Chapter 385: New Year's Eve!
"Amamiya, long time no see."
The moment Amamiya Kenichi stepped off the airship, he saw Shisui waiting outside. Two Uchiha ninja stood beside him, though Amamiya Kenichi did not know their names.
"Haha, Shisui, have you become the Uchiha clan leader now?" Amamiya Kenichi smiled, shook Shisui's hand, and then curiously looked him over.
After not seeing him for some time, Shisui's sharp edge seemed to have softened considerably. He now gave off a much calmer air.
"Yes, thanks to everyone's support." Shisui smiled, looking as if he was in a good mood today.
Amamiya Kenichi raised an eyebrow.
Shisui had actually become the Uchiha clan leader? That was rather surprising.
Amamiya Kenichi had originally thought that with Mikoto around, the position of clan leader would probably not fall to Shisui. He had not expected Shisui to truly take up that role.
But after remembering that Shisui had been the one to lead part of the Uchiha clan away from Konoha, Amamiya Kenichi was no longer surprised.
After all, Shisui's reputation among the current Uchiha was still very high.
Most of the Uchiha here were originally those who had wanted to leave the village. Although the other members of the Uchiha clan defected later as well, Shisui's prestige rose precisely because of that.
Facts had already proven that staying in Konoha had not been the right choice.
Whether it was the faction that wanted to reconcile with Konoha's higher-ups, or the faction that wanted to use force, both had been proven wrong.
Only Shisui's choice to leave Konoha had been correct.
Under such circumstances, it was not strange for Shisui to be pushed into the position of Uchiha clan leader.
"But Amamiya, did you come here to celebrate the New Year?" Shisui asked.
Amamiya Kenichi froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered that the New Year was indeed approaching.
He had been busy with experiments during this period and honestly had no clear sense of time. He truly had not known the New Year was almost here.
The Ninja World naturally had a New Year as well, but such a thing felt too beautiful and idealistic for ninja.
Even during the New Year, many ninja would still die in battle, especially during wartime.
"New Year? Today?" Amamiya Kenichi's thoughts were suddenly interrupted.
He had originally come to find Shisui to discuss his plan, but he had not expected it to be almost New Year.
"No, tomorrow is New Year's Day. Today is the final day of the old year." Shisui looked at Amamiya Kenichi strangely.
Almost everyone knew the New Year was approaching. Their village had already been decorated with lanterns and festive ornaments, and the atmosphere was growing more and more lively.
He had not expected Amamiya Kenichi to be unaware of it.
Amamiya Kenichi nodded.
If that was the case, then today was equivalent to New Year's Eve.
That was quite interesting.
If this were his previous life, he would definitely have a New Year's Eve dinner today. However, Amamiya Kenichi was now in the Ninja World, and he did not know who he should invite for such a meal.
In previous years, Amamiya Kenichi had always spent the New Year with his teacher.
"You came to see me… Do you have something important to discuss?" Shisui belatedly realized that Amamiya Kenichi's visit did not seem to be for the New Year.
After all, Amamiya Kenichi appeared completely unaware that the New Year was near, so he certainly had not come here for that.
Since he had not come for the New Year, his visit could only mean he had something else to say.
"Yes, there are some matters to discuss." Amamiya Kenichi rubbed his temples.
He would have to talk about the beginning of his plan sooner or later, so it was better to tell Shisui early and give him some mental preparation.
Shisui looked at Amamiya Kenichi thoughtfully.
Then he remembered what Amamiya Kenichi had told him on the airship before.
That insane plan.
"Is it that plan?" Shisui licked his lips.
"Yes." Amamiya Kenichi nodded.
It seemed Shisui had already thought of it.
The air fell silent.
Shisui's pace slowed considerably. He stroked the beard on his chin, lost in thought.
Amamiya Kenichi was not in a hurry and simply walked beside him.
After all, Shisui was now the leader of a clan. In a sense, the responsibility on his shoulders had grown much heavier. This was not something one person could casually agree to.
