Chapter 13

Shisui's gaze made Kaito somewhat uncomfortable. In his worldview, a man looking at another man with such eyes was simply unacceptable.

However, Kaito gradually realized that Shisui's gaze was not due to any issues with his orientation. Instead, this guy genuinely held deep respect for him. Over the next few days, Shisui's behavior was completely different from that of a friend or classmate.

He appeared more like a humble and inquisitive student, and after obtaining the information he desired, he diligently recorded it.

Kaito couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for his enthusiasm for learning. If he had been like Shisui back in the day, he might have already entered a prestigious university.

"Never mind, it's better to just think about such things. Don't let a whiff of sweet-smelling urine wake you up; that would be a big loss."

Shisui's transformation brought immense joy to Kaito. Although discussing Marxism and other ideologies might not be suitable in this world, there were still many other things he could talk about with Shisui.

He truly appreciated the education he received in his past life because he realized that this world had no such thing as political education.

In Konoha, the most commonly mentioned term is "Will of Fire," but Kaito believed it would be more accurate to call it brainwashing.

Because this kind of education never tells you the essence of the world, nor does it teach you how to perceive and transform the world.

It also never informs or guides you about conflicting concepts, leaving you unaware of the object of your own contradictions.

They only tell you to be loyal to the village, loyal to the Hokage, and talk about the "Will of Fire," and that's where it ends.

"Perhaps from the beginning, ninjas were seen as 'family' in the eyes of the Senju and Uchiha, but now they have become 'tools.'"

The concept of ninjas being tools has always circulated within the village, and it has even been prevalent.

Kakashi once became a ninja who was treated like a tool, and under Danzo Shimura, his definition of ninjas was completely aligned with being a "tool."

Actually, upon closer examination, there is nothing wrong with it. A tool without self-will is indeed much easier to control than someone who understands everything.

"Are you sure about this location?"

Making stops along the way, Kaito and Shisui traveled from the Land of Hot Springs to the eastern coast, where they could take a boat directly to the Land of Waves.

However, it was evident that their destination was not the Land of Waves. Their destination was a small village on the coastline, at the border of the Land of Hot Springs.

Their current target was Raiga, one of the members of the former Mist Seven Swordsmen, who had now chosen to betray them!

Kaito was actually quite eager to go after Zabuza Momochi, but unfortunately, Zabuza had not yet defected. The Executioner's Blade was still in the hands of Shibuki, and Itachi Uchiha had not joined Shibuki in fleeing to the Hidden Mist Village.

Therefore, Kaito had to give up on the idea of Zabuza and instead set his sights on his former comrade.

According to the intelligence, Raiga had entered the Land of Hot Springs from the Land of Waves, and the place he had entered happened to fall under the jurisdiction of Konoha.

Small nations were always unfortunate in this way—they became the battlegrounds for the major shinobi villages during times of war.

In times of peace, they are divided into different spheres of influence by the major nations based on geographical factors.

So it's not surprising that Raiga ended up in the Land of Hot Springs, within the sphere of influence of Konoha, and was discovered.

"Yes, according to the ANBU's intelligence, his last sighting was here. It seems like he has the same intention as the previous individual, wanting to take control of a village in this area."

After carefully observing the surroundings, Shisui confirmed the question raised by Kaito.

"Yet again, they want to take over a village. What are these guys thinking?"

Although Kaito, having read the original work, knew that Raiga seemed to indeed have such intentions, he couldn't help but make a sarcastic comment.

"That small village, can it really develop into the scale of a ninja village? That's just wishful thinking, isn't it?"

"Who knows," Shisui shook his head, then curiously asked, "Should we set off now or wait until tomorrow?"

The sun had already set, and a silver moon towered amidst the clouds. Undertaking a mission at this time wasn't entirely out of the question. In fact, for some ninja, executing a mission at this hour might even yield better results.

However, after contemplating for a moment, Kaito gently shook his head and dismissed the proposal outright. "We've been traveling all the way here, and we need some rest. Besides, you still have plenty of vacation time left, so there's no rush at the moment."

"Well, indeed, there's no rush. Taking a break to restore our condition is a wise move," Shisui, who had been eager to get going, now readily agreed to the idea of resting.

This change in attitude from him left Kaito somewhat bemused, but regardless, it was a good thing. After all, it was a display of trust from Shisui towards him.

No, now it couldn't be simply described as trust when it came to Shisui's view of Kaito.

Kaito believed that if he were to truly go after Uchiha Fugaku, Shisui would be the first one to lend a hand.

"Speaking of which, Kaito, what do you plan to do after returning to the clan?"

After setting up a simple campfire in the forest and catching a wild rabbit for dinner, Shisui spoke up again, asking Kaito about his intentions.

"Although you already have some plans, I'm still curious about the specifics. You should tell me about it, so I can be prepared as well."

"Just how long have you rested before getting back into it?" Kaito smiled and shook his head in response to Shisui's question. However, Kaito was pleased with his words because he had already expressed his viewpoint.

Being prepared meant being prepared to overthrow Uchiha Fugaku, of course!

"The task at hand is actually quite simple. As a great figure once said, 'Unite all the powers that can be united.' I believe we can apply this principle now.

Who makes up the majority in the clan? That's an easy question - it's the ordinary Uchiha members, especially those who haven't awakened the Sharingan."

"Although they possess the least power and have the least presence or influence, they are the true majority within the Uchiha clan."

"Let me ask you a question: where does authority come from? Is it from the clan head, the elders, or the majority of ordinary people within the clan?"

"Well..." Shisui hesitated for a moment, then furrowed his brow and replied, "It comes from the clan head and the elders, right?"

"I told you recently to see through appearances and understand the essence, not to be misled by your preconceived experiences."

Kaito let out a sigh, then spoke earnestly.

"Always remember, within the mechanism of power, the clan head and the elders are the ones who exercise power. They are the superiors.

But it is the majority of the Uchiha clan that bestows power upon them. You can understand that the true source of power actually comes from the obedience of the subordinates."

At this point, Kaito paused briefly, and Shisui was momentarily stunned. Then, as if a sudden realization dawned upon him, he exclaimed,

"So that's how it is! I understand now. If the subordinates choose not just to obey, but to listen to us, then they lose their power. And we gain the power of influence!

Kaito, you're truly amazing. It's as if you know everything..."