Chapter 3

"Do you think you would be a better clan leader than Fugaku?"

"Well... I can guarantee that I won't be worse than him."

"You really have the courage to say that!"

Shisui was surprised by Kazuya's words to the point where he was forced to see his friend in a new light.

Facing Shisui's questioning gaze, Kazuya smiled faintly, "Shisui, it's not just you who sees the family crisis. After all, there are many intelligent people in the clan! But the situation we're in is not something that three or five people can change. To prevent the family from falling into the worst possible situation, all of us are making an effort."

"Us?"

Suddenly, Shisui felt lonely and isolated. After all, he was someone who only wished for the well-being of the clan and the village, so how could he not be included in this 'us'?

As if he knew what Shisui was thinking, Kazuya said, "Don't think we're excluding you. Don't forget that you're the only member of the Uchiha clan in ANBU. You and the Third Hokage are very close. Of course, it's not that everyone thinks you would betray the clan, but they think you wouldn't support our ideas, so..."

"So... why are you telling me this now?"

Hearing Shisui's question, Kazuya wanted to tell him that it was because he had already made various plans to ensure his own and his family's survival, and one of those plans involved taking Shisui's eyes if everything went wrong. But, of course, he would never say that. Moreover, he knew it would only be a last resort, after all, he really considered Shisui a friend, but if he were pushed into a desperate situation, he would take desperate measures.

"The situation has changed."

Kazuya turned, looking in the direction of the Ninja Academy. Naruto's entry into school was a clear sign that the story was following its original course. According to the course of history, in about two years, the bloody night of extermination would arrive.

Even though his arrival might have disrupted the original course, who knew if the night of extermination would be postponed? Anticipated or simply distorted and disappeared?

He knew that his knowledge of the future of this world would soon become obsolete. After all, his intrusion into this world could change everything, including the resurrection of that Rabbit Goddess. It was impossible to know if Kaguya would be reborn earlier in the story, and if that happened, he would be powerless to do anything.

Of course, Kazuya avoided dwelling on these things because he knew it could make him paranoid, causing him to lose focus on what was really important at the moment.

Everything he knew was that under Fugaku's leadership, not only he but everyone in the Uchiha clan was headed for a dark future. If this was not resolved properly, even if the night of extermination did not happen, the Uchiha clan would still fall into an abyss from which they could not recover.

And because of this, Kazuya's sense of urgency became stronger than ever.

"You must already know that it's not just the village leaders led by the Third Hokage who wish for the destruction of the Uchiha clan, but there are also hidden enemies who want our clan to vanish from existence."

"We don't have any more time to prepare properly. When Fugaku declares his support for the radical faction and gains the majority of followers... it won't be something we can easily shake or topple. The coup planning will proceed irreversibly, so we have to act before that and show results."

Kazuya's words rang like thunder in Shisui's ears.

His words seemed to carry an unwavering determination to change the entire Uchiha clan.

Due to the shock, Shisui remained silent for a few minutes before finally recovering and asking, "If, I say if, if you really replace clan leader Fugaku, what do you plan to do? I mean, what do you plan for the future of the Uchiha clan?"

"Your question... where should I begin? Very well...

In the current state our clan is in, it's impossible to seek peace through peaceful conversation, and you must have realized that. The reason for that is because we are not strong enough. Have you ever thought that if we had the strength of our ancestor, Uchiha Madara, with just a single suggestion, all the village superiors would listen to us? And even if they hated us, they would still listen attentively to our words.

I'm saying this because if we don't show the Third Hokage and his entourage that the Uchiha clan is not something they can provoke and that we have the strength to fight them to the end, they will never stop oppressing us."

"But, Kazuya, if you do that, then you'll be completely separating the Uchiha clan from Konoha."

Shisui knew Kazuya had more to say, so he remained calm and expressed his doubt.

"I'm aware of that."

Kazuya didn't deny that by doing this, the Uchiha clan would likely be separated from Konoha, but he also knew that it had reached a point of no return, at least as long as the Third Hokage and his entourage were alive.

