Aoba didn't pay attention to the other party and chose to take a detour.
If it's not necessary, it's better not to get involved with the ANBU.
But his appearance still attracted the ANBU's attention.
The other party's head slightly turned, eyes already catching sight of Aoba, froze for a moment, then loudly spoke out, "Please wait a moment!"
Aoba acted as if he hadn't heard, quickening his pace slightly and walked toward the Senju ancestral home.
"Wait a moment!", When the voice rang out again, the ANBU ninja's figure had already appeared in front of him, "I have no ill intentions toward you."
Aoba instantly became alert. The opponent's Body Flicker was too fast, he hadn't reacted at all.
'This strength, definitely above the level of an average Jonin.'
"You were waiting for me specifically?", Aoba asked.
"No," The answer was very decisive.
"Then were you monitoring my teacher?", Aoba asked again.
"No."
"..."
Aoba felt like this person had a screw loose, "Then are you deliberately standing here in the rain because you think getting drenched is fun?"
"…Also no."
"..."
"Then why are you blocking me?", Aoba felt this person's mind wasn't normal.
"..."
Aoba didn't want to deal with him anymore. He directly turned around, intending to walk around him.
"Wait a moment," the man spoke again, "Can we have a talk?"
Aoba looked at the other person suspiciously, "Talk to me? I'm just a little kid, a kid who hasn't even enrolled in the academy yet, not even a ninja."
He also realized, he'd been entangled.
The man was silent for a while, "Aoba, excessive humility is also a form of arrogance."
"A disciple of one of the Three Legendary Ninjas, Lady Tsunade. Able to skillfully use the Three Body Techniques at age six. At the same time, mastered Medical Ninjutsu, Chakra Scalpel, monstrous strength, and even the Vacuum Blade. Your current strength, even some ordinary Special Jonin are no match for you."
Listening to the other party list off his background bit by bit, Aoba wasn't surprised.
He never hid these things. It was normal for the ANBU to have investigated him.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Let me introduce myself first," That ANBU removed his mask, revealing the face beneath that looked as if it were crying.
"My name is Uchiha Itachi. I'm Sasuke's older brother."
"Uchiha Itachi?", Aoba looked at the other party in shock. He hadn't expected it to be this guy.
If possible, he really didn't want to get involved with this guy, because this guy was truly a lunatic.
"Seems like you know me," Uchiha Itachi stared at Aoba.
Aoba just smiled and said, "The former number one genius of the Academy, the number one genius of the Uchiha Clan. I often hear Sasuke mention you. He really admires you."
Perhaps because he heard his younger brother's name, the expression on Uchiha Itachi's face wasn't as stiff as before.
"Your talent is even greater than mine."
Uchiha Itachi slightly bowed toward Aoba, "Thank you very much for looking after Sasuke during this time."
"It's not really looking after. He's my friend," Aoba waved his hand, though his expression turned a bit puzzled.
"ANBU members shouldn't casually reveal their identity to others, right?"
ANBU, short for Special Assassination & Tactical Squad(Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai), was established by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, and directly commanded by the Hokage.
It's essentially a special ops organization, and secrecy of identity is one of its fundamental requirements.
That's also why someone as strong as Might Guy was repeatedly rejected when he tried to join ANBU.
"It's fine. As long as you don't tell anyone, then no one will know," Uchiha Itachi said calmly, the three tomoe in his eyes slowly spinning, looking very confident.
Aoba's mouth twitched slightly, "So, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Uchiha Itachi fell silent again, entering a state of confusion.
'Even Shisui couldn't lead the clan to integrate into Konoha, can I really do it?'
He was trying to find an answer, or perhaps, affirmation from someone else.
Just as Aoba was starting to grow impatient, Uchiha Itachi finally spoke, "Aoba, what's your view on the Uchiha?"
"Uchiha?"
Aoba frowned and thought for a moment, "The only Uchiha I know is Sasuke, but Sasuke gives me a pretty good impression."
"..."
"Then do you think the Uchiha and the village can coexist peacefully?"
Although Uchiha Itachi's expression didn't change much, Aoba could sense that he had suddenly gotten more serious.
The question the other party posed was likely meant to test Tsunade's attitude toward the Uchiha.
After all, the Uchiha were already disappointed with the current leadership. If Tsunade could show enough goodwill toward the Uchiha, they might just support her becoming Hokage.
Aoba thought for a bit and came up with a more reasonable response for this situation.
"The Uchiha are part of the village. The two are one and the same. Why separate them?"
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Itachi's gaze lit up slightly but quickly dimmed again.
"If only they could think the same way…"
"They? Who's 'they'?", Aoba feigned confusion.
"Even though we live in the same village, the Uchiha harbor resentment toward the village, and the village also marginalizes the Uchiha…", Thinking about the coup being plotted within the Uchiha clan and the distrust from the village leadership, Uchiha Itachi's expression became a bit pained.
His elementary school-level brain couldn't think of any reasonable solution at all.
"I haven't seen that. Sasuke doesn't resent me or Naruto. Naruto and I don't exclude Sasuke either."
"You two are just exceptions," Uchiha Itachi couldn't help but sigh.
"Is that so? Then are you saying that those who resent the village and those who exclude the Uchiha are the majority?"
"This…", Uchiha Itachi wanted to respond but was interrupted by Aoba.
"Uchiha Itachi, you can't assume that just because a few people speak the loudest, the silent ones don't exist."
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Itachi's eyes slowly widened. It was like he had grasped something, but couldn't quite articulate it.
Originally, he just wanted to gauge Lady Tsunade's stance on the Uchiha, but he hadn't expected Aoba's words to awaken something in him.
He thought of the clan meetings, those who spoke the loudest were always the same few people. The others just stood silently below the platform.
Waiting for those on the stage to make decisions.
And even clan meetings could only be attended by those who had awakened the Sharingan.
They didn't represent the Uchiha.
A glint of light flashed in Uchiha Itachi's eyes, but he then thought of another problem.
'Even if I can solve the issues within the clan, what about the issues on the village's side?'
"Then… what must be done to make all the villagers who marginalize the Uchiha accept them completely?", Aoba couldn't help rolling his eyes. He felt Uchiha Itachi was being a bit too idealistic.
"You can't make everyone accept you. After all, your work in the Police Force naturally offends people."
Just like city management officers.
"But if you want most people to accept you, there is a pretty good method."
"What method?"
Uchiha Itachi was a bit anxious.
"Let the Uchiha, in front of everyone, become heroes who protect the village."
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