Chapter 12 - The Uchiha Integrating into Konoha? Haven't They Always Been?
Early the next morning.
As Renji was about to prepare for the clan meeting, two figures blocked his path at the doorway of his room.
Looking at the two people before him, Renji's eyes flickered with a trace of surprise, but he quickly regained his composure.
He hadn't expected these two to seek him out so quickly.
"Clan Leader Renji, though it may be presumptuous of us, could we have a word with you?" Shisui spoke with a humble tone.
Although he was concerned that Renji might be a radical, and knew that if Renji were indeed a radical, there might not be much to discuss between them, he still felt it necessary to try. After all, Renji was now the clan leader, and it was only proper to show respect.
"Clan Leader..."
Itachi, on the other hand, felt somewhat awkward. He had mentally prepared himself before coming, but the fact that someone around his own age, someone he had even seen at the ninja academy, had suddenly become his clan leader left him with a strange feeling in his heart.
"Is there something you need? I'm about to head to the clan meeting soon," Renji pondered for a moment before stepping aside to let the two enter.
"Thank you."
Shisui gave Renji a grateful look and then gestured for Itachi to follow him into Renji's home.
After inviting them to sit and pouring tea for both, Renji got straight to the point. "What brings you here?"
Although he already had a good idea of why they had come, Renji decided to play along.
"Clan Leader, I'd like to know how you plan to address the issues between the Uchiha and Konoha now that you've taken the position," Shisui asked directly, though he was slightly surprised that Renji had asked twice. He saw no reason to beat around the bush.
"Oh? And how do you think I should handle it?" Renji's eyes flickered with a hint of mockery as he looked at Shisui and Itachi.
These two really weren't hiding their intentions at all.
Were they here to gather intelligence for Konoha?
"I believe we should demonstrate to Konoha that the Uchiha clan poses no threat!" Shisui said, his eyes burning with intensity as he watched Renji for a reaction. Itachi, too, was observing closely.
"And how exactly should we demonstrate that the Uchiha clan poses no threat? Should we gouge out all the Sharingan eyes of the Uchiha, or perhaps cripple all our ninja? That way, the Uchiha would indeed pose no threat to Konoha," Renji said, a cold smile flashing across his face.
For someone who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Shisui's thinking was surprisingly simplistic.
"This..."
Shisui was stunned. He had always thought about making the Uchiha clan appear non-threatening to Konoha, but how exactly could that be achieved? It seemed the only way was as Renji had said.
"Shisui, you're too naive. Why would the Uchiha clan pose a threat to Konoha in the first place? Where did this notion of a threat even come from?"
Renji was genuinely curious.
Why did Shisui believe that the Uchiha clan was a threat to Konoha? And who had planted this idea of a "threat" in Shisui's mind?
"Shisui, if the strength of a ninja clan can pose a threat to Konoha, then is the Hyūga clan a threat? Are the Ino-Shika-Chō a threat? Are the Sarutobi and Shimura clans a threat?"
"Also, Shisui, there's one more thing I want to tell you. Do you know why our clansmen are rebelling?"
Renji shook his head, looking at the speechless Shisui, and posed a question.
Shisui looked up in confusion, then shook his head. Deep down, he probably knew the answer, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.
"You know our clansmen have been wronged. Why are they rebelling? Isn't it because they feel threatened? Back then, when Madara Uchiha wanted to take the clan away, the clansmen refused to leave. Why? Because peace is hard-won. If they didn't feel threatened, unless they were out of their minds, why would they even think of rebelling?"
This is absurd!
Back then, even Madara Uchiha couldn't take the Uchiha clan away from Konoha when he returned.
And now you're saying the Uchiha are overthinking things? That's clearly impossible!
If there were no threat, why would anyone rebel? Who doesn't want peace?
"Renji, clan, clan—why do all Uchiha think the clan is the most important thing? Can't we look at this from the Hokage's perspective, from a higher vantage point? If we integrate into Konoha, why would Konoha target us Uchiha? Why doesn't Konoha target other clans?"
Itachi looked up at Renji, his eyes filled with disappointment.
He had thought that Renji, as a genius like himself, would surely think about things from the same elevated perspective.
But Renji was still fixated on the clan.
Was Renji also confined by the clan?
"Haha, Itachi, you ask why I'm confined by the clan?"
"Exactly!"
Shisui tugged at Itachi, but in the end, he couldn't hold him back.
Hearing Itachi's words, Renji's sneer grew even colder.
"Then why are you confining your perspective to just one village? Why not look at the entire shinobi world? The Sand Village is constantly short of water—why don't you go send them water? The Rock Village has always wanted Konoha's land—why don't we just give it to them? The Cloud Village wants our kekkei genkai—why don't we just hand it over? The Mist Village is economically struggling—why doesn't Konoha send them money? Why do other villages keep targeting Konoha?"
What the hell?
How can he even say that?
Shisui's eyes widened, completely stunned.
And what Renji said wasn't wrong!
"Itachi, first of all, you need to understand that you are a member of the Uchiha clan before you are a shinobi of Konoha. If we follow your logic, are the Hyūga's branch and main families also tools to oppose Konoha?
"Also, what you said about understanding things from the Hokage's perspective—sorry, but why should we see things from their angle? Why don't you try understanding things from the Uchiha clan's perspective? Why don't you think about the weaker members of our clan and whether they want to be targeted by Konoha?
"And integrating into Konoha? Itachi... that's the funniest joke I've ever heard.
"Why should the Uchiha clan integrate into Konoha? Haven't we always been part of Konoha? Wasn't Konoha founded by the Uchiha and the Senju clans? How much more integrated do we need to be? Should we disband like the Senju? If we're not considered integrated, then why aren't the Hyūga clan integrating into Konoha? And after the Nine-Tails incident, the Sarutobi and Shimura clans took over the central district that originally belonged to us Uchiha.
"I'd really like to ask you, why were they allowed to take it? Was it because they had a Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and a Hokage Advisor, Shimura Danzō? Their greed is too obvious, Itachi. The Uchiha have always been part of Konoha. It's just that a few individuals in Konoha can't tolerate the Uchiha!"
After speaking, Renji coldly stared at Itachi, whose face was now filled with discomfort. At this moment, Itachi felt as if his worldview was slowly crumbling.
(End of Chapter)
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