Ryosuke felt a pang of regret at Itachi's answer.
Even when Izumi's life was at stake, Itachi couldn't firmly declare he would protect his clan first? That level of brainwashing by the so-called Will of Fire was beyond reason.
For any normal person, faced with the choice between a childhood sweetheart and a bunch of strangers with no blood ties, who would even hesitate? Only someone like Itachi—so self-righteous he thought himself a saint—could make such a choice.
The exchange left Ryosuke disappointed. He wasn't Naruto; he didn't have the tongue of a miracle talker. Shaking his head, he decided to at least leave Itachi with one last thought.
"Itachi Uchiha, let me say one more thing to you.
Without the Uchiha, would Konoha still be Konoha?
Think about it carefully. I'm leaving now."
Already worn out from training, Ryosuke had only intended to head home, wash up, and rest. Seeing Itachi, he had tried to nudge the boy away from the poisonous ideology he carried. But if Itachi remained stubborn, then on the night of the clan's massacre, Ryosuke would personally put him down.
If Itachi truly dared to repeat what had happened in the original history, then he, too, would be on Ryosuke's kill list.
Watching Ryosuke's retreating back, Itachi's expression turned cold. Of course Konoha is still Konoha without the Uchiha.
Konoha didn't belong to a single clan. It belonged to all.
'Ryosuke is arrogant, narrow-minded,' Itachi thought. 'So caught up in his family that he can't see the bigger picture. That kind of thinking will only destroy the village.'
He recalled the words of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju: "Where the leaves dance, the fire will never die. The fire's light will continue to shine upon the village and let new leaves sprout."
Itachi wanted to become such a man.
Not long after, Izumi came back, arms full of recovered kunai. Seeing only Itachi there, she asked in confusion, "Did Ryosuke-nii already leave?"
Itachi nodded. "He went home. Izumi, from now on you should stay away from Uchiha Ryosuke. He's dangerous. I don't want him corrupting you."
To Itachi, Ryosuke was even more extreme than the radicals—someone who dreamed openly of clan war against Konoha's leadership.
Izumi tilted her head, puzzled. "Why? I think Ryosuke-nii is a good person."
He had always been aloof, but lately he smiled more and treated her with warmth. Aside from some strange ideas, she didn't dislike him at all. Without Itachi, she might have truly fallen for Ryosuke. Still, he was handsome enough that he wouldn't lack for women, so she didn't worry for him.
Itachi frowned deeply. "Ryosuke is too self-centered, too obsessed with the clan. Didn't you hear what he said? 'Without the Uchiha, Konoha isn't Konoha.' That proves he wants the clan to stand above the village. That's dangerous."
But Izumi shook her head softly. For her, caring about the clan wasn't wrong. If Ryosuke hadn't cared, would he have looked after a nobody like her, scorned by the rest of the clan? Surely not. His sense of duty was why he'd protected her and her mother.
So she couldn't fault him for being "too focused on the clan."
Itachi sensed the gap widening between their values. Perhaps Ryosuke's words had already started influencing her. He leaned closer, voice low and firm.
"As shinobi, we shouldn't put our clan above everything. The village comes first. Do you understand?"
Izumi nodded automatically, though her eyes were clouded with confusion. She wasn't blind. The villagers—both civilians and shinobi—looked on the Uchiha with open hostility. Why should she prioritize them over her family? She didn't understand.
Seeing her dazed expression, Itachi sighed inwardly. Few could grasp his vision. They were all too shallow. Only Shisui truly understood him.
So he said no more. The two resumed training, though with less enthusiasm. Izumi felt a sudden distance between them, as if Itachi's mind was far away.
Itachi, meanwhile, couldn't shake Ryosuke's words. If the clan pushed any harder against the leadership, the rift might widen into war. And if that day came, he might side with the Hokage.
After all, the clan was too extreme, too selfish.
He was an Anbu now. His duty was to protect Konoha—not to be chained by the narrow bonds of family.
Still, he reassured himself: It won't come to that. The Third Hokage is merciful. He'll handle this. He won't let the situation reach the point of bloodshed.