Some truths cut deeper than steel… and some payments leave a far worse aftertaste.
"What else do you actually know?!" Shisui blurted out, genuine shock flashing across his face.
The fact that he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan was something he had told no one.
Not Fugaku.
Not Itachi.
Not a single person in the village.
It was a secret known only to himself.
"There are many things I know," Ayato replied calmly. "After all—"
He almost added, I've lived in this world for a very long time.
But he stopped himself.
Shisui might be gentle by nature, yet no one knew how far he might go when the deepest layers of his privacy were peeled open.
Clang.
Shisui's blade slid free of its sheath, the cold tip pointing directly at Ayato's throat.
"Relax," Ayato said lightly, unfazed. "I have no ill intentions toward you. And I never disclose a client's information."
He lifted his teacup and took another slow sip, as if a drawn sword inches from his neck were nothing more than background noise.
…Mm.
Hiruzen's treasured tea really was excellent.
"Why are you staying in Konoha?" Shisui demanded, his grip tightening. "What do you actually want?"
Scarlet light flared in his eyes.
The familiar three tomoe spun—and then twisted into a strange, intricate pattern.
The Mangekyō Sharingan emerged.
"What a beautiful pattern," Ayato remarked casually. "Quite similar to your father's."
Shisui's breath hitched.
"You knew my father?"
"Uchiha Kagami," Ayato said evenly. "A remarkable Uchiha. Unfortunately, he was assassinated. Died far too young."
He turned and calmly took a sheet of paper and a pen from the shelf behind him, as if discussing the weather.
"You're lying!" Shisui snapped. "My father clearly died in a mission acci—"
He froze mid-sentence.
The words caught in his throat.
A faint doubt crept into his eyes.
"That was Uchiha Kagami we're talking about," Ayato added quietly. "A man who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. A simple 'mission accident'?"
Ayato let out a soft, almost amused snort.
Silence stretched between them.
"…Who did it?" Shisui finally asked, lowering his blade slightly. But the look in his eyes had changed completely.
"I know who," Ayato replied. "But do you really want to know?"
Shisui stared at him for a long moment.
Then, without another word, he reached into his pocket and dropped something into the donation box on the counter.
Clink.
He didn't want the answer.
Or perhaps… he was afraid to face it.
After all, with his father's strength, the list of people capable of assassinating him was painfully short.
Could Shisui truly accept what that truth might imply?
"Shisui? What are you doing here?"
A familiar voice sounded outside the shop.
Itachi had finally decided to return after several days of quiet contemplation. Just as he was about to enter, he caught sight of Shisui placing something into the box.
"Itachi?" Shisui turned and smiled warmly. "I'll be done in a moment. Wait outside for me."
Itachi hesitated, then obediently stepped back to wait.
"I'll come again," Shisui said, giving Ayato a long, meaningful look before turning toward the door.
"You're always welcome," Ayato replied calmly. Then he added lightly, "By the way… that's Itachi outside, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"He carries the same will as you," Ayato said softly.
Shisui paused.
"What do you mean?"
"Time tempers all wills," Ayato replied, eyes narrowing just slightly. "And he is precisely the kind of person who will give everything for what he believes in. Perhaps that is why he will one day reach that point."
He smiled faintly.
"If fate allows… I would also like to witness the 'eternity' he is willing to sacrifice everything for."
Shisui said nothing more and stepped outside.
"Let's go," Shisui said.
"Shisui, when did you get back?" Itachi asked curiously.
"Not long ago. Why were you here? Coming for the dango next door?" Shisui pointed toward the Three-Color Dango shop.
"Y-Yeah," Itachi replied, instinctively hiding his original intention of visiting the Odd Jobs Shop.
"Want to practice the Great Fireball Jutsu?" Shisui suggested, already turning toward the training grounds.
"Sure! Teach me the Phoenix Flower Jutsu too!" Itachi grinned brightly.
That innocent smile made Shisui pause for just a fraction of a second.
Ayato's words echoed again in his mind.
…
…
After the two left, Ayato began tidying the teacups.
[Ding!]
[Zhongli quote spoken. Proficiency +0.1%.]
[Current Synchronization: 6.1%]
[Ding!]
[Task Update — Total Transactions: 3 / 5]
As expected.
Ayato paused his movements, glancing at the system prompt.
Only two transactions left.
Once this starter task was complete, he could move into the next stage of his plan. With the shop bound as a spawn point, travel and exploration would become far more flexible.
Two more transactions shouldn't be difficult.
Kakashi counted once.
Tsunade once.
Shisui now once.
Itachi still didn't count—he hadn't paid anything yet.
Ayato walked over to the donation box and peered inside.
Three soldier pills lay there quietly.
"So this is Shisui's payment…"
He picked one up and tossed it directly into his mouth.
One second.
Two seconds.
Ayato nearly gagged.
"Ugh… that's absolutely vile. Makes me want to personally lecture whoever formulated these things about flavor balance…"
He forced himself to swallow and hurriedly grabbed a cup of water to wash the taste away.
"This kind of payment…"
He stared at the remaining two pills with open disgust before setting them aside.
They were technically edible for civilians, and a single pill could stave off hunger for nearly a day—but they certainly weren't cheap.
Still…
Why would Shisui choose something like this as payment?
Ayato narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
Perhaps this "terrible taste" wasn't the most unpleasant thing he'd swallowed today.
Some truths… lingered far longer than bitterness on the tongue.
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