"Tatsuya, you're finally back."
Inside the Division Captain's office for the Konoha Military Police Force's Third Division, Shisui looked at Tatsuya, now seated across from him, with a somewhat complex expression.
After their battle in the Land of Hot Water, Shisui had consistently told his clansmen that he was no match for Tatsuya. Yet, deep down, Shisui had believed his own strength was slightly superior. However, in the short span of just one year, Shisui no longer felt confident he could defeat Tatsuya. Judging by the fact that Tatsuya had successfully killed Uchiha Teru after he had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, his strength must have increased dramatically.
"The vacation was only three months. What choice did I have but to come back?" Tatsuya shrugged.
Shisui rolled his eyes, speechless. Listening to him, it sounds like three months wasn't even enough.
Knock, knock, knock~
Just as Shisui was about to retort, a knock came at the office door.
"Come in," Shisui called out softly.
The door opened, and a striking figure entered. Slender and tall, with long, straight legs accentuated by a form-fitting uniform, she possessed a beauty blended with a capable, martial air. In Tatsuya's previous life, a figure like that would have captivated countless otaku.
It was Uchiha Misuke.
"Division Captain Shisui, Uchiha Misuke reporting for duty," she announced coolly, offering Shisui a formal bow, her voice devoid of warmth.
"Ah, Misuke-nee. Please, go ahead and familiarize yourself with the division," Shisui nodded. He then summoned another member of the Third Division to escort Misuke out.
Once Misuke had left, Shisui narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Tatsuya with curiosity. "Tatsuya, what exactly did you two talk about yesterday? Why did she suddenly decide to join the Third Division? Misuke-nee was always quite resistant to joining the Police Force before."
"Revenge," Tatsuya replied succinctly after a moment's thought.
"Revenge?" Shisui looked startled and somewhat disbelieving. "I don't think Misuke-nee is looking for revenge against you anymore." He had told Misuke quite a bit about Tatsuya the other day.
Tatsuya nodded. "That's right, revenge. But not against me. Against certain other people within your clan."
Hearing this, Shisui's expression grew somber. He understood Tatsuya's implication. "Does it really have to come to this?" he asked bitterly after a pause.
A cold smile touched Tatsuya's lips. "Shisui, in this matter, you see things less clearly than she does."
Shisui fell silent.
Seeing Shisui lost in troubled thought, Tatsuya stood up and left the office.
From Tatsuya's current perspective, the Uchiha clan's problem wasn't actually that complex. The reason it ultimately escalated to the point of near annihilation was primarily the lack of a strong, decisive figure within the Uchiha clan capable of handling the situation.
Overall, the strength of Konoha's Hokage faction surpassed that of the Uchiha clan. Since they lacked the strength to win outright, they should have adopted a low profile and actively sought integration into the village structure. But the Uchiha clan's pride wouldn't allow it. There were always some fanatics within the clan who refused to see the reality of their situation, constantly clamoring for a coup, making the Uchiha's ambitions practically common knowledge throughout the village.
Within the Uchiha clan, only two individuals truly possessed the power to resolve the situation: Clan Head Fugaku Uchiha, and Uchiha Shisui himself. But both were too indecisive and naive.
As Clan Head, Fugaku tried to consider the bigger picture, constantly playing the role of mediator, while simultaneously attempting to preserve and enhance the Uchiha clan's strength. He failed to grasp that the conflict between the Uchiha and the village leadership stemmed precisely from the threat posed by the Uchiha's power. This threat hung like a sharp sword over the heads of Konoha's leaders, fostering constant vigilance. If the Hokage faction's strength ever weakened, the conflict between the two sides would inevitably erupt. Fugaku might have sensed this, but his inherently indecisive nature led him to naively believe he could maintain the delicate balance indefinitely through his own maneuvering.
Shisui's intentions might have been good, but he failed to see the true nature of Hiruzen and Danzo, entrusting his hopes to the wrong people. If the powerful Shisui had shifted his thinking earlier and used his absolute strength and decisive methods to suppress the dissenting voices within the clan, perhaps the tragedy could have been avoided. In the future, once an overwhelming power disparity emerged between the Uchiha clan and the village, the conflict would naturally dissipate.
Stepping out of Shisui's office, Tatsuya coincidentally encountered Uchiha Misuke touring the Third Division's office area. Alongside Misuke, Tatsuya was surprised to see Uchiha Yashiro, Uchiha Hiroaki, and others.
"Tatsuya-kun," Uchiha Yashiro greeted Tatsuya proactively with a smile.
"Long time no see, Elder Yashiro. You seem to be looking younger!" Tatsuya responded with a cheerful grin of his own. If Misuke hadn't revealed so much about Yashiro's past deeds yesterday, Tatsuya might have almost been fooled by the old man's benign appearance. In the original story, Uchiha Yashiro had only appeared briefly; Tatsuya had no way of knowing his true character. He's a scheming old fox just like Danzo, constantly involved in dirty dealings, just perhaps less skilled at hiding it.
As he spoke, Tatsuya couldn't help but glance sideways at Misuke, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. Damn! She's a good actress! Yesterday, Tatsuya had clearly sensed Misuke's deep-seated hatred for Yashiro. Yet now, her beautiful face showed nothing but cold indifference. Living like this must be painful.
"Haha, Tatsuya-kun, you certainly know how to jest," Yashiro chuckled, his aged face crinkling like a flower. Ugly.
"By the way, I wonder if Elder Yashiro has any plans to travel outside the village soon?" Tatsuya asked, his smile unwavering.
"Tatsuya-kun, what do you mean by that?" Yashiro asked, looking at Tatsuya with feigned surprise.
"Oh, nothing! Just asking casually," Tatsuya waved dismissively, his tone nonchalant.
"Oh? Well, thank you for your concern, Tatsuya-kun," Yashiro said, his eyes glinting slightly as he smiled.
After exchanging a few brief pleasantries, Tatsuya walked away. He planned to head to the training ground to find Sakawa and Yuuhi Teru.
Behind him, Yashiro watched Tatsuya's retreating back, the smile slowly fading from his face.
"Elder Yashiro, what did he mean by that just now?" Uchiha Yasumasa asked quizzically from the side. Nearby, Uchiha Hiroaki looked grave, while Misuke remained impassive, her expression unreadable.
Arriving at the training ground, Tatsuya quickly located Sakawa and Yuuhi Teru. They were currently engaged in a heated spar. After several months of diligent training, both had clearly reached a level where passing the Chunin Exams would be no issue.
Tatsuya stepped forward, stopping their match, then led them away from the Military Police Force headquarters.