Mayuri Kurotsuchi Card Game, starting from Naruto

Chapter 24 Q&A

What are your thoughts on Uchiha Shisui, who recently joined the team?

After the meal, Orochimaru's shadow clone and Shikano walked side by side on the way back to the Nara clan's territory, when Orochimaru suddenly asked a question.

"He's very strong, and his talent is outstanding to the naked eye. He's the kind of person Orochimaru-sensei likes the most," Shiro replied.

"Go even deeper?" Orochimaru seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Shikane's answer.

"What are you referring to, Orochimaru-sensei?" Shiro stopped and looked up to meet Orochimaru's gaze as he looked down, asking in return.

"He was holding back today," Orochimaru suddenly changed the subject.

"Perhaps he's deliberately suppressing it to fit into our team?" Lu Nie didn't discuss Shisui's strength with Orochimaru. As a powerful observer, Orochimaru's eyesight and judgment were much more accurate than his, and he could see more details and things.

"The world of ninjas is very cruel, Shikane. You should be wary of even people from the same village. I've heard of Shisui; he's a highly regarded ANBU talent by the old man, and he's a member of the ANBU directly under the old man's command."

After Orochimaru finished speaking, he remained silent and escorted Shika Nie back to the Nara clan's territory.

In the days that followed, Orochimaru seemed to have forgotten what he had said to Shikagure that night. Uchiha Shisui's integration also went incredibly smoothly.

A powerful, humble, and polite Uchiha, who lacks the inexplicable arrogance of the Uchiha clan, is still able to gain people's trust and friendship after getting to know him.

At least Red Bean doesn't dislike Shisui, and she quickly came to regard him as a true member of the team.

Of course, it's hard to say whether Shisui was the only one in the team who would patiently accompany her in combat training and point out any oversights and correct them each time, which made her very satisfied.

"Aren't you bringing Deer Nephew to training?"

Having just finished a training session, Shisui looked at the deer lying on a tree branch in the distance and asked Hongdou about it curiously. Over the past few days, Shisui had noticed that the deer rarely engaged in this kind of combat training.

"Is this how the Nara clan is? I heard that Shikane is quite diligent. But if you hadn't joined us, I wouldn't even have a training opponent," Anko complained.

"Shikaguchi is the team's support and medical ninja, so it's normal that he's not good at combat. But his support and medical ninjutsu, as well as the brains of the Nara clan, are still very important when carrying out missions." Shisui smiled.

"Lu Nie does have fighting ability, he just hates fighting without a purpose," Hongdou corrected Shisui's impression of Lu Nie.

If Lu Nie didn't have fighting power, she would have turned the tables and become the leader long ago.

Shisui nodded thoughtfully. Although he hadn't seen Lu Nie display much combat power these past few days, the giant snake that Lu Nie summoned using the Summoning Jutsu during his first mission with the team at least proved his chakra reserves.

"Let's take a break," Shisui suggested, raising his hand.

"Then I'll go catch some wild game for lunch," Hongdou said casually, patting her belly before dashing into the nearby woods. These past few days, they'd mostly been fending for themselves, ostensibly to cultivate their wilderness survival skills.

"Lord Lu Nie"

A somewhat hesitant call woke up Shikane, who was drowsy from lack of sleep due to being dragged into a midnight research session by Orochimaru.

Opening his eyes, Lu Nie saw Zhi Shui looking up at the tree below, his gaze filled with a mixture of expectation and hesitation.

"Where's Hongdou?" Lu Nie leaped down from the tree and landed steadily on the open ground in front of Zhishui. He glanced around but couldn't find Hongdou's ever-present figure. He asked instinctively.

"She said she was going to catch some wild game for lunch," Zhishui answered honestly.

Is there anything you'd like to discuss with me?

Seeing Shisui's hesitant expression, Lu Nie took the initiative to ask. Regardless of Shisui's purpose in joining the team, he was at least a pretty good person in the original work, and given his bloodline limit, Lu Nie was willing to maintain the friendship.

"What do you think of the Uchiha clan?" Shisui hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke under Shikagure's gaze.

Lu Nie was startled. Looking at Zhi Shui's obviously still very young face, he saw a kind of torment and confusion in his eyes.

"Which aspect are you referring to?" Lu Nie asked, sitting cross-legged on the ground under the shade of a tree, looking at Zhi Shui who was sitting opposite him.

"The village's reputation, and the opinions of the higher-ups." Seeing that Lu Nie didn't refuse to talk, Shisui breathed a sigh of relief and gave him a grateful look before letting go of his inner turmoil.

"Is this something you wanted to ask, or something someone wanted you to ask? And why are you asking me, a child even younger than you?" Lu Nie propped his cheek up with his arm, his eyes, somewhat vacant and lifeless, staring at Zhi Shui.

"It's what I wanted to ask myself!" Seemingly afraid that Lu Nie would misunderstand, Shi Shui immediately changed into a serious kneeling position, placing his hands on his knees, and said very sincerely.

"As for why I asked you, I just felt that you are more mature than me and should be able to give me an answer. After all, the Nara clan members are very intelligent, and many of them serve as the village's strategists."

Furthermore, as one of Orochimaru-sama's most valued disciples, you should know some of the higher-ups' current views on the Uchiha clan. You know, the Uchiha clan doesn't have a good reputation in the village, and some of the clan leaders are rather extreme in their views on certain matters.

"You're very perceptive! To think of so much at your age," Lu Nie said after hearing Zhi Shui's words.

"It's just that the clan chief talked to me and mentioned some things, letting me understand the situation," Zhi Shui replied honestly, shaking his head.

"This is a complex issue that cannot be explained in a few words. Since your clan leader has explained some of the issues to you, what is his meaning?" Lu Nie pressed.

"The clan leader means that he wants me to be valued by Lord Orochimaru." Shisui carefully considered what the clan leader had told him that day, summarized it, and answered.

"Just do as instructed," Lu Nie briefly offered his opinion.

"Huh? Is it enough to just do it like that?" Shisui looked at Shiranui in surprise.

"Your clan leader is hoping for a future Hokage who will have goodwill towards the Uchiha clan. However, he doesn't have a better candidate right now, so you've become a gamble on the future of the Uchiha clan. You might not be the only one on this gamble in the future, but you just need to do what you're supposed to do." Shisui didn't lecture him with any grand principles; he simply gave him the answer directly.

"The Fourth Hokage?" Shisui seemed to be deep in thought for a moment.

(End of this chapter)