This was always the Uchiha way—willing to stake their own deaths as bargaining chips to make close friends or family members awaken their eyes.
When Kaito heard Shisui's words, he became certain that a major reason for Shisui's suicide attempt was to stir Itachi's emotions, creating an opportunity to awaken the Kaleidoscope Sharingan.
Perhaps, in doing so, there might still be a sliver of hope to stop the clan's coup.
What Shisui hadn't anticipated was that this act would accidentally awaken Kaito's Sharingan as well.
If it had been any other Uchiha, they would have clung to Shisui, sobbing uncontrollably while shouting about friendship, bonds, and other strange sentiments.
Kaito, however, responded by punching this self-righteous fool again.
Thud—
Shisui, having taken another hit, tilted his head to the side, his expression unchanged.
As if given another chance...
Shisui would still choose to jump off that cliff to his death.
One of the worst things about the people in this world was how stubbornly they clung to their convictions, relentlessly pursuing their beliefs.
Even unto death.
Only someone like Uzumaki Naruto, blessed with protagonist's plot armor, could talk sense into these idiots with his "Talk no Jutsu."
Back when Kaito watched the anime, he used to admire these people. But now that they existed in real life, leaving deep marks on his own path, he could only see how foolish and tragic their actions were.
Kaito sat silently, staring at Shisui for a long time. Memories flashed through his mind—from the first time he met this guy, all the way to today...
His emotions grew increasingly complicated, and his gaze toward Shisui turned irritable.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Kaito finally regained his composure and spoke coldly.
"The clan."
"I have a way to save it."
He didn't expect Shisui to understand him, but at the very least, he hoped this idiot would stop doing reckless things.
Hearing this, Shisui turned fully toward Kaito, his smile never fading.
Once upon a time...
He, too, had been just as confident and naive as this young man before him.
In his youth, he had arrogantly believed he could do anything...
"Kaito, I believe in you."
"But... the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the village has reached a point of no return. There's no room for reconciliation anymore."
Shisui shook his head. "Even if my eyes were still intact, and I could control your father... he wouldn't be able to suppress the rest of the clan."
From the moment he regained consciousness, Shisui had been replaying everything in his mind.
The conclusion?
He realized his earlier ideas had been far too naive.
Danzo...
Never trusted him.
Never trusted any Uchiha.
Danzo... just wanted all the Uchiha dead.
Conflict was inevitable, and other villages would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to strike.
"Destroy the Shinobi World."
"Konoha is too peaceful right now. If a force were to ignite war across the world, the village would have no choice but to survive—and wouldn't dare make the foolish move of cutting off its own limb."
Kaito calmly laid out his thoughts, his expression more serious than ever before.
For a brief moment, he even began to understand Nagato.
This godforsaken Shinobi World... these stupid humans needed to suffer a little, lest they spend all their time full and idle, with nothing better to do than fight amongst themselves.Kaito's idea was excellent, and the solution could not only bring the village and the clan to a temporary truce in a short time.
Yet Shisui felt his hair stand on end, his entire body chilled to the bone.
He truly couldn't fathom how a six-year-old child could speak so calmly about such terrifying matters.
And...
Shisui could tell this child was dead serious.
"Kaito, I understand you."
"But... do you realize how many innocent lives in the Shinobi World would be lost if this were done?"
"How many happy families would be shattered, plunged into hell because of this?"
As Shisui spoke, he seemed to recall the horrors of past battlefields, his face instantly draining of color, lips trembling slightly.
"War... is far more brutal than you imagine."
"The current peace may not last... but it was bought at an enormous price by everyone!"
"Even if you succeed, the conflict between the village and the Uchiha clan will still remain when the war ends."
"Moreover, you..."
"Won't succeed!"
Shisui, who firmly believed in peace, could never accept Kaito's approach. For the sake of the Shinobi World's peace, he had to make Kaito abandon this terrifying notion.
With every word Shisui spoke, Kaito's expression darkened further, the fury in his heart growing more intense.
His originally adorable face twisted into something ferocious under Shisui's words. Gnashing his teeth, he spat each syllable at Shisui.
"Fool!"
"That's just womanly compassion!"
Kaito never considered himself that noble.
To put it bluntly, he was selfish.
Always had been.
Seeing his persuasion fall on deaf ears, Shisui grew desperate, raising his voice: "Many people will die!"
"I don't care!!"
"I just want..."
"My family to live!!"
At this point, Kaito's gaze turned aggressively toward Shisui. "Destroying the Shinobi World! Saving the Uchiha is the only way!"
Realizing how difficult it was to reason with this child, Shisui sighed deeply and began stating facts matter-of-factly, hoping to shatter Kaito's convictions.
"No, you won't succeed."
"Someone as weak as you..."
"Can accomplish nothing."
Shisui even flashed a mocking smile, baring his white teeth. "Even if you could."
"Shisui and Itachi... along with Konoha, even your father, and the entire Shinobi World would stop you!"
"Facing the entire Shinobi World alone—even Uchiha Madara couldn't do that."
"Wake up! Uchiha Kaito!"
"You... can do nothing."
Kaito clenched his fists, barely restraining the urge to punch this guy again, and declared with absolute conviction.
"Then let's see."
"With just you? And your ridiculous training methods?"
Shisui mocked again, directly ridiculing Kaito's previous series of absurd behaviors.
This finally pushed Kaito over the edge.
Shisui's merciless words struck Kaito's fragile pride, making him activate his Sharingan on the spot. Snatching up a stick from the ground, he pointed it at Shisui and cursed.
"Uchiha Shisui, you damn..."
"You fucking saint!!"
Shisui nodded. Though he didn't agree with Kaito's ideas, he had to admit the boy now resembled a true Uchiha. "Kaito, perhaps I should make you aware of the gap between our strength."
With that, he flipped out a kunai and vanished in an instant...
Late night."What are you barking about..."
Kaito's figure swapped places with the ninja dog he had pre-positioned, reappearing in the backyard.
However, his current state was rather disheveled—his clothes were torn, his body covered in bruises, and he now sported a black eye.
That Shisui guy... was really strong.
Even without his eyes, that bastard's Body Flicker Technique and sharp combat instincts were beyond Kaito's current level.
Though Kaito had teleportation abilities, Shisui had spotted the flaw after less than three uses and preemptively ambushed him at the dog's location.
Still, Shisui wasn't unscathed. At the start of the fight, he'd been caught off guard. If Kaito hadn't held back to avoid killing the idiot...
He would've already thrown all the hidden weapons he carried.
"Should've brought more dogs..."
The Flying Thunder Dog's ability was indeed useful, but...
It was too hard on the dogs.
Muttering to himself in the yard, Kaito called out his "Left and Right Guardians," using up his last healing opportunity.
Creak—
Just then, the front door opened. Itachi walked in, arms full of withered flowers, his eyes vacant as he shuffled toward the house like a zombie.
Kaito had been about to approach and say something, but he froze mid-step when he saw what Itachi was holding.
Because he realized... those withered flowers in Itachi's hands...
Were the chrysanthemums he'd left earlier by the Naka River.
...