Uchiha Kakuyama seemed to be enduring something with great effort, his voice hoarse, and he spoke word by word:
"The Uchiha Clan was annihilated!"
Uchiha Kakuyama's eyes were bloodshot as he glared fiercely at Uchiha Shisui, but Shisui knew that he wasn't glaring at him, but at the enemy who would appear a few years later.
"That night, the Uchiha ninja and the ordinary clan members didn't escape; they all died. In the end, only two clan members were still alive: Uchiha Itachi defected, leaving only the clan leader's youngest son, Uchiha Sasuke, in Konoha Village."
Uchiha Kakuyama didn't say that Uchiha Itachi killed the entire clan. Although Uchiha Itachi told Sasuke that he was the one who annihilated the Uchiha Clan, anyone with a brain would know it was impossible upon careful thought.
The Uchiha Clan, as Konoha's largest clan, even if it wasn't Uchiha Itachi, but First Hokage Hashirama Senju himself were alive, it would be impossible to silently wipe out the Uchiha Clan without assistance.
Hearing Uchiha Kakuyama's words, Uchiha Shisui fell silent, and the two of them remained speechless.
At this moment, the moon had also climbed into the sky, and the moonlight shone on their two expressionless faces.
After a long while, Uchiha Shisui seemed to have accepted reality and finally spoke, asking calmly:
"Have you told anyone else these things?"
Uchiha Kakuyama shook his head:
"No, what I've said is too shocking. Even if I told them, most people wouldn't believe it."
"Didn't you go to the clan leader? If you explained it to him in detail, I think he would definitely believe you."
Hearing Uchiha Shisui tell him to speak to the clan leader, Uchiha Kakuyama shook his head directly: "No, I don't trust the clan leader."
"Why?"
"Because the clan leader also has the Mangekyo Sharingan, and although he died in the end, the only two surviving Uchiha are his sons. Don't you think that's too much of a coincidence? I can't determine the clan leader's stance. If I told him, it wouldn't matter if I got caught, but then there would be no way to save you and the other clan members."
Uchiha Shisui seemed to be convinced by Uchiha Kakuyama and looked at him, asking:
"What do you need me to do?"
Seeing that Shisui believed his words, Uchiha Kakuyama let out a long sigh of relief. He had wasted so much breath, but he finally convinced Shisui. It seemed that the future could still be changed.
"Shisui, you are one of the strongest in our Uchiha Clan, and now you are the hope of our clan members. I hope you must be extra careful and not relax your guard against anyone, especially the Third Hokage and Danzo Shimura. You must be even more vigilant and not slack off when they are nearby."
Hearing Kakuyama's words, Shisui knew he was worried about his safety, so he nodded and promised: "Absolutely, don't worry!"
"Also, have you told anyone that you awakened your Mangekyo?"
Seeing Uchiha Shisui shake his head, Kakuyama felt relieved.
"That's good. Don't tell anyone that you awakened your Mangekyo Sharingan. Remember, anyone. There are no airtight walls in this world. The more people you tell, the more danger there is."
Uchiha Kakuyama cautioned him uneasily.
"Finally, can you tell me the name and function of your Mangekyo Sharingan's Eye Technique? That way, I'll have a better idea and can plan and arrange according to our specific situation. Of course, I'll tell you my Mangekyo's Eye Technique and function first. Is that okay?"
Shisui thought about it and felt that Kakuyama's request wasn't excessive. Moreover, for the future of the Uchiha Clan, the two of them indeed needed to work together, so he nodded in agreement.
Seeing Uchiha Shisui agree, Uchiha Kakuyama breathed a sigh of relief. After saying so much and doing so much, wasn't it all to copy Shisui's Kotoamatsukami?
Uchiha Kakuyama pointed to his left eye and continued: "The Eye Technique of my Mangekyo Sharingan's left eye is called 'Time Rift.' It allows me to see some scenes and fragments of the future. The drawback is that it's not under my control; it's random. You already know this."
Seeing Uchiha Shisui nod, indicating he understood, Uchiha Kakuyama suddenly asked: "Shisui, do you remember my nickname?"
"Hmm, I remember. It's Uchiha's Copying Eye. Among the Uchiha Clan, you are the best at copying enemy Ninjutsu."
Seeing that Shisui still knew his nickname, Uchiha Kakuyama suddenly chuckled twice, pointing to his right eye with some pride and saying:
"The Eye Technique of my right eye is called 'Copying Eye.' Guess what its function is?"
"Copying Eye? You could already copy Ninjutsu when you had the Three Tomoe. Now that you have the Mangekyo Sharingan, then your copying ability should have improved…" Uchiha Shisui murmured to himself.
Slowly, he seemed to be startled by what he had guessed, and his gaze towards Uchiha Kakuyama became increasingly strange.
Uchiha Kakuyama chuckled twice, saying with some pride: "That's right, just as you guessed, my Mangekyo Sharingan can now copy some special Ninjutsu. These special Ninjutsu have a special name: 'Bloodline Limit.'"
In fact, Uchiha Kakuyama's Sharingan hadn't yet reached the level where it could copy Bloodline Limit techniques, but according to the system's prompt, as long as Uchiha Kakuyama's Sharingan could copy Uchiha Shisui's Kotoamatsukami and successfully evolve into the Mangekyo Sharingan, he would be able to copy a portion of Bloodline Limit Ninjutsu.
Uchiha Kakuyama saw that Shisui seemed to be scared by him, so he scratched his head apologetically and added: "Don't be scared, I can only copy a limited number of types, it's not as exaggerated as you think."
Uchiha Shisui came back to his senses, finding his earlier gaffe a bit amusing.
"I originally thought the ability of my Mangekyo Sharingan's Eye Technique was already terrifying, but I didn't expect your Eye Technique's ability to be no less than mine."
