Chapter 102: Sasuke's Second Lesson
After the hearty banquet concluded, evening had arrived.
The others dispersed, while Kakashi, having had a bit too much to drink, strolled alongside Uchiha Douhuan by the Naka River to aid digestion.
"Kakashi, you were a great help in our operation this time. Do you have any thoughts on your future position?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
"As long as I can help you, any position is fine," Kakashi replied.
"Then I'll be direct. I hope you can become the Hokage Advisor, and simultaneously take over my duties as the Captain of the Security Department," Uchiha Douhuan stated. "Afterwards, I plan to refine the Security Department's functions, separating the handling of trivial internal village matters and the legislative authority into two new departments. The Security Department itself will purely serve as an intelligence and enforcement agency directed towards the interior of the Land of Fire."
"Alright, I understand," Kakashi nodded.
"Continue to lend me your strength," Uchiha Douhuan said with a smile.
"Naturally," Kakashi smiled back.
The two continued walking upstream along the Naka River. By the time the sun had completely set, they had reached the edge of the village.
At this point, Kakashi suddenly asked, "Douhuan, who exactly was that masked man?"
Uchiha Douhuan stopped, looked at the bright moon reflected in the clear water of the Naka River, and replied, "Don't you already have the answer in your heart?"
"It seems it really was him," Kakashi sighed deeply.
"Yes. Who knows what he went through for the former hero of Konoha to end up like this," Uchiha Douhuan said.
"This is his eye." Uchiha Douhuan took out a test tube from a scroll on his person. Inside, preserved in nutrient solution, was Uchiha Obito's eye. "You should take it. Based on the pupil power fluctuations I sensed that night, your eye should have also evolved to the Mangekyou level."
"That's correct." Kakashi pulled up the forehead protector covering his left eye, revealing the Sharingan. The three tomoe within spun slowly, soon transforming into the fumashuriken pattern of the Mangekyou Sharingan.
"Use the Mangekyou's powers sparingly. Unlike me, you don't have Sage Mode's natural energy to nourish your pupil power. Overuse will lead to blindness. Take this." After reminding Kakashi, Uchiha Douhuan handed the other Mangekyou Sharingan to him.
Kakashi silently accepted the Mangekyou Sharingan.
"As for Obito, let him die with the title of hero. It's better for everyone that way," Uchiha Douhuan said.
"Thank you," Kakashi said. He knew that Uchiha Douhuan's later decision not to make a big deal out of the masked man's identity was likely done, in large part, out of consideration for him.
"Why mention it?" Uchiha Douhuan smiled and extended his hand towards Kakashi.
Kakashi reached out and took it. Uchiha Douhuan turned his wrist, gripping Kakashi's hand firmly. "You and I will be comrades for life, won't we?"
"Of course," Kakashi nodded with a smile.
...
As dusk settled, Uchiha Douhuan bid farewell to Kakashi and returned home.
Just as he entered, the housekeeper, Uchiha Keiko, informed him, "Lord Clan Head, Young Master Sasuke is waiting for you in the study."
"Is that so? How long has he been here?" Uchiha Douhuan nodded and then asked.
"Young Master Sasuke has been waiting for two hours," Uchiha Keiko replied.
"I understand," Uchiha Douhuan nodded. "For the next two hours, ensure no one disturbs us in the study."
"Understood." Uchiha Keiko acknowledged the order and departed.
Uchiha Douhuan pushed the door open and entered the study. As soon as he walked in, he saw Sasuke constantly flipping through the textbook Uchiha Douhuan had compiled for him previously.
Startled by the door opening, Sasuke looked up. Seeing it was Uchiha Douhuan who had returned, he put the book down.
"Teacher, you're back."
"You've been waiting long, haven't you," Uchiha Douhuan smiled gently.
"Not at all. Your matters are more important, Teacher. It's no problem for me to wait," Sasuke said.
Uchiha Douhuan looked Sasuke up and down. He had to admit, the things he had taught him before had some effect. The current Sasuke had changed considerably from the originally cold and prideful little brat. Now, Sasuke could be described as a humble gentleman.
"Tell me, why did you come looking for me?" Uchiha Douhuan sat down in the study and asked.
"Teacher, you said that when I felt the things you taught me couldn't explain the world I observed, I should come find you again," Sasuke stated.
"Is it because of your brother?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
Sasuke nodded.
"In this incident, do you think your brother did wrong?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
Sasuke thought for a moment before replying, "Brother... he shouldn't have stood against the clan."
"And if you set aside the clan's stance?" Uchiha Douhuan inquired.
Hearing this, Sasuke fell into silence.
