"You two, leave."
As the door creaked open, the Uchiha elder, Nanada, cloaked in authority, waved his hand without turning. His order was clear—Tekka and Yashiro were to exit.
The two young Uchiha warriors hesitated, eyes locked onto Shisui and Yun, clearly unwilling to back down. Their pride flared silently in the standoff.
Uchiha Nanada spoke in a cold, commanding tone. "They possess the Mangekyō. Even if you're here, what use can you make of them? I said—leave!"
Scolded, Tekka and Yashiro finally retreated, though not without defiance. As he passed, Yashiro shot a glare at Yuno.
"My father is not Setsuna. If you make a move, the entire Uchiha clan will strike back."
With those parting words, the two vanished.
Yun chuckled softly. The kid was right, in his own way.
Under the broad shadow of the Uchiha estate's ancient trees, the division between the militant and moderate factions was hazy at best. That very ambiguity was why Yun had yet to move directly.
…
"As Uchiha, you killed Setsuna-sama. It seems you've long since discarded the idea of family." Nanada said, voice dark with bitterness.
Yun, now settled comfortably on a cushion, smiled lazily. "That man—locked away by the Second Hokage—should have been dealt with long ago by the Fourth's direct Anbu. We did what had to be done."
He met the old man's stare head-on. "Shisui and I are here precisely because we want to restore Uchiha greatness. That's why we've come to stop arrogant relics like you."
Nanada's fists clenched at the insult, but he kept still. He couldn't afford rashness—not with two Mangekyō users before him.
Demonstrating strength before speaking—this was how the shinobi world worked.
"Haa..." He exhaled heavily, restraining his fury. "Does the Fourth Hokage know... about Yuno's Mangekyō?"
Shisui answered with calm composure. "He knows."
"Idiot!"
The old Uchiha spat the word, then stared at them both with grim eyes. "An Uchiha with one Mangekyō might gain favor by supporting the Fourth. But two pairs... Do you understand the threat those eyes represent?"
"Whatever may unfold between the Third and the Fourth, that's a Hokage family matter. But ever since the Valley of the End, since they lost the Senju's Wood-style, the Hokage have always feared us."
He stepped forward, eyes burning. "Setsuna-sama is gone. With both of you around, I can't suppress the moderate faction. But now that your eyes have been exposed, the Fourth will never allow the Uchiha to remain this strong."
"I will not watch our clan fall into the abyss!"
What he said was not without reason. After the death of Senju Hashirama, in fear of the Sharingan and the Nine-Tails, the Second Hokage had sanctioned forbidden experiments using Hashirama's cells. Although volunteers had consented, the death toll was enormous.
Eventually, the project was banned—but it had revealed a deep-rooted fear in the Hokage lineage toward the Uchiha.
Yun could understand Nanada's anxiety. But just like a man standing on the ground could never see the view from above, the old man had no clue what Yun was truly planning.
Nor did he realize just how far Yun's power had already grown.
"Konoha was never just about the Hokage and the Uchiha. And as for Namikaze Minato... You're underestimating him."
Nanada scoffed.
"Ino-Shika-Cho? Hyuga? Inuzuka? Aburame? Even the weakened Kurama? Over the years, our relations with the other clans have crumbled. No one will stand with the Uchiha except the Uchiha themselves. We're done bleeding under their dull knives."
"We are not pawns!"
Yun remained calm. "Hyuga will stand with us soon. And Ino-Shika-Cho will gradually drift from Sarutobi's shadow. It will take time."
He narrowed his eyes slightly. "But don't forget... If all we had was Susanoo, Minato wouldn't be afraid."
Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
He remembered the Fourth Hokage's terrifying speed when reanimated during the war—his full mastery over the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Kushina had done it. So had he.
Combined with the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato could make even Mangekyō techniques struggle to keep up.
"There's little point in continuing this. You can't understand us. But we've already taken your concerns into consideration."
Yun stood and smiled politely at the elder. "If it's all for Uchiha's sake... then one day, even you may find peace in our path."
"Shisui."
At Yun's signal, Shisui slightly raised his head. The tomoe in his eyes spun—then transformed into the swirling pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
*Buzz…*
"Whether we meet eyes or not doesn't matter. The power of Kotoamatsukami... even I fear it."
*Hiss...*
As the Mangekyō faded, blood began to drip from Shisui's right eye. The sclera whitened as his vision dulled.
"Haa..."
He took a breath, then sat down again, smiling bitterly. "The pupil power is almost gone. Even the duration of Susanoo has halved."
Yun blinked. "The drain is that heavy? What about your eyesight?"
Shisui nodded. "Right eye's blurry. Only my left can see clearly now. Unless absolutely necessary... I won't activate the Mangekyō again."
Yun nodded solemnly. "Your three-tomoe illusions paired with your Body Flicker Technique are already beyond most jōnin. Use the Mangekyō sparingly."
…
As they spoke, Uchiha Nanada, now unknowingly under the influence of Kotoamatsukami, slowly regained clarity.
"At the clan meeting tomorrow... will Shisui be announced as the clan head?"
"…?"
Yun paused in surprise before replying, "There's still more than a day left. In that time, I hope you'll work to sway some of the uncertain ones."
"With the majority's support and our former leader gone, we'll need time to recruit allies—and confront a few."
Nanada nodded. "Understood. But Yun… you must mature quickly. You're the Uchiha's hope now. Shisui and I will support you with everything we have."
