyo Sharingan... Although he knew it wasn't the best time, Shisui still chose to lay everything bare to Itachi.
This might be their last chance for a heartfelt conversation.
Uchiha Shisui felt an internal urgency and suppression.
Unfortunately, his sincerity did not earn Itachi-kun's understanding.
Uchiha Itachi stared at him blankly, and after a long time, he spoke with difficulty:
"...Why?"
"To go to such lengths?"
"No why."
After Uchiha Shisui said these words, he seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief, his voice growing softer and softer:
"Between the Village and the clan, there can only be one victor."
"And we, we cannot possibly win."
"Since that's the case, rather than waiting for a punishment that we cannot define after defeat, it's better for us to act ourselves—thereby offering the Uchiha's loyalty to the Village."
This thought had already been set the moment he chose to join Root.
"The Uchiha's... loyalty?"
Uchiha Itachi looked at him, his scarlet pupils revealing incomparable pain, and he gritted his teeth:
"Shisui."
"I never asked you to stand firmly with the Uchiha Clan like Father or Setsuna-sama; I'm not some demon!"
"But what does it mean to only kill clansmen to reassure the Village? What has happened to your way of thinking? Is Konoha really that pure and just in your eyes?! What if they don't leave any way out for the clansmen at all?"
"Whether it's you or me, Uchiha blood flows in our veins! If this continues, today you want to kill coup plotters, tomorrow will you kill dove-faction dissenters? The day after tomorrow, will you listen to Root and wipe out the entire Uchiha, killing every last one?"
"If this continues, even I will become your enemy!"
However, after those words just now, Uchiha Shisui seemed to have completely calmed down, and he said softly:
"Yes."
"I also can't be sure if they will kill all of the Uchiha Clan."
"But, compared to being completely erased after a civil war between the Village and the Uchiha... doing this, at worst, can avoid too many Konoha Ninja casualties."
"We are Konoha Ninja."
"Itachi."
A clan to a Village is like a province to a country.
For the entire Village, their clan was the minority.
At the same time, compared to his identity as a Ninja of a specific race, what Uchiha Shisui identified with had always been the words 'Konoha'.
Being able to make such a determination was already enough to explain everything.
He was loyal to Konoha, not the Uchiha.
"I..."
Uchiha Itachi's voice became involuntarily choked.
Yes.
Just like Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi, who was born and raised there, also identified with the words 'Konoha'.
And not his clan.
However, blood-related clansmen, could they truly only... After a long silence, he ultimately couldn't say anything.
He just silently turned and left.
Uchiha Shisui quietly watched his retreating figure, without speaking to hold him back.
Between the moonlight and the night, there was a clear boundary between the two figures.
They had finally gone their separate ways.