From the depths of his dark consciousness, light gradually permeated.
Shisui abruptly opened his eyes—no, to be precise, he tried to open his eyes. A sharp pain shot through his empty eye sockets, reminding him of the fact that he had lost his eyes.
But what shocked him even more was that he could still think, still feel the touch of the tatami mat beneath him, and apart from the poisonous insect, his injuries had completely healed.
I'm still alive?
This realization made him tense up. He had clearly chosen to fall off the cliff to his death... why?
"Yo, you're awake?" A cheerful male voice came from his right. "You were only unconscious for a short time, aren't you going to rest a bit more?"
Shisui instinctively turned his head towards the source of the voice. Although he couldn't see, he could feel someone sitting there.
"Who are you?"
"You must have a lot of questions." The other party seemed to shift into a more comfortable sitting position, his clothes rustling. "About my identity, or why I saved you."
Shisui grew wary. It seemed this wasn't an accidental rescue, but a premeditated encounter.
"This is our first meeting, but as for my identity... you've definitely heard of me."
Shisui's brow furrowed deeply. His muscles instantly tensed, even though his body's fatigue made it difficult for him to even perform the most basic Body Flicker Technique.
"My name is Menma Uzumaki, and I'm a few years older than you." The other party continued, unconcerned. "My current position is the leader of the 'Ash' organization... I think that should be enough, right?"
The air seemed to solidify.
...What?
Shisui's empty eye sockets trembled slightly. Menma? 'Ash'? The leader of that terrifying organization that single-handedly attacked Konoha and shook the entire Ninja World? But what concerned him more was—why would such a person save a dying Uchiha? Could he be an impostor?
As if seeing through his doubts, Menma chuckled. "Don't be so hostile towards me. When I attacked Konoha... I didn't kill a single person, you know."
The subsequent conversation exploded in Shisui's ears like thunder. Menma precisely stated the existence of Kotoamatsukami. He described in detail how Danzo took his right eye. He even accurately pointed out—that he entrusted his remaining eye to Itachi.
Shisui's expression went from questioning, to shock, to hostility, and finally completely froze. Although he had lost his eyes, he could clearly feel the oppressive presence emanating from the person opposite him—a palpable pressure accumulated from countless life-and-death battles.
I'm no match for him now.
Finally, he slowly relaxed his tense shoulders, adopting a wary posture. Now, dialogue was the only option.
— — — — — —
"So..." Shisui's voice was hoarse and restrained. "What exactly is your purpose in saving me?"
"I no longer have the Sharingan."
There was a test hidden in this sentence. Shisui deliberately didn't mention the most terrifying possibility—if Menma's target was the Kotoamatsukami entrusted to Itachi.
...This thought was forcefully suppressed as soon as it emerged. If this man, who could contend with the Five Great Nations, were to obtain a Genjutsu that could rewrite wills, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"I think you've misunderstood something." Menma's voice carried a hint of laziness. "The Sharingan and Kotoamatsukami... are not my goal."
"I'm not the kind of guy obsessed with power. Power, to me... is merely a tool to achieve my goals."
"I want to stop war. Whether it's war between great nations, or internal strife within villages... as long as it's a conflict that causes unnecessary casualties, I won't stand by and do nothing."
"This matter..." Shisui carefully chose his words. "I have already entrusted it to my best friend."
He looked up slightly, and even without eyes, this movement still carried a sense of determination.
"She will stop the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha... and pass on my will."
This was a more polite way of speaking. In reality, Shisui was subtly refusing Menma's intervention—he clearly remembered this man's previous 'intervention method', which directly left the Raikage critically wounded. He believed that such 'mediation' would only lead to deeper hatred and instability.
"I see..." Menma's voice carried a thoughtful tone. "Uchiha Itachi, huh?"
Shisui keenly noticed a subtle pause in Menma's tone when he spoke that name. What he couldn't see was that in Menma's mind, the image of the black-haired girl he had seen on the cliff earlier flashed by.
The original 'filial son' has become a 'filial daughter'...
This thought flashed through Menma's mind, but he quickly reined in his thoughts.
"Do you know?" Menma suddenly changed the subject. "Sometimes, one person's resolve... is far from enough."
Menma watched Shisui's tense jawline. He recalled the controversy surrounding Uchiha Itachi in the original work—how that man, known as 'Itachi God', experienced such an extreme reversal of public opinion on the internet in another world.
From the initial tragic hero, to later being questioned as an extremist—slaughtering his entire clan, then having Sasuke kill him with his own hands... and then using a will-altering method to bring his brother back to Konoha.
Each point was enough to spark fierce moral debate.
Imagine, putting yourself in the shoes of those innocent Uchiha civilians in the original work. Hardworking villagers their entire lives, one day their entire family is suddenly massacred by a genius from their own clan. And when the truth is revealed, everyone exclaims.
"Wow! So the clan massacre was for peace!"
"You bore the darkness alone, you're truly great!"
The resentment of those who died unjustly became merely a backdrop to highlight the 'noble' Itachi God.
Naruto believed that this distorted value system might have stemmed from Itachi's experience of being sent to the battlefield at the age of five—children exposed to death too early are bound to view the world differently from ordinary people.
"You believe she can stop the civil war..." Menma's voice carried a hint of playfulness. "Then in your envisioned script—"
"How exactly will Uchiha Itachi act?"
How will Itachi act...
The weight of this question slowed Shisui's breathing. He tilted his head slightly, and even without sight, this movement still carried a sense of contemplation.
"Itachi's talent..." His voice carried an undeniable firmness. "Is more suited for operating in the dark than mine."
"She will definitely find a way that satisfies both sides."
This sentence contained too many unspoken words. In Shisui's idealized vision.
Itachi would continue to use her Anbu identity to mediate between the higher-ups and the clan members, delaying the coup through precise intelligence manipulation.
If it truly couldn't be delayed any longer, she would eliminate the most radical hawk members when necessary.
Finally, she would leave as a rogue ninja, bearing all the sins.
And even... use the Konoha secrets she acquired during her Anbu period as leverage to ensure the village wouldn't harm other Uchiha.
This plan perfectly presented Shisui's idealism—trusting his comrade's abilities while underestimating the cruelty of reality.
"...Alright." Menma suddenly stood up. "It seems you have a lot of confidence in Uchiha Itachi."
Shisui heard the rustling of clothes and felt Menma approaching. The oppressive Chakra made his skin involuntarily tense up.
"I'll save you, and then we'll see how Uchiha Itachi acts." Menma's voice carried a hint of interest. "You currently have... a poisonous insect from the Aburame clan inside you, right?"
Shisui's body stiffened imperceptibly for a moment.
"Don't be so wary." Menma was already squatting in front of him. "I'm saving you because the Uchiha Clan still needs you."
"Now, can you feel where the insect is in your body?" Menma's voice suddenly became focused. "I have at least a ninety percent chance of driving it out—"
"However, the process... might be a bit painful."