"…?"
Yun glanced sideways at Shisui. 'What exactly did you plant in him?'
Wait.
Another realization struck him.
Though Nanada belonged to the militant faction, he always believed in himself above all. He had no love for the Hokage's side. And yet, now…
He believed in us?
'Is it also due to Kotoamatsukami?!'
…
Outside the Uchiha compound, Yun and Shisui appeared on the secluded hillside behind the estate.
"…What happened just now. That was Kotoamatsukami, wasn't it?"
Shisui gave a small nod. "Yeah. Scary, isn't it? Now do you understand why I'm nearly blind after just two uses, a reasonable price wouldn't you say?"
'Reasonable? You call that reasonable?!'
The ability to alter someone's will without detection—it wasn't just a personal technique. It was a game-breaker.
With a sage body, Yun wouldn't suffer blindness. Even if the cooldown period was long, the ability was absurd.
A broken technique, even more dangerous than he'd expected.
"Shisui."
"Hmm?"
"You'll be the clan head after the meeting tomorrow. You won't be going on missions anymore. So... when we have time, let's spar."
"Alright. Honestly, I never wanted to lead the clan, but… I may be the most suitable right now."
"Don't even think about passing it to me. And definitely not Itachi. He's not right for it."
Shisui frowned. "You always seem critical of Itachi. But even Danzo's people couldn't find fault with him. He passed both clan assessments."
Yun shook his head. "He's different. You've seen war. You grew on the battlefield. He graduated in a year and now spouts ideals all day."
"In short, he hasn't read enough books. He's easily misled."
Shisui nodded slowly. Then after a pause, he asked, "But what about you, Yun? Why can you see so far ahead? And how did your eyes awaken directly into Mangekyō?"
Yun offered a vague smile. "Maturity comes from perspective. And as for the Sharingan... perhaps there's more than one way to awaken it?"
…
Shisui didn't press. "Just like I said two years ago—everyone has secrets. I do too. As long as I know you're doing this for the clan... and the village... that's enough."
For the clan? For the village?
No.
Yun denied it in his heart.
He simply wanted Konoha to flourish.
In this world without cell phones or video games, even with chakra, why should he live in constant danger?
He bore the Uchiha name. That alone was enough to invite trouble.
To survive here, the Uchiha had to reintegrate.
And to live safely, the village had to remain intact.
Simple.
…
As the night deepened, Shisui sat alone atop the water tower, gazing across the silent Uchiha grounds.
"Another way to awaken the eyes...?"
'Could it be true?'
'If so, why hadn't Yun used it for his sister, Izumi?'
Still, Shisui had known since their first meeting—Yun would one day hold enormous sway over both village and clan.
And now...
In two years, so much had changed.
Everyone carried their own secrets. But in the end, it was about trust.
…
Inside Uchiha Yun's bedroom…
"Haa..."
Lying back, Yun exhaled deeply.
Kotoamatsukami... a terrifying jutsu.
With a ten-year cooldown, Shisui had nearly lost an eye after two uses.
Perhaps only such a cost could justify such a power.
Eleven months remained. If Yun could gain access to that ability…
Perhaps he truly could control the entire elite echelon before Naruto graduated.
…
Hokage Building.
"You're back, sensei?"
Jiraiya swung in through the window, expression grim.
"Did Uzumaki Sora kill Danzo?"
Minato nodded. "Yes. Last time at the orphanage, he failed. This time, he's awakened Wood-style... and something else."
"Although I couldn't see clearly due to the intense chakra... I think he's gained Uchiha power too."
"…Sharingan?"
Jiraiya fell silent.
"I met him in the Land of Rain. He controls Wood-style well—but not to the First Hokage's level."
Minato nodded solemnly. "The First... Without those records, I wouldn't believe that level of power was real."
"To pin the Nine-Tails down single-handedly, to unleash chakra that could destroy the landscape… and yet suppress it effortlessly."
"If Uzumaki Sora ever reaches that level…"
Jiraiya interrupted. "Don't worry. Tsunade once told me Mito-sama had said the First Hokage was unique."
"Wood-style alone—just a combination of earth and water—can't match the First Hokage's might. Even suppressing the Nine-Tails requires something more."
Minato breathed easier. Danzo's death and that strange offer had put him on edge about Sora.
It was the burden of every Hokage—to be cautious.
Jiraiya looked serious. "Now that you're Hokage, there's something I must say."
"Many things bear the shadow of the Third Hokage. But in truth, he's just a soft-hearted old man."
"He hesitated to deal with Danzo. He let too many things drag on. But I know—he was just… too old."
Minato nodded quietly. "Danzo is dead. And not by our hand. That's the best ending we could've hoped for."
Jiraiya exhaled in relief.
"But there's more." he continued. "Years ago in the Land of Rain, I had three disciples. One of them… I thought he was the Child of Prophecy."
"This time, I learned—they're all dead."
"You remember I once told you… one of the boys had the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths. The Rinnegan."
"…!"
Minato's eyes widened.
"And now—Uzumaki Sora bears a striking resemblance to another boy. His name was Yahiko."
"Ninety percent resemblance." Jiraiya added.
"But... Sora doesn't have the Rinnegan."
"No." Jiraiya confirmed. "But then again... we know almost nothing about the Rinnegan's abilities."
*****
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