"Even your Mangekyō Sharingan couldn't restrain Uchiha Yuan?"
Hearing Shisui's words, Itachi frowned deeply. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
Shisui's eyes grew distant with thought.
"I don't know. When I was about to activate the Mangekyō, Yuan seemed to sense it. He moved first and forcibly shut down my Sharingan."
"How did he do that?" Itachi asked, unable to hide his shock.
"It was a point-sealing technique, similar to the Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist."
Shisui paused, then continued,
"I don't know how many methods Yuan still hasn't revealed. But I have a feeling… even if I had activated the Mangekyō, I might not have been able to suppress him."
"Uchiha Yuan is that strong?" Itachi's eyes widened.
Shisui smiled faintly.
"Itachi, I'll show you the battle from that day."
Itachi nodded immediately.
A ripple of ocular power spread outward. Shisui's eyes turned scarlet; three tomoe surfaced within his pupils.
The world blurred.
When Itachi's vision cleared, he found himself standing in a vast, empty space.
"This is the memory of my battle with Yuan."
Shisui's voice echoed faintly.
Itachi looked around. He saw fallen ANBU shinobi. He saw Danzo standing high above, his gaze cold and vicious. And ahead—
Shisui and Uchiha Yuan were facing off.
Shisui watched his own memory-self confronting Yuan and let out a soft sigh.
"I don't understand why Yuan keeps escalating the conflict between the clan and the village—from the gate assignment dispute to the clash with Elder Danzo. From what I've observed, Yuan is not reckless. He should be fully aware of the deep distrust between the clan and the village."
Itachi's eyes remained fixed on the scene, studying every movement Yuan made once the fighting began.
"Uchiha Yuan is overly confident," Itachi said calmly. "Like many in the clan, he believes overwhelming strength can solve everything."
The forest in reality had gone silent. The wind had died without notice.
Itachi sat cross-legged on the ground, eyes closed, expression grave.
Moments later, he opened them.
"Yuan is truly powerful. I simulated the fight five times. Every time, I lost within several dozen exchanges."
Shisui had used his Sharingan to pull Itachi into a genjutsu space, allowing him to witness every detail of Yuan's battle firsthand. Yet in reality, only a single instant had passed.
After exiting the illusion, Itachi remained silent, replaying the battle in his mind again and again.
Shisui smiled gently.
"Itachi, I believe in your talent. One day, your strength will surpass Yuan's."
Itachi did not respond immediately.
Instead, he lowered his gaze.
"Strength alone is not enough," he said quietly. "If Yuan continues down this path, he will push the clan and the village toward open confrontation."
Shisui's expression darkened slightly.
"Yes. That is what worries me most."
He looked toward the distant Hokage Rock.
"The village has already decided."
Itachi's eyes sharpened.
"What is the punishment?"
Shisui answered slowly,
"Yuan has been reassigned to the Southern Border as a frontline commander. Officially, it is a strategic deployment. In truth… it is exile."
"The Southern Border…" Itachi murmured.
That region was unstable—constant skirmishes, foreign infiltration, and harsh terrain. It was both a test and a warning.
"They cannot execute him," Shisui continued. "His strength is too great, and the clan would not accept it. But they also cannot leave him at the center of Konoha's political storm."
"So they are pushing him outward," Itachi said.
"Yes."
A quiet tension lingered between them.
After a long pause, Itachi spoke again.
"If Yuan grows even stronger at the border… what then?"
Shisui did not answer immediately.
Because both of them already knew the truth.
If Uchiha Yuan returned from the Southern Border with even greater power and prestige—
The balance between the clan and the village would shatter completely.
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