Konoha Guard Detention Room
Since the Second Hokage's era, the Konoha Guard had been entrusted to the Uchiha clan. This allowed the village to balance Uchiha power without provoking their rebellion. As a result, nearly ninety-nine percent of the Konoha Guard were Uchiha clan members.
Ye Mizunotsuki stood quietly in a corner of the detention room, watching a guard repeatedly inspect the corpse of the assassin he had just kicked to death. Since the body lacked any items proving its identity and was not a registered Konoha citizen, the guards could only estimate who he was based on skin tone, clothing quality, calluses on his hands, and scars on his body.
Two other guards who had brought him here questioned Ye about his registration. Upon learning he had joined Konoha just three days ago and was currently attending the Ninja Academy, their attitude toward him softened — though in Uchiha terms, this "softening" was still very formal.
"Captain Keiyu," the guard inspecting the corpse finally stood and hurried over to report respectfully. First, he shot a glance at Ye standing in the corner, then said:
"Investigation complete. This individual's body shows traces of refined chakra. Preliminary judgment: a ninja. The hands have calluses; elbows and knees show repeated impact training. There are over forty old wounds, more than ten caused by ninjutsu, the rest from blades or hidden weapons. Clothing and boots are all produced in the Land of Water. Cause of death: a broken rib pierced the heart at an angle."
"So I deduce this is an assassin trained in Kirigakure, with strength no higher than a Chunin."
"Kirigakure's assassin ninja?" Keiyu's eyes flickered with doubt. He crouched beside the corpse for a closer look, astonished:
"Still a Chunin… and yet killed by a child still in the Ninja Academy. Whoa!"
Keiyu drew in a sharp breath, then turned to stare at Ye in disbelief.
This is ridiculous! he thought.
"This ninja, now that the cause of death is confirmed, may I leave? I still have school."
Ye spoke up calmly. Being a Konoha citizen and acting in self-defense — possibly killing an enemy spy from another village — he was, logically, innocent. But who knew how the three Konoha Guard members would interpret it?
He wanted to keep a low profile and leave quickly. His reflexive kick had accidentally revealed a hint of his true power.
"You…"
Keiyu started to speak but paused, recalling something from his investigation.
This unusually beautiful child had joined Konoha only three days ago, but the person who registered him was an Anbu member. Could there be a secret behind this?
Thinking this, Keiyu decided against detaining Ye any further. He turned and said:
"Alright, Shinsuke, escort this child out. I'll handle the rest."
"Yes, sir." Another guard agreed.
Ye silently breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing abnormal had happened. He followed Shinsuke toward the exit — when suddenly, a black figure appeared to his right.
The figure wore a fox mask, carried a ninja sword on his back, and exuded a sharp, commanding aura.
"It's you!?"
"How dare you appear in the Konoha Guard?"
"Kill him!"
The three Uchiha guards froze at the sudden appearance. Recognition dawned on them, and in anger, all three activated their Sharingan!
All three were Uchiha clan members. Keiyu's was a Mangekyo Sharingan with three tomoe, while the other two were two-tomoe.
For Uchiha, Sharingan strength correlates directly with skill:
One tomoe = elite Genin
Two tomoe = Chunin
Three tomoe = JoninA bloodline limit ensures that once developed, a user's strength quickly reaches a corresponding level.
"By order of the Hokage, you are to escort Ye Mizunotsuki away!"
"Hawk Lord?"
In an instant, Ye recognized him — Kakashi. Not a doubt. He called out immediately. The backup plan he had prepared had just arrived! He had sent Azuki and Yugao to see the Third Hokage precisely so someone would come for him. He hadn't expected Kakashi to arrive, seemingly holding a grudge against the Uchiha present.
Damn bad luck, Ye thought. Had he known the situation would escalate like this, he wouldn't have bothered.
"Hokage's orders?"
Keiyu glanced at Ye. This confirmed to him that the child was hiding secrets. But it wasn't his concern; he was angry for other reasons.
"Kakashi!" Keiyu shouted Kakashi's real name. "Don't forget! The Hokage promised us — anyone of the Uchiha who dares appear in front of the clan may be killed to reclaim the Uchiha bloodline!"
Kakashi said nothing, standing coldly. His left eye slowly opened, revealing a blood-red Mangekyo Sharingan. Three black tomoe spun in his eye.
"Three tomoe already? Impossible! He has no Uchiha blood!" Keiyu and the others gasped in disbelief. Shinsuke even rubbed his eyes.
"This is Obito's eye. I will not hand it over to anyone, for I promised him it would help me see the path ahead. Step back… or die!"
A streak of blue lightning erupted from Kakashi's hand, followed by a chorus of bird cries ringing throughout the Guard base.
"Oh… it's Obito's Sharingan!"
Ye, observing, finally understood. No wonder the Uchiha guards reacted with such hatred and revealed Kakashi's true name — this was about their sacred bloodline limit!
For any bloodline family, nothing is more important than their kekkei genkai. In past ninja wars, Sharingan never leaked because Uchiha would blind themselves if capture seemed likely. The Hyuga clan even developed sealing techniques to protect theirs.
Kakashi, then, was likely the only non-Uchiha to possess a Sharingan. Without the protection of the Third and future Fourth Hokage, he would probably already be dead.