Uzumaki Zhi really couldn't understand the strange thoughts of these reliable comrades from the Senju clan. They extremely hated the Uchiha clan, yet at the same time, they extremely protected them. And it wasn't just one or two Senju members like this.
To put it simply, although the two clans fought and quarreled with each other, if you dared to question an action of the Uchiha clan, the Senju clan could immediately come up with at least thirty reasons to prove you were wrong. The most commonly used refuting phrase was [He's an Uchiha, after all.]
Watching the two people who had moved from discussing [how reliable the Uchiha siblings were] to [how cunning the Uchiha were on the battlefield] and then to [how the Uchiha clan would handle this operation] and listed a dozen or so plans, Uzumaki Zhi wisely joined the discussion between the Witch and Uzumaki Mokudatsu about the Sealing Jutsu after a brief silence.
After they had all packed their equipment and set off following the Witch's guidance, Uzumaki Zhi finally realized what was wrong. The expression and tone Uchiha Ryo used when coaxing children were exactly the same as when he was dealing with the Senju members!
He was actually coaxing the Senju members like children!
Uzumaki Zhi shivered, subconsciously stopped, and looked back at the palace behind him. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "... Can this also be explained by the phrase [He's an Uchiha]?"
"What are you mumbling about? Let's go."
Hearing Uzumaki Mokudatsu's voice, Uzumaki Zhi quickly came to his senses. After rubbing his arms, he trotted to catch up with the group. Forget it. Instead of wasting time pondering these things, it would be more practical to consider whether to cooperate with the Senju clan to get rid of those two Uchiha after the mission.
...
Tong sat obediently in Uchiha Ryo's arms. Her light purple eyes kept staring at the silk cloth covering Uchiha Ryo's eyes. Finally, she couldn't help but whisper softly, "Are you really not dead?"
Hearing this, Uchiha Ryo couldn't help but smile. He turned his head to face Tong, wearing a helpless smile on his lips. "Why does Tong-dono think so?"
Tong lowered her eyes. "... Many books record stories of the return of the dead. Such things have also happened in the history of the Country of Demons."
"Is it because of that evil spirit?" Hiro stepped forward and also looked at Tong. "Does that evil spirit have the ability to resurrect others?"
Tong looked up at Hiro and then pursed her lips and said nothing.
Hiro clicked his tongue. "It's really annoying to talk in half - sentences. If this little girl weren't the target of the mission..."
"Alright, Hiro. Don't scare the child."
"Tsk, kids don't remember things easily anyway," Hiro pouted. "Besides, what can a kid this young understand?"
"No, kids aren't forgetful. On the contrary, they are far more delicate and sensitive than we adults are. It's just that since they were just born and haven't had time to learn how to express themselves and understand others' actions, they do some confusing things."
Uchiha Ryo followed Hotaru at a leisurely pace. "So, it's always right never to look down on anyone."
Then Tong looked up again and stared at Uchiha Ryo. After a long while, he spoke again, "I really saw you die. I'm not lying to you."
Uchiha Hiro squinted his eyes, increasingly disliking this kid. But it seemed that Uchiha Ryo had been touched by some memory. However, his expression remained unchanged. He just slowed down his voice and said, "I remember that Tong-dono said it was a person with both eyes destroyed, covered in blood, buried in the ruins... Could Tong-dono describe it more carefully? Like the person's clothes, hairstyle, weapon, and the surrounding environment."
"I... can't remember clearly, but I saw that the person's hands, feet, and neck were all abnormally distorted," Tong lowered his eyes and stared at the vivid paper folding in his hand. "No human could survive such injuries. If that was your past, it only means that you're no longer human since then."
"This is really hard to bear," Hiro looked a bit annoyed. "Uchiha Ryo was really badly injured at that time, but his hands and feet were intact. There was no such situation as you described at all. Is this the so - called prophecy power of the Witch? Don't make people laugh."
"I'm not lying," Tong's voice was weak but firm. "If it wasn't the past, then it's the future. The prophecies of the Witch clan have never been wrong."
"You little brat—"
"Hiro, I've said don't scare the child."
Hiro stopped for a moment, but soon raised his voice again, "Can't you understand what this brat is saying? With just a few words, he decides others' life and death. You've been cursed like this and still have the mood to coax the child?"
"Well, well, after all, the prophecies of the priestess of the Country of Demons have been famous for being accurate for hundreds of years," Uchiha Ryo still had a gentle smile on his lips. "But nothing is absolute in the world.
Tong - dono is confident in the prophecy he saw, and I'm also confident that it was a scene from the [past]. After all, if it was the future, I don't think I need to destroy my eyes again... So Tong - dono's prophecy might be a bit inaccurate."
Tong stared at Uchiha Ryo's raised lips. His slightly tense body relaxed a little. "But I really saw it. I'm not lying to you. The Witch's strength won't deceive me either."
"I know. I never said you were lying to me," Uchiha Ryo chuckled. "I just want to say that perhaps what Tong - dono saw was just the me who [should have died], not me [now]."
Tong tilted his head in confusion. "I don't understand what you're saying."
"In my opinion, the so - called prophecy is just to state the most likely outcome based on the changes in the world. Even a [completely true] prophecy may have a slight error," Uchiha Ryo's voice was gentle. "Let me give an easy - to - understand example.
For instance, I want to go home, and my home is on the left. But when I reach a fork in the road, I'm attracted by a dessert shop on the right. So will I go to the dessert shop or go straight home? Maybe even I don't know what I'll do next at that time."
Tong-dono, this world is not a book with pre-written contents. No matter how you look at it, there's only one outcome. In this world, everyone's thoughts are dynamic, and every little change can lead to a completely different outcome.
What you've seen might be an unchangeable fact in another timeline. However, without a doubt, in the present where I live, what you've seen is just [Uchiha Ryo nearly died a miserable death], not [the fact].
Tong still looked calm, but his expression obviously became dull. Finally, he silently lowered his head and stared at the folded object in his hand without saying a word.
Hiro couldn't help but look at Uchiha Ryo a few more times and said irritably, "So, you started to have a mental decline because you were studying philosophy with that guy Akihiko?"
"Although I'm really out of sorts, it's too much for you to say that, Hiro..."
"Stop talking nonsense. Can't you spend this time developing your ninjutsu?! What's the use of studying this fallacious philosophy of [Am I really me or not]? Can it make you stronger or help you regain your sight? It's just a waste of time! If you ever end up dead, it'll be all your fault!"
But upon hearing this, Uchiha Ryo just smiled faintly. "If I have to say, it's to prevent our clansmen from being trapped in a cycle of tragedy."