Shisui tilted his head.
He recognized every single word Teacher had just spoken—
So why, when strung together, did they suddenly become incomprehensible?
Sima Yi's hand paused slightly as he stroked his beard, then he patiently explained,
"Whether you are judging a person or assessing a matter, you must examine it from multiple angles. Observe. Understand."
"People are the most complicated of creatures. No one has only a single face. If you can see someone from only one perspective, it simply means you've already stepped into the cage they've woven for you."
Shisui frowned, clearly shaken by the implication. He lowered his gaze for a moment.
"That can't be… The Third Hokage—"
"Do not immediately reject ideas that oppose your own," Sima Yi interrupted calmly. "When you listen to all sides, you gain clarity. When you listen to only one, you remain in darkness. Hear more. See more. Decide less."
The young shinobi's mind seemed unable to hold so many principles at once. Seeing Shisui fall silent again, Sima Yi chuckled softly.
"No hurry. Thought without learning leads to confusion. You are still young. For now, tell me about the current situation—each faction, and what has transpired recently."
Shisui let out a quiet breath and nodded, temporarily setting aside his thoughts. He began explaining the situation of the various nations one by one.
"The Shinobi World War… even children under ten were sent to the battlefield."
Even Sima Yi could not conceal his shock.
Children—barely ten years old—dragged into war?
Even in the turbulent era he once lived through, such a thing had never occurred.
This was the sign of a civilization teetering on the brink of extinction.
Yet in this world, it was commonplace.
After detailing the state of the great nations, Shisui spoke of Konoha's internal affairs—the tensions within the village and the conflicts surrounding the Uchiha clan.
Sima Yi listened carefully, piecing together the structure of this world in his mind.
If one village were treated as a nation, then the Hokage was its sovereign. The clans were powerful aristocratic families. Among them, the Uchiha stood prominent and strong.
Too prominent.
Prominence invited suppression.
As Sima Yi analyzed, time slipped by unnoticed.
Growl—
The quiet protest of his stomach broke the silence.
Only then did Shisui flush red, realizing he hadn't even offered his teacher a seat.
"My apologies, Teacher! That was careless of me. Please rest here—I'll prepare something for you immediately."
The summoned strategist possessed a physical body.
He could grow hungry.
He could even die.
Before Sima Yi could respond, Shisui vanished in a flicker.
"So this is ninjutsu… Truly wondrous."
Though he had been informed of this world's abilities, witnessing a man disappear before his very eyes still caused Sima Yi's gaze to gleam with fascination.
Yet it was only momentary.
Soon, he calmed, returning to his thoughts on the Uchiha's precarious standing in Konoha.
Shisui returned swiftly, carrying several freshly grilled fish, steam still rising from them.
"Teacher, please eat while it's hot. If it's not enough, I can grill more."
He offered them with a warm smile.
If it had been only himself, dry rations would have sufficed.
But today was Teacher's first day in this world.
He could not let him go without a hot meal.
"Heh. Thoughtful."
Sima Yi accepted the fish with a smile.
Having spent years commanding troops in the field, he had never been particular about food. Yet Shisui's gesture revealed something about the boy's character.
"Oh?"
The first bite awakened his senses.
"The flavor is remarkably fresh."
Exotic seasonings and impeccable control of heat—an experience unlike any he had known before.
"Really? If you like it, Teacher, I'll cook for you often!"
Shisui's face reddened slightly.
The last person who had praised his grilled fish was Itachi.
Sima Yi smiled but did not decline.
"Oh, Teacher—there's something else I didn't get to mention earlier."
Shisui's expression turned serious.
"Yesterday, the Mist shinobi bypassed my sector and attacked the rear camp…"
He recounted the ambush and the accusations that followed.
The frustration he had bottled up all day seeped into his voice.
"Hm?"
Sima Yi's eyes sharpened.
He set down the grilled fish and stared directly at Shisui.
"You're saying the rear camp guard never appeared from beginning to end?"
"That's right. The Uchiha are responsible for guarding the front lines and the command post.
Even if enemies somehow broke through, Mito Gate Shōgo's rear guard unit should have intercepted them.
There should never have been a scenario where more than ten squads breached two layers of defense and threatened the rear camp."
Shisui's confusion was genuine.
Even if blame fell on the Uchiha, the rear guard bore responsibility as well.
Mito Gate had no reason to deliberately allow such a breach.
"The two prisoners you captured—are they still in your custody?"
"They're with Brother Hikaru. At dawn, they'll be transferred to the command headquarters."
"With your abilities, can you extract intelligence from them?"
I can handle that.
Shisui straightened, confidence returning to his face.
"Easily."
"And can you obtain information from the rear guard without alerting anyone? Specifically, their movements today."
"No problem."
Controlling an ordinary guard would be simple.
Even Mito Gate Shōgo himself would not escape his eyes.
"Oh?"
Sima Yi raised a brow.
It seemed he had underestimated this young man's capabilities.
"In that case, go now. Secure the information before dawn."
"Yes, Teacher."
Shisui vanished once more.
Sima Yi sat upon the bed, finishing the grilled fish as he considered several possibilities.
Time passed.
Eventually, a soft breeze stirred the tent flaps.
Shisui reappeared.
His expression was heavy.
Seeing this, Sima Yi glanced down at the still-warm fish in his hand and spoke gently.
"The fish you made carries a bold, spicy flavor. Those who prefer light tastes may not enjoy it. How would you handle that?"
Shisui blinked.
What did this have to do with fish?
Still, he answered earnestly.
"I could use less seasoning. That would make it lighter."
"And do you prefer light flavors?"
"No, Teacher. I prefer it spicy and fragrant."
Sima Yi nodded.
"If even a single fish cannot satisfy every palate, how much less so matters of greater interest? Every person, every faction has its own desires."
"You must grow accustomed to seeing through their motives. Grow accustomed to their greed. And yet—hold fast to your own interests. That is the foundation of your existence."
"Teacher… you already know?"
Shisui stared at him in disbelief.
He hadn't said a word about what he learned.
Sima Yi chuckled.
"Such petty tactics are hardly worth placing upon the stage. Colluding with the enemy to leak information, luring them inward, then setting an ambush to claim merit."
"But it seems fate had other plans. Their scheme likely encountered some unforeseen deviation."
His tone was mild.
Shisui's heart, however, churned violently.
Even after acquiring the intelligence himself, he had spent hours piecing it together.
Yet Teacher had deduced the truth from mere fragments.
"Teacher—please instruct me."
Shisui dropped to his knees formally, posture upright and respectful.
Sima Yi laughed heartily.
"Up, up! Is that not precisely why I am here?"
"Thank you, Teacher."
Shisui rose and moved closer, his respect deepening.
"Did you uncover what went wrong? Why the rear guard failed to intercept?"
"Yes."
Shisui nodded.
"According to the two Mist shinobi, after bypassing the Uchiha's defenses, they grew wary of my reputation and did not follow their original plan to press forward. Instead, they chose to circle even farther around."
"And Mito Gate Shōgo, in an effort to swiftly eliminate the Mist forces, consolidated the other rear guard units into one location. By coincidence, both sides missed each other entirely."
"That's how the Mist forces reached the rear camp."
As he finished, Shisui scratched his cheek awkwardly.
After all, the Mist had altered their plan because they feared him.
Hearing it aloud felt suspiciously like boasting.
Sima Yi burst into laughter.
"Ha! A fine case of cleverness backfiring."
He studied Shisui with narrowed eyes.
"It would seem you possess one strength… and one weakness."
Shisui straightened immediately.
"Teacher, what are my strength and my weakness?"