Shisui Uchiha wanted to rebuild trust between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha.
But if Shisui failed, as Chinya had said, only one of the Uchiha Clan or Konoha could survive.
You could say that right now, the only two people in the whole Uchiha Clan who still wanted peace between Konoha and their clan were him and Shisui.
Chinya shot a glance at Itachi Uchiha's grim expression and felt a flicker of mockery rise inside him.
Right from the start, Chinya had never really respected Itachi Uchiha as a person.
Although the Uchiha Clan was indeed crazy, extreme, and obsessive, one undeniable fact remained—they always regarded themselves as part of Konoha.
Despite Konoha's relentless pressure on the Uchiha Clan, they never considered leaving. Instead, they planned a coup—to seize control of Konoha and restore the honor of the Uchiha name.
Konoha was clearly the party responsible for this oppression from the very beginning, even during Hashirama Senju's time.
Besides founding this ninja village together with the Senju Clan and having Madara Uchiha named it "Konoha," the Uchiha played little role in anything else related to Konoha.
The other ninja clans in Konoha joined because of the Senju Clan—because of Hashirama Senju—not because of the Uchiha.
During the period following Tobirama Senju's death — marked by the intense fighting of the Second Great Ninja War — and with Hiruzen Sarutobi newly appointed as Hokage with a shaky foundation, the Uchiha were required to fight desperately for Konoha, allowing them to gain enormous military achievements and reach the peak of power in Konoha.
Otherwise, as Tobirama Senju's student and also a high-ranking official in Konoha, would Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado have allowed the Uchiha Clan such comfort?
Furthermore, the Uchiha Clan was quite foolish—if after reaching the pinnacle of power, they had been a bit more restrained, less arrogant, and accumulated strength quietly, they might still have had a chance to pursue the title of Hokage and take control of Konoha.
However foolish they may be, the Uchiha Clan's sense of belonging to Konoha could rival anyone else's.
Yet Itachi Uchiha chose to abandon his own clan members for Konoha—a village that never truly trusted the Uchiha—and acted as an executioner, slaughtering his entire clan.
In Chinya's eyes, Itachi Uchiha was nothing but an extremist—a total traitor. Partnering with Obito Uchiha to exterminate his own family made him appear as a hero from Konoha's perspective, but to the innocent Uchiha clan members who were wiped out, he was a demon.
This "hero," however, needed quotation marks around it because Itachi himself was the only one who saw himself as such—a man who believed that by conspiring with Obito Uchiha to destroy the Uchiha Clan, he eliminated Konoha's greatest threat and thus became its hero.
But in the eyes of others in Konoha, how could someone who slaughtered his entire clan—regardless of age—be considered a good person? A true hero? No—he was nothing more than a backstabber, a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Even in the eyes of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, Itachi Uchiha would never be seen as any kind of hero—not really.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and others would think like this instead: "No wonder he's one of the Uchiha Clan—extreme and obsessive. Even toward their own clansmen and parents, they don't hesitate to go all out."
Chinya said to Itachi Uchiha whose face had turned grim, "Itachi Uchiha, if you choose Konoha, come find me and we can work together. I'm more than willing to help with anything concerning the Uchiha Clan.
Of course, if you side with the Uchiha Clan, I must say I'm also somewhat intrigued by modern-day Konoha. Konoha never trusted your clan in the first place—so why stay so loyal to them?
Will you choose the village you love, choosing violence against your oppressed clansmen? Or will you stand for your clansmen and resist the village that's always sought to oppress your people? The decision is yours.
They say you're one sharp mind, Itachi Uchiha. Both the current Uchiha Clan and Konoha are blind fools—I'm really curious which side you'll ultimately take. If you make a decision and need help afterward, come find me."
Chinya's voice carried a tone of mockery, but the current Itachi Uchiha couldn't detect any sarcasm in his words.
Itachi Uchiha stared solemnly at Chinya and asked, "Why? What do you want to gain from this?"
Chinya smiled at Itachi Uchiha and said, "What do I want? Didn't I just say it already? Matters concerning the Uchiha Clan interest me greatly, and I really want to get involved—that's reason enough, isn't it?
As for Konoha, such a rotten, decaying Konoha—I'd really like to destroy it completely. But thanks to a vow I made, I can't do it myself. However, if someone else wants to, that's got nothing to do with me.
Of course, you can go straight to Fugaku Uchiha or Hiruzen Sarutobi and report everything I've just said—I don't care. After all, those guys won't dare move against me until after settling things with the Uchiha Clan. And Fugaku Uchiha… Do you really think he dares touch me?
If you still believe all this trouble was started by the Uchiha Clan alone, then you truly are foolish—hopelessly, unforgivably foolish. The Uchiha Clan is simply trying to save itself.
Shisui Uchiha's failure was inevitable in my view. When that happens, you'll have to make your choice immediately: Konoha or the Uchiha? Or perhaps… both sides at once?"
With that, Chinya vanished on the spot—[Shifting Body Technique]!
Itachi Uchiha's eyes went distant, his heart churning with thoughts.
Itachi Uchiha stood there lost in thought for a long time before finally returning to the clan grounds, looking absentminded and emotionally shaken.
"Brother, you're back! Can we train now?"
Sasuke Uchiha looked up at Itachi eagerly, hoping for some time together.
Itachi gave Sasuke a forced smile. "Sasuke, I have something important to do. Maybe next time."
"Huh? You won't play with me again!"
Sasuke puffed out his cheeks angrily.
But Itachi Uchiha didn't have the mind or mood for Sasuke right now. He returned silently to his room alone and locked himself inside.
The only thing echoing through Itachi Uchiha's mind were the words Chinya had spoken to him.
It sounds like the Uchiha are the ones being wronged, and Konoha's the one doing it to them.
Itachi Uchiha knew this village carried countless secrets and contradictions, yet all along, he had been proud of being a Konoha ninja.
He hoped Konoha and the Uchiha could live in peace together and never come to that point.
Even though Chinya said Shisui wouldn't make it, Itachi still believed in him. If Shisui succeeded, he wouldn't have to make that difficult choice.
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