With no preamble, Yoru Uchiha cut straight to the point, exposing Shisui Uchiha's intentions—leaving the latter momentarily stunned.
This man… He's far more than just the reckless extremist he appears to be.
"You really are sharp," Shisui remarked.
"Compared to you? Obviously," Yoru replied coldly.
The two jōnin accompanying Shisui tensed, itching to react, but Shisui merely chuckled, unfazed.
"In that case, I'd love to hear what wisdom a 'sharp' man like you has to offer."
"Sure. Are you hungry?"
Shisui blinked. "What?"
"Uchiha Teuchi's okonomiyaki shop. I'll let you treat me."
Without waiting for a response, Yoru strode toward the familiar eatery.
Behind him, one of the jōnin scoffed.
"Lord Shisui, this bastard's arrogance is unbelievable! Who does he think he is? Just a rabid dog biting anyone in sight!"
Shisui shot them a warning glare.
"Enough."
"Don't underestimate him."
"A man who forced our clan head to defy the Hokage himself—one who compelled the Hokage to send us here as a 'warning'…"
"Do you really think he's that simple?"
"Wait outside."
"…Yes, Lord Shisui."
Inside Uchiha Teuchi's Okonomiyaki, the elderly couple—Teuchi and his wife, Kome Uchiha—paused in surprise at the sight of their unexpected guests.
"Not just Lord Yoru… but Lord Shisui, too? What a lively day!"
"The usual, Lord Yoru?"
"Mm. Thanks."
"And for you, Lord Shisui?"
"Same as him."
"Coming right up!"
Shisui glanced around the cozy shop. He remembered Itachi mentioning how much he liked this place—not just for the food, but for the warmth of the couple who ran it.
Now, he understood why.
"You come here often?" Shisui asked.
Before Yoru could answer, Teuchi chuckled.
"Not often, but he's our savior."
"Oh? How so?"
Kome's voice turned bitter. "There used to be a gang of thugs who'd harass us daily. They'd eat without paying, pick fights, wreck the place… even tried to burn it down once!"
"We reported them to the Police Force, but they'd just get locked up for a few months. Once released, they'd come back worse—beating us, humiliating us… We couldn't even live in peace!"
Teuchi smiled faintly.
"Then Lord Yoru showed up."
"Saw those bastards causing trouble… and killed every last one of them."
"After that, business finally picked up again."
He placed a steaming okonomiyaki in front of Yoru with reverence.
Shisui frowned.
"But they were just petty criminals. Annoying, yes, but…"
"Did they really deserve death?"
The old couple stiffened.
"Lord Shisui," Kome said coldly, "if those 'petty criminals' didn't deserve death, then do we?"
"That's not what I—"
"Hmph! We know what you mean. But if we keep arresting and releasing them, one day they'd have beaten us to death!"
"Exactly!" Teuchi added. "By the time they finally 'deserved' execution, who'd bring us back to life?"
Shisui fell silent.
Their words left him with no rebuttal. This was the kind of darkness he'd never faced—not on the battlefield, where enemies were clear-cut, but in the messy, moral gray of civilian life.
Kome slammed Shisui's okonomiyaki onto the table with a clatter.
As Yoru ate quietly, Shisui wrestled with his thoughts.
Was this man's way… the right one?
No. It couldn't be.
War was different—kill or be killed. But in the village, there had to be a gentler solution…
"Yoru, I see your reasoning," Shisui finally said. "But must you always be so extreme? Killing leaves no room for redemption. What if you're wrong? What if they could've changed?"
Yoru didn't look up from his meal.
"On the battlefield, do you hesitate like this?"
"That's different."
"How?"
"War has no 'right' or 'wrong'—only sides. You kill to survive, to protect the village."
Yoru smirked.
"So your life matters more than theirs? Konoha's interests outweigh others'?"
Shisui paused. "It's not about worth. People prioritize those closest to them. That's human nature."
"Then there's no justice—just sides?"
"No. Unprovoked aggression is unjust. Defending against it is justice."
"Then what about Amegakure?"
"What?"
"In the last war, Ame became a battleground for Konoha, Iwa, and Suna—without their consent. To them, was Konoha 'just'?"
"But Hanzō declared war on—"
"A defensive act. If foreign powers turned your home into a warzone, slaughtering innocents, what would you do?"
Shisui had no answer.
"Your 'no right or wrong' mindset is just the arrogance of a major village," Yoru said. "Since Konoha's founding, three world wars have erupted—all started by the Five Great Nations."
"Now tell me—is it really about 'justice'? Or just power?"
Shisui's fists clenched.
"…I'm a Konoha shinobi. I didn't choose where I was born. Of course I'd prioritize my village."
"If I were from Ame, maybe I'd see it differently."
Yoru pointed at him.
"Exactly."
"Admit it. Your 'justice' is just survival of the fittest."
"Ame isn't 'unjust'—it's weak."
Shisui's composure cracked.
He'd come here to reprimand Yoru, yet now his convictions were crumbling.
…Have I been wrong all along?