"Shisui, I ask that you carefully consider the next words I'm going to say...

Even if we don't show our strength to the village superiors, do you really think the Third Hokage and the others will genuinely accept the Uchiha? Don't forget, all of them were disciples or received teachings from the Second Hokage. They view our clan with caution and also as a threat to be eliminated.

I really don't see our clan being able to peacefully coexist with these elders."

"But..."

Before Shisui could express his thoughts, Kazuya interrupted him, saying, "Once the Fifth Hokage takes office, it will be the opportunity for the Uchiha's rebirth."

"Fifth Hokage?"

Shisui struggled to follow Kazuya's reasoning; everything Kazuya said seemed to make sense and not make sense at the same time.

"Do you want to fight for the position of Fifth Hokage?"

Kazuya shook his head in response to Shisui's question. "The Third Hokage, Danzō, and the two elders... These old men have a fixed view of our clan. The only way to change that attitude is if you, Shisui, use the Kotoamatsukami to alter their thoughts, but I doubt you have the ocular power to change the will of so many people. After all, it's not just those four who want to see our clan disappear. Besides, you probably wouldn't want to do that."

Shrugging at Shisui, Kazuya continued, "We can't rely on the Third Hokage, so our only option is to focus on the Fifth Hokage. In my view, the only ones qualified to be the Fifth Hokage are one of the Three Sannin."

"But they are disciples of the Third Hokage, and Orochimaru is considered a village traitor, even if it's not spoken of publicly, it's still common knowledge among the village superiors."

"Indeed, you are correct; they are disciples of the Third Hokage. But as far as I know, these three have different ideas from those of the older generation. At least they are not as hostile to our clan.

And as for Orochimaru, maybe he's the only one who is interested in our clan, but that's just interest; we have no apparent enmity."

Of course, Kazuya omitted the fact that Orochimaru had worked with Danzō. After all, he felt that Orochimaru was the right person to be the Fifth Hokage because Orochimaru was someone driven by self-interest, and Kazuya knew exactly how to pique Orochimaru's interest. Moreover, Kazuya knew that with a little pressure, he could make Shisui use the Kotoamatsukami on Orochimaru, thus gaining complete control over one of the Three Sannin.

And once they had control over Orochimaru, bringing Jiraiya and Tsunade back to the village would only be a matter of time. With Orochimaru under control and becoming the Fifth Hokage, life for the Uchiha clan would become much easier. They could also use Jiraiya's friendship with Orochimaru to their advantage in dealing with Danzō.

Obviously, Kazuya couldn't openly state this to Shisui because Shisui wasn't fully on his side yet. Therefore, Kazuya said, "Of course, we can't place all our hopes on the Fifth Hokage alone. Our Uchiha clan also needs to adapt to the changing times."

"For this reason, I need your help...

Shisui, for the sake of our clan's survival, I hope you stand by my side."

Kazuya issued his invitation with authority and directness.

"Kazuya... I, I can't give you an answer right now; I need to see for myself everything that is happening in the clan."

Shisui didn't immediately accept Kazuya's invitation to join him. As appealing as Kazuya's words were, a one-sided story always leaves doubts. He still needed to understand more about the clan's situation before making a decision. After all, once he accepted Kazuya's invitation, he knew there would be no turning back.

"Alright, just don't keep me waiting too long. After all, the clan's situation isn't good, and I feel it could deteriorate even further soon."

Kazuya wasn't disappointed by Shisui's response. He had known him for a long time and was familiar with his temperament, so he didn't expect to convince him so easily.

Planting a seed in Shisui's heart was enough for now.

All he needed to do was water that seed from time to time and, of course, take care of it so that it naturally sprouted, blossomed, and bore fruit.

"In that case, let's change the subject. After all, we need to relax a bit. Do you have anything to do today?" Quickly changing his expression, Kazuya asked with a smile.

