Because Ryou's gaze lingered on Hoshigakure for a moment, the people of Hoshigakure were terrified.
"Stop looking!"
Hoshigakure was just a small hidden Village that usually spent its time playing 'cosplay' behind closed doors.
For instance, the leader of the Village shamelessly called himself the Hoshikage.
Since Hoshigakure was hidden within the poisonous mists of a valley, no one would bother them even if they called themselves the Emperor in their own home.
This time, the Daimyo of the Land of Bears had delegated the request to join the Shinobi Allied Forces to Hoshigakure.
The Third Hoshikage ordered the couple Natsuhi and Hotaru, along with Akahoshi—three Jonin—to take a few Chunin along just to make up the numbers.
Hoshigakure also rejected Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan, but they were insignificant in the face of the tens of thousands of experts in the Shinobi Allied Forces.
Here, Chunin were everywhere, and Jonin were worth less than dogs.
The outside world was far more exciting than that secluded Village.
For example, that sinister figure across from them suddenly took an interest in Hoshigakure.
To a Village as tiny as Hoshigakure, never mind Madara, even Ryou's reputation alone was enough to make them tremble and stop a child's crying.
Others felt a chill down their spines, sensing that Ryou's gaze seemed to imply he was about to start a massacre in Hoshigakure.
Furthermore, Ryou possessed the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan, and there were specific combat protocols for dealing with Sharingan experts.
Do not make eye contact with the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan.
In a one-on-one, run if you can; if you can't, kneel and shout that the Uchiha are superior to the Senju. This might yield a slightly higher survival rate.
Anyone who met Ryou's gaze quickly looked away, not daring to look at his Sharingan.
Those eyes seemed capable of bewitching the human heart.
Natsuhi was somewhat interested in the Uchiha rogue Shinobi who was legendary for releasing Madara.
She observed Ryou's appearance with curiosity.
Ryou was a handsome man modeled after Izuna of the Uchiha Clan, with a high bridge to his nose, a cold countenance, upturned eyes, and an extraordinary beauty.
Natsuhi was very surprised that Ryou was even more beautiful than a woman. Appearance reflects the heart, and Ryou did not look like a Sharingan-wielding murderer who would destroy the world.
Instead, he looked like a handsome young master from a noble family.
With so many people in the Shinobi Allied Forces, Natsuhi felt it was impossible for Ryou to notice her alone, so she took an extra look at his eyes.
She had no defense against the Sharingan.
With just one extra look, her mind was blown.
Genjutsu: Deeply Rooted!
Natsuhi fell into Ryou's Genjutsu with just a glance. Paradise of Bliss was a Genjutsu specifically for men.
But 'Deeply Rooted' was specifically for women. Ryou was the subject of it, and any female Shinobi who fell into it would be trapped in an endless cycle of lovemaking with Ryou.
Although Ryou was only a clone, he was a Life Spore clone, which was far more advanced than a White Zetsu, and he carried most of Ryou's own power.
Natsuhi had no way to resist Ryou's Genjutsu; she was instantly overwhelmed the moment she fell under it.
No one noticed Natsuhi's abnormality, as everyone in Hoshigakure was focused on the enemy lineup across from them.
Ryou's eyes swept across the Shinobi Allied Forces and suddenly focused on a small bald head within the Uchiha Clan.
It was simply too abrupt. The Uchiha Clan was a proud and elegant clan; some had spiky hair, while others had hair as smooth as a shampoo commercial.
It was hard not to notice an Uchiha with such a shining head.
Ryou was somewhat puzzled—who was this?
Because Itachi's changes were too great—his hair was all shaved off and he was wearing a Shinobi uniform—Ryou didn't recognize him for a moment.
At first glance, he thought the Shinobi Allied Forces had run out of options and had even dragged a kid from the roadside to make up the numbers.
But when Ryou met the other's gaze, the other person didn't dodge. Instead, he looked at Ryou's eyes with excitement.
It seemed he had a thousand words to say to Ryou.
Ryou's Sharingan spun, pulling the other person into a Genjutsu space in a single second.
Ryou's most relaxed mental space was a Genjutsu world composed of a group of cats.
Here, you could see every kind of cat.
Ragdolls, orange cats, blue cats, black cats...
Ryou was the most special cat among them, with a pair of Sharingan for eyes.
He walked towards Itachi with elegant feline steps, his wicked Sharingan looking at the bald child who had been pulled into the Genjutsu space.
"You are... Itachi?!"
This child was beside Fugaku and Shisui, making him the youngest Shinobi in the Shinobi Allied Forces.
Based on this alone, Ryou could conclude the other was Itachi.
Only Itachi would have such strength at such a young age.
Itachi was momentarily dazed by the sudden transition from the Shinobi Allied Forces to a Genjutsu world made of cats, but he quickly realized he had fallen under Ryou's Genjutsu.
He knelt excitedly before Ryou, prostrating himself: "Yes, Uncle, I am Itachi!"
"Uncle, I finally have a chance to see you. Please tell me why you defected. This isn't how you used to educate me!"
This wasn't the first time they had met since Ryou's defection; his clone had met Itachi and Mikoto once in Konoha.
However, there had been no private time to spend with Itachi and Mikoto then.
Many feelings could not be conveyed.
Ryou didn't share the excitement of the reunion; instead, he patted the bald head: "You brat, who told you to cut your hair during the first lunar month?"
Itachi said, "It was Jiraiya-sama. Uncle, let's not talk about that. Tell me quickly, were you targeted by Uchiha Madara from the very beginning?"
"Did you have no choice but to defect?"
"No!"
Ryou licked a cat paw in front of Itachi, answering him very directly.
(⊙＿⊙).
Itachi was stunned. He hadn't expected Ryou to give such a direct answer.
There was not a hint of hesitation, as if everything in the past was like smoke to him.
Itachi raised his head, clenched his fists, and questioned Ryou loudly: "Uncle, do you not have even a bit of love for the Village and the clan?"
In his excitement, Itachi directly activated his Sharingan.
Ryou looked at Itachi's two-tomoe Sharingan with some surprise.
Activating the Uchiha Clan's bloodline at the age of four or five, and with a two-tomoe Sharingan at that—Itachi truly was Itachi, Kishimoto's golden boy.
Ryou looked at his cat paw and answered Itachi, "I do, nephew, I do. How could I have no feelings after living in the clan and the Village for nearly thirty years?"
"My parents' comrades, my uncles, my classmates... and you and Mikoto!"
Ryou pointed his cat paw at Itachi.
"Mikoto's parents once asked me to protect her well, but whenever I thought of that desperate future, I felt afraid."
Itachi was stunned: "Afraid? Afraid of what?!"
Ryou's Sharingan spun as he looked at Itachi with an extremely cold gaze: "I am afraid that one day, you will slaughter the Uchiha Clan, and you won't even spare me."
Itachi was deeply confused: "No, impossible! Why would I slaughter my own clan?"
Ryou activated a Genjutsu, and the Genjutsu space changed again, becoming the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan during the Warring States Period.
"Itachi, neither the Village nor the clan has taught you about the grievances between the Uchiha and the Senju. Today, I will help you understand the rift between the clan and the Village."
"The Konoha in your eyes and mine is not the same!"