P2W 39 - Will of Fire = Uchiha
In the Uchiha clan's courtyard, Uchiha Yoru, with a sense of reverence, spoke, "Itachi, do you know the origin of the name 'Konoha'? And do you know why our land is called the Land of Fire? Also, do you know why the leader of our Land of Fire is called the 'Hokage'?"
Yoru's words left Itachi puzzled and even Shisui, who was nearby, looked skeptical, indicating that he was also unsure.
However, Yoru's eyes flashed a hidden cunning, while his face displayed an intense and determined fervor.
"The First Hokage, with his Wood Release, dominated the world, and that's why the village is called 'Konoha.' And our Uchiha ancestors, who were once on par with the First Hokage, along with the Senju clan, founded the Five Great Shinobi Nations, bringing an end to the chaotic Warring States era."
As Yoru spoke, it became apparent that Itachi was unaware of these details, but Shisui's face turned pale, and he exclaimed, "Yoru-niisan, this is forbidden knowledge!"
However, in the face of Shisui's shocked expression, Yoru shook his head, glanced at him with a profound and serious look, and said, "Shisui, perhaps our ancestors were at fault, but what about their achievements? Shouldn't we acknowledge their accomplishments? Are you going to deny Uchiha's history?"
"In the chaotic Warring States era, the average lifespan of shinobi and civilians was only around thirty years, and shinobi clans sent children as young as five or six to the battlefield. But in the present era of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, during times of peace, shinobi go to war at around the age of ten, and the average lifespan of shinobi and civilians has increased to over fifty years. That is the accomplishment of the Uchiha and Senju clans, who created this era."
Yoru spoke about these matters with a serious tone, presenting them from an objective perspective. Although Shisui's face seemed uneasy, he had to admit the truth after hearing Yoru's words. On the other hand, Itachi seemed to have discovered a new world, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.
"The collaboration between the Senju and Uchiha clans, who established the Land of Fire, gave rise to the current Konoha. The name 'Konoha' comes from the Wood Release of the Senju clan. Similarly, the title 'Hokage' in the Land of Fire originated from the Fire Release of the Uchiha."
As Yoru spoke, he displayed a proud and confident expression, and he patted Itachi's shoulder with seriousness. "The true will of fire is the Uchiha's Fire Release igniting the great tree of the Senju's Wood Release. The burning leaves scattered in the air—this is the origin of the will of fire."
"Where the leaves dance, the fire continues to burn. The firelight will continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout." Yoru mumbled these words to himself, causing Itachi and Shisui to look at him with hopeful eyes.
"So, the will of fire means that beneath the Senju's dancing leaves, the Uchiha's flames burn endlessly. The Uchiha's Fire Release will become the guiding light that protects Konoha, while the Senju's Wood Release will safeguard the emergence of a new future."
At this moment, Yoru exuded a sacred aura, as if he had become a guiding light in the darkness, pointing the way for the two individuals trapped in obscurity.
Uchiha Yoru at this moment exudes a sacred aura, as if transforming into a guiding light in the darkness, pointing the way for the two individuals who are deeply immersed in obscurity.
These words are not spoken in vain. The Konoha, originally formed by the collaboration of the Senju and Uchiha clans, united various smaller clans. Otherwise, with the First Hokage's Wood Release and the Second Hokage's Water Release, how could they be called the Hokage? That would be absurd.
Indeed, the leader of the village was not called the Mokukage (Wood Shadow), the Mizukage (Water Shadow), or the KinKage (Forbidden Shadow). It was Hokage the Shadow of Fire. At that moment, the young Itachi seemed to have his mind opened to a new perspective. Excitement surged within him, and he nodded earnestly. "Sensei, Itachi understands. The village protected by the alliance of the Senju and Uchiha clans embodies the true will of fire."
As Itachi appeared to have found a purpose in life, Shisui, standing beside him, felt a sense of surprise and unease. However, considering the truth in Yoru's words, he understood that the Uchiha clan's duty was to protect Konoha.
