UGB Chapter 75 Ideal and Reality
Chapter 75 Ideal and Reality
In the depths of darkness, light gradually seeped in.
Shisui abruptly opened his eyes—no, to be precise, he tried to open them. A sharp pain shot through his empty eye sockets, a reminder that he had lost his sight.
But what shocked him even more was that he could still think, could still feel the texture of the tatami mat beneath him, and, apart from the poisonous insects, his injuries had completely healed.
I'm alive?
This realization made him tense. He had already chosen to jump off the cliff to his death... why?
"Oh, you're awake?" A cheerful male voice came from the right. "You were unconscious for quite a short time, weren't you going to rest a little longer?"
Zhi Shui reflexively turned his head toward the source of the sound. Although he couldn't see it, he could sense that someone was sitting there.
"Who are you?"
"You must have a lot of questions." The other person seemed to shift into a more comfortable sitting position, the fabric rustling as it rubbed against the floor. "About my identity, or why I saved you."
Shizuku became alert. It seemed this was not a chance rescue, but a premeditated contact.
"This is our first meeting, but as for my identity... you must have heard of me."
Shisui's brows furrowed deeply. He tensed all his muscles instantly, and despite his exhaustion, he could barely perform even the most basic Body Flicker Technique.
"My name is Uzumaki Menma, and I'm a few years older than you," the other person continued, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. "My current position is the leader of the [Ember] organization... Is that enough?"
The air seemed to freeze.
What?
Shisui's hollow eye sockets trembled slightly. Menma? [Jin]? The leader of the terrifying organization who single-handedly attacked Konoha, shaking the entire ninja world? But what concerned him more was—why would such a person save a dying Uchiha? Could he be an imposter?
Seemingly sensing his doubts, Menma chuckled lightly. "Don't be so hostile towards me. When I attacked Konoha... I didn't kill a single person."
The ensuing conversation exploded in Shisui's ears like a thunderclap. Menma precisely stated the existence of "Kotoamatsukami." He described in detail how Danzo had taken his right eye. He even accurately pointed out that he had entrusted his remaining eye to Itachi.
Shisui's expression shifted from doubt and shock to hostility, finally freezing completely. Although he had lost his eyesight, he could clearly feel the oppressive aura emanating from the other side—an almost tangible pressure accumulated through countless life-and-death battles.
I am no match for him now...
Finally, he slowly relaxed his tense shoulders, adopting a wary stance. Now, dialogue was the only option.
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"So..." Shisui's voice was hoarse and restrained, "What exactly is your purpose in saving me?"
"I no longer have the Sharingan."
This statement contained a probe. Shisui deliberately avoided mentioning the possibility that terrified him most—if Menma's target was the "Kotoamatsukami" entrusted to Itachi.
...This thought had barely surfaced when he forcibly suppressed it. If this man, who could rival the five great nations, were to obtain a pupil technique capable of rewriting wills, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"I think you've misunderstood something." Menma's voice carried a hint of languor. "The Sharingan and Kotoamatsukami... are not my goals."
"I'm not the kind of guy obsessed with power. Power, to me... is just a tool to achieve my goals."
"I want to stop wars. Whether it's a war between major powers or a conflict within a village... I will not stand idly by if it causes unnecessary casualties."
"This matter..." Shisui carefully chose her words, "I have already entrusted it to my closest friend."
He raised his head slightly, and although he had no eyes, the gesture still carried a sense of determination.
"She will stop the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha... and carry on my will."
This is a polite way of putting it. In reality, Shisui was subtly rejecting Menma's intervention—he clearly remembered the last time this man intervened, directly crippling the Raikage to the brink of death. He believed that such "mediation" would only bring deeper hatred and turmoil.
"I see..." Menma's voice held a thoughtful tone. "Uchiha Itachi?"
Shisui keenly noticed a subtle pause in Menma's tone when he said the name. What he couldn't see was that at that moment, the image of the black-haired girl he had just seen on the cliff was flashing through Menma's mind.
The filial son in the original story has become the filial daughter...
The thought flashed through Menma's mind, but he quickly collected his thoughts.
"You know what?" Menma suddenly changed the subject, "Sometimes, one person's awareness alone... is far from enough."
Menma stared at Shisui's taut jawline, recalling the controversy surrounding Uchiha Itachi in the original work—the man known as "Itachi God," and the extreme reversals of opinion he experienced on the internet in another world.
From an initial tragic hero to a later questioned extremist—who slaughtered his entire clan and ultimately had Sasuke kill him with his own hands—he then used a method of altering his will to bring his younger brother back to Konoha.
Each one of them is enough to spark a heated moral debate.
Imagine shifting the perspective to the innocent Uchiha civilians in the original work. A family of hardworking villagers, their entire household suddenly slaughtered by a genius within their own clan one night. And when the truth is revealed, everyone is filled with astonishment.
"Wow! So the extermination of the entire race was for peace!"
"You are truly great to bear the darkness alone!"
The resentment of those who died unjustly became the backdrop that highlighted the nobility of "Itachi-sama".
Naruto believes that this distorted value system may stem from Itachi's experience of being sent to the battlefield at the age of five—children who are exposed to death too early are destined to see the world differently from ordinary people.
"You believe she can stop the civil war..." Menma's voice held a hint of amusement, "Then in your envisioned script—"
"Uchiha Itachi... how exactly will he act?"
What will Itachi do...?
The weight of this question made Shisui's breathing slow. He tilted his head slightly, a gesture that still carried a sense of contemplation despite his loss of sight.
"Itachi's talent..." His voice held an undeniable firmness, "is more suited to operating in the shadows than mine."
"She will definitely find a way to have the best of both worlds."
This statement contains too much unsaid. It reflects the idealized vision of still water.
Itachi will continue to use his ANBU identity to maneuver among the higher-ups and clan members, using precise intelligence manipulation to delay the coup.
If the situation cannot be delayed any longer, the most radical hawks should be eliminated if necessary.
Finally, he left as a rogue ninja, bearing all his sins.
They even used the Konoha secrets they had learned during their time in the Anbu as leverage to ensure that the village would not harm other Uchiha clans.
This plan perfectly embodies the idealism of Zhi Shui—both believing in the abilities of his companions and underestimating the harshness of reality.
"...Alright." Menma suddenly stood up. "It seems you have a lot of faith in Uchiha Itachi."
Shisui heard the rustling sound of fabric rubbing together and felt Menma approaching. The oppressive chakra made his skin involuntarily tense up.
"I'll save you, then we'll see what Itachi does." Menma's voice held a hint of interest. "You currently have... poisonous insects from the Aburame clan on you, right?"
Shisui's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment.
"Don't be so wary." Menma was already squatting down in front of him. "I saved you because the Uchiha clan still needs you."
"Now, can you feel where the bug is on your body?" Menma's voice suddenly became focused. "I'm at least ninety percent sure I can get rid of it—"
"However, the process... might be a little painful."
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(Thanks, bosses! The gift value has arrived again! I've added two more quadruple updates.)
(Not counting today, the author will be updating four times in five consecutive days!)