"Too naïve! Dignity exists only at the edge of a blade. Peace exists only within the sight of the Mangekyō Sharingan! Do you really think that having a heart for peace can solve everything?"
Shisui Uchiha's heart trembled.
Memories of the battlefield surfaced in his mind—scenes of desperate slaughter, of blood spilled for the sake of pride and survival.
The crimson pools.
The agonized screams.
They seemed to echo in his ears once more.
He felt shaken, yet he gritted his teeth.
"If not that… then what? Are we supposed to draw our blades against our comrades in the village?"
Shuoye Uchiha raised a brow slightly. The faint smile on his lips faded, replaced by deep contemplation.
Moonlight carved sharp lines across his face.
"Shisui, you always carry ideals in your heart. But reality is far crueler than ideals."
He paused, his voice low and magnetic.
"In this shinobi world, only the strong control their own fate. The weak are eliminated. Tell me—can the peace you speak of survive beneath the sword of the strong?"
Shisui's emotions grew increasingly tangled. Though Shuoye's words swept through him like a violent storm, scattering fragments of his belief, he still refused to abandon his conviction.
He steadied himself and met Shuoye's gaze firmly.
"I believe the strength of the strong isn't meant only to conquer others. It can also protect the weak. Peace isn't weakness—it's a higher form of power."
Shuoye's smile vanished entirely.
His expression turned solemn.
His gaze sharpened like a blade, piercing as if searching Shisui's very soul.
"I admire that resolve."
His voice carried clearly through the night air.
"But you must understand—true peace demands a price."
He leaned slightly forward.
"Have you prepared yourself to pay it?"
"Are you… planning to rebel?"
Shisui's pupils contracted.
In that fleeting moment, shadows flickered through his thoughts.
Shuoye Uchiha—this unfathomable existence—
Could he truly harbor such audacious intentions?
"Don't be ridiculous."
Shuoye let out a cold laugh, disdain flashing in his eyes.
"The Uchiha were one of the founders of the Hidden Leaf Village. How can one rebel against something they built?"
Shisui fell silent.
Yet his heart churned.
He wanted to question further—wanted to uncover the truth—
But before he could speak, Shuoye's voice cut through the night like a blade.
"Shisui. Stop asking."
"Rumors are spreading. The clan is unsettled. What you need to do now is convene a clan meeting and stabilize the situation."
Before the words had fully faded—
Shuoye's figure dissolved into the darkness like a phantom.
As though he had never been there at all.
Shisui stood frozen.
"Stabilize the situation…"
The phrase echoed in his mind.
What exactly was Shuoye planning?
Watching the direction Shuoye had vanished into, unease spread in Shisui's chest.
That deep, cold gaze—
It hid something.
Then suddenly—
His heart dropped.
The way Shuoye disappeared just now…
Was that—
Genjutsu?
And he had only realized it now?
"Is that… his true power?"
Shisui clenched his jaw, suppressing the shock.
No matter what—
Calling the clan meeting came first.
Under the pale moonlight, his expression hardened with resolve.
The future of the Uchiha seemed to be gradually taking shape in his hands.
Without another word, he left the courtyard and headed toward the clan's assembly hall.
"Shuoye, aren't you going with Shisui?"
Kushina Uzumaki gently held his arm, looking up at him softly as they watched Shisui's departing figure.
More than anyone—
She knew how much pressure Shuoye had carried over the years.
"No need."
Shuoye ran his hand through her long red hair and smiled faintly.
"Shisui will handle it."
Then, as if recalling something, his tone turned gentle.
"More importantly… the Nine-Tails sealed inside you by Grandma Mito. Has it been restless lately?"
Kushina shook her head.
Not long ago, Mito Uzumaki had reached the end of her life and passed the Nine-Tails to Kushina, naming her the next jinchūriki.
Without Mito's protection, Shuoye could clearly feel it—
The hostility toward the Uchiha within the village had grown rapidly.
And for Kushina—
There were far more eyes watching from the shadows.
"I've played obedient long enough," Shuoye thought coldly. "It's about time to move."
Having made up his mind—
He suddenly scooped Kushina into his arms.
Her face flushed instantly.
"Shuoye! What are you doing?!"
"It's not the first time. Why are you still so shy?" he teased lightly. "Don't tell me you don't like Vibration Mode anymore?"
"Y-you! You're awful!"