Malphegor
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HSU: Ch. 20
🕑 Added 2024-11-25 16:10:17 +0000 UTCFrom a bird's-eye view, the Hokage Rock was the easternmost point of Konoha.
Geographically, the rock was carved into a cliffside of high terrain, part of which legally belonged to the territory of Konoha.
Since it was their own territory, it was only natural for Konoha to utilize it. Besides carving large faces along the cliff, they had also created pathways and built shelters here.
The Police Force generally didn't patrol near the Hokage Office, which included places like the Ninja Academy and the Konoha Hospital, as it was unnecessary. However, the high ground was an exception; theoretically, it was a potential weak point in the village's defense system.
Accompanied by Itachi, Masashi climbed the outdoor stairs set along Hokage Rock, ascending to the high ground.
"Masashi, how often do you patrol up here?"
"Often enough. The high ground requires constant vigilance."
This was Itachi's first time on the high ground, and he felt a bit excited, having never been here before, unlike the other kids in the village.
From up here, overlooking Konoha felt different. This was the true highest point of the village's territory, offering an unobstructed view.
The high ground was vast and flat. To satisfy Itachi's desire to admire the village's scenery, Masashi guided him along the boundary.
They encountered other Konoha shinobi on their way. Amusingly, since the area was so flat with a great view, many shinobi liked to come here with their families during off-hours for picnics or a bit of leisure. Or other things at night...
"Identification, please." An ANBU appeared before them.
"Police Force, Section 3, Uchiha Masashi. Accompanied by Uchiha Itachi."
They also encountered more masked ANBU agents patrolling the area. After mutually confirming identities, they were allowed to proceed.
Though ANBU agents seemed mysterious with their masks, infiltrators actually like to disguise themselves as ANBU, since with a mask and cloak, who could tell who was really under there?
The ANBU agents were well aware of this and have a process for coordinating with the Police Force to prevent such slip-ups.
After going through the identity verification process for the fifth time, Masashi noticed his temporary student curiously watching him.
"What's up?"
"Are those really ANBU shinobi?"
"Yeah."
"Won't stopping them affect their mission?" Itachi looked back several times, though the agents had already vanished. "Maybe they're on an important mission."
"They're public officials, so of course, they're going to follow regulations," Masashi replied. "When you become a shinobi, you'll do the same. As a public official, you work by the rules. If someone starts complaining without a direct order from the Hokage, you just arrest them. They're either spies or abusing their authority."
"Isn't that a bit too rigid?" Itachi, seemingly imagining all sorts of scenarios, asked. "ANBU handle special tasks for the village, and they're all strong shinobi. If we had a dispute with them over an urgent mission, it could strain the relationship between the clan and the Hokage."
Masashi didn't reply, just looked at Itachi.
"What do you think the Police Force's primary duty is?" he asked carefully.
"To protect the village and uphold clan honor?" Itachi's response came quickly.
"That's where you're wrong. We're public servants first, clan members second."
As both the clan leader and head of the Police Force, Fugaku's approach to educating his son was rather difficult to understand. Age wasn't an excuse in the shinobi world - those with the potential to become shinobi developed wisdom early.
Their maturity advanced far faster than people from Earth.
But Itachi didn't seem to understand that the Uchiha clan and the Police Force were two distinct entities. Nor did he grasp how Konoha's organizational structure functioned.
This kid, who liked to think from the village's perspective, in reality, knew little about the village. On the contrary, he was deeply bound by his family's own ideology.
The responsibility for this rested on Fugaku; as his father, he was the first person accountable.
Masashi thought he might have figured out why this future dutiful son would turn out so peculiar.
"I know what to teach you," he said, reaching out to ruffle Itachi's hair. "You're not ready to learn ninjutsu just yet. Instead, observe and listen carefully."
"Officer, where should we dispose of—" A civilian approached them, holding a small bag.
"The designated area is near the eastern corner. Please remember to separate burnable items," Masashi responded smoothly.
Itachi obediently nodded, noticing a subtle shift in Masashi's attitude toward him.
Before, Masashi had been polite yet distant, which he was used to. But just now, Masashi's demeanor reminded him somewhat of Shisui.
As a sensitive child, he found this kindness slightly overwhelming.
