"Indeed. I trust you; otherwise, I wouldn't have told you all this," Shinnosuke said with a nod and a small smile.
Shisui, however, did not share the smile. He hesitated, opening his mouth several times as if to speak, but the words seemed to catch in his throat.
Seeing this, Shinnosuke took the initiative. "If there's something you want to ask, go ahead."
"Very well... Commander," Shisui began after a moment of silence, his voice heavy. "If the Uchiha truly reach the state you've predicted, what is to be done?"
Shinnosuke pondered for a moment before answering. "Naturally, we must nip such a trend in the bud at the first opportunity. Shisui, in my eyes, and in the eyes of the Lord Third, the Uchiha have always been members of this village and a vital part of its strength. The Lord Third has always been dedicated to fully integrating the Uchiha clan into the environment of Konoha. Therefore, rebellion is absolutely unacceptable. But having said that, as long as they haven't raised a clear banner of revolt, there is still room for reconciliation. That is exactly why I need you to keep an eye on them."
"As long as a banner of revolt hasn't been raised, there is still room for reconciliation?" Shisui mused deeply.
"Yes. As the Anbu, our duty is to watch closely and ensure things do not escalate to an irrevocable point. As for how to mend the rift between the Uchiha and the village, that is not for us to decide, nor is it within our power. The Lord Third and Fugaku-sama have been working tirelessly on that front. I hope, and believe, they will see results," Shinnosuke said.
Shisui nodded in agreement.
One must act according to their station. He was currently just a member of the Anbu and part of the Uchiha's younger generation. To expect Shisui to solve the systemic conflict between the village and the clan was beyond his capabilities. Such matters could only be negotiated and resolved between Fugaku, the Clan Head, and Hiruzen, the Hokage.
Thus, Shisui felt that Shinnosuke's orders were reasonable. As an Anbu member and an Uchiha, he couldn't help much with high-level politics, but he could monitor the signs of rebellion. Just as Shinnosuke said, if such signs appeared, Shisui could report them early so they could work together to suppress the movement before it turned into a catastrophe.
In other words, he, Uchiha Shisui, was the early warning system.
After careful consideration, Shisui felt this was the correct and necessary path, both for the sake of the Uchiha and the village. He steeled his resolve to complete this mission. Simultaneously, he wondered what else he could do for both sides. He reached up and touched his eye. Perhaps... my eyes can do something?
"What's wrong? Are your eyes bothering you?" Shinnosuke asked with concern.
"A little," Shisui replied calmly.
He had told no one about his Mangekyō Sharingan or its ability, Kotoamatsukami. As of now, even Itachi was in the dark. Shisui was clever; he knew exactly how terrifying a Sharingan that could silently and forcibly rewrite a person's permanent will truly was. Once known, he would truly become the "enemy of the world." For anyone, especially the powerful, such a power must either be possessed or destroyed. To fall victim to it would be a nightmare.
Shinnosuke didn't overthink it. Shisui had just returned from a mission; fatigue and physical discomfort were only natural. If a man rubs his eye openly in front of you, what else is there to suspect?
"I've said all I needed to say," Shinnosuke concluded. "You've just returned and must be exhausted. Go home and rest. I won't be assigning you any field missions for a while."
Shisui nodded, finished his tea in one gulp, and stood up. "Yes, Commander. I shall take my leave."
"Go on," Shinnosuke said.
Soon after Shisui left, the office fell silent again. Shinnosuke rubbed his temples and said wearily, "I wonder how many years of peace we have left?"
…
Shisui quickly made his way back to the Uchiha clan district. Upon entering their territory, he immediately noticed it was quieter and more desolate than before. While the Uchiha's reputation in Konoha had never been stellar, one used to see villagers walking near the outskirts of the district, maintaining some level of connection.
Today, it felt as though an invisible wall had risen, severing the Uchiha from the people of Konoha. Shisui sighed inwardly. He was powerless against this; he could only hope that time would dull the resentment.