A single word from Shisui could potentially send dozens, even hundreds, of Uchiha clan members to their deaths on the battlefield.
"What is your plan?" Shisui asked.
At the same time, he waved his hand, and the Uchiha ninja following him immediately withdrew.
"Attack Kirigakure, annex the Land of Water, use the Land of Water as a base, and then plot against the remaining Four Great Nations and Four Great Ninja Villages." Amamiya Kenichi stated his plan plainly.
Shisui fell silent after hearing it.
As expected, Amamiya Kenichi had not given up on that idea.
However, precisely because Amamiya Kenichi had mentioned it before, Shisui was able to accept it more quickly now.
"What do you need me to do?" Shisui took a deep breath.
He did not refute it. Nor did he refuse.
He knew that this was the fate of a ninja.
"I need the Uchiha clan to arrange some elite ninja to help me take Kirigakure and the Land of Water." Amamiya Kenichi remained direct.
Shisui fell silent again.
"Alright. I promise you."
Shisui kept his head lowered for a long time, deep in thought. After a while, he raised his head, looked at Amamiya Kenichi with firm eyes, and agreed.
Amamiya Kenichi looked at Shisui with interest.
Was Shisui's authority really that great?
"You don't need to discuss it with your clan members? This is a war to destroy a village." Amamiya Kenichi looked at Shisui playfully.
Did Shisui truly understand that his simple "Alright, I promise you" would actually send many clan members to their deaths?
"Isn't this what ninja do? Besides, our Uchiha clan has always owed you a favor, and that favor has been weighing on us." Shisui took a deep breath. His Mangekyo Sharingan briefly flashed in his eyes before fading again.
The Uchiha clan, the entire Uchiha clan, owed Amamiya Kenichi a favor.
Every clan member carried the weight of that favor.
Amamiya Kenichi had shown great kindness to the entire Uchiha clan.
When Shisui led those clan members out, it was Amamiya Kenichi's help that allowed them to successfully leave Konoha and gain a stable life.
Later, the clan head launched a rebellion, purged those in the clan who had clamored to perish with Konoha, and even sacrificed his own life.
His remains had even been taken by Konoha ninja, desecrated, and used to lure out the remaining Uchiha.
It was also Amamiya Kenichi who retrieved the clan head's remains and saved the clan head's wife.
It could be said that Amamiya Kenichi had made the entire Uchiha clan owe him an enormous debt.
Yet Amamiya Kenichi had never asked them to repay that favor.
Shisui knew this favor would only be used in a troublesome situation.
But since it was a debt owed by the Uchiha clan, the Uchiha clan would naturally do everything in its power to repay it.
Even if it meant sacrificing the lives of many clan members, they would not hesitate.
Amamiya Kenichi patted Shisui on the shoulder.
The Second Hokage had been right.
The Uchiha clan was indeed a clan ruled by deep emotions.
Their hatred was profound, but at the same time, their other emotions were just as intense.
"Don't worry. It will still take some time. Now is not the time to start a war." Amamiya Kenichi smiled.
He did not mind launching a New Year offensive, but the timing was not yet ripe, and some of his backup plans had not taken effect yet.
"Then when will it be?" Shisui licked his lips and asked.
The peaceful life during this period had almost made Shisui forget that he had once been a ninja who lived by the blade.
But a wolf was still a wolf.
It would not stop being one just because it had eaten a few peaceful meals.
Well, perhaps that was hard to say. If peace continued long enough, maybe the Uchiha clan truly would forget that they had once been ninja.
"When the war drums that shake the earth sound once more." Amamiya Kenichi looked at Shisui with a faint smile.
Shisui was a little bewildered.
What did that mean?
Amamiya Kenichi had no intention of explaining.
In any case, even if he did not explain, Shisui would eventually know.
As long as the plan he had set in motion was officially implemented, the currently calm Ninja World would inevitably face a new storm.
That was certain.
