Chapter 121 – "Are You Questioning Lord Danzo's Character?"
"So… we're bringing another one in?"
Shizune stared at Uchiha Hikari, who stood nearby with a frosty expression. She still hadn't figured out how Tsunade and Haruta went out one night and came back with another person.
And it was an Uchiha, no less?
"But… shouldn't she return to her own clan?"
Yugao looked curious, though there were questions she knew better than to ask—like why she's here, or how they met her.
As an ANBU, she'd learned when to shut up.
"She was abandoned by her clan. But as members of Konoha, we can't leave her out in the cold."
Haruta gave Yugao a gentle smile, sneaking a glance at Tsunade.
Tsunade could only sigh and nod in agreement.
"Yes. That's the gist of it. Don't spread this around. Don't ask more. Let's leave it at that."
Truth be told, she didn't want to cover for Haruta. But things had already gone too far.
What could she say? That this Uchiha girl was a 100-year-old sealed ancient relic?
Even if someone believed it, she wouldn't believe it herself.
And if someone did believe it—goodbye, peace and hello chaos.
Even if the Uzumaki were gone, Konoha still retained all their sealing techniques.
Immortality… was a dream everyone craved. And Tsunade wasn't about to gamble on that.
Especially not with Haruta constantly weaponizing her grandfather's name against her.
Uchiha Hikari gave Haruta and Tsunade a glance but remained silent. She needed time to adjust to the ridiculous events unfolding around her.
"We're almost at Konoha. Just use Flying Thunder God to get us in."
Tsunade spoke up suddenly.
"I don't want to deal with the folks at the gates. If the Barrier Team senses something, just tell them it's my order."
"Got it."
Haruta nodded. Doing things under Tsunade's name made life way easier.
If it were just him, things would get complicated. But with Flying Thunder God, the barrier team probably wouldn't even notice their arrival.
"Also, you seem very pessimistic about the Uchiha situation."
Tsunade clearly wasn't ready to let Haruta off the hook.
She'd been thinking about these issues for days.
Yugao, Shizune—even Karin—weren't people she worried about spilling secrets.
"So let's hear it. I doubt you'd spout nonsense."
"…The Uchiha, huh."
Haruta looked at Hikari. She was watching him too, clearly curious.
"If nothing changes, I'd say they're on a path to self-destruction.
You already know what's happening in the village. With how they're wired… they're not going to let things go."
"You're saying… they'll go too far?"
Tsunade's voice dropped. Even for the Uchiha… that seemed extreme.
Haruta's words made both Yugao and Shizune look alarmed. Even Hikari raised an eyebrow—but quickly hid her expression.
She wouldn't lie—she wanted her clan to fall.
"…Hard to say."
Haruta rubbed his chin before continuing.
"We all know they're scheming something. Their actions are so blatant, there's no way Konoha's higher-ups haven't noticed.
The reason they haven't responded yet… is probably because the Third Hokage still holds out hope. Even if Danzo has already crushed that hope."
"But who knows? Maybe we'll see another 'Uchiha Kagami'—someone even more extreme."
"Tch. That's easy to say."
Tsunade scoffed.
"I think the old man just doesn't want to be the one blamed. If he strikes first, everyone else starts looking over their shoulders.
'If they took down the Uchiha, who's next?'
And after what happened with the Hyūga…"
The Hyūga incident had shaken the village. Sure, they played nice now—but they were known for holding grudges.
Haruta still remembered the day of the Chūnin Exams from the anime. Hiashi Hyūga had been sitting calmly in the stands.
The moment Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to die? Hiashi vanished—and reappeared outside the arena, delivering devastating blows to the invading Suna and Oto shinobi.
As for the Uchiha…
Haruta admitted, the Third's final decision was pretty clever.
Let them implode on their own.
And sure enough, just as the Uchiha were close to launching a rebellion, one man appeared—and wiped them all out.
It was hard not to think something fishy was going on. Like… maybe Konoha had a hand in it?
