"Do you think you could do a better job than Clan Head Fugaku?" Shisui asked quietly.
"At the very least," Rēn replied, "I wouldn't do worse than he has."
"You've got some nerve!"
"I've already started."
Shisui was stunned. His eyes widened as he stared at Uchiha Rēn, as if seeing his friend in a new light.
Rēn calmly met Shisui's scrutinizing gaze.
"Shisui, you're not the only one who sees the crisis our clan is facing. There are plenty of sharp minds in the clan. It's just that the situation is so overwhelming that a few people alone can't turn the tide. We've all been working to prevent the worst possible outcome for the clan."
"We?"
A sudden, involuntary wave of isolation and loneliness washed over Shisui.
When had he stopped being part of that "we"?
Was he being excluded?
He must be excluded, right?
"Don't think everyone's pushing you away. Don't forget—you're the Uchiha clan's only current ANBU. You've grown too close to the Third Hokage and his circle. It's not that people think you'd betray the clan, it's just that they don't believe you'd support our way of thinking."
"Then why are you telling me this now?"
"The situation has changed."
Rēn turned, his gaze shifting toward the direction of the Ninja Academy. The enrollment of Naruto was a clear signal. If things continued as they had in the original timeline, the bloody night of the Uchiha Massacre would arrive in about two years.
Even if his presence had disrupted that timeline, who's to say the Massacre wouldn't be accelerated, delayed—or completely altered in some twisted way?
What he did know was that the Uchiha clan, under Fugaku's leadership, was rapidly heading down the path of plotting a coup. If things weren't restrained, even without the Massacre, the Uchiha would be doomed to total destruction.
A sense of urgency surged in him like never before.
And it wasn't just the village elders, led by the Third Hokage, who wanted the Uchiha gone—there was also the now-deranged Uchiha Obito...
"We don't have time for thorough planning anymore. Once Clan Head Fugaku fully declares support for the radicals and gains the backing of the majority, it'll be out of our hands. The coup will proceed, it will be unstoppable. So we have to act before that happens—and show results."
Rēn's words rang out like hammer blows.
They were firm, decisive, and unmistakably resolute.
Shisui stayed silent for nearly two minutes before he asked, "If—and I'm just saying if—you really did replace Clan Head Fugaku, what would you do?"
"That question…" Rēn paused briefly. "I came across a line once—don't remember the source. It said, 'Peace secured through struggle endures. Peace traded for comfort never lasts. Peace isn't something you ask for. It's something you take.' I agree with that completely."
"Only when the Third Hokage, Danzō, and the rest understand that the Uchiha aren't toothless tigers—that we have the resolve and strength to fight to the death—will they stop pushing us further and further. Not because they'll suddenly come to their senses, but because they'll fear what comes next. If they force us into conflict, even if they win, the village will be left exposed and fractured. The other nations would strike while Konoha's recovering."
"But Rēn, doing this could completely sever the Uchiha's ties with the village."
Shisui remained calm but raised his concern.
"I know."
Rēn didn't deny it. "But even if we don't take action, do you think the Third and the elders will truly accept the Uchiha into the village's core? I believe they're just itching to get rid of us. I never expected to live peacefully with those old relics. Once the Fifth Hokage takes over, that's when the Uchiha's true chance for renewal will come."
"The Fifth Hokage?"
Shisui worked hard to follow Rēn's train of thought.
"The Third, Danzo, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane… all those old fossils already have fixed views about our clan. There's only one way to change their attitude: you using Kotoamatsukami to alter their minds. But your Mangekyō's ability can't handle that many people, and I doubt you'd want to do something like that."
Rēn shrugged.
"We can't count on the Third and his clique, so we have to look to the Fifth. In my view, only two people qualify to become the next Hokage—Jiraiya and Tsunade from the Legendary Sannin."
"But they're also the Third's students."
"True. But from what I've gathered, their thinking is different from that older generation. At the very least, they shouldn't be as hostile toward us. Of course, placing all our hopes in someone else is never ideal. The Uchiha must also adapt to the times."
"That's why I need your help."
"Shisui, for the sake of the clan's survival—I want you on my side."
Rēn made the invitation openly and sincerely.
"…I can't give you an answer right now. I need to see everything in the clan with my own eyes," Shisui replied cautiously. No matter how persuasive Rēn's words were, hearing only one side was never enough. He needed to understand the full picture before deciding.
"Just don't keep me waiting too long."
Rēn wasn't disappointed.
He knew Shisui too well. He had never expected to win him over so easily.
Sowing the seed was enough for now.
In time, with water and care, it would sprout, bloom, and bear fruit.
"All right, let's leave that topic for now. Shisui, got anything else going on today?" Rēn suddenly changed the subject.
"....Not really. I just finished a mission, and ANBU gave me two days off. I haven't decided what to do with the time yet." Shisui went along with the shift in tone. He was already under enough pressure—some rest was definitely in order. Even a machine would break down under too much stress.
"Perfect. Come over to my place! Spar with me. I haven't been on a mission recently, and I feel like I'm getting rusty."
"Don't give me that crap. You're not fooling me."
Shisui scoffed.
He'd sooner believe pigs could fly than believe that Rēn was getting rusty. This guy was a cunning one. Back during the war, he'd claim he was out of tools, then turn around and take out a hidden Mist ninja with a single shuriken. He'd yell that his chakra was spent and he couldn't move, only to unleash a Fire Style jutsu the next second and incinerate the enemies chasing him...
There were endless stories like that. Still, Rēn never used his tricks against his comrades. All those little deceptions were always saved for the enemy.
On the battlefield, Rēn had an uncanny ability to make people feel safe.
Maybe that's why—despite also being a genius of the Uchiha clan—Shisui had so few friends, while Rēn seemed to get along with everyone.