As they observed the two, Uchiha Yoru smiled and confirmed, "In the beginning, the Senju and Uchiha clans united to establish Konoha, becoming the unchallenged rulers of the land. Many smaller clans, such as the Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka, Sarutobi, and Shimura, sought refuge and protection under their leadership."
"This was the legacy of the Uchiha, an indelible mark on the entire ninja world. Now, it is time to look ahead!"
With a slightly dimmed gaze, Yoru's solemn expression wavered, as if his unwavering conviction had encountered a flaw. Shisui, who knew what was coming, felt conflicted and hesitant to speak. But understanding that Itachi, as the son of the clan head, needed to know these things, Shisui fell silent.
"With the establishment of Konoha, the unyielding ruler of the Land of Fire, the other factions chose not to be assimilated. Instead, they formed their own nations, leading to the current state of the ninja world."
"The era of warring states came to an end, giving rise to the era of the ninja world. However, during this transition, differences in ideology arose between the founders of the Land of Fire: the Senju and Uchiha."
"Differences?" Uchiha Itachi's curiosity was piqued, while Shisui recollected the historical records within the clan, momentarily losing himself in thought.
Uchiha Yoru sighed with a tinge of melancholy as he looked at the two. "The First Hokage believed that peace was hard-earned and did not wish to engage in wars with other nations. He sought peace and aimed to balance the power of the major shinobi villages by distributing the tailed beasts among the five great nations."
"But Uchiha Madara disagreed. He believed that the current peace was temporary, and lasting peace could only be achieved through bloodshed. His intention was to unify the ninja world with the First Hokage, even if it meant temporary pain in exchange for long-lasting peace. This was the origin of their conflict."
"Later on..." Uchiha Yoru, taking a bystander's perspective, slowly recounted the conflicts between the Senju and Uchiha and the reasons behind the Uchiha's involvement in the Konoha Police Force.
Upon finishing his story, Shisui furrowed his brow, lost in deep thought. The records he had read and Yoru's account aligned almost perfectly. However, when he had studied the history alone, he had believed that the clan was at fault, which had caused the conflicts between the clan and the village. It had become a taboo subject for him. But now, as an observer, listening to someone else's account seemed to open up a new world of possibilities.
Shisui's contemplation at this moment didn't revolve around the origins of the conflicts between the clan and the village, as he was already well-versed in that. Instead, he pondered what had led to those conflicts.
Was Uchiha Madara wrong? Then was the First Hokage right?
With the First Hokage's fall, war broke out, and the tailed beasts, intended to bring balance to the five great nations, became instruments of war. The First War! The Second War! And the brutal Third War! How much time had passed since then? It seemed that the First Hokage's approach wasn't entirely correct either.
Was Uchiha Madara right, then? It didn't appear so.
As Shisui found himself engulfed in doubt, the young Uchiha Itachi, despite his early maturity and intelligence, was only six years old. Upon comprehending the true meaning of the Will of Fire, a proud expression spread across his face.
"Sensei, I understand. The Will of Fire means that the Uchiha and the Senju protect countless weak individuals."
In Itachi's young and innocent mind, a principle took root that would make him proud for the rest of his life: the Uchiha were the protectors of the village. Witnessing this, Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but smile. He hadn't spoken a single falsehood. Originally, it was the Senju and Uchiha who protected Konoha. But what happens when the people you protect turn against you?
As depicted in the original work, in Itachi's ideology, the Hokage represented a sacred existence that protected the village, while the Uchiha had become an unstable factor. Now, the situation had been reversed. The Uchiha were supposed to protect Konoha, but many within the village wanted to overthrow those who had once protected them. In such a situation, what should one do?
"Well, Sensei, if what you said about the village's history is true, wouldn't there be no wars if there was only the Land of Fire and Konoha?"