Add to that the Third Hokage's indulgence of Danzo—who forcibly recruited talent from every clan—and it wasn't hard to imagine the villagers getting fed up.
One Chūnin Exam later… and the entire structure of Konoha began to shift.
"Maybe. Who knows?"
Haruta shook his head with a sigh.
"But regardless of whether we let things unfold, or strike first…
This clan, if it continues down this path, doesn't have much time left.
And Sensei, you know the Uchiha better than I do.
Whether we act or not… the end might already be written."
Tsunade fell silent.
What Haruta said… was disturbingly close to her worst fears.
Yugao and Shizune looked equally shaken. Hearing this "giant spoiler" all at once left them dazed.
Had the mighty Uchiha really fallen this far without anyone noticing?
Only Hikari's expression gleamed faintly.
This… might not be bad news at all.
---
"Enough. Let's not overthink it. This is all just speculation."
After a long pause, Tsunade finally sighed.
"Let's keep it to ourselves. I don't want this spreading.
None of it… will do us any good."
---
Far outside Konoha, atop a cliff overlooking the village—
Black Zetsu stood beside Obito, who stared silently at the distant Hidden Leaf.
He couldn't help but ask, "Obito, what do you think that boy will choose in the end?"
Obito had gone to meet Uchiha Itachi alone. Zetsu hadn't followed—for one reason:
Haruta.
Ever since witnessing Haruta's "Yang Release: Chakra Mode," Zetsu had a terrifying suspicion…
That Haruta was the reincarnation of Asura.
He didn't have proof yet, but that didn't matter.
From now on, he would treat Haruta as if he were.
No contact. No provocation. No mistakes.
He wasn't Obito. He knew how dangerous these "reincarnations" could be.
And he wasn't going to take that risk.
"I'm still not sure how he'll choose, but I saw something different in his eyes."
Obito didn't care much for Black Zetsu's 'cowardice'. Right now, his mind was filled with thoughts of Uchiha Itachi.
"That kid… he seems to have a unique attachment to Konoha. Honestly, it's not hard to guess what kind of choice he'll make.
To tell you the truth, I never imagined that the son of the Uchiha clan head would turn out like this."
"What, seeing a bit of your past self in him?"
Black Zetsu teased casually, but Obito actually nodded.
"That's right. He does remind me of my old self. But we're not the same—he had way more resources than I ever did.
And yet... maybe it was because things came too easy to him. Because his status was too high. That's why he never truly cared about his clan.
But maybe that's for the best. If he takes the first step, the rest might come more easily.
Right now, he loves the village. But later—once he realizes that both the village and this entire world are the root of chaos...
I think... he'll make the right choice."
"Maybe."
Black Zetsu gave Obito a glance and nodded as well.
Obito really had loved Konoha once, even dreamed of becoming Hokage. But then he met Uchiha Madara.
And through a girl who also loved the village—Nohara Rin—he was dealt the slap that shattered that dream.
As for Itachi… Black Zetsu really couldn't figure him out. In all his millennia, he'd never seen someone so absurd.
Aside from sighing over how the Uchiha clan's upbringing got worse with every generation, he had only one thought:
This might just be the craziest Uchiha he'd ever seen. He actually wanted to wipe out his own clan?
And for the sake of Konoha?
Even Madara wasn't that insane. He only abandoned the clan after they betrayed him.
And he didn't even slaughter them!
Shaking his head, Black Zetsu lost interest in thinking about this lunatic.
He just couldn't empathize. In fact, he felt a little contempt.
After all, he still had to save his mother.
"So what's your plan if Uchiha Itachi really comes to you?
You know Konoha isn't so easy to deal with anymore—especially with Haruta there. One wrong move and you could get swallowed up too."
If not for Haruta, Black Zetsu figured sending the Uchiha to the afterlife wouldn't be too hard.
But now that guy existed, anything they tried to do was bound to get more complicated.
Unless Konoha gave them the green light and the powerful members of the Uchiha clan just rolled over and waited to die—this wasn't going to be easy.
