Since Sarutobi Shinzo took over as the overall defense commander of the Land of Lightning, a period of calm was abruptly disrupted by a new wave.
It has been five months since the Nine-Tails incident in October of last year.
The Land of Fire is situated on the border of the Land of Water.
"Yoru-niisan," Uchiha Shisui said with a serious expression in front of a small waterfall.
Observing this, Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but admire the Land of Fire's prosperity. The region was rich in resources, with towering ancient trees and abundant waterfalls scattered throughout. He pondered whether there was an unexplainable connection between the Uchiha clan and waterfalls. Uchiha Madara was stabbed in the chest in the Valley of the End, Uchiha Sasuke was defeated twice in front of the waterfalls in the Valley of the End, and Uchiha Itachi had even contemplated suicide by a waterfall as a child. It seemed that only one person had actually committed suicide at the waterfall.
Lost in these strange connections, Uchiha Yoru looked at Shisui with a peculiar expression, as if saying, "Only I, Uchiha Yoru, possess the ability to prevent your death by the waterfall."
At that moment, Shisui had no idea what Yoru was thinking, and even if he did, he wouldn't have the mental capacity to contemplate such matters.
"Yoru-niisan, there is news from the village that they are preparing to send Orochimaru-sama back, and the Uchiha and Hyuga clans will be responsible for defending the Land of Water."
Shisui solemnly revealed a secret preparation that the village had made, and upon hearing it, Yoru was genuinely surprised. This revelation was not covered in detail by Kishimoto-sensei in the Kakashi Anbu Arc and the Uchiha Clan Massacre Arc.
"Yoru-niisan?"
Looking at the bewildered Uchiha Yoru, Shisui furrowed his brows and called out to him. Yoru was startled and showed a puzzled expression, "Shisui, why would they want to send Orochimaru-sama back when the village is doing well?"
He was genuinely confused. While he analyzed the situation, Uchiha Shisui shook his head with a grimace and sighed, "Yoru-niisan, some people in the village claim that he has deviated from the Will of Fire and fallen into darkness."
Uchiha Yoru was dumbfounded by Shisui's words. He looked at Shisui, who always spoke highly of Orochimaru, and wondered, "Isn't Orochimaru-sama the most loyal follower of the Will of Fire?"
Shisui let out a complicated sigh. Despite being only 14 years old, he seemed wise beyond his years.
"Yoru-niisan, some people in the village do not want Orochimaru-sama to receive too much credit. That is why they want to send him back. They are using the Uchiha and Hyuga clans as replacements in the Land of Water. It's a treacherous act!"
Shisui's anger was evident as he spoke those words. He gritted his teeth and continued, "Some individuals are secretly trying to incite conflicts between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans and Orochimaru-sama, spreading malicious rumors. They suggest that the Nine-Tails incident might have been orchestrated by the Uchiha and Orochimaru-sama, all for the sake of the Hokage position."
Uchiha Yoru's eyes widened upon hearing Shisui's analysis. The Shisui in front of him, who always praised Orochimaru-sama, was he the same person?
"No, Shisui, calm down. You can't make baseless accusations like that. The Sarutobi clan would never allow the Uchiha clan to be treated that way. The Third Hokage would definitely not stand idly by."
Yoru's mind struggled to keep up. He looked at Shisui with a confused expression, trying to sort out his thoughts.
Shisui's analysis revolved around the Will of Fire, which deeply troubled him. With a grim expression, he said, "Yoru-niisan, I saw it with my own eyes when I went back to the village to transport supplies. The village rumors are spreading, despite the Third Hokage's attempts to quell them. But... the Third Hokage intends to send Orochimaru-sama back to the village!"
The Land of Lightning had just achieved stability, on the verge of claiming their success, but Sarutobi Shinzo arrived to take credit. Now, the Land of Water was also about to stabilize, and Orochimaru's hard-earned accomplishments were slipping away due to underhanded manipulation.
Using the Uchiha and Hyuga clans as pawns in this game was a clear attempt to provoke a rift between the two clans and Orochimaru.
To Shisui, this act was heartbreaking, especially considering the efforts made by the Uchiha clan. All their hard work could be undone with a simple transfer order.
If the Third Hokage represented the goodwill of the Hokage lineage in the original story, now he seemed to be inciting conflicts within the Uchiha clan. Naturally, Shisui's dissatisfaction grew.
At that moment, Uchiha Yoru finally understood the meaning behind Shisui's words. There were individuals in the village who did not want Orochimaru to return with such remarkable achievements. If he were to return after successfully stabilizing the border, someone could easily call for a new Hokage, leading to an election.
Now that he understood everything, Yoru looked at the frustrated Shisui and forced a bitter smile, shaking his head. "Shisui, let's not jump to conclusions. The Third Hokage upholds the Will of Fire. He would never do such a thing."
In other words, he was starting to doubt the Third Hokage, while he, on the other hand, had to counter that doubt. He needed to find a way to firmly reinstate trust in the village and the Third Hokage in Shisui's eyes. He wanted Shisui to uncover certain things and persuade him, rather than the other way around.
As Yoru looked at the indignant Shisui, he realized the frustration that must be building up inside him. He slowly said, "Shisui, let's not let our thoughts run wild. The Third Hokage upholds the Will of Fire. He would never do such a thing."
In essence, he was sowing seeds of doubt regarding the Third Hokage, while aiming to take a different approach. Under what circumstances would Shisui firmly believe in the Third Hokage's disappointment?
He had to put in considerable effort. He had to establish unwavering trust in the village and the Third Hokage in Shisui's eyes, gradually leading him to realize certain things. This would prompt Shisui to persuade him instead of the other way around.
At that moment, Shisui looked at Uchiha Yoru with resolute conviction. He felt the urge to speak but hesitated. Eventually, he chose to suppress his dissatisfaction and doubts about the village and the Sarutobi clan, bottling them up inside.
Releasing the burden lightened the load, but the frustration remained suppressed, waiting to ferment and eventually explode.
~~~
Notes:
(Yoru's cooking.)