"If you want to apologize, then apologize," Gen said lightly.
"But I don't accept it. So… what now?"
Shisui blinked, caught off guard.
Gen chuckled at the baffled look on his face. "Relax, I'm joking. I accept it, of course."
He leaned back. "Now, about Minato-senpai, Kakashi, and Rin… my impressions might not be perfect, so take them as reference."
"I understand. Thank you." Shisui nodded firmly. A shinobi's job wasn't to swallow information whole — but to analyze it, weigh it, and decide what was true.
Gen's comments about the three were mostly praise. There was no point in speaking ill of former teammates.
By the end, Shisui felt reassured.
This assignment came with high expectations from the clan leader, a rare chance to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Uchiha Kagami, and perhaps become the Hokage's disciple. He couldn't afford to stumble.
"By the way," Gen said, "how's the situation on the Kirigakure front?"
Shisui's expression darkened. "Losses are heavy. Before I left, it was still a stalemate."
"I don't understand why has Hokage-sama only send a small squad instead of a full force…"
Probably to weaken the great clans, Gen thought. Not too much though, sooner or later, reinforcements will come.
Aloud, he said, "The leadership must have reasons we don't know. We should trust Hokage-sama."
"You're right," Shisui agreed. "We're not high enough to see everything; it's easy to misjudge. Hokage-sama and his advisors are in a better position to consider all angles."
Gen stared. I just said that casually… and you're already brainwashing yourself? Keep this up and Danzo will have you reciting his version of the Will of Fire in no time.
He straightened. "Shisui, do you mean the top brass will always make the right call?"
"Not exactly. Everyone makes mistakes. I just think they're more thorough than we are."
Good… not completely lost yet.
"If the leadership had to sacrifice the Uchiha's interests for the so-called greater good, what would you think?"
Shisui hesitated. "If the benefit is small but for Konoha's sake… it might be worth it. What about you?"
"I think," Gen said slowly, "that sacrificing some for the whole isn't wrong in theory… but it must be for the whole, not for a handful of people sitting at the top."
That made Shisui blink.
"You have to understand, Konoha's leadership is not Konoha itself. Their interests aren't always the village's interests."
"I… think I get it," Shisui said, though uncertainty still flickered in his eyes.
"Think of a clan," Gen continued. "Talented youngsters rise, threatening the position of the elders. If the clan keeps developing, it prospers; but the elders lose power. Now… what if those elders value their own position above the clan's future?"
"They'd suppress or even eliminate the threat," Shisui said grimly.
"Exactly. That's true for families, villages, even nations."
"I understand," Shisui said seriously.
"For me," Gen said, "I can sacrifice for the collective. But if the leadership puts itself above the collective, then I owe them nothing. That's betrayal."
Shisui absorbed that in silence, then nodded. "I'll only sacrifice for the whole, even my life, but not for those who betray it."
Gen smiled. "You know the Will of Fire, right?"
"Of course. First lesson in the Academy. 'Where the leaves dance, the fire will burn; the fire's light will guide the village and make new leaves sprout.' The young are the future; the old must protect them, and their sacrifice inspires the next generation. For Konoha, we protect our families and villagers, even at the cost of our lives."
"Do you think it's right?"
"I do," Shisui said after a short pause.
"The Will of Fire means personal interests should be given up for the collective, right?"
Shisui nodded.
"Then you know personal and collective interests are interdependent?"
"I suppose so."
"Most of the time they align," Gen said. "If the village prospers, individuals have more chances to thrive. But sometimes… individuals do well at the expense of the whole — like the elders in my earlier example."
Shisui nodded again.
"When they clash, the collective comes first. But that sacrifice must have limits. Otherwise, the whole thing rots from the top down."
Gen's tone sharpened. "Do you know why Konoha was founded?"
Shisui shook his head.
"To keep children from going to war. To keep the peace. So… if one day someone forces kids onto the battlefield for profit, dressed up as duty, isn't that the exact opposite of what the village was built for?"
"Yes," Shisui said firmly, eyes bright. Then, squinting, "Gen… do you have a problem with the Hokage?"
"I have no problem with Hokage-sama," Gen lied smoothly. "My problem is with the man they call the Darkness of the Shinobi World. And with Root."
Shisui's face hardened. "I see. Indeed, the Root isn't a good place."
"That's enough for today," Gen said.
Shisui rose. "I'll visit again. You know a lot."
"You're welcome anytime."
After seeing him off, Gen stood in the doorway, thoughtful. That should keep him from swallowing Danzo's poison whole. If not… well, I'll just have to dig him out before they bury him in it.
The next two days passed quietly, training and routine undisturbed.
On the fourth day, Anko arrived with news: Orochimaru wanted to see him.
Gen went home to washed up, then headed for the meeting place.