If things went smoothly, it might even trigger the Fourth Great Ninja War.
It was hard to say.
"…I always feel like you're thinking something strange." Shisui scrutinized Amamiya Kenichi, feeling as if he were looking at a fox hiding a smirk.
"By the way, on your airship…" Shisui suddenly remembered something.
There seemed to be someone else on Amamiya Kenichi's airship, but that person did not appear willing to come down.
"Oh, that? That's your great-great-great-great-grandmother, probably?" Amamiya Kenichi looked at Shisui with a smile.
Shisui blinked in confusion.
What did he mean by his great-great-great-great-grandmother?
After Amamiya Kenichi briefly explained, Shisui's eyes widened.
He was somewhat bewildered and even found it absurd. But seeing Amamiya Kenichi's serious expression, he became hesitant.
"Are you sure you're not teasing me?" Shisui could not help asking.
After all, this was far too outrageous. It made Shisui suspect that Amamiya Kenichi was deliberately joking with him.
"No. Hikari truly lived from the Sengoku period until now. She was sealed away by her own clan members." Amamiya Kenichi glanced at Shisui.
Shisui fell silent.
It seemed that this ancestor named Uchiha Hikari was indeed his ancestor, many generations removed.
So how was he supposed to address her?
"Aren't you going to bring her down?" Shisui rubbed his hands, looking a little nervous and awkward.
"A knot in the heart can only be untied by the person themselves. I brought Hikari out this time because I hope she can adapt on her own," Amamiya Kenichi said calmly.
"So many clan members…"
Meanwhile, in the small Uchiha village, Hikari was curiously looking around, observing her surroundings with equal curiosity.
She felt that this place seemed very…
Festive?
There were elaborate decorations everywhere, along with lanterns, which made Hikari very curious.
What was going on?
But then Hikari's attention shifted to a nearby vendor selling a snack Brother Amamiya had bought for her before.
Dango.
Hikari could not help walking over.
Although she remained somewhat wary of the surrounding clan members, she still wanted to try the dango.
Moreover, Brother Amamiya had said this place was safe, and nothing would happen.
"Hello, one skewer…" Hikari extended her hand.
"One skewer of dango, Uncle Rokkichi."
A little boy also extended his hand.
Hikari turned her head in confusion, then saw a little boy looking at her curiously as well.
His distinctive eyes and hair allowed Hikari to conclude that this little boy was likely also one of her clan members.
Most importantly, there was the clan crest on his chest.
"Big sister, you go first." Sasuke politely stepped aside.
"…You go first." Hikari was still not used to being greeted by her clan members, but she politely stepped aside as well.
The other party was still young, and she was so much older. Letting him go first was only natural.
"Sasuke, remember to say thank you."
A steady voice sounded.
A slightly taller boy walked over.
It was Itachi.
Itachi ruffled his brother's hair, then glanced at Hikari.
He keenly noticed the wariness and vigilance in Hikari's eyes, which puzzled him slightly.
Itachi did not remember seeing this clan member in the village before. Yet the other party was clearly an Uchiha, and there was even a strange sense of déjà vu.
"Thank you, Big Sister." Sasuke was very obedient to his brother.
"You're… you're welcome." Hikari was still a little unaccustomed to this.
She quietly stood to the side.
Although she did not particularly enjoy interacting with her clan members, she still wanted to eat the dango.
After Itachi bought the dango with Sasuke, the two turned and left.
However, before leaving, Itachi could not help turning back to glance at Hikari, who was paying for her dango.
A trace of confusion appeared in his eyes.
What was going on with that girl?
"Brother, it's almost New Year!" Sasuke tugged at Itachi's sleeve, happily eating his dango while mumbling indistinctly.
"Yes. Sasuke, do you have any wishes?" Itachi patted Sasuke's head and asked with a smile.
"Hmm…"
Sasuke struggled to swallow the dango in his mouth, then laboriously licked his lips.
"Good health! Smooth sailing in everything!"
.....
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