"Yeah, I'm on leave, so I figured I'd come back and check in," Shisui said with a smile.
He looked at Yuhara warmly, unaware of the thoughts running through Yuhara's mind.
He had just returned from completing a mission and was planning to rest. Originally, he'd intended to visit Uchiha Itachi, but unfortunately, Itachi was still on duty.
Although both of them were part of the Anbu, the organization was divided into several squads, each with its own base in different locations.
Since they weren't in the same unit, it wasn't always easy to keep track of each other's whereabouts. So it wasn't unusual for visits like this to end up missing the mark.
Still, running into Yuhara was a pleasant surprise. However, Shisui quickly noticed that something seemed to be troubling him.
"What's going on? Talk to me. We're friends, right? If something's wrong, I might be able to help."
"There's a lot," Yuhara sighed lightly. "Personal trouble, clan trouble… trouble is trouble, isn't it?"
Hearing that, Shisui's cheerful expression faded. His face stiffened, and the smile slowly vanished from his lips.
"Let's not talk about things that make our heads hurt right now, alright?" he said with a wry smile, shaking his head with a sigh. "Did the clan call another meeting?"
"Pretty much. Every time it's like going to a damn marketplace—nothing but noise," Yuhara replied, then added, "But it's clear the radicals are about to gain the upper hand."
Although less than a year remained before the eventual night of the massacre, neither the hawk faction nor the dove faction had fully seized control of the clan yet.
One man played a key role in this fragile balance—Uchiha Fugaku.
Because of him, a thin line of stability still lingered in the clan. The hawks and doves remained locked in internal struggle, but neither side had won dominance.
At the same time, his lack of decisive action had prevented the Uchiha from uniting under a single voice.
Another major catalyst for the clan's eventual rebellion was Danzo.
Danzo's assault on Shisui, the dove faction's representative, and Shisui's subsequent death were what ultimately caused the doves to completely abandon hope and switch sides.
But that hadn't happened yet.
There was still time, and Yuhara intended to use it. That said, the hawk faction definitely held the advantage right now.
"It really is a huge mess," Shisui exhaled deeply. "If this keeps up, the clan is heading straight for ruin."
"It is," Yuhara said with a deeper meaning in his tone. "Especially since you and Itachi are still here. I don't believe for a second you two know nothing."
Shisui's expression shifted slightly. He quickly glanced around to make sure no one was nearby before relaxing a little.
Of course, he knew exactly what Yuhara meant. And because he knew, his expression darkened.
The things he and Itachi were involved in… were, in a way, a betrayal of the clan.
"Be careful what you say, Yuhara," Shisui said seriously, lowering his voice. "That kind of talk could get you in serious trouble. And don't forget—we joined the Anbu under orders from the clan head."
"I know it was the clan head's idea," Yuhara replied, smiling faintly. "I didn't say too much though, did I? Why so nervous?"
"You—" Shisui was left speechless by Yuhara's words, unsure how to respond.
"Come on," Yuhara sighed. "Let's not pretend. Some things are open secrets. If you want intel, you have to earn trust. And the best way to do that is by offering intel in return, right?"
Shisui closed his eyes briefly. He knew full well what Yuhara was implying—that he and Itachi were double agents. And the worst part?
He wasn't wrong.
Even a double agent had to choose a side eventually. As for which side they leaned toward—only they themselves knew.
"But since you brought up the clan head, let me ask you something."
Yuhara's smile sharpened as he leaned in and asked quietly.
"The clan head?"
Shisui opened his eyes and looked at Yuhara curiously. The conversation had jumped too fast for him to follow.
"Go ahead, ask. As long as it's about the clan head."
"Do you think the clan head has real authority?"
"He leads the clan. Of course he does."
"Then why hasn't he done anything to bring the clan under control?"
Shisui froze.
His face turned to shock, then disbelief. He never expected Yuhara—someone he'd grown up with—to ask a question like that.
To question the clan head's control over the family? That was unthinkable.
How was he even supposed to answer?
And yet… the question lingered.
Why, when the clan had fallen into such chaos, had the clan head done nothing?
Yuhara could see the stunned look in Shisui's eyes. He knew his words had struck a nerve.
Shisui wasn't stupid. He simply couldn't see the full picture. His worldview—his perspective—was limited.
But Yuhara wasn't like him.
He had lived a different life. He had studied politics in high school and philosophy in college. His understanding of power, society, and structure was something Shisui couldn't match.
That was the real advantage of being from another world—not just knowledge, but perspective.
"You know as well as I do that he has the authority to unify the clan. So look at the state we're in now. Not only is the internal situation a mess, but the clan's relationship with the village is worse than ever.
"A clan has to be united. Only with a unified voice can it act decisively.
"Think about it, Shisui. If the clan head had silenced the internal voices early on, if he'd put an end to the constant fighting…
"And if his heart leaned toward Konoha, who would've stood in his way? Would our relationship with the village really be this bad?"
With that, Yuhara finally laid his cards on the table.
He knew the clan's downfall wasn't solely Fugaku's fault. But there was no denying that he was one of the key figures responsible for its demise.
Still, this had to be done step by step.
Plant the idea now—sow the seed of doubt—and the rest would follow.
"To be honest, I've always believed there are only two people who can truly change the clan."
"Two?" Shisui looked at him, still a bit dazed, Yuhara's words echoing in his mind.
"Yes, two."
Yuhara's smile grew bright. He raised a hand and pointed to Shisui.
Then he pointed to himself.
"One is you. The other is me."