After all, why would Konoha want to see the Uchiha clan's strength wiped out? Why would those elite Uchiha just sit back and do nothing?
"Let's contact the Akatsuki. Haruta Shigaru's not easy to handle."
Obito quickly came up with a plan.
"I don't know the exact situation in Konoha, but if Itachi's determined to act, we'll back him all the way.
Even after slaughtering the Uchiha clan, he won't find peace. Later, I can slowly guide him—to truly embrace our plan.
After all, someone with so much blood on their hands… it's hard to believe he can keep relying on just his ideals.
Does he think chanting 'For Konoha' will bring him peace?
No. He'll live under the weight of sin, desperate to escape it. And the creation of a new world—that might be the only way he finds solace.
At that point, he'll be an even better tool."
"Worth a shot."
Black Zetsu gave a nod after some thought. As for whether Itachi would really make a good tool, he wasn't so sure.
And even if Konoha gave the green light, he didn't think the Uchiha would give up without a fight.
Either way, everything had to be carefully observed, and more importantly—planned.
...
"Nagato. What's that guy's plan now?"
Rain poured endlessly from the skies. Inside a tall tower in the Land of Rain, Konan held a scroll as she approached the meditating Nagato.
Ever since returning from the Land of Water, they'd been keeping a low profile.
That mission had shaken them deeply—especially their encounter with Shigaru, which left them with much to consider.
There was too much they needed to reflect on. And it was time to reevaluate their goals.
Most of all—their stance toward Shigaru.
Before they knew it, they had gone from trying to recruit him to wondering how they could cooperate with him.
After all, Shigaru was too dominant. And his vision... seemed far broader than theirs.
"That fraud again? Who's he trying to mess with now?"
Nagato opened his eyes. His Rinnegan emitted an invisible pressure.
He didn't call Obito out directly—but behind his back, he'd started referring to him as "the fraud."
"Konoha."
Konan was brief and to the point, a hint of disdain on her face.
"That guy still hasn't given up. Who knows what he's planning. But I think… this might be a good opportunity."
"An opportunity?"
Nagato looked at Konan, immediately grasping what she meant.
"Haruta Shigaru… yeah, maybe. But I still can't figure out his goal. He spared us, but continues hounding the Akatsuki relentlessly.
And now, Uchiha Obito is wanted by the four great shinobi nations.
If we don't figure out what Shigaru is after, I'm afraid we're just pawns in his game. That guy's too deep. I can't help feeling uneasy."
If he were alone, maybe he could ignore all that and just act.
But with Konan around, he couldn't afford to be reckless. He had more things to protect now.
He would never let the past repeat itself—never let Konan be hurt again.
"If you really want to know… then maybe it's best to just ask him directly."
Konan was calm. She looked at Nagato, her expression growing serious.
"Maybe there's something I can do."
"You?"
Nagato was surprised. Konan lifted her head and looked out the window. After a moment, she smiled.
"I'm thinking of making an official visit to Konoha on behalf of the Land of Rain. Our relations have been tense for a while now.
Jiraiya-sensei is in the Land of Whirlpools—if I go personally, there shouldn't be any issues.
Maybe I can smooth out a few things. More importantly, I can meet with Haruta Shuzawa in person.
Some things… are better asked face-to-face. And some truths… are more sincere when delivered face-to-face."
At this point, she paused and turned to Nagato, whose face had darkened. She gently shook her head.
"Don't try to stop me, Nagato. I've already made up my mind.
I'm not a child. And I don't want to spend my life under your protection.
We're friends. Comrades. I want to fight for our dream too.
Don't you agree, Nagato?"
---
"Sigh. I'm so bored."
Back in Konoha, inside the Senju clan's ancestral estate, Haruta stretched lazily.
He was wondering: Have I been slacking off too much lately?
After returning to the village, he hadn't resumed work—not because he refused, but because the Third Hokage insisted he take more time off to "recover."
