On the rooftop of the Hokage Residence, Kakashi looked at the man kneeling on one knee before him, his expression involuntarily becoming a bit subtle.
Originally, he had intended to go find a fuse to ignite the Uchiha, but he hadn't expected this guy to deliver himself to his doorstep.
In that case, he wouldn't need to waste effort finding an excuse.
He was going to die anyway.
"Shisui, did you need something from me?"
Looking at the respectful man before him, Kakashi spoke calmly.
"Lord Hokage, may I ask you a question?"
Shisui Uchiha slowly stood up, causing Kakashi's eyes to narrow slightly.
He... had not told Shisui Uchiha to stand.
"Just ask. If I know the answer, naturally I will answer you."
Pitch-black eyes fixed upon him. The wind carried Kakashi's words into Shisui Uchiha's ears, but those calm words revealed a trace of imperceptible danger.
"In Lord Hokage's view, what exactly is the Uchiha Clan?"
Shisui Uchiha looked at Kakashi solemnly.
Kakashi's answer would determine whether he needed to use Kotoamatsukami on him.
He had learned from Itachi Uchiha that the Hokage before him did not intend to harm the innocent.
If possible, Shisui Uchiha did not want to go that far.
A person should not be another person's puppet.
Yet Shisui Uchiha had the ability to turn others into his puppets.
"The Uchiha, huh..."
Kakashi smiled, then pointed at the Hokage Residence beneath his feet. "This isn't a suitable place to give that kind of answer. Let's go to the back mountain."
Shisui Uchiha hesitated upon hearing this, but ultimately nodded.
The so-called back mountain was located behind the cliff of the Hokage Rock. There was a training ground here, built like an ancient palace, which Jiraiya had originally created to train Minato Namikaze's reflexes.
Outside the training ground was a lake surrounded by forest.
In his spare time between work and training, Kakashi also liked to come here to look at the scenery, read novels, and fish.
And because Kakashi, the Fifth Hokage, came here often, very few other people visited.
Kakashi stepped onto the surface of the lake, ripples spreading out circle by circle from beneath his feet.
Shisui Uchiha looked at the lake beneath the other's feet, a faint sense of unease rising in his heart.
Water.
It could overcome fire.
But even so, he braced himself and kept up with Kakashi's pace.
When the two arrived at the center of the lake, Shisui Uchiha spoke:
"Lord Hokage, can you answer my question now?"
Kakashi stopped walking, turned around, and looked at Shisui Uchiha with a smile.
"What exactly is the Uchiha Clan?"
The white-haired man extended his hand. The wind carried a fallen leaf, which landed quietly in his palm. Looking at this leaf, his words finally drifted slowly into Shisui Uchiha's ears.
"The Uchiha Clan?"
"Nothing more than a bunch of people who think too highly of themselves."
Listening to Kakashi's words, Shisui Uchiha remained silent and did not refute him.
The other party was not wrong.
When ambition does not match ability, anyone would become a joke.
But because of the Sharingan, there were an exceptionally large number of such people within the Uchiha Clan.
"Shisui, let me ask you."
"When a person makes a mistake, should they pay the price?"
Hearing this, Shisui Uchiha's heart tightened. Looking at Kakashi before him, he associated this with the frenzied Itachi Uchiha from earlier.
His mind, which he had forcibly steadied, began to waver faintly again.
"But... but the Uchiha Clan hasn't staged a coup yet. There is no rebellion."
"You can't do this!"
Shisui Uchiha clenched his fists tight, gritting his teeth as he spoke.
Kakashi calmly watched the unwilling Shisui Uchiha before him, feeling some regret in his heart.
"Shisui, do you know?"
"Once upon a time, I hoped you would understand me."
"Because you are a rare powerhouse within the Uchiha, and the strong generally have the ability to distinguish right from wrong."
"But I didn't expect you to be so foolish."
Shisui Uchiha stood silently in place, saying nothing.
Seeing this, Kakashi sneered and continued:
"When a blade is swung at you, do you hope that perhaps the wielder isn't actually going to cut you?"
"That they are just trying to scare you?"
"Must you forcefully take the hit, waiting until your blood flows and your condition plummets before you can see the truth clearly?"
"The Uchiha haven't staged a coup yet, haven't rebelled?"
"So I cannot do this?"
Kakashi looked at Shisui Uchiha before him, a trace of lightning flashing in his eyes. He turned his body to look at the antique palace on the cliffside by the lake.
"It's very simple. They will jump out on their own soon enough."
Listening to Kakashi's words, Shisui Uchiha didn't react for a moment.
What did he mean by they will jump out soon?
But...
A blue-white pillar of lightning pierced through the large flame-patterned robes, rushing straight toward Shisui Uchiha's face!
Lightning Release: Chidori Sharp Spear!
!
Shisui Uchiha had no time to react. Almost out of conditioned reflex, he leaped backward violently, avoiding this perilous strike in a sorry state!
"Sure enough. If we're talking about the entire Hidden Leaf, other than me, the only one who can match Sensei's reflexes is you, Shisui."
"What a pity..."
The indifferent words came from right in front of him. Shisui Uchiha, crouching above the water, saw through the reflection in the lake beneath him that Kakashi had arrived in front of him at some unknown moment!
Fast!
What incredible speed!
Shisui Uchiha, who was already renowned for his speed, had not even stood up after dodging Kakashi's strike before the opponent had unknowingly arrived right in front of him!
A golden wind blade wrapped around Kakashi's sword-fingers, chopping straight down toward the Shisui Uchiha who had yet to rise!
Shisui Uchiha didn't have time to think. He abruptly dispersed the chakra beneath him, dropping straight into the lake!
Watching Shisui Uchiha submerge into the water, Kakashi's expression remained unchanged. The wind blade in his hand dispersed, and his hands formed four seals with lightning speed.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!
Raising his hand, he released an A-rank technique!
The current Kakashi did not worry at all about whether he had enough chakra in his body.
If he had to say, it was increasing every moment!
The entire lake began to shift. Under Kakashi's control, countless streams of water transformed into a ferocious flood dragon, tearing toward Shisui Uchiha in the water!
In the water, Shisui Uchiha immediately drew the tantō from his back. Even though he was surrounded by water, his speed remained astonishingly fast.
Amidst the flickering glint of the blade, the flood dragon was cut down beneath his sword.
The battlefield Kakashi had specifically chosen was intended to suppress the opponent's Fire Release.
Now that Shisui Uchiha was fighting with sword techniques, he had obviously realized this issue.
"Ah, what a hassle."
Kakashi sighed helplessly.
As if he felt helpless regarding Shisui Uchiha's resistance.
The next second...
Accompanying a bone-chilling sound of metal, a peerlessly sharp, pure white sword light cleaved the lake apart, instantly saturating Shisui Uchiha's vision!
At the same time, the extremely calm words of the Fifth Hokage drifted over...
"Playing with a sword in front of me?"
"Who taught you?"
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