Asking Shisui to try and persuade Itachi—this was a decision Yuhara had made only after much deliberation.
Frankly, he couldn't stand that arrogant, self-righteous guy. Everything Itachi ever did was based solely on his idea of what was best for Konoha and the Uchiha.
Even with Sasuke, he acted purely on his own judgment, never considering Sasuke's thoughts or feelings. He simply did what he thought was "right."
If that isn't the definition of arrogant and self-absorbed, Yuhara didn't know what is.
Sure, in the original timeline, Itachi eventually came to his senses. He apologized to Sasuke and expressed deep remorse.
But by then, the Uchiha were already wiped out. What good was that apology? Yuhara had no idea.
From the perspective of someone actually in the Uchiha clan, it was utterly meaningless. So no surprise, Yuhara had always disliked Itachi.
Maybe it was also because, back in his old world, he came from a culture steeped in a thousand years of filial piety.
The conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha wasn't, in Yuhara's eyes, an unsolvable issue.
Yes, the Uchiha had huge problems in how they expressed their political goals. But at their core, their demands were simple: fairness.
They were one of the founding clans of the Hidden Leaf. Back when Hashirama Senju led the village, they had been treated fairly and held a prestigious place.
But after Madara left and Hashirama died, the Uchiha were gradually pushed aside.
They never had a shot at becoming Hokage. Under Tobirama's influence, the villagers grew fearful and suspicious of them—and eventually rejected them altogether.
This was the true injury suffered by the Uchiha who had chosen to remain.
That environment bred two extreme responses: total compromise, or total resistance.
Both camps had the same goal—reclaiming the dignity and rights they had lost—but neither would've expected someone like Itachi to appear.
Yuhara had once tried to get close to Itachi as a child, hoping to build a connection. But Itachi ignored him completely.
And once Yuhara remembered what Itachi would go on to do… he gave up on ever trying again.
Now, however, things were different. Yuhara was on track to become the clan head. He needed all the help he could get.
Itachi may have been insufferable, but he undeniably had the potential to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
And more importantly, he hadn't committed any atrocities yet.
If that future hadn't happened, and Yuhara was actively working to prevent it, then there was no reason to dwell on old hatred.
He needed to put his personal feelings aside and think about the clan. If Itachi could be brought over to their side, it was worth a try.
"If we can recruit him, great. If not, so be it. Honestly, Itachi says everything he does is for Sasuke… but Konoha clearly holds a sacred place in his heart too."
A person like that would never truly side with them. That was fine. At least he'd tried.
And he'd left the task to Shisui anyway—he didn't need to worry too much.
Besides, Shisui had a much better shot than he did. The two of them were close. Really close.
Shisui and Itachi had been far tighter than Yuhara and Shisui ever were—until Yuhara "converted" him, of course.
Shisui had even entrusted Itachi with his Mangekyō before dying, and Itachi's own Mangekyō had awakened due to Shisui's death.
Their bond ran deeper than blood. If anyone could reach Itachi, it was Shisui.
Even now, though Shisui had moved on—choosing a new path and throwing himself into it—those feelings hadn't disappeared.
That's why Yuhara had hope. He was curious to see how this would play out.
"For now, I should focus on myself. I've got a lot to take care of."
The unification of the clan was progressing smoothly. With that groundwork laid, Yuhara could finally devote more time to his own growth—especially in ninjutsu.
And he needed to improve his Susanoo.
He already had the passive ability to reduce the difficulty of using Susanoo, and another that enhanced its power.
It would be wasteful not to capitalize on those advantages.
There was so much room for improvement, especially in ninjutsu. Before, as a mission-oriented ninja without allegiance to either faction, he received little support.
Now that he'd won both sides over, resources were finally pouring in.
He could finally start training with the technique he'd always dreamed of: Great Fire Annihilation.
One day, he wanted to cast that jutsu with such intensity that the entire ninja world would tremble—just like Madara.
"But considering how much time I've been spending meeting with the younger clan members and appearing with the elders… Fugaku must know something by now."
There was no way Fugaku hadn't noticed the changes taking place.
Still, it didn't matter.
Whether he realized it or not, Yuhara had already completed the initial consolidation of power. Nothing could change that now.
"All that's left… is the next clan assembly. That'll be the true turning point."
Yuhara quietly awaited the next clan meeting—the moment when everything would shift.
Meanwhile, Itachi had returned to the clan after completing a mission.
His return wasn't just to visit home; the clan meeting was coming up, and he needed to attend in order to collect more information.
He wasn't alone—Shisui would be there too.
Not that Itachi cared much. He saw it as a strategic opportunity to gather intel more efficiently.
Upon returning, he briefly checked on his younger brother Sasuke. Then he slipped away again, heading toward the secret meeting place he shared with Shisui.
They hadn't seen each other in a while. Anbu missions were demanding and highly confidential.
Even though they both served in Anbu, they rarely had time to talk.
Itachi had many things he wanted to say, many thoughts he needed to share with Shisui.
To him, Shisui was more than a comrade—he was a brother.
A true brother who had guided him, taught him, and looked out for him since they were young.
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