Various training targets were placed around a dense forest. Judging by the wear and tear, the training frequency was relatively high.
“Itachi, are you really certain about this?”
Under the trees, Uchiha Shisui’s eyes were heavy as he gazed at Itachi standing opposite him.
“Brother Shisui, there’s no need to persuade me further. I’ve already made up my mind.”
Itachi’s expression was grave.
Shisui rarely saw Itachi so earnest and sincere.
“The Hokage is eagerly anticipating your joining…”
Unwilling to give up, Shisui made one more bitter effort.
Even now, he couldn’t understand how, after just a few months away on a mission, Itachi, who had always stood by his side, had drastically changed.
He almost didn’t recognize the boy with tear troughs before him as the same friend with whom he had shared countless conversations about life.
At the mention of the Hokage, a trace of sorrow appeared in Itachi’s eyes.
At the time, he, like Shisui, believed their Hokage would change the situation for the village and the clan.
But the reality was always disappointing.
Since Mirai returned to the village, Itachi had seen the incompetence and weakness of the Hokage he once revered.
How could the village be appropriately governed under such a Hokage?
“Brother Shisui, you remember Naruto, right?”
“I do. Why?”
Shisui was puzzled.
Naruto was the Fourth Hokage’s son, right? Why would Itachi suddenly mention him?
“The Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to save the village. Yet even as the son of a hero, Naruto was treated that way! Brother Shisui, do you really believe that such a Hokage is worth following?”
“Enough, Itachi!”
Shisui cut him off.
He couldn’t understand how his friend Itachi could speak disrespectfully about the Hokage.
“The Third Hokage must have had his reasons for doing so!”
“Itachi, have you forgotten the Hokage’s expectations of you? You were a genius who had the mind of a Hokage at the age of six!”
Itachi looked at Shisui, the friend and role model he had once admired.
Faced with Shisui’s angry reproach, Itachi did not argue back.
Instead, he responded calmly.
“Brother Shisui, after meeting my teacher, Mirai, I realized how foolish I was before. Now, I want to walk a new path.”
The two stared into each other’s eyes.
In each other’s eyes, they could no longer find the friend with whom they had once shared dreams and hopes.
It was as if a crack had formed between them.
This place, where they had become friends, was now where they would part ways.
“Brother Shisui, I’ve said everything I wanted to say. Please tell the Hokage that it is I, Itachi, who has let him down.”
Having said his piece, Itachi turned and walked away.
Shisui watched Itachi’s back, watching his once-familiar friend become a stranger.
His gaze was complicated.
…
At the Uchiha training grounds, Uchiha Fugaku looked troubled as he glanced at Mirai.
“Mirai, what are you planning to do with these young clan members?”
He couldn’t understand Mirai’s intentions.
Yesterday, Mirai had suddenly approached him and Uchiha Shisui, saying he wanted to select a group of young Uchiha clan members.
Following his request, Fugaku and Shisui quickly gathered these clan members.
After all, the Uchiha clan was now almost tied to Mirai. His opinions were highly valued.
“It’s for forming the Uchiha Honor Guard!”
Mirai grinned.
“The Uchiha Honor Guard?”
Fugaku was puzzled. Even Shisui beside him was staring at him in confusion.
He knew about the Police Force, but what was the Honor Guard?
“The Honor Guard is a unit established to protect the honor of the Uchiha. Each member must have strong combat capabilities and the spirit to charge and sacrifice for the Uchiha.”
Mirai explained with a smile.
“This…”
Fugaku and Shisui exchanged glances, both seeing the other’s confusion.
Why was Mirai forming an Honor Guard out of nowhere?
“The Police Force’s duty is to maintain the village’s security, while the Honor Guard is to uphold the Uchiha’s honor!”
Hearing Mirai mention honor, the young Uchiha in front of him breathed heavily, their emotions rising.
The honor of the Uchiha.
Just thinking about it made their blood boil!
“Mirai, is this really a good idea?”
Fugaku felt a headache coming on.
He increasingly couldn’t grasp what Mirai was trying to achieve.
“Fugaku, don’t you think this world has been stagnant for too long?”
Mirai turned to him, smiling.
“From the Uchiha, to Konoha, to the Five Great Nations, and the entire ninja world, everything has been running as if on a preset program.”
“If it continues like this, wouldn’t it be incredibly boring?”
“So, I have a dream.”
“Starting with the Uchiha, then Konoha, then the Land of Fire, and finally, changing the entire ninja world!”
Mirai flashed a bright smile.
“Fugaku, don’t you want to be part of this exciting change? The future is in your hands!”
Fugaku hesitated, but Shisui beside him was already too excited to speak.
He pictured someone in his mind.
Hashirama.
Though he was a Uchiha, he couldn’t deny the greatness of Hashirama.
The legendary ninja who ended the Warring States period and created the era of one village per nation.
In Mirai, he saw the shadow of that man.
Maybe, one day, Mirai would become such a figure.
He wanted to seize the future!
The young Uchiha before them had their blood boiling, their Sharingan activating, their breaths heavy.
Mirai had painted them a grand blueprint.
A completely different world, born through their hands!
How exciting was that!
While Hiruzen next door was still pondering how to weaken their power, Mirai was already thinking about changing the world!
“So, young ones, do you want to board the ship to the new world?”
“Yes!”
Mirai’s smile was radiant.
“Just shouting won’t do. Now, show me your strength!”
The silver magnet fluid covered Mirai’s body from the bottom up, blue lightning crackling around him.
To convince this group of Uchiha, just talking big wasn’t enough.
Mirai knew this well.
His powerful voice echoed across the training grounds.
“Come at me together! Prove your strength to me!”
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