Sarutobi Hiruzen gazed into the crystal ball, eyes full of admiration as Uchiha Seiji's figure flickered inside.
This kid… he wasn't like the usual prideful, narrow-minded Uchiha who walked around with their noses in the clouds. Everything about him—the way he spoke, the way he carried himself—radiated the Will of Fire.
Healing Might Guy, offering encouragement, even holding back ninjutsu to meet him with pure taijutsu—Seiji could've crushed the boy outright, but instead he fought him in a way that lifted him up. In the end, they had even promised to be "rivals for life."
As for Rin… yes, Hiruzen could see Seiji's words had a hint of deliberate teasing, a touch of boyish ambiguity. But he welcomed it. Bonds of love were the strongest chains for a shinobi's heart. They led to families, to ties that lasted.
And if Uchiha after Uchiha started falling for comrades outside the clan? Perfect. No more headaches for him. A few generations later, the Uchiha would blend seamlessly into Konoha.
But the line that struck him most was Seiji's words to Obito:"Don't let emotion and power blind your eyes. A clear, rational mind is a ninja's most precious weapon."
Couple that with his battle style—eerily reminiscent of Tobirama Senju's sharp ninjutsu-into-taijutsu flow—and his piercing insight into the Uchiha's flaws…
For one absurd second, Hiruzen felt déjà vu. Like Tobirama himself had been reborn inside the Uchiha clan.
He shivered, shaking the thought violently from his head. Just remembering his teacher's cold, merciless eyes made his neck prickle.If sensei ever found out I even thought that… when I die, he'll beat me senseless in the Pure Land.
Hiruzen chuckled to himself, waved the thought away, and opened the ANBU's latest report on Seiji. With every line he read, his expression grew more complex.
Finally, he exhaled a long stream of smoke."So… Seiji is your descendant, Kagami? That explains a lot."
No wonder the boy admired the Will of Fire. No wonder he mimicked Tobirama's combat style. The roots were obvious now—he was Kagami's blood. A proper, well-grounded child.
"Since you passed, the rift between the Uchiha and the village has only deepened. I didn't even protect your descendants. Forgive me, Kagami…"
For a moment, the aging Hokage closed his eyes. Memories spilled forth: childhood sparring matches, battlefield camaraderie, old friends now gone, the clan-village feud that refused to die.
When he opened them again, resolve had returned."I'll need to talk to the boy myself. See what kind of person he really is."
He knew today's events would spread fast—the Uchiha would hear soon enough. A seven- or eight-year-old genius already wielding double-tomoe Sharingan, alongside this Seiji who carried the shadow of Tobirama himself… The clan was brimming with talent.
Recalling Seiji's words, Hiruzen smiled faintly."He said he was looking forward to the Will of Fire philosophy exam, didn't he? In that case, I'll write the questions myself. Let's see how the brat answers."
With that, the Hokage rose and leisurely made his way to the academy. For half a day, he would play teacher.
What he didn't notice was the subtle shift in his own thoughts: after learning Seiji was Kagami's descendant, he no longer thought of him as "Uchiha Seiji," but "that Seiji brat." In his mind, the boy was already one of us.
That was the privilege of identity. With the right bloodline, doors opened, opportunities appeared—even in a world where power ruled.
Of course, opportunity always carried risk.
"Brother, what are you going to do now…?"
On the walk home after the exam, Shisui frowned in worry. "Word about you will spread through the village soon. An Uchiha who acts like the Second Hokage and preaches the Will of Fire? That's going to make noise. Both the clan and the higher-ups will put their eyes on you."
He lowered his voice, more serious than a six-year-old had any right to be."You know how the clan feels about Konoha. They'll hate your behavior. They'll try to suppress you. And the higher-ups… they may not accept you either."
Seiji glanced at him, then laughed.
Compared to the Obito who tried to rewrite the world, or the Itachi who slaughtered their clan, little Shisui wasn't so bad. In the original timeline, his last words had been weary resignation: I'm tired of missions. The Uchiha have no future like this. Let me rest.
Call it cowardice, maybe, but at least he had never turned his blade on his family. And here? At six years old, he was already sharper than his fifteen-year-old self—seeing through Konoha's masks, worried for his brother.
That was the Uchiha for you. Extreme about themselves, frighteningly lucid when it came to their kin.
Seiji hooked an arm around Shisui and dragged him into a rough headlock, grinning."Oh? So you do understand. Then tell me, little six-year-old, what the hell were you thinking earlier trying to pull such reckless stunts?"
He tightened his grip playfully before letting him go. His voice turned lighter, but the edge beneath was unmistakable."Relax. My Will of Fire is spotless. My identity as Kagami's heir? Solid. My ninjutsu specialty? Water Release, just like the Second. I even laid out the truth about Sharingan and emotion in front of everyone."
He smirked."The higher-ups saw all of it. My persona's perfect. Nothing for you to worry about."
"As for the clan? Leave that to me. Uchiha only respect strength. Conveniently, I'm very good at delivering beatdowns."
Seiji reached down and pinched Shisui's red cheeks until the boy squirmed. His eyes, however, gleamed with something darker.
He didn't care for the Uchiha, or even Konoha itself. He trusted only in his own power.
In a world where the Ōtsutsuki were waiting to descend, squabbles over villages and clans were laughable. What mattered was the future.
And for those who chose to walk alongside him, Seiji would at least ensure a better fate than in the original timeline.
But for those who opposed him? He would squeeze every ounce of value from them, until even their ashes became fuel for peace.