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[NTU] [ARC-14] Chapter : 187
🕑 Added 2024-10-10 17:01:32 +0000 UTCWhy did Toshiro approach Shisui? It wasn’t just based on Shisui’s talent and years of careful observation, though those were certainly factors. What mattered even more was Shisui’s unique identity.
Shisui wasn't just an ordinary Uchiha—he was a descendant of Kagami Uchiha, a man who was a close friend of the Hokage. More crucially, Kagami's wife came from the Senju clan, creating a rare bond between two powerful families. This connection could pave the way for Shisui to become Hokage, a potential bridge between the Uchiha and the village.
But all of this tied back to the history of the Senju. After Konoha's establishment, the First Hokage introduced the ‘Will of Fire’ a philosophy that would become central to the village's unity. While some clans were skeptical of the concept, the Senju embraced it wholeheartedly. They believed so strongly in this ideal that members of the clan, one by one, sacrificed themselves for the village. They rushed into any situation with an almost reckless dedication, never hesitating to give their all for Konoha.
The consequence of this mindset was devastating. By the time the First Great Ninja War broke out, the Senju clan's young men had almost all perished, leaving behind only widows and orphans. The few teenagers who had survived were either too young or unfit for battle.
A prime example is Nawaki, as seen in the original story, whose tragic fate reflected this trend.
Another key factor behind this outcome was the deep-rooted belief held by the Senju clan. From their perspective, the First and Second Hokage both came from their clan, and Konoha itself was largely their creation. They felt it was their duty to make the greatest sacrifices for the village, embodying the clan's unwavering loyalty.
This self-sacrificing attitude was further reinforced by the feudal traditions of the ninja world, which emphasized familial duty.
And so, before the Second Hokage even took office, the Senju clan had all but depleted its ranks of men.
Faced with this situation, the First and Second Hokage convened and ultimately made a decision that stunned the major ninja clans: they proposed marrying women from the Senju clan.
This drastic measure was taken for two key reasons. First, it was out of sheer necessity. The Senju clan was severely lacking adult men, and even the option of polygamy wouldn’t solve the problem fast enough. Second, it was for the benefit of the village.
At that time, the families that joined Konoha were all ninja clans who had previously fought for scraps in the Land of Fire. Over time, conflicts naturally arose between the clans, often due to missions or other disputes. These conflicts sometimes led to casualties.
For example, consider the long-standing rivalry between the Uchiha and Senju clans. Despite joining the same village, their history of love and enmity spanned generations.
The other clans weren't much better off, as they also had longstanding feuds with one another.
To put it simply, who in the Land of Fire didn’t have a few rivals?
When Konoha was founded, even though all the clans appeared to unite as one big family on the surface, tensions still simmered beneath. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that while smiles were exchanged publicly, there were plenty of hidden grudges.
To resolve these secret conflicts, it wasn't enough for the Hokage to enforce unity through authority alone. People would inevitably find ways to disobey in secret, especially ninja, but even ordinary civilians do the same.
Faced with this reality, the solution proposed by the First and Second Hokage was both simple and bold: marriage.
If verbal agreements couldn’t bring everyone together, then they'd start by uniting bloodlines. Using the Senju clan as a bond, they aimed to merge the different families of Konoha into one, connected by blood.
In this way, everyone in Konoha could be considered distant relatives. Although conflicts were inevitable, this added layer of familial ties would prevent relationships from completely breaking down.
At that time, nearly all the prominent families in Konoha, whether it was the current head of a clan or the future heir, had married a bride from the Senju clan. The Uchiha were no exception.
Even though the Second Hokage was wary of the Uchiha, they couldn't exclude them from this unifying effort. In fact, the Second Hokage saw it as an opportunity to extend his influence. He carefully selected a distinguished Senju descendant to marry Uchiha Kagami.
With this familial connection, his deep-rooted belief in the Will of Fire similar to the Senju, coupled with his Uchiha heritage, positioned Shisui uniquely as someone who could potentially unify the village. Shisui's path to becoming Hokage would face significantly less resistance.
"But... But..."
Shisui was stunned by Toshiro’s words. He opened his mouth several times, but for a long while, he couldn't form a complete sentence. At only fourteen years old, being confronted with such a situation left him at a loss for words.
Toshiro, however, wasn't impatient. He took a slow sip of his hot tea, waiting calmly for Shisui to gather his thoughts. Patience was something he had in abundance.
After a deep breath, Shisui finally exhaled a long sigh, the sound breaking the silence that had settled over the room.
"Senpai..." Shisui began, his expression solemn, his voice steady, as he addressed Toshiro across the sofa.
"I think you're oversimplifying things," Shisui replied, his voice measured. "It's not just about becoming Hokage to gain everyone's recognition—it's about being recognized by everyone first, and only then can you become Hokage."
"The unrest in the clan stems from the fact that they don't feel acknowledged by the village. That dissatisfaction with their current status fuels their discontent."
"If you believe that simply becoming Hokage will fix this, I think you're putting the cart before the horse."
In less than the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Shisui had gathered his thoughts and explained his perspective to Toshiro. As the strongest person in the Uchiha clan, Toshiro commanded respect, and even though Shisui held the title of "Shisui of the Body Flicker," he knew his strength couldn't compare to someone who had fought the likes of the Nine-Tails, the Raikage, and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. He had to take this conversation seriously.
"It's..."
Toshiro felt a small threat as he met Shisui's intense gaze, those bright eyes focused intently on him. For a moment, he felt a pang of discomfort.
He wanted to say, Shisui, stop staring at me like that, you're making me nervous!
At the same time, a thought crossed his mind—'Could this kid have already awakened Kotoamatsukami?'
His feelings towards Shisui were complicated, especially because of his powerful Mangekyō Sharingan ability. That particular jutsu was terrifying, and anyone aware of it would be cautious when facing Shisui. It was hard not to wonder, Am I acting of my own free will?
And more disturbingly, Am I still truly... myself?
These weren’t idle concerns. With a technique like that, the fear of manipulation was very real.
Feeling uneasy under Shisui's piercing gaze, Toshiro quickly refilled his teacup, hoping to calm his thoughts.
"Shisui," he began, his tone slower as he focused on pouring the tea, "it's not about becoming Hokage to gain everyone's approval, nor is it that approval alone makes you Hokage."
He paused, lowering his gaze. "That line of thinking has a flaw."
Toshiro knew he had to try to reach Shisui to pull him away from this idealized notion of how things worked. It would be a waste if someone like him met a tragic end because of such ideals.
"Think about it," he continued. "The First Hokage might have been accepted by everyone, but... what about the Second? The Third? Even the Fourth? Were they unanimously approved by the village from the start..?"
He saw some kind of realization enter Shisui's eyes.
"But," Shisui started to respond, "they still became Hokage in the end, didn’t they?"
"Exactly," Toshiro replied, his eyes sharp. "It’s not always about universal approval from the beginning."
Comments
I_Don’t_Believe_It
Why doesn’t shisui have rinnegan