"No, I just completed my mission. ANBU gave me two days off, and I haven't decided what to do yet." Shisui welcomed the change of subject willingly. The pressure on him was already enough, and proper rest was needed. Even Hashirama wouldn't be able to withstand so much pressure.

"That's great. Come to my place! Let's train together. I'm going on a mission soon, and I feel like my skills are getting rusty."

"Don't think you can fool me like last time."

Shisui scoffed at the idea.

He would never believe the nonsense about 'skills getting rusty' again. Kazuya was a cunning and scheming individual; he remembered how, on the battlefield, Kazuya claimed that his ninja tools had run out, but then he pulled out a medium-sized sword from who knows where, promptly dispatching an approaching Mist ninja. He also remembered seeing a wounded Kazuya fighting against two Mist ninjas, only to witness him kill them minutes later as if he had never been injured.

There were countless examples like these, but fortunately, Kazuya never had ill intentions towards his own comrades. All these little tricks were used against enemies.

Fighting alongside Kazuya, Shisui felt an indescribable sense of security.

Perhaps that was the reason why Kazuya, unlike himself, got along well with everyone. While he had few close friends he could consider as such.

...

Unlike his peers, Kazuya wasn't eager to leave his home and live alone. So far, he still lived with his parents and relatives. After all, he wasn't really a fifteen-year-old teenager. Compared to others of the same age who longed for independence, he preferred to have dinner with his lively family.

"Uncle and aunt aren't home?"

Upon entering, Shisui looked around.

"At this time, they're probably still at work, and we'll likely only see them in the evening." Kazuya's parents weren't ninjas. His father was said to be born weak and unfit for a ninja's career. For this reason, his father decided to pursue a career as a small businessman selling ninja weapons to the ninjas of Konoha.

It was a shame that in recent months, his father's small business had declined due to the war ending, and ninjas no longer needing as many ninja tools.

As for Kazuya's mother, she helped her husband as the vice-president of the company, which surprised Kazuya, as he didn't expect his mother to have a talent for business.

"Has Uncle Takano landed any contracts recently?"

"The contract he made with two teams last month didn't yield a good return... apparently, some of the ninja weapons my dad sent them got diverted along the way, so he's concerned. He didn't even take Ayame to school today. I believe it's not a big problem, and it'll pass soon. After all, this isn't the first time it's happened, and with Mom around, there are no issues."

Uchiha Takano is the name of Kazuya's father.

Shisui blinked and decided to ignore the second half of the comment, asking instead, "Is Elder Yoshiaki not at home?"

Kazuya's family consists of five people: his father, mother, sister, and a grandfather who is an elder of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Yoshiaki.

Compared to Shisui, who lives alone, this is definitely a big family.

"If I'm not mistaken, he went to play chess with Elder Takeshi. They're old chess buddies. But the real reason, I think, is because of Ayame entering ninja school. He's been a bit upset lately, always thinking that the Uchiha shouldn't need to go to ninja school and should stay home studying..."

Kazuya talked as he prepared tea and snacks for Shisui.

"Weren't we here to train?"

Shisui looked at the tea and snacks in front of him, scratching his head, half laughing, half sighing.

"We don't need to rush. We can have some tea before we go. After all, you have nothing to do, and neither do I. There's no need to hurry."

Kazuya also picked up his tea and sat on the sofa.

Due to his father's taste, although it looks like a traditional Japanese residence on the outside, the interior decoration is Western. Only Elder Yoshiaki's room maintains the tatami style. Kazuya is fine with this; he prefers the soft sofa where he can sink in rather than kneeling on the tatami.

"Kazuya, you, your..."

Shisui smiled, not knowing what to say.

Shaking his head, he decided to stop resisting and settled comfortably on the sofa.

"Taking a little rest doesn't sound so bad..."

...

"Dong dong dong!!!"

The loud sound of footsteps awakened Shisui, who instinctively reached for his waist. Fortunately, in the next moment, he realized his surroundings and remembered that the mission was already over. He was... at Kazuya's house?