With a heavy heart, Shisui walked toward the clan's inner gates. The Uchiha district was designed like a massive "estate." An outer wall enclosed nearly all Uchiha residences. Everyone lived within the same boundary, with individual homes radiating outward in concentric circles from the residence of the Clan Head, Fugaku.
This layout allowed the Uchiha to remain largely self-sufficient. The estate was so vast it included enough farmland and water sources for the clan to thrive independently. This design had been finalized during the reign of the Second Hokage, Tobirama. In truth, it reflected the Uchiha's distrust of Tobirama.
Yet, Tobirama had never interfered with this estate-style living; in fact, he had subtly encouraged it. The reason was now obvious: by doing this, the Uchiha were effectively segregating themselves into a separate world. Over the decades, this had made the Uchiha increasingly incompatible with the rest of Konoha.
"Yo, Shisui! You're back?" An Uchiha member called out with a smile as Shisui walked in.
To the outside world, the Uchiha often wore a "don't mess with me" expression, but among themselves, they were straightforward. They were all Uchiha; there was no need for pretension. At most, there was some internal competition based on strength or talent, but that was a common human trait, not unique to them.
As a renowned genius, Shisui was highly respected and admired within the clan. No one would give him a hard time.
"Ah, Inabi. Long time no see," Shisui said with a smile.
Uchiha Inabi appeared to be around Shisui's age, but he was wearing the uniform of the Konoha Military Police Force. It was a common sight; few Uchiha served in other departments. Most joined the Police Force by default. It was the power the Uchiha held in Konoha, a source of pride, yet also a source of dissatisfaction and restlessness.
"Heading in for your shift?" Shisui asked.
Inabi nodded, looking annoyed. "Things have been getting busier lately. Those 'thugs' out there look at us Uchiha with such resentment. It's ridiculous. Even the Hokage said the Nine-Tails incident had nothing to do with us, yet they still dare to hate the Uchiha. They forget that if the Police Force hadn't helped evacuate them that night, those thugs would all be dead! Pathetic!"
Inabi spoke as if his logic were indisputable. However, Shisui's brow furrowed.
'Thugs'...
That was certainly not a kind term. Shisui remembered clearly that before he left for his mission, the clan members, though arrogant, would use terms like "civilians" or "ordinary people." Now, after the tragedy of the Nine-Tails, the way they spoke of the villagers had turned venomous.
Calling them "thugs"? This was a dangerous sign. It might seem minor now, but this subtle shift in terminology would inevitably erode the relationship between the Uchiha and the common populace, deepening the divide.
"Inabi," Shisui said seriously. "We shouldn't call our fellow villagers 'thugs'."
Inabi blinked, then scratched his head awkwardly. "I'm just frustrated, that's all. No real malice. It's just that we didn't do anything, yet they treat us like enemies. Everyone in the clan feels wronged and angry. I don't know how it started, but everyone's started calling them thugs. Honestly, it feels a bit satisfying to say..."
The reason for the change was just as Inabi described: simple and petty. But it was exactly this simplicity that would lead to an uncontrollable catastrophe.
"Regardless, I think we should stop saying it," Shisui said firmly.
Seeing his serious expression, Inabi rubbed his hair. "Fine, I get it."
At this stage, the Uchiha had not yet descended into madness. Shinnosuke had wondered how many years of peace were left; the answer was about six. During that time, the Uchiha would slowly lose their minds. Right now, it was only the beginning.
"Good," Shisui said, a smile returning to his face. "I'm going to get some rest. Do your job well and don't slack off."
"I never slack off!" Inabi grumbled.
Both laughed, and after saying their goodbyes, Shisui walked toward his home. His silhouette looked somewhat lonely. He was, in fact, alone; his parents were long gone, and he lived by himself within the clan grounds.
However, as he reached his front door, he saw a small figure sitting on the porch steps, as if waiting for him. Seeing Shisui, the child's face lit up with a brilliant smile.
Shisui smiled back, waving happily. "Itachi, what are you doing here?"