The night was faintly cool.
At the edge of the Uchiha clan grounds, in a secluded tearoom rarely visited by anyone, candlelight flickered and cast two silhouettes against the walls.
Shinsuke sat composed, quietly savoring the fragrant tea in his cup.
Across from him sat the universally acknowledged genius of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Shisui, renowned as "Shisui of the Body Flicker."
Unlike his usual warmth and brightness, Shisui now carried between his brows a weariness and worry he could not quite conceal.
"Shinsuke, the waves you have stirred within the clan lately have been quite considerable."
Shisui set down his teacup, his voice gentle yet carrying a note of heaviness, "The reforms to the Guard and the establishment of the elite preparatory corps have left some of the Dove faction elders feeling uneasy."
Upon hearing this, Shinsuke replied, "Uneasy? Is it because their interests have been disturbed, or because they have glimpsed the possibility of the Uchiha changing, and they fear that change?"
Shisui gave a wry smile and said, "Perhaps both, I understand your resolve to strengthen the clan, but some of your methods, are they not too radical?"
"Radical?" Shinsuke countered, "In an environment ringed by wolves, a sheep's meekness only invites faster destruction, Shisui, do you still not understand? The suspicion the Konoha upper echelon holds toward the Uchiha has never gone away."
Shisui was silent for a moment, then looked at Shinsuke and said, "Shinsuke, I believe that as long as we can show enough sincerity, peace and coexistence between the village and the clan is not impossible."
Shisui paused, then continued, "These eyes of mine may be able to offer some help toward that end, they possess a certain special power, one that can, without anyone noticing, change a person's thoughts and guide them toward a more peaceful path."
The hand Shinsuke held his teacup with paused ever so slightly.
Here it was!
Change a person's thoughts?
Was this not the technique known in his past life's memories as the mightiest genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami?!
Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan!
"Oh? Change thoughts?" Shinsuke raised an eyebrow with feigned surprise, "That truly is a remarkable ability, Shisui, are you saying you could use this power to influence Lord Third, or perhaps... Elder Danzō?"
Shisui gently shook his head and said, "This power is not meant to manipulate hearts, but to safeguard Konoha's peace, my hope is that it can dissolve the misunderstandings the upper echelon holds toward us and allow the Uchiha to truly become part of Konoha's greater family."
Safeguard Konoha's peace?
"Shisui, do you truly believe that this power alone can bring about lasting peace?"
Shinsuke set down his teacup.
"Changing a person's thoughts, can that change deeply rooted prejudice? Can it change the inevitable conflicts that come from power structures? Could this so-called peace end up being nothing more than a brief compromise, a flower in a mirror, a moon in the water?"
Shisui was left speechless by the questions, he opened his mouth, and in the end it became a long sigh, "My power also has its limits, it cannot change the will of everyone, especially those whose views have already... hardened into stone."
Shinsuke understood perfectly in his heart.
Shisui, you are far too naive.
Or rather, you are far too kind.
Your formidable Kotoamatsukami, in the eyes of a cunning old fox like Danzō, is not a hope for peace but a tool to be exploited and taken!
Your fate may be even more tragic than in the original story!
A powerful sense of crisis surged up within Shinsuke.
He knew that Danzō would absolutely not let those eyes go.
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Shinsuke's mind.
By normal reasoning, perhaps he should warn Shisui to be wary of Danzō, or even propose joining forces against him.
But that was not Shinsuke's style.
If Shisui's "sacrifice" could not be avoided, then the value of that sacrifice had to be maximized!
"Shisui, I deeply admire your intentions."
Shinsuke spoke slowly, "But you must understand, placing your hopes in the goodwill of others, or in the miracle of some ability, is extremely dangerous."
"What can truly protect the clan is only the absolute power we ourselves hold."
"Your eyes are very powerful, but if used improperly, or coveted by someone with ulterior motives, they could instead bring even greater disaster down upon the clan."
These words, rather than a warning, were more like a veiled caution.
Hearing this, Shisui's body gave a faint tremor, and a flash of realization crossed his eyes, only to be replaced immediately by a deeper worry.
He knew what Shinsuke said was true, but the conviction in his heart would not allow him to give it up so easily.
Shinsuke said no more.
He had already planted the seed of doubt.
What came next was for Shisui to decide on his own.
At the same time, Shinsuke quietly opened the [Clan Growth System] in his mind.
"System, search for skills or items related to 'mental control defense' and 'dojutsu countermeasures.'"
"Search for dojutsu skills or items that defend against Kotoamatsukami!"
[System Notice: Searching...]
[Relevant skill nodes found:]
[1. Mental Barrier (MAX): Grants immunity to mental-type attacks carried by the Mangekyō Sharingan, including Kotoamatsukami, Tsukuyomi, and similar techniques. Required Glory Points: 200,000 points.]
"System, immediately spend the Glory Points and acquire the Mental Barrier skill!"
With the deduction of two hundred thousand Glory Points, a virtual mental barrier took shape deep within Shinsuke's consciousness.
Now Shinsuke could rest easy.
With this divine skill in hand, Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, said to be the mightiest genjutsu, had been rendered completely ineffective against him.
From here on, whether it was Shisui, or Danzō after obtaining Shisui's eyes, any attempt to use Kotoamatsukami to alter his will would fail, and they would ultimately be made to look like fools.
Shinsuke could not guarantee with absolute certainty that he would never be targeted by Kotoamatsukami, so it was better to be cautious and guard against trouble before it arose; the two hundred thousand Glory Points was a lot, but achieving immunity to Kotoamatsukami made it worthwhile.
"Shisui, thank you for the hospitality today," Shinsuke rose and took his leave, "the road ahead is still long, I hope you will think more carefully about the clan's survival."
Shisui gave a quiet nod and watched Shinsuke leave.
The candlelight in the tearoom swayed gently, stretching his shadow long and making him appear exceptionally solitary.
Shinsuke walked along the cool and quiet streets after leaving the tearoom, his eyes cold.
'Shisui, you are ultimately a living sacrifice to the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha's upper echelon.'
'If that is how it must be, then let those eyes of yours, the eyes of Kotoamatsukami, become the first lever I, Uchiha Shinsuke, use to shift the balance of power across the entire shinobi world!'
'The enemies that lie ahead are not limited to Danzō alone.'
'The Six Paths of Pain, Uchiha Madara, the Eye of the Moon Plan... and the Otsutsuki Clan.'
Shinsuke drew a deep breath and calmed his mind.
There were still many challenges ahead; for now, let the Uchiha rise to the apex of Konoha and become its undisputed foremost shinobi clan!