It was meant kindly. Sarutobi Hiruzen had spoken to him privately and even hinted at Shisui's situation.
Though subtle, Haruta understood.
So he decided to just continue his vacation.
But while he was off-duty, Yuugao wasn't. She still had to report in. As for Tsunade, after hearing what Shigaru said, she'd started digging into more intel.
With Sarutobi on the brink of collapse (twice), she had her hands full.
Today, she had gone to the Hokage's office to do more research, and naturally, Haruta tagged along.
Even Karin, the household's little background character, had gone off to class.
Which left Haruta all alone at home.
"Well... not quite alone."
Turning his head, he saw Uchiha Hikari emerge, face as cold as ever.
The Senju estate was huge, with plenty of rooms and open spaces.
It allowed for free movement indoors—as long as she didn't leave, there were no problems. And Hikari clearly had no intention of going outside.
"How's it feel, staying here? Getting used to it?"
Haruta sat up, still lazy, but a little more attentive.
"No complaints. At least it's better than a prison."
Hikari's tone was icy, her face unreadable.
"Though the situation's not much different. The only change is that the cage is now my body."
"..."
Haruta tilted his head, a little helpless.
"Sorry, Hikari. But we had to take precautions. Who knows if you'd lose it? The Uchiha are infamous for mental instability—you'd know best."
"..."
Hikari gave him a side-eye, not even bothering to respond.
Even this name—"Hikari"—she hadn't actually accepted it out loud.
Though deep down... she had.
"Say, Hikari... what was your era like? Mind telling me a bit?"
Haruta smiled, trying to start a conversation. But Hikari wasn't interested.
"That's a painful memory. You like picking at people's scars? What if I kept dragging up your traumas?"
"I'd probably be fine. Kinda used to it."
Haruta sipped his tea and casually said something that made Hikari freeze.
As a long-suffering AC Milan fan, just mentioning "comebacks" or "celebrating at halftime" was enough to torment him.
He still didn't get why people were so obsessed with "3-goal comeback" or "halftime champagne." As if that Istanbul night would haunt him forever.
"Forget it. If you don't want to talk, I won't force you. But I hope you understand... it's a different era now. A lot has changed. I know you've suffered, and I'm sorry for that. But hey—at least you outlived all those bastards, right?"
"..."
Is that supposed to be a good thing?
Hikari glared at him. She'd have preferred to kill them all herself—or burn the entire shinobi world to the ground!
After all, this world... was the source of her tragedy.
"You thinking... this world's the root of it all?"
Just as that thought surfaced in her mind, Haruta suddenly spoke.
Can you read minds too!?
Hikari stared at him oddly. She was sure she hadn't said a word...
"Come to think of it, it's true. War has bred tragedy for generation after generation."
Haruta sat up and began downing some serious "poisoned chicken soup."
"But where exactly is the root of it all? It's like no one's ever tried to seriously think about that. And those who genuinely want to change the world… well, there's almost none of them. That's why I say the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, was truly great. He broke the cycle of hatred and let go of everything to create a new system.
Sure, the system's flawed—plenty of problems in there. But at the very least, it was an attempt to change the world. Isn't that something?"
"What does that have to do with me?"
Uchiha Hikari raised a brow and gave a cold hum.
"I've always wondered… since you've experienced the same thing I did, what choice did you make?
Don't tell me you chose to forgive. That would be utterly disgusting."
"Who told you I forgave anyone?"
Haruta raised his brows slightly, a faint smile playing at his lips.
"I've never been the forgiving type. Any grudge I hold, I keep it close. There are some things I'll never just let slide.
But I'm not as dumb as you, blurting everything out and saying whatever reckless crap you want.
Honestly, you should be thanking me. If not for me, Lady Tsunade would've killed you by now.
This world is messed up—but the ones who made it this way have always been the few who hold real power.
Tsunade inherited the First Hokage's will. She doesn't raise her hand against ordinary people.
Can you imagine? A shinobi as powerful as her once got chased down by civilians just because of her debts.
