Chapter 15: Taking the Longer Route Is the Shortest Way
"…In short, the ninja villages are only able to survive because of the funds and resources provided by the daimyo."
Because of the help Shiromo had given Sasuke, Itachi now held Shiromo in very high regard.
Even after hearing Shiromo encourage Kisame to assassinate a daimyo, Itachi did not show any dissatisfaction. Instead, he calmly began explaining the daimyo's role to Shiromo.
"Itachi, you're wrong."
After listening to Itachi's explanation, Shiromo shook his head.
"I've heard a saying in Konoha: 'becoming Hokage doesn't guarantee everyone's approval; rather, gaining everyone's approval is what makes you Hokage.'"
"The same logic applies to the position of 'Daimyo.'"
"It's not the Daimyo who provides resources and sustains everyone. It's the farmers and workers who support the Daimyo, the merchants who handle distribution, and the ninja villages who provide security."
"If the Daimyo possessed sufficient governing ability, that would be one thing."
"But the current Daimyo, ask yourselves honestly, do they really have that ability?"
"They're nothing more than parasites who rely on hereditary power to leech off the nation. It's not the Daimyo who brings happiness and well-being to the people. Only those who do so are qualified to lead a nation."
"Since they're already preparing to launch a revolution and eliminate the Blood Mist tradition, why not eliminate all past mistakes at once?"
Even if the people of Kirigakure truly held such thoughts, they wouldn't dare to act lightly.
The ideology of the Daimyo system had persisted for generations. If action were to be taken, a bloodless revolution would seem preferable in order to avoid unrest.
However, the hidden dangers of a bloodless revolution were enormous. If a Daimyo lost the right to exploit others and later attempted to reclaim power, it would inevitably trigger a new wave of destruction.
But once blood was shed, hatred would follow. Those who had been blindly loyal to the Daimyo for so long would directly incite chaos…
"Therefore, the best solution is for Kisame, as a rogue ninja, to carry out the task. He must bear the hatred and the so-called sins upon himself."
"Kisame, you won't mind, will you?"
All eyes turned toward Kisame.
"It doesn't bother me," Kisame replied calmly. "Thank you, strategist. This incident has shown me a new path. My life has regained its meaning."
His answer was decisive, and his heart was stirred.
Yet someone else was affected even more deeply than Kisame.
That person was Itachi.
Shiromo's words resonated strongly within him.
First, there was the familiar phrase steeped in the Will of Fire: 'Only by gaining everyone's approval can one become Hokage.' Then, that logic was extended to criticize the outdated and corrupt Daimyo system.
Finally, Shiromo proposed that Kisame, as a rogue ninja, should shoulder hatred and sin in order to save Kirigakure.
The feeling was overwhelmingly familiar.
"Indeed, I was wrong, strategist. Your breadth of mind is astonishing."
Uchiha Itachi openly admitted the flaw in his thinking.
In the original timeline, after being resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation, Itachi eventually realized the mistakes he had made in handling Sasuke.
He should have trusted the strength of others instead of arbitrarily deciding everything himself and attempting to control the outcome.
Itachi was always capable of admitting and correcting his mistakes.
The problem was that no one had told him he was wrong, or explained why.
The only person who was both qualified and capable of correcting him, the Third Hokage, not only failed to do so but even praised Itachi for having "the mind of a Hokage" at such a young age, further reinforcing his beliefs.
As a result, he could not be guided through words alone; only experience could teach him.
After this short time together during the Land of Waves mission, Itachi began to believe that Shiromo was a ninja outside Konoha who still possessed the Will of Fire, and who also had the ability and resolve to change the ninja world.
Just as he had once trusted Naruto.
Therefore, Itachi felt that as long as he continued down this path, he could accept being used by Shiromo.
During Shiromo's earlier conversation with Sasuke, he had mentioned the clan's stone tablet, the awakening and evolution of the Sharingan, and even the final advancement method, one that even Itachi himself did not know.
The only thing Shiromo had not mentioned was how the Mangekyō Sharingan reached its penultimate stage: obtaining eyes of eternal light, by replacing one's own brother's eyes.
Itachi did not believe that Shiromo, who understood the entire process, was unaware of this.
When Shiromo asked him whether he was willing to make a sacrifice, it likely meant more than simply refraining from harming Sasuke. It probably meant offering up his own eyes.
"Oh, right, Itachi. There's something I didn't mention earlier, about the Eternal Eye."
Just as Itachi was lost in thought, Shiromo's sudden words pulled him back to reality.
"What?"
Itachi was genuinely startled.
Originally, this matter had been an unspoken understanding.
Yet Shiromo brought it up himself.
Wasn't he afraid Sasuke would realize that Itachi was destined to lose his eyes and hesitate?
"Awakening the Eternal Eye requires the eyes of a blood brother, fusing their ocular power," Shiromo said. "I didn't tell Sasuke because I was afraid he'd overthink it and go astray."
"You're right," Itachi nodded.
"Itachi, you're also one of the organization's main fighting forces. You can't afford to lose your eyes. Besides, the Sharingan is essentially hot-swappable. Even if you replace them, your strength might decrease slightly, but it will still be more than sufficient. As for Susanoo, even without eyes, as long as you have enough chakra, you can still activate it with one eye, or even with none."
"It's fine," Itachi said with a faint smile, appreciating Shiromo's consideration. "We can discuss this later."
If he could, Itachi would naturally want to continue contributing.
But he knew that his diseased body could only last another year at most.
He didn't know whether Susanoo could truly be activated without eyes, but even if it could, his weakened body wouldn't be able to sustain it for long.
Still, Shiromo's words reminded him of something.
Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan.
One eye was in his possession; the other was with Danzō.
If an opportunity arose, he could use this as a reason to retrieve Shisui's eyes from Danzō, to prevent him from abusing Kotoamatsukami.
"Strategist, I also have something to say to you."
Itachi raised his hand and pointed at Shiromo's chest. "You want to gather everyone's strength, which is admirable, but don't neglect your own."
Seeing Shiromo's youth and extraordinary talent, Itachi didn't want him to devote everything solely to strategy.
"My own strength?" Shiromo smiled faintly. "Of course I'm aware of it. But sometimes, taking a longer route is the real shortcut. It's not that I don't want to train, it's simply not the right time yet."
Shiromo grasped Itachi's wrist, transmitting a force into it.
Itachi felt a sudden numbness, and his pupils shrank sharply.
"Sage chakra? No… what is this…?"
"No wonder," he murmured.
"You're right. I was overthinking things."
"Indeed," Itachi continued inwardly, "how could a strategist as meticulous as you fail to consider your own condition?"
"Alright!" Zabuza clenched his fist. "Once this mission is over, Kisame and I will go deal with that damned daimyo!"
(End of this chapter)