Uchiha Shisui paused and said: "The Eye Technique of both my Mangekyo Sharingan's left and right eyes is the same, named 'Kotoamatsukami.' Its ability is to subtly and freely manipulate others, permanently and completely changing a person's thoughts and will."
"However, it has a major drawback: a very long cooldown time. I can feel that after using my Eye Technique once, I need to wait at least ten years before I can use it again."
At this point, Uchiha Shisui sighed deeply, powerless: "I originally wanted to use this Eye Technique to ease the relationship between the Village and our Uchiha Clan, but now it seems I still failed, and I lost my life and my Sharingan."
Uchiha Kakuyama heard Shisui reveal the ability of his Mangekyo Sharingan and knew he was one step closer to his goal. He said in a measured tone: "If your Mangekyo's ability is this, then I know what to do to ease the tension between the clan and the Village. Shisui, if you allow me to copy your Kotoamatsukami, I can use it strategically to alter the perceptions of key figures in Konoha—maybe even the Third Hokage or Danzo himself. We could make them see the Uchiha as allies, not enemies, without them ever suspecting they've been influenced."
Shisui's expression tightened, a mix of hope and apprehension crossing his face. "You're saying you can copy Kotoamatsukami and use it without the ten-year cooldown? How is that possible?"
Uchiha Kakuyama smiled faintly, careful not to reveal too much about the system. "My Copying Eye doesn't just replicate the technique; it integrates it into my Sharingan, adapting it to my own chakra and spiritual energy. The system—er, my Mangekyo's unique nature—might allow me to bypass some of the limitations, like the cooldown. I won't know for sure until I try, but I'm confident it can work."
Shisui studied Kakuyama for a long moment, his eyes searching for any hint of deception. Finally, he exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "If you can truly copy Kotoamatsukami and use it to save the clan, then I'll trust you. But you must understand the responsibility that comes with this power. Kotoamatsukami can rewrite a person's soul. Misuse it, and you could destroy someone's free will entirely."
"I understand," Kakuyama said solemnly. "I swear, Shisui, I'll only use it to protect the Uchiha and bring peace to Konoha. No personal gain, no abuse of power."
Shisui nodded, his resolve firming. "Then let's do this. I'll demonstrate Kotoamatsukami for you, but we need to be careful. If anyone catches us, especially Danzo's Root or the Anbu, it could jeopardize everything."
Kakuyama agreed, his heart pounding with anticipation. "Lead the way. Somewhere secluded, where no one will interrupt us."
Shisui stood, motioning for Kakuyama to follow. They moved deeper into the forest, away from the Uchiha compound and the prying eyes of Konoha. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting long shadows as they reached a small clearing surrounded by dense foliage.
"Here," Shisui said, turning to face Kakuyama. "This is where I train in secret. No one will find us here."
Uchiha Kakuyama activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, the tomoe spinning rapidly as he focused on Shisui. "I'm ready. Show me Kotoamatsukami."
Shisui took a deep breath, his own eyes transforming as the Mangekyo Sharingan awakened. The intricate, four-pointed star pattern of his Mangekyo gleamed under the moonlight, radiating an almost otherworldly power. "I can't use Kotoamatsukami on you directly—it's too dangerous without a specific target in mind. Instead, I'll channel it into a simple illusion, letting you observe the chakra flow and the technique's structure. Your Copying Eye should be able to analyze it from there."
Kakuyama nodded, his Sharingan locked onto Shisui's eyes. "Do it."
Shisui raised his hand, his chakra surging as he wove a subtle Genjutsu. The air around them seemed to shimmer, and Kakuyama felt a faint pressure against his mind—not an attack, but the gentle, almost imperceptible touch of Kotoamatsukami's influence. His Sharingan spun faster, the system in his mind whirring to life as it analyzed the technique. A mechanical voice echoed in his head:
*"Kotoamatsukami detected. Analyzing chakra signature and structural composition. Copying process initiated. Estimated time: 30 seconds."*
Kakuyama's eyes widened as he felt his Sharingan evolve, the tomoe shifting slightly, their patterns beginning to morph. The system was working, absorbing Kotoamatsukami's essence and integrating it into his own eyes. Pain flared briefly in his skull, a sign of the strain on his chakra and spiritual energy, but he gritted his teeth and endured.
Shisui, noticing Kakuyama's discomfort, stopped the Genjutsu. "Are you okay? Did it work?"
Kakuyama blinked, his vision clearing as the system chimed again: *"Copying complete. Kotoamatsukami successfully integrated into host's Mangekyo Sharingan. Cooldown period: Unknown until first use."*
A grin spread across Kakuyama's face. "It worked, Shisui. I've got it. Kotoamatsukami is mine now."
Shisui's expression was a mix of awe and caution. "That's… incredible. I've never seen anything like it. But now that you have it, what's your next step?"
Uchiha Kakuyama's eyes gleamed with determination. "First, we protect you. If Danzo or the Third Hokage try to come for your eyes, we'll be ready. Then, we use Kotoamatsukami to shift the village's perception of the Uchiha. We'll target key figures—maybe even Danzo himself—to ensure the clan's safety. But we need to act fast. Your death is coming soon, and the massacre isn't far behind."
Shisui nodded, his own resolve mirroring Kakuyama's. "Then we work together. For the Uchiha Clan. For Konoha."
As the two Uchiha stood in the moonlit clearing, a new path began to form—one where the tragedy of the Uchiha Clan might be rewritten. Uchiha Kakuyama clenched his fists, his newly acquired Kotoamatsukami pulsing in his eyes. The future was no longer set in stone, and he would fight to ensure the Uchiha's survival, no matter the cost.