When you said what you did, she was seriously ready to kill."
Tsunade had been talked down in the end, but Haruta had clearly sensed her killing intent earlier. That's why he kept dragging Hashirama into the conversation.
If it had come to a fight, Hikari—who'd only just awakened and had no real power—wouldn't have even had the strength to resist. Hell, she was still sealed by Haruta.
Typical Uchiha: once they snap, they say and do whatever the hell they want.
"Hmph. Maybe for someone like me… dying would've been better."
Hikari went silent for a long moment before shaking her head and speaking in a quiet, detached voice.
"After all, I don't belong in this era. I can't find any meaning for my existence in this world."
"Idiot."
Haruta rolled his eyes and straightened his back, continuing to serve up that scalding hot "poisoned chicken soup."
"Being alive is the meaning. And didn't you already say what your meaning was?
You said this world is the root of your suffering—so why don't you try to understand it?
Why not investigate who or what shaped your tragic fate? Is it that you can't, or that you won't?
Or… are you just running your mouth?"
"The root… of suffering…"
Hikari blinked, murmuring under her breath. Haruta seized the moment and pressed on.
"I already said it—there might be a deep connection between the Uchiha and the Senju. Hell, their falling out could've been all about succession.
But that's something we need to dig into. I've also been thinking…
The Sage of Six Paths couldn't have left no successor. So, could something have gone wrong?
Maybe someone tampered with the process? Maybe someone refused to accept it? Isn't that something worth investigating?"
Haruta paused slightly, looking at the frowning Hikari. A smile crept onto his face again.
"I never lived in your era, but I told you—I understand you.
In this time, at least since Lady Tsunade, there's no more hatred between the Senju and Uchiha.
So why not let us help you? I've got Uchiha friends too. We could be friends too, couldn't we?"
"Help me… Friends, huh…"
Hikari repeated his words in a whisper, clearly deep in thought.
Haruta didn't press any further. Silently, he gave himself a thumbs-up.
Getting this girl to shift her focus from "destroy the world" to "uncover the roots of her suffering"—now that was a solid move.
Whether it'd work long-term? That depended on how much more he could push. Worst case, he'd just redirect her anger and make one of the other Kage suffer.
After all, "changing the world" could also count as "destroying the current world order," couldn't it?
Shaking his head, Haruta turned his attention to his system interface.
[Hidden Mission Complete: Unveil the Secrets of the Senju and Uchiha (1)]
[Completion Rating: S]
[Freedom Points Earned: 10]
This reward had popped up the last time he exposed the Senju-Uchiha connection.
He hadn't used the points yet—he was too pumped!
There were so many secrets to dig up about the Senju and Uchiha—and those would lead to Black Zetsu, and even the Ōtsutsuki!
Go even deeper, and not even the Hyuga would escape unscathed.
Haruta already saw golden eggs being laid one by one—he just had to wait for the right time to start harvesting.
He'd never say no to more Free Points. In fact, he needed to start preparing to unlock [Storm Release].
With [Bloodline Network Fusion], he was only one short of the full elemental set—he just needed [Storm Release].
Unfortunately, he had no way to clash with the Hidden Cloud right now.
As for his next stat upgrade, he already had a plan.
"Next up—chakra. The more chakra I've got, the more I can freely swing my bootleg [Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion]!"
Then there was that one-time-use [Shinobi Scientist] perk. He was still debating whether to use it to unlock the Flying Thunder God Technique… or save it for later.
(T/N: Wait didn't he already use it? And already can use Flying thunder god!?)
Flying Thunder God's space-time properties were something Haruta really liked. But once he merged [Bloodline Network], he might naturally awaken a spatial ability anyway.
Maybe even something weirder than space-time techniques. If that happened, wouldn't the [Shinobi Scientist] perk be wasted?
He rarely got trait rewards. Up till now, only the Third Hokage's generation of master-disciple pairs and that unseen weirdo Black Zetsu had dropped golden loot.
