Aburame Shibi was always succinct.
That crisp and decisive way of speaking and acting seemed etched into his very bones.
Today was no exception.
As soon as they sat down—without even the usual pleasantries—he stated his purpose outright.
Put plainly?
He was worried the Aburame clan might not survive this time.
And honestly, it was only natural.
This was the first time in Konoha's history that the Aburame had sided with the Uchiha.
If the higher-ups wanted to target someone, who else but them?
Back when Kai was still in Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been too intimidated by his methods to act rashly. Without absolute certainty, he wouldn't dare.
But now?
With Uchiha Kai about to leave the village, the Hokage faction would never let such a chance slip by.
Without Kai, the Uchiha were a tiger with no fangs.
Nothing to fear.
And as for the Aburame—just a middling clan relying on the Uchiha's shelter?
Even less of a concern.
Of course Shibi was afraid.
The Aburame were mid-tier at best, barely above average in Konoha's hierarchy. He didn't believe his clan could withstand the wrath of the village's leadership.
It wasn't hard to predict.
To prevent other clans from siding with the Uchiha, the Hokage faction would make an example.
Kill a chicken to scare the monkeys.
The extermination of the Aburame could serve to deter others, while also undermining Uchiha prestige.
That was why he was here.
Some could die, but Aburame Ryoma could not.
As the brightest talent of the younger generation, he carried the clan's future and hope. He had to live.
That was the true reason behind Shibi's visit.
Uchiha Kai frowned slightly.
Of course he had already considered what Shibi feared.
But the problem was—he didn't have a perfect solution.
Defending passively only gives you a few options.
If the enemy hadn't yet made a move, you couldn't predict where to guard.
That was why Kai always preferred to strike first in his struggle with the village: to seize the initiative.
But once he left, the Uchiha's weaknesses would be laid bare.
Without him, the clan wasn't enough to make the Hokage faction hesitate.
That was also why Hiruzen was willing to pay such a steep price—because Kai's absence created opportunity.
So in truth, both Kai and Hiruzen were gambling.
Who would laugh last depended entirely on their moves.
"Oh, this matter?" Kai didn't hesitate. "Of course it's fine. Ryoma can follow me.
As for the village—they won't interfere. At this point, they can't wait for me to leave. They'll give that much face."
His lips curled in a scornful smirk.
Whatever he felt inside, before his only ally he couldn't show fear—couldn't even show a flicker of doubt.
If the leader hesitated, how could the followers stay steadfast?
Being a leader was never easy.
At the same time, Kai's mind raced.
He needed to boost Aburame's confidence somehow.
As things stood, their panic was already showing—and he hadn't even left yet.
What would happen once he was gone?
He didn't want to imagine.
Meanwhile, Shibi and Ryoma didn't know his thoughts.
When Kai agreed, relief spread across their faces.
"Thank you, Kai-kun," Shibi said quickly. "Ryoma will obey your every order—please command him as you see fit."
Ryoma rose at once, dropping to one knee.
"Aburame Ryoma greets you, my lord!"
Kai smiled, helping him back to his feet.
"Don't worry, Clan Leader Shibi. Ryoma is your clan's future—I'll see he comes to no harm on the battlefield.
As for the village…" Kai's smile deepened.
"When you return, move the Aburame into Uchiha territory immediately.
And one more thing—
Since your clan is the first to side with us, let me give you some reassurance.
First: apart from me, the Uchiha still has another Mangekyo wielder—our clan head, Fugaku."
Hiss!
Both Shibi and Ryoma gasped sharply.
They were shaken.
They knew well how terrifying Mangekyo was.
Even if they hadn't seen it themselves, their kikaichu had.
The swarm scattered across Konoha had witnessed that night's battle, and their memories painted a vivid enough picture.
Too strong. That was the only thought.
Mangekyo wasn't just strong—it was unreasonable.
In a world where all ninjutsu and techniques relied on chakra, Mangekyo broke the rules.
No visible chakra flow, no physical contact—yet bodies crumbled apart without explanation.
How could you resist that?
How could you even dodge it?
And now, they learned that Uchiha had two Mangekyo.
Their clan head, no less!
The shock was immeasurable.
But Kai wasn't finished.
"And second…
In the coming days, I'll secretly arrange for Nara to enter the Uchiha compound.
He won't involve himself in anything else—his only job will be to advise you.
He may not lead you to victory, but for self-defense? I doubt there will be a problem."
The two Aburame fell silent again.
A Nara?
They knew the name well.
But wasn't the Ino–Shika–Cho trio firmly tied to the Hokage faction?
How could Kai have Nara on his side?
It didn't make sense.
Still, they didn't ask. Something this sensitive wasn't likely to be explained anyway.
But the effect was real.
With a Nara strategist at hand, their anxiety eased noticeably.
As Kai said, perhaps counterattacking was impossible—but for holding the line, Nara wisdom was more than enough.
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