"Don't worry, speak freely," Uchiha Douhuan said with a smile.
"Teacher once taught me: 'Entrusted by others, be loyal in their service.' From the village's stance, as the village's Anbu Captain, Lord Hokage trusted brother and gave him such an important duty. Brother naturally had to be loyal and fulfill his duties," Sasuke said. After speaking, Sasuke glanced up at Uchiha Douhuan's expression, looking somewhat nervous.
"Don't be nervous," Uchiha Douhuan patted Sasuke's head. "Since you feel your brother didn't do wrong in this matter, do you then feel the clan did wrong?"
"No." Sasuke shook his head. "Whether imposing the village curfew or arresting Lord Jiraiya who broke the law, the Security Department was also fulfilling its duties faithfully. So, in this matter, the clan didn't do wrong either."
"Then, who exactly did wrong in this incident?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
"I don't know..." Sasuke lowered his head helplessly. "But... my brother died that night."
"Sasuke, in this world, some things are not about right or wrong," Uchiha Douhuan stated.
"That... I don't understand." Sasuke looked perplexed.
"Actually, Sasuke, the clan was staging a coup that night. From the village's perspective, your brother was actually on the correct side," Uchiha Douhuan said with a smile.
Upon hearing Uchiha Douhuan's words, Sasuke's pupils constricted.
"However, from the clan's perspective, the clan had reasons why a coup was unavoidable," Uchiha Douhuan continued. "Certain people in this village could not tolerate the Uchiha clan. Because of this, the clan was already standing on a cliff's edge before, facing utter ruin with the slightest misstep."
"That... How could that be?" Sasuke asked, confused.
"You might not know the previous situation. Now, I will tell you everything, exactly as it happened."
With that, Uchiha Douhuan explained the entirety of the Uchiha clan's prior predicament.
"So, Sasuke, do you think the clan's coup this time was right or wrong?" After finishing the explanation, Uchiha Douhuan looked at Sasuke and asked.
Sasuke instinctively wanted to say that a coup is wrong. But, thinking again, given the situation the clan faced, if the Uchiha clan did nothing, it likely wouldn't be long before the clan declined and perished under continuous suppression. This was unacceptable to Sasuke, who had always taken pride in being an Uchiha.
"Sasuke, this is the second lesson I want to teach you," Uchiha Douhuan said. "Some matters have nothing to do with right or wrong, only with stance."
"Regarding your brother, in terms of simple right versus wrong, he did nothing wrong. But where he erred was in choosing the wrong stance," Uchiha Douhuan explained. "The clan chose to stage a coup to continue surviving within the village. But your brother chose to stand with the village. However, he chose wrong. Therefore, he became the clan's enemy. It's as simple as that."
"Wh-why is it like this?" Uchiha Douhuan's words dealt a massive blow to Sasuke's worldview, which had been shaped by a hodgepodge of introductory Confucian classics. Unconsciously, Sasuke's Sharingan activated abruptly, two tomoe spinning rapidly within.
"Sasuke, do you know why I taught you those things before?" Uchiha Douhuan didn't answer Sasuke's question but asked one in return.
"Teacher, you wanted me to become the gentleman depicted in those stories?" Sasuke asked.
"No, no, no." Uchiha Douhuan shook his head. "You've only grasped the first layer of meaning. While becoming a gentleman is certainly valuable, the more important reason I taught you those things is that I hoped you could learn how to make others become the 'gentleman' defined by those standards. In other words, these standards are not set for yourself, but for others."
"I... I don't understand," Sasuke said, filled with confusion.
"It doesn't matter if you don't understand for now. Let's return to today's lesson about stance versus right and wrong. Why do you think I am teaching you this?" Uchiha Douhuan asked again.
"Teacher, you hope I will always stand with the clan?" Sasuke asked tentatively.
"If you were an ordinary member of the Uchiha clan, then that would be my goal," Uchiha Douhuan smiled. "However, you are my disciple. Naturally, it's not that simple."
"Then, what should I do?" Sasuke asked.
"Sasuke, do you know how to play chess?" Uchiha Douhuan asked with a smile.
"Chess?" Sasuke paused, but quickly collected himself and nodded. "Shikamaru taught me a little shogi."
"Then, what do you think is the stance of the pieces on the chessboard?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
"The pieces' stance?" Sasuke pondered. "To capture the opponent's pieces? To win the game?"
"Correct. In any given game, from the moment each piece is placed on the board, their stance and objective are singular. In shogi terms, that is to checkmate the opponent's King."
"Now then," Uchiha Douhuan smiled, "what about the player outside the board?"
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