Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Uchiha Itachi
The night at Naka River was cold, and the forest seemed eerily still. No animals could be heard, and only the sound of the waterfall echoed through the night. Ren had arrived as planned, ready to meet the person who had summoned him.
Whoosh!
A sharp sound pierced the air as a kunai, leaving a trail of darkness, shot directly toward Ren's back. His eyes flickered, and with what seemed like a casual move, he sidestepped, allowing the kunai to graze his clothes before it embedded itself in the ground.
Swiftly, Ren crouched and spun, his movements ghostlike and electrifyingly fast, dodging a second kunai that was aimed at him.
The attacker, seemingly surprised by Ren's agility, blinked. But before he could react, Ren's figure blurred, and in an instant, a powerful blow struck the attacker's arm, causing him to drop his weapon.
A cold metallic sensation pressed against Itachi's neck, freezing him in place.
Ren's figure vanished from view, and his voice rang out from behind, sharp and calm.
"Don't move."
This man... isn't he just a Chunin?! Itachi thought, swallowing hard, surprise flickering in his eyes. His mind raced back to the information he had gathered on Ren—details that now seemed far too understated.
I underestimated him…
The entire exchange had taken place in a matter of moments, so fast that even Itachi hadn't had time to activate his Sharingan.
"If you keep testing me like this, you won't receive much goodwill in return," Ren said calmly as he slipped the kunai back into Itachi's pouch.
"Sorry..." Itachi felt the pressure of the kunai lift from his throat, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
After investigating Ren's background and finding that he was a mere Chunin with a troubled record, Itachi couldn't resist testing his abilities to see why Shisui held him in such high regard. Although he had been caught off guard, only a handful of people—Shisui and Kakashi, perhaps—could have overpowered him so effortlessly.
"Did Shisui send you?" Ren asked, watching Itachi carefully.
"...Yes," Itachi turned to face Ren, reassessing him. For someone with such skill, it was strange that he remained an unknown Chunin in the village.
"Shisui does have a way of making people run errands for him," Ren said with a hint of amusement.
"Shisui said you could help me," Itachi replied, deciding to be more direct.
"What do you need?"
Itachi hesitated. He wasn't sure how much he could trust this stranger, even though Shisui had assured him that Ren knew everything and could be trusted. After a long pause, he decided to take the risk.
"Tomorrow, there's a clan meeting," Itachi began.
"The Uchiha are holding meetings more frequently these days," Ren noted calmly.
He really does know everything... Itachi thought, slightly unsettled.
"My father wants me to attend," Itachi continued. "At the meeting, they'll likely ask me to disclose some sensitive information about the village leadership."
"You don't want to do it?" Ren interrupted, cutting straight to the heart of Itachi's concerns.
"...No," Itachi admitted, surprised by how easily Ren had seen through him.
"Do you lean toward the side of the village's leadership?" Ren asked, observing Itachi closely.
Itachi gave Ren a curious look. Lean toward...
"I just think my father's methods are wrong," Itachi said, shaking his head.
When he first joined the ANBU, his only goal had been to relieve his father's burdens and assist Shisui. But now, being at the center of things, he realized how complicated the situation truly was.
"You're different from Shisui in that regard," Ren remarked.
Shisui was driven by pure ideals, determined to change the Uchiha clan for the sake of the greater good. Itachi, however, was more tied to his family and had yet to reach the same level of conviction.
In the original storyline, Itachi's ultimate decision to shoulder the burden of the clan's downfall had been triggered by Shisui's death. Coupled with his father and clan's increasingly radical stance and the immense pressure from Danzo, Itachi was left with no choice but to bear the weight of their fates.
"Do you think Shisui's approach is wrong?" Ren asked.
Itachi frowned slightly. "What's wrong with Shisui's ideals? He wants to create peace between the village and the clan, and he's doing everything he can to make that happen."
"Good ideals don't matter if they're unattainable," Ren said flatly, his expression unchanging.
"He's trying to do the impossible."
Itachi's brow furrowed. "Why are you saying that about him?"
The boy in front of Ren wasn't Shisui's friend supposed to support him? Why would he negate Shisui's efforts?
"Everyone can have beautiful ideals. Didn't your father have them once?" Ren asked in return.
Itachi froze in place, struck by the question. Father…
"What should I do…" Itachi muttered softly, lost in thought.
Ren observed the young Uchiha, recognizing that despite Itachi's maturity, he was still just a 12-year-old boy with limited experience. If it hadn't been for Shisui's death, Itachi wouldn't have borne the weight of everything alone.
"Just keep playing your role as the spy," Ren advised calmly.
"But…" Itachi hesitated, his voice trailing off.
"The current state of the Uchiha isn't something you can change just by speaking up or staying silent. Besides, the higher-ups in Konoha are fully aware that you're a double agent."
Frustration and confusion clouded Itachi's eyes. "Are we supposed to just let things continue like this?"
The urgency in Itachi's voice was clear—he was genuinely wrestling with the future of both the village and his clan. But he wasn't like the others caught up in the situation.
In the adult world, there were forces at play—coercion, suppression, violence, and revolution. Those in power calculated coldly, trying to eliminate any threats to their authority.
But here was a child, still holding on to a sliver of hope for peace.
Was he too naïve? Too innocent?
And yet, it was people like him who were burdened with the impossible task of protecting and saving Konoha.
Ren felt a strange melancholy. The situation was absurd, almost comical.
"This farce should have ended long ago," Ren said, his tone calm but firm. "I'm just waiting for Shisui to make his final decision."
Itachi was surprised by Ren's words. "What do you mean? Do you have a plan?"
"I've discussed it with Shisui many times. He just refuses to agree," Ren replied. "There is a way to ensure peace between Konoha and the Uchiha."
"But earlier, you said..." Itachi's confusion deepened.
"It's different," Ren cut him off. "Shisui is willing to be a pawn in the hands of Konoha's leadership. He believes that changing one person's mind will change the fate of the Uchiha. He's placing all his hopes on the Hokage's mercy."
The words, almost rebellious, left Itachi feeling uneasy. He could sense now that Ren and Shisui, while working together, had fundamentally different beliefs.
"Shisui's heart belongs entirely to the village, and nothing I say will change that," Ren continued. "I'm just waiting for him to realize how futile his hope is."
Lose hope…
After a long pause, Itachi finally asked cautiously, "What exactly is your plan?"
Ren glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "Just do your part. If you skip the clan meeting, you'll alienate yourself from the Uchiha too soon."
"If you don't want a rift between you and your father, then for now, follow his orders."
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