Kazuki actively approached at this moment, which seemed quite strange to Uchiha Shisui. Noticing Shisui's wariness, Kazuki gave a faint smile and said,
"Because you don't understand, you hold prejudice. But I know you, the famed 'Shunshin no Shisui'—a man who values peace above all else. So why would something like family ties affect my judgment?"
Shisui was momentarily stunned. Then, after a brief moment of contemplation, he nodded thoughtfully. The young man's words made a certain amount of sense. Looking at him again, Shisui found that this kid was unexpectedly easy to appreciate.
"I'll help you with your request. No charge—but in return, you must answer a question."
"Senior, please ask."
After a brief pause, Shisui spoke in a solemn tone, his voice tinged with a hint of hesitation.
"When the village and the clan are in conflict… does it mean that someone is destined to be sacrificed?"
The moment he uttered those words, regret flickered across his face. He already knew the answer, so why did he feel the need to ask? Like him, others who had loved both the village and their clan had met tragic ends for reasons beyond their control. And yet, here he was, posing such a weighty question to a mere seven-year-old. Perhaps the boy's earlier words—his calm, mature demeanor—had made Shisui momentarily forget their difference in age.
"No."
Kazuki's response was firm.
Shisui blinked in surprise. That was the complete opposite of what he had expected.
"Why?" he asked quickly.
Kazuki lifted his gaze, his eyes burning with conviction as he smiled.
"Because sacrifice is meaningless."
Sacrifice? Meaningless?
Shisui's breath caught. Did this boy not understand the Will of Fire that the Third Hokage preached? A flood of rebuttals surged in his mind, but before he could voice them, Kazuki continued,
"To die is simply to die—whether it's voluntary or forced. There are always those who believe their death will change something. But in reality, the dead change nothing."
Shisui remained silent.
"I believe that only the living can change things," Kazuki said firmly. "No matter how difficult the situation, as long as I live long enough, I'll have the chance to make a difference."
Perhaps this is what people mean when they say 'live long enough, and you'll see everything.'
Kazuki sighed inwardly, but his expression remained calm. He had simply spoken what he truly believed—nothing in this world was more important than life itself.
Shisui, for the first time in a long while, found himself at a loss for words. Kazuki's perspective was something he had never considered before. Could this be the key to unlocking the deadlock that had troubled him for so long?
After a long pause, Shisui finally spoke again, though his voice seemed distant.
"Here—I collected these bird feathers before. You can use them as you like. If you need more, take as many as you need. I'll be going now."
He gestured absentmindedly to a half-meter-high sack beside him, then turned and walked away, deep in thought.
"Thank you, Senior Shisui."
Kazuki opened the sack and found an assortment of feathers—white, black, crimson, emerald—thousands of them, carefully collected over time. He hadn't expected Shisui to part with them so generously.
Kazuki felt a sense of satisfaction as he secured the feathers into his storage ring with a flash of silver light. With his task complete, he departed.
....
[Ding! Forging Success! Forged Item: Kazukiyi!]
[Ding! Forging Failed! Forged Scrap.]
[Ding! Forging Failed! Forged Scrap.]
In the forging room at the back of Kazuki's house, he worked tirelessly. He pulled at the bellows, causing the orange-red flames to surge and heat the forging table until it glowed bright red.
Taking a chunk of Bla Stone, he tossed it onto the table and raised his hammer.
Clang! Clang!
With three or four solid strikes, the once rigid turquoise mineral softened, becoming malleable like clay. Without hesitation, he threw in another material—Taiyin Essence Iron. As he continued hammering, the two substances fused together under the rising heat.
The flames roared as the temperature on the forging table climbed higher. When the Qinggang Stone had fully merged with the jet-black Taiyin Essence Iron, a mysterious material emitting a dark blue glow emerged.
Sweat trickled down Kazuki's forehead, but he remained focused, carefully controlling each hammer strike. Any misstep at this stage could deform the weapon-in-progress, turning it into worthless scrap.
He meticulously placed black and white feathers onto the forging table, arranging them with precision. Gradually, a feathered robe began to take shape.
After another half hour of careful refinement, a triumphant smile spread across his face.
"Yes! It's a success this time!"
The system's voice echoed in his mind:
[Ding! Forging Success! Forged Item: Kazukiyi!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully forging Kazukiyi. As a reward, comprehension of Wind and Water attributes has increased by +1!]
Since he had gathered plenty of materials, Kazuki crafted multiple sets of Kazukiyi, all of which he stored in his collection ring.
With that complete, he moved on to his next projects—lightweight boots and the Sun Blade.
Once again, the rhythmic sound of hammering filled the forging shed.
[Ding! Forging Failed! Forged Scrap.]
[Ding! Forging Failed! Forged Scrap.]
[Ding! Forging Success! Forged Item: Lightweight Boots!]
Life for Kazuki settled into a routine.
During the day, he and Tian Tian attended the Ninja Academy, diligently absorbing their lessons. After school, they trained at the Konoha training grounds, ensuring they met their daily training quotas.
Evenings were spent in the forging shed, where he honed his craft, hammering away into the late hours.
A month passed in this steady rhythm.
Though his own life remained peaceful, the village was anything but.
The Uchiha clan's increasing assertiveness in the Konoha Police Force was drawing growing resentment from the villagers.Several members of Root mysteriously vanished, and suspicion fell upon the Uchiha.Uchiha Itachi joined the Anbu.And most shocking of all—Uchiha Shisui, the prodigy known as "Shisui of the Body Flicker," had died in Konoha.
The news sent shockwaves through the Uchiha clan and the entire village. Tensions between the Uchiha and Konoha's leadership had reached a boiling point.
Kazuki noticed the impact firsthand—his ninja shop was busier than ever, as demand for weapons surged.
He could only sigh.
He wasn't strong enough to influence events at this level. Whether Shisui's death followed the path of the original story was something beyond his reach.
Still, it was a shame.
Unlike most of the Uchiha, Shisui had been one of the rare few with a noble character. Compared to the prideful Uchiha clansmen, or even Itachi and Sasuke, Shisui had been the most reasonable.
His only weakness was his honesty—too trusting, and not nearly cautious enough.
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