Chapter 129: Mistake
The three of them walked out of the training ground. The Land of Rain was experiencing a rare sunny day, the sunlight dispelling the gloom that weighed on the hearts of the Amegakure ninja. After becoming a nation second only to the Five Great Nations, their mission requests surged. While the economy boomed, the casualty rate also skyrocketed. It was a double-edged sword, as this was still a time of war.
Perhaps even a slightly sensitive mission could become the fuse for a conflict between two nations.
Such was the case with the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning.
Kakashi had considered various Uchiha clan members Uchiha Fugaku might send: perhaps a full squad, perhaps Uchiha Obito, perhaps Fugaku himself, or even no one at all. What he hadn't anticipated was that he would actually send Uchiha Shisui to accompany him on this journey.
Unexpected, yet entirely reasonable.
As a master of genjutsu, truly no one was more suitable than him.
"Hatake Kakashi, we meet again."
"Hmm."
Kakashi wondered if Shisui knew that the silver-haired youth before him was the true instigator behind the Uchiha's departure from Konoha. In the clan, Uchiha Fugaku had claimed it was his own decision, to seek a brighter path and a higher evolutionary channel.
Kakashi wasn't afraid of Uchiha Shisui. He'd already been hit by a complete version of Kotoamatsukami; only this peach-eyed youth's Susanoo could truly threaten him.
The Uchiha's only Mangekyo Sharingan wielder and the silver-haired youth successively sat down cross-legged beneath a tree outside the training ground. Uchiha Itachi had been ordered by his father to return home early to analyze his teacher's battle with the Rinnegan and figure out techniques on his own.
Watching Hatake Kakashi's calm demeanor after the battle, Uchiha Fugaku's heart, which had been turbulent due to the Rinnegan's power, also settled.
Indeed, the Rinnegan was a higher form of the Mangekyo Sharingan, but no scroll had ever stated that a Mangekyo Sharingan user, or even a regular Sharingan user, could not defeat this legendary eye.
Examples of challenging opponents above one's level were rare in the clan. Only Uchiha Obito, in his Three-Tomoe Sharingan phase, had been able to contend with a Mangekyo Sharingan user. But didn't this mean the Mangekyo Sharingan could also defeat the Rinnegan?
There was no strongest ninjutsu, only the strongest user.
Brains were more effective than ninjutsu.
If one only knew how to use ninjutsu without strategy, they were no different from a brute.
Uchiha Fugaku realized this point, and his obsession with the Rinnegan lessened. He nodded slightly towards Kakashi.
"Hatake Kakashi-jōnin, I've learned a lot."
"Learned a lot?"
Kakashi was utterly confused, wondering what the Uchiha clan head had realized. He was still waiting for him to explain why he was sending Uchiha Shisui.
"Regarding this fight with Iwagakure, I can't guarantee I'll return alive. There are nearly 10,000 ninja and two Kage there. In such an environment, no one can guarantee their complete safety. Are you sure you want Uchiha Shisui to risk this with me?"
Kakashi's subtext was: your Uchiha clan only has two Mangekyo wielders; if one dies there, it's a huge loss, but you absolutely cannot blame me.
He wasn't trying to shirk responsibility; it was the truth.
Secondly, he was slightly worried Shisui might become a double-crosser and stab him in the back. What if he secretly contacted Konoha, and Konoha intervened while these two countries were warring…
Causing trouble like that was ill-advised. While this possibility was slim, it wasn't nonexistent, because this guy had a record of leaking Uchiha high-level meeting information to Konoha's higher-ups before.
He was also one of the indirect culprits behind the Uchiha clan's annihilation in the original story.
Now he claimed to have reformed, dedicating himself to the Land of Rain and the clan, but only he knew if that was truly the case.
Uchiha Shisui detected Hatake Kakashi's prejudice against him, and at his clan head's signal, he took the initiative to take over the conversation.
"There aren't many genjutsu ninja in Iwagakure or Kumogakure. If genjutsu support is needed against Iwagakure, I'm the most suitable person. This is also how I want to contribute to the clan."
Kakashi's gaze shifted to the Uchiha clan head, then back to Uchiha Shisui.
"I've also informed Yahiko-sama about this operation, and he supports me. During the mission, you will be my captain; I will follow your commands."
"What's your reason? You seem like someone who likes to interfere in wars, even those of other countries."
"Precisely because I dislike interfering in wars, I must participate in this mission. Akatsuki's ideals align with mine. Perhaps I can use this eye of mine to bring some change to these two countries."
"Like you did in Konoha?"
"Hatake Kakashi-jōnin, we are in the Land of Rain now," the Uchiha clan head reminded Kakashi.
"If I remember correctly, your Kotoamatsukami can only be used once every decade or so. What confidence do you have in stopping this war?"
"If I cannot stop it, then I will sacrifice my dōjutsu to protect the Land of Rain."
"Against two Kage?"
"I'll do my best."
"Although my thoughts are completely different from yours, our ultimate goal is the same."
Kakashi plucked a blade of grass that had sprouted beneath the tree shortly after the rain, then released it, watching it drift back to the ground in the gentle breeze.
"New grass is fragile."
"But grass only needs soil and water to take root and sprout, even in the harshest environments."
"Next week, we'll leave the village. We also need to meet the Iwagakure envoy who has been staying in Amegakure for some time."
"Alright."
Plucking another blade of grass and holding it between his lips, Kakashi stood up, brushed off his combat uniform, soiled from battle, looked up at the mist-free blue sky and white clouds, then turned and waved behind him, heading towards his home.
"Hatake Kakashi, you once absorbed my left eye's Kotoamatsukami."
I know.
Uchiha Shisui nodded. The slight stinging sensation in his own left eye as he looked at Kakashi's had already revealed that the eye emitting a blue mechanical light was his natural enemy.
The over-decade-long interval for Kotoamatsukami's use wasn't just due to the consumption of ocular power, but also because it consumed a certain amount of soul power.
The other party's power was evident. Fugaku's decision to lead the Uchiha clan away from Konoha now seemed like the correct choice.
Shisui had realized this point after arriving in the Land of Rain. His previous wishful thinking, believing the Uchiha clan could remain in Konoha and live in peace, was simply naive.
The conflicts among the higher-ups were irreconcilable.
His own perspective had been too narrow.
He had to strive to make amends for the mistakes he had made.
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