Chapter 30: Konoha's Inequality Provisions
Shisui deliberately lingered by the filing cabinet for a moment, waiting until he heard Tsunade finish adjusting her clothing behind him before returning to the office desk with the documents.
"Regarding the budget for compound reconstruction..."
"Konoha tax revenue allocation..."
...
He intentionally discussed trivial matters first, waiting for Tsunade's voice to return to normal before finally asking the question that had been circling in his mind:
"What exactly... did Yu do?"
At these words, Tsunade's fingers trembled.
Sigh, there was no hiding it anyway...
She looked toward the damaged Hokage Monument outside the window, taking a deep breath as if making a resolution, and spoke the nightmare that haunted her heart:
"That monster..."
"In front of dozens of elite ANBU, knocked the Third near death with a single punch."
"Danzo was tortured to death in various ways a full 10 times."
"All jutsu attacks against him automatically twisted and dissipated three meters away, as if swallowed by invisible barriers."
She pointed distantly at the Hokage Monument: "That monument was his handiwork—from over ten kilometers away..."
"Sliced like cutting cake."
Tsunade tilted her head back to drain the remaining tea.
"As a medical ninja, what I find most unacceptable is—"
"He can instantly torture someone to death..."
"Then immediately heal the dying back to perfect health."
Tsunade smiled bitterly: "I now suspect he was sent by heaven to punish Konoha. Such power shouldn't exist in a youth."
Shisui's Sharingan began spinning unconsciously.
This exceeded his understanding of "power"—no wonder even proud Konoha had bowed its head.
This wasn't battle.
It was a deity toying with mortals.
Using absolute power to crush Konoha's pride was more shocking than any genjutsu.
But new questions immediately arose:
If he'd possessed such power early on, why wait until after the massacre night...
He clearly remembered Yu's pale complexion after treating his eyes, and he hadn't even had the Mangekyou then.
"That night..."
"What exactly happened?"
Why did Itachi rebel, why did Yu hate Konoha so much...
A series of connected events flashed through Shisui's mind. Suddenly, his pupils contracted violently as a theory formed...
"That night..."
By now, Tsunade knew she couldn't hide it anymore and spoke to herself:
"Konoha withdrew surveillance personnel from the Uchiha."
"Danzo forced Itachi to slaughter all Uchiha remaining in Konoha."
"Including... the Fugaku couple."
Shisui suddenly interrupted: "What about the Third?"
"The Third... gave his tacit approval."
When she looked up, her eyes reflected Shisui's ashen face.
The office air seemed to freeze.
Shisui understood everything.
No wonder Yu looked at Konoha...
Like viewing livestock awaiting slaughter...
"Indeed, only extreme pain... can birth the most powerful Mangekyou."
Shisui couldn't help but sigh.
Tsunade also recalled what her great-uncle, the Second Hokage Tobirama, had once said: the Uchiha clan was born with 'evil chakra'—the deeper they loved, the more thoroughly they went mad. This love was the source of power, but also a dangerous spark.
She dug her nails deep into her palms, her heart full of regret.
If she'd known it would create such a monster, she would have killed Danzo even at the cost of betraying the village.
"Ko-Konoha has already compensated!" Her voice trembled. "He even said himself to let bygones be bygones..."
Shisui looked toward the fluttering banners outside, dark light flowing in his Sharingan: "That's probably because Uchiha Sasuko is still alive."
Tsunade thought of the little girl he always kept by his side.
Yes...
All of that killing god's current tenderness was tied to a six-year-old girl.
If even this thread were to break...
She didn't dare think further.
Shisui tactfully cut off this dangerous topic. What was done was done—no amount of Konoha's regret could bring back the Fugaku couple's lives.
"Could I see yesterday's meeting minutes?"
"Of course."
He took the scroll Tsunade handed him and began reading carefully.
The two tactfully avoided dangerous topics, turning instead to discuss trivial administrative matters like ninja academy reforms and commercial district profit sharing.
But whenever it involved Sasuko—
Her guards needed additional Hyuga branch family members.
Sweet shop security inspections doubled monthly.
Even details down to class arrangements at the ninja academy Sasuko might attend...
Behind every clause lay an unspoken consensus:
List Uchiha Sasuko under the highest level protection protocols.
————
The discussion ended in this oppressive atmosphere.
The "Konoha-Uchiha Joint Governance Provisions" were finalized amid Tsunade's absent-minded stamping.
Article 1: Restore the Uchiha Police Force organization with special law enforcement powers
Article 2: Transfer Shimura territory to the Uchiha
(The Sarutobi lands were occupied by Yu)
Article 3: All important decisions require Uchiha approval
Article 4: ...
Shisui rolled up the gold-embossed scroll with satisfaction. He had deliberately mentioned repeatedly that "Yu might be dissatisfied with certain clauses," successfully getting Tsunade to concede many benefits.
"Well then, Lady Tsunade, I'll take my leave now. Please take good care of us in the future."
After politely bowing, Shisui disappeared via Body Flicker.
Tsunade stared at where Shisui had vanished, lost in thought.
She felt this polite new Uchiha clan leader had a trace of Yu's shadow...
In the twilight, Shisui stood on the steps of the Hokage building, gazing at the setting sun.
Once, he had naively believed "Kotoamatsukami" could achieve peace.
Now he understood.
In real power games, genjutsu was far less effective than fear.
In the distance, several Uchiha youths were excitedly chatting and laughing with Hyuga girls.
In the past, he would have stepped forward to stop such frivolity. But now...
Shisui tacitly allowed this deliberate social gathering.
Unknowingly, that idealist who always spoke of the "Will of Fire" had died.
Died under Yu's "teaching by example."
He still loved Konoha, loved the Uchiha, yearned for peace.
But he would never again fantasize about Konoha leadership's mercy, never again imagine that pure sacrifice could move others...
The former Sarutobi grounds.
Sunset dyed the training ground orange-red as Sasuko's shuriken left dense marks in the wooden targets.
Sweat dripped from her small chin, yet she remained oblivious.
Not far away, Yu's main body and three shadow clones were surrounded by piles of jutsu scrolls, magnetic lines weaving nets in the air as they simultaneously perused multiple documents.
Yet his peripheral vision constantly watched that petite figure in the field.
Since that night, Sasuko had never cried or made a fuss again, but neither had she shown the carefree smile of before.
"Sasuko, take a break. You've been practicing for a long time today."
Yu appeared at the field's edge via Body Flicker, offering a water bottle to Sasuko's sweaty small hands.
The little girl tilted her head back and gulped, a few water droplets sliding down her chin to create dark spots in the dust.
"It's not enough."
Sasuko wiped her mouth as another shuriken flew from her hand.
After losing her loved ones, she couldn't help fantasizing—if she'd been a bit stronger, if she could have detected the disturbance a few minutes earlier, could she have held out until Yu arrived? Could father and mother have...
Yu saw the obsession in her eyes and understood that verbal comfort was pale and powerless.
He was silent for a moment before changing the subject: "By the way, Shisui brought the clan members back today."
"Would you like to move in with them?"
Another kunai hit the bullseye. Sasuko shook her aching arms, her voice young but firm:
"Wherever Yu is, that's where I'll be."
***
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