The six-year-old Itachi expressed his curiosity about the true history of the village after understanding the concept of the Will of Fire. Naturally, he was deeply interested in the village's history and had many questions about the conflicts between the Uchiha and the Senju.
Uchiha Yoru, with a wry smile, shook his head and responded, "Itachi, you're still young. I can't give you a definite answer, and neither can anyone else in the ninja world. This answer has never been found, so there's no right or wrong."
"Haha, you're only six years old. Why worry so much? Your primary goal now is to graduate from the Ninja Academy and become a pride of the clan. Lead the Uchiha to continue protecting Konoha. That is your life's purpose. Don't overthink it."
Yoru burst into laughter, patting the young Itachi's head, dismissing all the questions. But within Itachi's young mind, a seed of curiosity had been firmly planted.
At the age of six, Itachi couldn't help but imagine what would happen if there were no wars on the borders and only the Land of Fire and Konoha existed.
Meanwhile, Shisui, with a complex expression, observed his older brother, whom he greatly admired, seeming somewhat frightened. He asked, "If the Uchiha ideology were implemented under the First Hokage's peace ideals, would it have led to the same outcome? The ninja world experienced three major wars in just a few decades."
Uchiha Yoru, pretending to be surprised, chuckled in response, "Shisui, don't think too much about it. That is history. I'm simply impartially recounting it to Itachi as the son of the clan head."
Though Yoru's words were few, Shisui lowered his head, his mind filled with countless thoughts.
The First Hokage's peaceful ideology seemed incapable of achieving true peace. Instead, it had transformed the Uchiha's internal conflicts into conflicts between nations, with the only significant difference being that many smaller conflicts merged into larger ones.
Shisui realized this, and it troubled him even more. It appeared that the various clans in Konoha were excluding the Uchiha not only because of the fear of the Nine-Tails but also due to their own interests.
The interests of the Uchiha clan!
This realization caused Shisui to break out in a cold sweat. The suspicions surrounding the Nine-Tails had given numerous clans an opportunity to encroach on the Uchiha's interests.
"Thank you, Sensei. Itachi now understands the Will of Fire," said the six-year-old Itachi, still somewhat confused but finding a glimmer of hope in his heart. A tender and resolute smile appeared on his face.
Seeing Itachi's smile, Uchiha Yoru also displayed a relieved expression and praised him. "Itachi, you've done well. Strive to graduate as soon as possible."
Upon hearing these words, Itachi nodded determinedly and replied, "Sensei, don't worry. I will do my best."
Although mature for his age, Itachi was still a six-year-old child. Yoru observed the ever-changing expressions of Itachi and the bewildered Shisui with narrowed eyes. He couldn't help but think, "Shisui, what are you so lost in thought about? Remember to guide Itachi."
Snapped out of his daze by a pat on the shoulder, Shisui suddenly came to his senses, forcing a smile. He nodded and assured, "Yoru-niisan, don't worry. I will guide Itachi well."
It was clear that Shisui had already taken a step onto the wrong path. In reality, he possessed immense power, but when it came to shaping the clan's future, he relied on others rather than his own abilities to effect change. This was evident in how he projected his hopes onto the Hokage lineage, which ultimately led to his spiritual collapse and his tragic choice to escape reality through suicide.
In essence, Shisui had great power, but when it came to the future of the clan, he preferred relying on others rather than his own strength to bring about change.
At this moment, Shisui wore a strained smile on his face, but internally, he was shocked. He could only hope that Orochimaru would become the Fifth Hokage as soon as possible, providing the Uchiha with an opportunity.
Meanwhile, the youngest Uchiha, Itachi, lost in deep thought, realized that the Will of Fire was proposed by the Uchiha themselves. So, wasn't it evident that the Uchiha embodied the Will of Fire? With this realization, he couldn't help but smile. However, a lingering doubt remained.
The question is: Who is stronger, the Third Hokage, who brought peace to the troubled times, or the First Hokage, the founder of Konoha?
~~~
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