Chapter 74: A Subordinate Who Doesn't Entertain Their Boss Is Not a Good Subordinate
"Haruta, are you okay…?"
"Of course I'm fine. But you better have a good reason for this."
In a small grove behind the Anbu headquarters, Shisui and Haruta were strolling side by side.
Shisui seemed a bit cautious, while Haruta's face was clearly dark and stormy.
It wasn't that Haruta had anything against Shisui personally — but anyone would be in a foul mood if they were interrupted during a "good moment"…
Still, despite his irritation, Haruta didn't dwell on it. There was always a next time — patience was a virtue, after all.
Whether as a verb or an adjective…
He glanced at Shisui with a hint of curiosity, then asked in a low voice, "Why did you come looking for me this time? And in such a remote spot too. You know we really shouldn't be leaving the Anbu headquarters right now."
"There's something I wanted to talk to you about privately," Shisui replied softly after scanning their surroundings.
"Thanks for covering for me. What Uchiha Obito said that night was way out of line."
Out of line?
Haruta blinked. He didn't think Obito's words were that outrageous. Sure, they were laced with conspiracy theories — but when it came to someone like Danzo, viewing him through a conspiratorial lens wasn't unfair.
Because let's be honest — there was a good chance Danzo had done some of those things!
"You didn't come just to thank me, did you?"
Haruta shook his head, a faint smile on his lips as he studied Shisui.
"You can't stop thinking about what Uchiha Obito said about Danzo, can you?"
Shisui fell silent at those words. After a moment of hesitation, he finally gave a serious nod.
Danzo had been weighing on his mind ever since. It was something he couldn't shake.
It had only been one night, but he'd tossed and turned, restless. If Obito's words were true — what did that mean for his clan? For the village?
What should he do? What should the Uchiha do? What would happen next?
He didn't have the answers, but he knew he needed to find out more.
"As I thought… Uchiha Obito really knows how to stir the pot."
Haruta wasn't surprised. Shisui, while undeniably talented, wasn't exactly a cunning thinker.
Compared to Itachi, Shisui's perspective was different — he cared for both his clan and the village. His eventual "suicide" was an act of desperation, caught in an impossible situation with no way out.
If only he had been a little more ruthless — whether against his clan or Konoha's higher-ups — things might have played out differently.
But now, Shisui had come to him. Perhaps part of it was their growing camaraderie as teammates, and maybe Haruta's help in covering for him had made him seem trustworthy.
Since that was the case, why not stir the pot a little himself?
After all, Haruta firmly believed: a subordinate who lets their boss live too comfortably isn't a good subordinate!
"I think you've misunderstood something. Uchiha Obito's accusations against Lord Danzo really weren't worth mentioning."
Though Haruta intended to mess with Danzo a bit, he chose to speak in a more subtle way. At the same time, he extended his sensory abilities, carefully checking their surroundings.
Thanks to his recent power-up, both the range and detail of his sensory skills had improved dramatically.
He could now even sense if insects had chakra in their bodies — a handy skill, making him much less wary of the Aburame clan's surveillance techniques!
"Lord Danzo is fully dedicated to Konoha. Though he's often misunderstood, he still acts according to his own beliefs."
"Acts according to his own beliefs?"
Shisui frowned, confused by Haruta's words. Haruta chuckled softly.
"Never mind that for now. Let me tell you a little story — interested?"
"This…?"
Shisui looked puzzled, but Haruta continued without waiting for a response.
"Let me ask you a question.
Imagine a bandit joins a village, intending to rob it. The villagers unite, fight back, and drive him away — but the bandit leaves behind a child.
Some villagers think the child, being the bandit's offspring, is destined to grow up like their father — a future threat — so they insist on killing the child.
Others argue the child is a blank slate. Sure, they might resemble the bandit in temperament or personality, but with the right guidance, they could turn out differently.
Now, what would you do in this situation?"
"Me?"
Shisui hesitated, clearly sensing the story's deeper meaning.
After some thought, he finally answered.
"I would choose the second option. The child might be able to change through proper education..."
"Exactly. Maybe they could."
Haruta nodded, his smile growing wider.
"But the first group doesn't agree, so they make a bet.
To prove the child will inevitably follow the bandit's path, the first group constantly pressures and provokes the child — subtly pushing them toward darkness.
Meanwhile, the second group, bound by their bet, does nothing but try to teach the child, refusing to intervene in any other way.
So, what do you think happened in the end?"
Shisui's frown deepened. The story gave him an uneasy feeling.
One side manipulating the child into becoming a threat… the other passively hoping education alone would work…
No matter how he looked at it, the outcome seemed bleak.
And slowly, Haruta's meaning started to dawn on him.
This wasn't just a story — it was a reflection of what was happening to the Uchiha clan.
"In the end," Haruta said softly, "the child, under constant provocation and manipulation, grew up to become exactly like their bandit father."
Before Shisui could speak, Haruta added with a cold smile:
"And when the child finally turned out as expected, the first group didn't hesitate to raise their blades again.
Once it was all over, they even boasted: 'See? I was right — the child was always destined to be like this.'"
"But… that's not right!"
Shisui clenched his fists, his voice shaking. The injustice of it was unbearable.
"How can they call it a win when they deliberately pushed the child down that path?"
"Exactly. How can that be called a win?"
Haruta turned to Shisui, his expression calm but his words cutting.
"Shooting the arrow first and drawing the target later — twisting the cause to fit the result — how is that a victory?
It's just forcing the world to conform to your own biased view."
The weight of Haruta's words — combined with Obito's accusations from the night before — struck Shisui like a thunderbolt.
Danzo… was someone who only believed in his own judgment.
Even if it meant twisting reality to suit his narrative.
"How could he…?"
Shisui's voice faltered, his confusion growing.
He knew the clan's situation all too well. That was why he had joined the Anbu instead of returning to the Uchiha compound.
But what was he supposed to do now?
"Actually, I'm curious about something," Haruta said suddenly, stretching his arms.
"When I first heard this story, something felt off.
Why didn't the child ever have any thoughts of their own?"
"Huh?"
Shisui looked at Haruta in surprise.
But Haruta simply shook his head, already turning to leave.
"Drawing the target after shooting the arrow is foolish. Betting on human nature is reckless.
But at the same time… a person without their own thoughts and will is just as dangerous.
Of course, maybe I'm overthinking it. A child doesn't know much about the world — they're naive.
But if it were an adult in their place… maybe they'd be able to see the truth a little more clearly. Don't you think?"
"An adult… seeing the truth…?"
Shisui murmured, his mind racing.
Haruta waved lazily over his shoulder.
"Anyway, story time's over. I'm heading back.
Don't take Uchiha Obito's nonsense too seriously. He's just a villain.
At the end of the day, you need to think for yourself. Learn to distinguish right from wrong."
With that, Haruta walked away without looking back.
Shisui remained rooted in place, his gaze flickering — lost in thought.
Gradually, his once-conflicted expression gave way to something more resolute…
…