But when they did drop… that was real "Golden Flash" level treasure.
"Better to wait and see—save it for a special case."
He fought down the urge and held back.
"Wait a second…"
Right then, Hikari looked up from the side, her expression puzzled as she stared at him.
"You said you have an Uchiha friend. Then why'd you just sit and watch the Uchiha clan burn to ash?"
"…"
"So your 'friend' was just for show?"
"…"
"Or were you just lying to me?"
"…"
—
"Wow, what an honor. You finally have time to visit us, Haruta."
In the depths of the ANBU's secret base, Yakushi Kabuto chuckled as he greeted Haruta.
From a nearby room, Yakushi Nonō also stepped out, smiling warmly upon seeing him.
"Director. It's been a long time."
Haruta gave a respectful bow. He still held deep respect for the woman who raised him as a child. Then he shrugged and replied.
"'Rare'? Come on, I've just been busy with Konoha stuff lately. It's not like I've got tons of free time."
He played it off, but inside, he was screaming.
Uchiha. Totally insane.
He still had no idea where Hikari got that "fake friend" theory, but that rapid-fire interrogation almost broke him.
And to be fair… he was kind of lying.
Luckily, Haruta recovered fast. He just gave her a deep and mysterious look and implied, "You'll know when the time comes," and left it at that.
As for that so-called Uchiha friend—she could just go ask Yugao herself.
Everyone knew about Shisui. Officially, he was already dead…
After chatting a bit with Nonō and Kabuto, Haruta finally spoke.
"Director, I'm here to take Kabuto out for a while. We need to talk."
"Oh?"
Kabuto blinked, confused. Normally, they could've used Haruta's secret technique to communicate.
"Well…"
Nonō looked troubled, clearly hesitant.
"Won't it cause trouble if he goes out with you? The Hokage said we should stay here. It's nice, everything we need is provided…"
"I just need Kabuto's help with something. Besides, he'll be wearing a mask—shouldn't be a problem."
Haruta smiled casually. Keeping them hidden was to protect them and to keep them from learning too much of the "dark" side.
But they all knew—this had Haruta's fingerprints all over it.
"I've already had Lady Tsunade inform the Hokage. It should be fine."
"…I see."
After a pause, Nonō nodded, though not before throwing Kabuto a meaningful glance to stay out of trouble.
Kabuto nodded. Soon, the two of them left.
Tsunade must've smoothed things over, because ANBU didn't stop them. Some even reminded them to keep a low profile.
Soon after, they were in a forest just outside the village.
"So? What's the reason you dragged me out here?"
Kabuto, now masked, turned to Haruta with a grin.
"Of course I've got a reason. Remember what I told you before?"
Haruta nodded, then suddenly threw a question back—catching Kabuto off guard.
"You mean… you're about to make your move?"
"Not yet. But it's getting close. Heard anything useful while you've been in ANBU?"
Haruta shrugged. It wasn't time to act against Danzo yet. He'd hyped that guy up so much—it'd be a waste not to squeeze more from it.
Gotta monetize the traffic. His "Konoha civil servant" identity was still useful.
"Information?"
Kabuto didn't understand his angle, but he trusted Haruta.
After thinking a moment, he asked curiously.
"Is it about that envoy from the Land of Rain? You think Danzo has ties to them?"
"They're very connected… Wait, what?"
Haruta froze.
An envoy from the Land of Rain?
Didn't Hanzo already die? Why would there still be an envoy coming to Konoha?
His expression turned strange.
Could it be… someone from the Akatsuki?
"It seems I'll need to get in touch with Kakuzu. I can't believe I wasn't informed of this ahead of time."
Haruta narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. Still, he figured Kakuzu might genuinely not have known—it was likely Pain and the others who orchestrated it.
"That's not the point. Have you heard rumors about the Uchiha incident?"
"The Uchiha… huh."
Kabuto furrowed his brows, lowering his voice.
"I've heard a little. It's taboo in the Anbu, so details are scarce. Was this something Danzo was behind?"
