Chapter 13 :Two Uchihas
Although Shisui had originally told Makoto Uchiha that there was no need to worry about outsiders, he truly had not expected the boy's persistence to feel like hitting a snake with a stick.
Since they were of the same clan, and because the Sandaime Hokage himself had mentioned that Makoto possessed the potential to inherit the Will of Fire, Shisui decided there was no need to hide anything.
Whether or not someone chose to learn was a personal matter. Even when students graduated from the same Academy, with the same curriculum, their paths diverged—some becoming ordinary shinobi, others rising to the level of prodigies.
But before going further, Shisui had to confirm for himself exactly what kind of person Makoto was.
"Makoto, what do you think about our clan and the village right now? My way of teaching you depends entirely on your answer."
Shisui asked this directly. In his eyes, someone of Makoto's age was already capable of independent thought.
Is this a test? Makoto wondered.
The tension between the Uchiha clan and Konohagakure was truly complicated. Everyone in the clan seemed to be scheming or weighing the balance between family and village—how could he afford to be clueless?
"My dream," Makoto began, "is to master all ninjutsu and become Hokage."
He did not answer Shisui head-on, but instead launched into his own version of persuasion. If the Will of Fire is a pyramid scheme, he thought, then only another system of belief can defeat it. Only a new ideology can overcome it!
Seeing the boy's serious expression and long-winded tone, Shisui sat down calmly on the shuriken-riddled ground, folding his arms, ready to listen.
"Still, I have an even greater dream," Makoto continued, "to eliminate conflict from the shinobi world, to save ordinary civilians so they no longer live in fear of war and destruction."
"Chakra is an energy that can connect human hearts. If shinobi ceased using it for violence, they could use it to understand one another."
"Of course, even if chakra could foster understanding, disputes would still occur. That is why my ideal is to build a fair and powerful system capable of resolving conflicts."
"This power cannot rely on one man's strength. Even if I became the strongest shinobi, if no one acknowledged me, the dream would collapse. Yet without strength, I would have no hope of realizing it."
Makoto smiled faintly, uncertain if he was mocking the cruel reality of the world or his own current weakness.
"The shinobi village system cannot accomplish this. Though the Warring States era gave way to the age of villages, war persists. The scale merely shifted—from clan against clan to village against village."
"Civilians today not only fear bandits but must also worry about uprisings or invasions from enemy nations."
"That is why I want to stand at the forefront as Hokage—only by leading the village can I change the world."
"Following the path of my heart—that is my nindō!"
Makoto's gaze was unwavering as he looked at Shisui, who remained seated, listening quietly. Only then did Makoto finally answer the question of clan and village.
"The clan cannot fight the village. If the Uchiha rebel, it will only end in death—our family wiped out completely."
"But I also believe the village should not alienate the clan. With such a powerful family within its ranks, why push them away instead of drawing closer?"
"If the clan truly intends rebellion, then the best course is to eliminate its leader first—by whatever means necessary—then change how the village views us, while countering those who try to exclude the Uchiha and weaken Konoha."
"Haven't we, the Uchiha, always been a part of this village?"
Makoto ended with this question, watching carefully for Shisui's reaction.
Shisui kept his usual gentle smile, but his heart was far less calm than his face suggested.
Hokage-sama… you and I were wrong. This boy's thoughts run far deeper than his years.
Even Patriarch Fugaku, though he might sense that Makoto is unusual, could never imagine he is already this kind of person.
What an ambitious idea—to change the shinobi world—and with the method being to first become Hokage. Shisui vaguely felt something was off.
Even without overthinking, he knew such an approach would encounter fierce opposition from both sides.
Still, Makoto's views on the clan and the village echoed his own. If the Uchiha's rebellion plan truly advanced, then Shisui had already resolved that he would appeal directly to the Sandaime Hokage—using his own Mangekyō Sharingan to end the conflict before it began.
At present, the clan was still in the stage of plotting, but the suffocating tension in Konoha told Shisui that things were moving in a dangerous direction.
Makoto's perspective was also strikingly different from Itachi's. Perhaps this boy, Uchiha Makoto, really was the most unusual person in the entire clan.
"Hmm… I didn't expect your thoughts to be like this. It seems I underestimated you."
"Alright then, I'll teach you!"
Time was running short. Shisui could already sense the storm coming. If things truly collapsed, then nurturing someone who could inherit his will might serve as a final safeguard.
I only hope Patriarch Fugaku can come to his senses… and Danzo doesn't interfere…
His thoughts drifted to his closest friend. Itachi, as Fugaku's eldest son, carried a crushing burden—constantly forced to weigh the clan against the village. That was why Itachi seemed so much older than his years.
Yet only when he was with Sasuke did Itachi's true, childlike happiness surface.
And it was precisely that bond that Shisui wanted to protect with all his strength.
If Itachi is my final fallback, then Makoto will be another. I only hope he can grow quickly… Shisui thought.
From shock and admiration, Shisui's feelings shifted into helplessness. Why did the Uchiha clan always produce such geniuses? It was both a blessing and a curse.
Resolute now, he decided he would pass down to Makoto everything he could.
"Really?" Makoto's eyes lit up in joy.
His words carried no flattery—merely relief. In Makoto's eyes, Shisui's chakra glowed with a turquoise warmth that radiated familiarity and trust.
Unlike many in the clan, whose chakra gave off a cold or ominous impression, Shisui's felt open and honest. Even if Makoto could not fully agree with him, he was certain that Shisui would never turn toward malice.
And the truth validated his instincts. Shisui's choice to teach him thrilled Makoto—his plan to rapidly increase his strength was finally taking shape.
After all, no amount of self-study could match learning directly under a skilled teacher.
"Of course! But since I'm going to teach you, you'll need to put in everything you have for the training ahead."
Shisui folded his arms across his chest, his expression firm. This was not going to be easy.
"Oh, right—since I'm your teacher in name, I should give you a gift to mark the start."
He clapped his hands as if recalling something, then smiled.
"Well… what should I give you? Ah, you said you wanted to learn kenjutsu, didn't you? That settles it."
Shisui retrieved a scroll from his pouch, unsealed it, and produced a short blade.
Makoto reached forward to accept it. The hilt was engraved with the image of a crow's head.
"This blade is called Karasu no Hane—Crow Feather. It was once mine, and now, I'm entrusting it to you."