He didn't want to be disliked, nor did he want to let down anyone's kindness due to his own inappropriate words or actions.
So far, only Shisui was able to match his rhythm. When Masashi told him not to speak, Itachi actually felt relieved.
From then on, he earnestly followed Masashi's instructions, staying silent and observing.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but as he suppressed his urge to ask questions and simply watched Masashi at work, Itachi felt he might have been making a fuss over nothing.
The ANBU who were stopped didn't show any signs of impatience. On the contrary, they cooperated smoothly with Masashi, dressed in his Police Force uniform.
As Masashi had told him, everything was done by the rules, smoothly and without conflict. The enforcers spoke calmly, waiting for responses, and those being advised showed no signs of offense.
Itachi started thinking that the family's public safety regulations weren't so bad after all.
Then, a sharp wail cut through the air. Two boys, no older than four, were rolling in the dirt, tears streaming down their faces as they fought over a toy shuriken.
"Hey now," Masashi crouched down beside them. "What's the problem here?"
"He... he took it first!" One boy hiccupped between sobs.
"But I found it!" The other protested, clutching the wooden toy.
Masashi reached into his vest pocket. "How about this?" Two bright candies appeared in his palm. "One for each of you, if you promise to share the shuriken instead."
The boy with the toy shuriken hesitated, then held it out to his former opponent. "We can take turns?"
Itachi watched the scene unfold, noting how Masashi's simple solution had transformed hostility into cooperation. Father would have just told them to stop being childish.
A shadow fell across the ground. Another Police Force member appeared, adjusting his headband. "Masashi, I'm here for the shift change."
Itachi blinked, glancing at the sun's position. Had that much time really passed?
He wasn't unfamiliar with the Police Force; as the clan leader's son, he had sometimes accompanied Fugaku to the office, and no one had objected.
He had walked the streets of Konoha with others, and was familiar with how the guards enforced the law. Fugaku had even taken him to observe the Police Force apprehending spies from other villages.
But he'd always been an onlooker, never involved, and today's experience felt different.
When Masashi finished handing over the patrol to the next shinobi, he turned to Itachi, gesturing for him to follow.
Itachi quickly fell in step, closely following behind.
When Masashi finally stopped, they stood above the cliff, right at the top of the First Hokage's face on Hokage Rock.
Standing on the edge of the cliff, Itachi gazed out at the view. Konoha, surrounded by lush green forests beneath the blue sky and white clouds, looked entirely different from how he usually saw it.
From this height, the village appeared peaceful, with rows of buildings sprawling out across the land. In the distance, the farmlands stretched like a network, and a winding river sparkled in the sunlight as it ran through the green fields.
Masashi looked at him. This little kid finally showed an age-appropriate... goofy smile. He's still a child after all.
"Isn't the view great from here?" he asked with a smile.
Itachi nodded.
"From a higher vantage point, you can see things more clearly," Masashi said. "But if you only look far away and forget what's right underfoot, you'll end up shattered to pieces."
Itachi instinctively looked down at the sheer cliff below. He wanted to ask a question but remembered that Masashi had told him to observe and listen more.
He closed his mouth instead.
Masashi took note of this. Good. He's learning to think before speaking.
"Do you know the significance of where you're standing now, Itachi?"
"Higher than the First Hokage?" Itachi attempted an answer.
Obviously, that couldn't be right.
Seeing Itachi's expectant gaze, Masashi didn't keep him guessing.
"This is the origin point of Konoha. It was here, as children, that Hashirama and Madara shared their ideals with each other. This is where two children once dreamed of peace."
This was history unknown to Itachi.
"What kind of ideals?"
"Hashirama hoped to create a village of his own, where children wouldn't have to kill each other. Madara's wish was to protect his younger brother in such a village."
"They dreamed of a world where brothers wouldn't have to bury brothers. Where children could grow old enough to have children of their own."
Itachi was stunned, his hands unconsciously clenching as he processed this information. He had an instinctive feeling that this was true.
"But these very ideals were what led to their eventual split," Masashi continued.
"Why?" Itachi couldn't help but ask. "Weren't their wishes the same?"
