Chapter 3: The Difficulty of Consensus, Adhering to One's Heart

Shisui tilted his head; not understanding what Sima Yi's trying to say.

Sima Yi paused for a moment, then explained, "Whether it's understanding people or making decisions, you must look from different perspectives and gain understanding."

"People are complex and will not only have one side. If you can only recognize someone from one angle, it means you've already fallen into the cage they've woven."

Shisui furrowed his brows, seemingly impacted by these words. He lowered his head for a moment and said, "That can't be true; the Third..."

"Don't outright deny an idea that contradicts your own. Listening to both sides leads to clarity, while only hearing one side leads to darkness. Listen more, observe more, and decide less."

The young man's mind seemed unable to contain too many principles. Seeing Shisui fall silent again, Sima Yi chuckled lightly to reassure him, "No rush. If you think without learning, you will be in danger. You're still young; first, tell me about the current situations of the various factions and the recent events."

Shisui complied, nodding and abandoning his contemplation as he introduced the circumstances of each nation one by one.

"The Ninja World War has even sent children under ten into battle!"

Even Sima Yi was somewhat shocked; children of ten being pulled into war had never occurred in his time. This was a sign of the destruction of clans and species, yet in this world, it seemed quite common.

After discussing the war situations of the various nations, Shisui also explained Konoha's situation and the conflicts within the Uchiha clan.

To view a village as a nation, the Hokage should be regarded as the ruler, and the various clans should be seen as powerful noble families. Uchiha, being among the more powerful, seemed to have become too conspicuous and faced oppression as a result.

Sima Yi listened to Shisui's account while analyzing the information.

"Gurgle~"

They talked until midnight, and it wasn't until Sima Yi's stomach growled that Shisui's face turned red as he remembered he hadn't even invited his guest to sit down.

"I'm sorry, sensei, it's my oversight. Please rest here while I prepare some food for you."

The summoned strategist could take on physical form, meaning he could get hungry and even die.

Before Sima Yi could respond, Shisui had already vanished with a Body Flicker technique.

"This is Ninjutsu; it truly is marvelous!"

Although he already knew that Ninjutsu existed in this world, seeing someone disappear right before his eyes still made Sima Yi's eyes shine with wonder, and he couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

However, it was merely a moment of astonishment. He quickly calmed down, pondering the Uchiha's situation within Konoha.

Shisui was quick in his actions and returned to the tent shortly with several steaming grilled fish.

"Sensei, eat while it's hot. If it's not enough, I'll go grill some more," Shisui said with a smile as he handed over the grilled fish.

If it were just him, some dry rations would suffice, but today was sensei's first day here, and he didn't want him to go without a warm meal.

"Hehe, you're thoughtful."

Sima Yi smiled as he took the grilled fish. Having led troops for many years, he didn't pursue such culinary pleasures, but Shisui's attitude allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of this child before him.

"Oh? This flavor is quite fragrant!"

The unique seasoning and perfect cooking technique instantly awakened his taste buds, offering an experience he had never had before.

"Really? If you like it, sensei, I'll make it for you often from now on~"

Shisui blushed, recalling that Itachi was the last person who enjoyed his grilled fish.

Sima Yi smiled as he ate the fish, not refusing it.

"By the way, sensei, there's something I didn't have a chance to mention earlier. Yesterday, the Mist Ninja bypassed my defenses and attacked the Rear Camp."

Shisui furrowed his brow as he recounted the surprise attack by the Mist Ninja and how he had been questioned afterward. These issues had weighed on him all day, making him quite agitated.

"Hmm?"

Sima Yi's gaze shifted as he set down the grilled fish, staring intently at Shisui. "Are you saying the Rear Camp guard has not shown up at all?"

"Exactly. Normally, the Uchiha Clan is responsible for the defense of the Front Line and the command post. Even if the enemy managed to break through, the Rear Camp guard led by Mitokado Shogo should have stopped them. There's no way multiple squads of Ninja could simultaneously breach two layers of defense and threaten the Rear Camp."

Shisui looked puzzled; it wasn't solely Uchiha's responsibility to approach the Rear Camp, and there was no reason for Mitokado to allow the enemy to infiltrate maliciously.

"Do you still have those two prisoners you captured?"

"They're still with Brother Kai, but they will be transferred to the command post for processing at dawn."

"With your abilities, is it possible to extract information from them?"

"I can do that!"

Shisui lifted his chin, looking confident. "Easily!"

"Then can you obtain information about the actions of the Rear Camp guards today without disturbing anyone else?"

"No problem!"

Not to mention finding a member of the Rear Camp guard, he could easily control Mitokado Shogo as well.

"Oh?"

Sima Yi was somewhat surprised; he seemed to have underestimated the strength of the young man before him.

"Then you should set off now. Be sure to gather the information before dawn."

"Yes, sensei!"

Shisui vanished, and Sima Yi sat on the bed, eating the grilled fish while pondering several possibilities.

After an unknown amount of time, a gentle breeze stirred, and Shisui walked into the tent with a downcast expression.

Seeing him like this, Sima Yi glanced down at the still-steaming grilled fish in his hand and said softly, "The fish you made is spicy; people who prefer a lighter taste might not like it. What do you think we should do about it?"

Shisui was taken aback; what did that have to do with the fish?

However, he still thought carefully, "We could use less seasoning; that way, the taste would be lighter."

"Do you prefer a lighter flavor?"

"No, sensei, I still prefer a spicy flavor."

"A single fish can easily divide people; how much more so with greater interests? Everyone and every faction has their own ideas. You need to get used to seeing through their intentions, accustomed to their greed, while also sticking to your own interests. That is the foundation of your existence."

"Sensei, you already know all this!"

Shisui was shocked; he hadn't said anything yet.

"Hehe, some underhanded tactics are nothing more than collusion with the enemy to leak information, drawing the enemy into the territory, and then ambushing them to achieve merit.

However, it seems that their plans have gone awry; their calculations can't compete with the heaven's plan."

Sima Yi said this with a calm expression, speaking casually.

Yet Shisui's mind was restless; even he, who had obtained the intelligence, had been guessing about these things, while the person before him could deduce the truth from just a few words.

"Sensei, please teach me!"

Shisui knelt down, sitting upright.

"Hahaha, get up, get up! Isn't that exactly why I'm here?"

"Thank you, sensei!"

Shisui got up and walked to Sima Yi's side, his expression growing more respectful.

"Were you able to find out what happened? Why couldn't the Rear Camp guard intercept them?"

"Replying to sensei, according to the two Mist Ninjas, after they bypassed the Uchiha defenses, they were afraid of my strength and did not continue to advance as planned; instead, they chose to take a longer route.

Meanwhile, Mitokado Shogo had concentrated all the guards from other areas to eliminate the Mist Ninja forces in time, and by coincidence, both sides ended up missing each other, which allowed the Mist Ninja forces to invade the Rear Camp."

Shisui felt a bit shy saying this, as it seemed somewhat self-praising coming from him.

"Hahaha, it seems to have backfired! It looks like you indeed have both strengths and weaknesses."

"Sensei, what do you mean by both strengths and weaknesses?"