His brain, which had stopped working, sprang back to life, recalling everything that had happened earlier.

He met Kazuya on the way, had a conversation on the rooftop of the building with him, and then came to Kazuya's house so they could 'train'... But now it seemed like he had just fallen asleep on the sofa.

The yellowish sunlight from the setting sun streamed in through the window, a bit dazzling.

Time had flown by, and it was already evening.

Unconsciously, he had slept the day away.

"Ayame, I've told you not to run on the stairs! Look at the noise you made; you woke up poor Shisui." Kazuya, with his legs crossed, sitting in a chair beside him, a hardcover book open in his lap, talked to the girl next to him.

"Mom, big brother is bullying me!"

The energetic girl complained loudly.

Kazuya didn't have to wait long, and soon he heard his mother's voice coming from the kitchen.

"Kazuya, don't bother your sister!" Uchiha Akemi shouted.

Cringing his neck, Kazuya decided not to argue with his mother. He knew that every time he argued with her, he always ended up losing. For this reason, he turned to his sister angrily, "Tattletale..." He muttered under his breath.

"Hmph! Coward!"

Ayame, proudly raising her chin, called her companion, "Naruto, I'll show you my pet. Let's not play with this boring guy anymore." The two little ones soon ran off like the wind, leaving behind a wide-eyed Shisui, as if he had seen a ghost, staring at Kazuya.

Shisui pinched his own thigh.

The intense pain made him take a deep breath. This was reality, not a dream, nor an illusion.

"Kazuya, that... that boy playing with Ayame... how could he be here?"

"Oh?! That's Ayame's new friend from the ninja school."

"But, but... you know, he's..."

"He?"

"Kazuya, don't play dumb, he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. You know it's risky to get involved with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, don't you? You're playing with fire." Shisui was frustrated. The Nine-Tails incident was caused by an unknown Uchiha manipulating the Nine-Tails, and now they brought the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki into the Uchiha clan's territory.

This was simply... Shisui didn't even know how to express it in words, it was as if they were dancing on the edge of thousands of knives.

He could imagine that the village would surely use this as an excuse to blame the Uchiha clan. He could already see Danzo gathering with the Hokage to accuse the Uchiha of attempting a coup using the Nine-Tails.

"Shisui, do you really think it was me who instructed Ayame to bring the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki back to the clan?"

Shisui frowned, not saying a word.

But his attitude was clear, you, a manipulative fellow, who knows what you're plotting.

Feeling Shisui's skeptical gaze, Kazuya gave a smile and decided to say a few words, "Don't accuse people unfairly, okay?" Tapping his nose, Kazuya continued, "If I were to do something like that, I wouldn't involve my little sister, believe it or not. Who Ayame plays with is her business, don't be all conspiracy theories all the time."

Kazuya's response brought a bitter smile to Shisui's face.

Who was it that had said on the rooftop that he wanted to replace clan leader Fugaku? Of course, Shisui hadn't said that and only replied, "So you guarantee that you don't plan to use the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki for something?"

Kazuya blinked and lowered his head to look at the hardcover book in his lap.

To tell the truth, Kazuya hadn't expected Ayame to bring Naruto back to the Uchiha clan. Even he was shocked when he saw the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki following Ayame like a shadow.

At that moment, he thought that the Third Hokage was up to something again. After all, the number of ANBU tailing Naruto was so large that it could be counted as an 'army.' For Ayame to manage to bring the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki back to Uchiha territory under the gaze of dozens of ANBU... if that didn't have the prior approval of the Third Hokage, who would believe it was possible?

At first, he was already thinking about how to deal with the attacks that would come from the Third Hokage.

But after some thought, looking at Naruto, who was even shorter than Ayame, he saw it as an opportunity. If the Third really used Naruto as an excuse to cause trouble... it could be a chance to see clan leader Fugaku's attitude and also help clear Shisui's mind, which was filled with the 'Will of Fire.'

In other words, he was really thinking about using little Naruto.