"To be exact, it was an order I accepted from Danzo himself."
Haruta gave Kabuto a pat on the shoulder. Seeing the shock on Kabuto's face, he added calmly:
"The one we targeted… was Uchiha Shisui. Now do you understand the gravity of the situation?"
Kabuto, as an experienced spy, hadn't been privy to much about the Uchiha, but even within Anbu, whispers made their way around. He knew the clan was in deep turmoil. Now, hearing that Haruta had personally taken out Shisui, his expression changed completely.
"No wonder no one dared to investigate. That's the final bridge between the Uchiha and Konoha—Danzo's lost his mind!
And you—wasn't Shisui your teammate? How could you do that to him?"
"Being able to do it is one thing, but…"
Haruta suddenly grabbed Kabuto by the collar, and in the blink of an eye, space warped.
A nauseating dizziness struck Kabuto as the world shifted. When he regained his senses, they were standing in a dimly lit underground chamber.
Sitting before them was a shadowy figure—and then Haruta's voice echoed in Kabuto's ear.
"Whether he's actually dead… is a different story."
"Haruta, you're here?"
The figure was, of course, Shisui. Sensing the chakra surge, his Sharingan had activated in an instant. But the moment he recognized the visitor, the blood-red eyes faded, and his gaze shifted toward Kabuto.
"A guest? And who might this be?"
"An old bastard I've wanted to strangle for years. Tricked me into joining Root back in the day… We were childhood friends, more or less."
As Haruta removed his mask and casually introduced Kabuto, the latter followed suit, still a little dizzy, but now also a bit embarrassed.
"Hello. I don't think this is our first meeting."
"You're… one of the spies who returned to Konoha with us last time?"
Shisui's memory was sharp—he hadn't forgotten the 'heroics' back in Iwagakure. Nor had he forgotten the two spies Haruta had brought back.
He hadn't expected, though, that this spy would have such a deep connection to Haruta.
"Shisui, the fact that I brought him here means I trust him. In fact, he might be even more eager to kill Danzo than you are."
Haruta casually plopped down and, after a moment's thought, continued:
"As for why I'm here—there are some future matters we need to discuss."
"Future matters?"
Shisui glanced at both Haruta and Kabuto, clearly confused by the implication. Still, in the end, he nodded. After everything they'd been through, he had long since come to trust Haruta's judgment.
"The Uchiha Clan is stirring more and more. No one can say for certain what it'll come to."
Haruta's tone was calm as his gaze swept between the two.
"Which is why we need to start preparing now. If things escalate further, we may be powerless to act."
"Escalate further?"
Shisui frowned. He felt Haruta might be exaggerating. He understood that someone would have to pay for how far the Uchiha had fallen—externally pressured by Danzo, internally paralyzed by Fugaku's inaction.
But Haruta's words hinted at something even worse—something catastrophic.
Could it be… the entire clan would be dragged into ruin?
"Haruta, with the Third Hokage still in power, things shouldn't get that bad, right?"
"Not that bad?"
Haruta and Kabuto exchanged a glance, and then both looked at Shisui with a hint of pity.
"After everything we've seen… you still believe that?"
Haruta let out a helpless sigh. Kabuto shook his head beside him.
"The Third may approve of your ideals, but Danzo? He's ignored the Third's orders more than once.
So Shisui—face it. You're too naive."
Haruta gave him a light slap on the shoulder. Kabuto twisted the knife further:
"I barely know you, but let me ask—are you seriously doubting Lord Danzo's character?"
Faced with their duet of sarcasm, Shisui's face froze.
"Is this… really Konoha?"
....
Meanwhile, just outside the village perimeter, Konan raised her eyes to the looming cliffs of Konoha. The Hokage Rock loomed in the distance like it watched all who approached.
She straightened her clothes slightly, then led the ninjas of the Land of Rain forward.
"Haruta Shigaru… I've come. Let's hope my sincerity earns a worthy return…"
...
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