"Because what they each wanted to protect was different," Masashi sighed, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Hashirama wanted war to end forever so tragedies like what happened to his brother wouldn't happen again."
"In the Warring States period, the average lifespan of both shinobi and civilians was under thirty, mostly because they would target each other's children."
"By the time Hashirama met Madara, he had lost three younger brothers. So his wish was to protect the only brother he had left. And soon after, Hashirama also had only one brother left."
"Because... of the Uchiha?" Itachi asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Of course. The Senju and the Uchiha clan were sworn enemies, hunting each other's children whenever possible. According to Hashirama's father, Butsuma, it was a mark of respect to the enemy."
"Parental love meant raising your child to stand on their own. All of Hashirama and Madara's brothers who died young perished at the hands of the other clan. The cycle of revenge claimed children on both sides. Each death justified the next."
"How do you know all this, Masashi-nii?"
Masashi-nii now, huh? "I like to read," he replied casually. "Besides, it was Madara, not Hashirama, who first suggested that peace could only be achieved if both sides understood each other."
"It was Madara who made that wish, and his friendship with Hashirama gave him hope it might be possible. But you know how it ended."
Itachi glanced downward again.
There was no statue of Madara here, where it all began.
"So don't assume that just because you have a good ideal, it will definitely be achieved," Masashi said, looking at Itachi intently. "When you're convinced your path is the only right one, that's often a sign you're headed for failure."
"Why are you telling me all this, Masashi-nii?".
"As I said, what you need most right now isn't ninjutsu," Masashi placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder, "but an understanding of history—of the Uchiha, the Senju, and Konoha itself."
Before he finished speaking, Itachi felt a sudden dizziness, as if everything around him had lost color. The world seemed to shift and blur.
When he regained his senses, he found himself standing atop the stone statue of the First Hokage. The village spread out below them like a living map.
"Look at this village," Masashi gestured to the streets below. "Konoha is, first and foremost, a military base, built to serve the needs of its shinobi forces. Given this military focus, how many shinobi serve there?"
Before Itachi could answer, Masashi formed a hand seal.
A single point of light appeared above a building, then another, and another. More lights began appearing rapidly, spreading across the village like stars emerging at dusk. Soon, the sky above Konoha was filled with thousands of glowing points.
"Each light represents a shinobi of chunin or higher," he said quietly. The lights continued appearing until they numbered in the tens of thousands.
"The vast majority of them don't hold official positions in the village. Compared to this number, both the ANBU and the Police Force are insignificant."
He lowered his hand, letting the lights fade. "Every department in Konoha, even the Hokage himself, exists to serve this military group."
"But... the ANBU is a special unit that carries out missions for the village without dealing with regular shinobi," Itachi protested slightly.
"Itachi, in an organization, no department can be more important than the organization itself," Masashi said. "Departments exist to ensure the survival of the organization. Konoha exists to empower the shinobi forces. If the Hokage cannot fulfill this purpose, then he'll find himself without allies."
He placed his hand on Itachi's shoulder once more. Then, a familiar dizziness washed over him.
When he came to, he was looking at a roaring waterfall and two towering statues.
Itachi stared, dumbfounded.
This was the Valley of the End, far from Konoha. The two statues were memorials to Hashirama and Madara. This was where they had fought their last battle.
"Masashi-nii, you..." Itachi recalled the strange sensations he'd felt earlier, his mind still adjusting to each transition.
"It's just a support jutsu, don't worry about it," Masashi pointed to Madara's statue. "If Madara seems like a villain or a danger to you, it means you don't really understand this village or your clan."
"But if you think the Uchiha's current status is deserved and that the Hokage's decisions are fair and just, then you're missing some things."
"If, after reflecting, you believe the Uchiha should push the Hokage even further, then, frankly, don't become a shinobi. I'm worried you'll end up causing trouble for yourself."
He looked at Itachi, studying the young boy's reactions carefully.
"Did any of this sink in?"
Itachi looked a bit dazed but shook his head reflexively when Masashi asked, his mind still processing everything he'd learned.
"That's fine. You can ask your father about it later. And read more."
"Once you understand the relationship between the clan, the Police Force, the Hokage, and the village, you'll already be a real Konoha shinobi, even before you graduate from the academy."
