Kirigakure's morning, a gentle sea breeze, the air filled with a faint scent of sea salt.
Setsuna stood on a high platform, overlooking the village enveloped in mist.
In less than a week, he had become the 'God' in the hearts of Kirigakure's people. Wherever he went, there were nothing but respectful gazes and devout greetings.
"Setsuna-sama." A Kirigakure's Ninja quickly approached, bowing. "We have finally found Uchiha Fugaku in an underground cavern."
Setsuna's gaze shifted slightly. He nodded: "Take me to him."
Soon, Setsuna was brought to a secret room. The surrounding Ninja consciously retreated.
Fugaku appeared somewhat dejected, but his body showed no abnormalities. In his eye sockets were the Sharingan Madara himself had previously used.
Setsuna asked softly: "Even after Uchiha Madara died, you still avoided the search. Fugaku-san, are you so unwilling to return to Konoha?"
Fugaku's face was bitter: "If I were imprisoned, I wouldn't be able to revive Itachi."
Setsuna expressed 'surprise': "Who said you'd be imprisoned? Weren't you a victim kidnapped by Uchiha Madara?"
Fugaku's body trembled: "Setsuna-sama, you are still willing to give me a chance?"
Setsuna's gaze was calm and deep. He sighed leisurely: "I simply don't wish to see the Uchiha Clan sink into an even deeper abyss."
Fugaku struggled internally: "But I still haven't found a way to revive Itachi..."
Setsuna said indifferently: "When you regret what you've lost, you might be losing something even more precious. Think about Uchiha Mikoto. If you have even a shred of a man's responsibility, you shouldn't let her bear the pressure alone."
"Mikoto!" Fugaku's body trembled again.
"Do you want to continue walking further down the path of regret?"
Tears silently slid down Fugaku's face. He heavily knelt, hands on the ground, voice choked: "Thank you, Setsuna-sama. I understand. I will not be obsessive anymore."
Setsuna nodded in satisfaction, 'It seemed my Talk-no-Jutsu has levelled up again.'
"These Mangekyo Sharingan, you can take them back." Setsuna opened his right hand. In his palm lay two crimson eyeballs, appearing very bloody and eerie.
However, seeing these eyes again, Fugaku instinctively took a step back: "Setsuna-sama, you should take them."
Setsuna was quite surprised: "But these are Mangekyo Sharingan."
Fugaku gritted his teeth, his eyes full of caution: "The allure of these eyes is too terrifying. Ever since awakening the Mangekyo, my mind seemed completely filled with the obsession to revive Itachi, even forgetting about Mikoto. If not for Uchiha Madara changing my eyes this time, perhaps your words, Setsuna-sama, might not have been enough to sober me up."
Setsuna nodded. He felt Fugaku's words weren't wrong.
The Sharingan were eyes that reflected the heart. The Mangekyo condensed the most intense emotions within. Those with insufficient mental fortitude could indeed be affected.
The now sober Fugaku felt a wave of lingering fear. If not for Setsuna concealing the truth for him, the entire Uchiha Clan would have been destroyed because of him.
He raised his head, his eyes filled with determination: "Setsuna-sama, you are the Uchiha's benefactor. These eyes, I wish to give them to you."
Setsuna only sighed: 'But these eyes are useless to me.'
Since they're unable to evolve into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, blindness was inevitable.
As for delaying blindness through Hashirama's cells, like Obito in another timeline? Since it involved risk, why wouldn't he transplant cells from Piccolo or Goku instead?
Of course, the main reason was that this Mangekyo's abilities were too ordinary, seemingly filling the vacancy left by the absence of Itachi, with one Tsukuyomi and one Amaterasu.
If it were Kamui, he'd use them himself.
"Then let's refrigerate them for now."
…
Meanwhile, the Land of Water's port erupted with noise.
A massive ship cut through the waves, its sails bearing Konoha's symbol.
"It's Konoha's forces."
Kirigakure's Ninjas flocked to the docks. On the ship, Minato stood at the bow, expression grave.
'According to Setsuna's speed, he should have returned from the Land of Water long ago.'
Although he believed in Setsuna's strength, he still had to mentally prepare for the worst.
However, when he led the Konoha's forces ashore cautiously, what greeted them was the enthusiastic cheers of Kirigakure's Ninjas.
"Wow, it's the first time I've seen so many outsiders."
"Do you know Setsuna-sama?"
"Long live the friendship between Konoha and Kirigakure!"
The Konoha's group looked at each other, but they quickly grasped the general reason from Kirigakure's chattering Ninjas.
"What? The Third Mizukage was actually being controlled by Uchiha Madara the whole time? Setsuna killed Uchiha Madara, freeing the Land of Water?" Even with Minato's temperament, he was greatly shocked upon hearing this news.
"Uchiha Madara summoned a ten-kilometer diameter meteor? Setsuna shattered the meteor, saving the Land of Water?" Jiraiya's mouth corner twitched madly, increasingly feeling how lucky he was to have survived Setsuna's hands back then.
The two soon found Setsuna, guided by Kirigakure's Ninjas.
"Minato, Jiraiya-senpai, you're here." Setsuna greeted them, actively explaining: "I learned from Uchiha Madara that he imprisoned Fugaku-senpai. After the battle, requesting Kirigakure's help in the search took a few extra days."
"Ah? Fugaku is here too." Minato was somewhat surprised but didn't delve deeper. "I'll use the Flying Thunder God Technique now to take you and Fugaku back together."
Setsuna was slightly surprised: "What happened? So urgent?"
Minato said gravely: "While you were away, the Ninja World indeed underwent dramatic changes. That monster Satori not only ate the Two-Tails' Jinchuriki but also ambushed and killed the Third Raikage."
"What? The Raikage is dead?" This time, Setsuna was genuinely shocked, 'With Satori's strength, shouldn't it be unable to even penetrate the Third Raikage's defenses?'
'Even if Satori could grow by absorbing fear, it couldn't possibly grow this fast.'
Minato's expression was heavy: "That monster ate the Soragakure's Ninja's Zero-Tails, obtaining the Zero-Tails power."
"Zero-Tails?" Setsuna frowned. He certainly knew about the Zero-Tails. But he never expected that Zero-Tails could cause such a transformation in Satori.
"According to the Soragakure's Ninja, the Zero-Tails can absorb the darkness in people's hearts. The stronger the darkness, the more terrifying the Chakra it produces. And that monster..."
Minato paused, his expression subtle: "It ate Elder Danzo."
Setsuna: "..."
Setsuna almost couldn't hold back a complain, 'So the darkness in Danzo's heart alone was more terrifying than the darkness of the entire Ninja World?'
Although it sounded outrageous, he inexplicably felt it was very reasonable.
Minato continued: "The newly appointed Fourth Raikage has called for a Five Kage Summit among the Five Great Nations, claiming that monster's existence already endangers the entire Ninja World's safety. But Hokage-sama, deeply burdened with guilt and remorse over Elder Danzo's death, has decided to resign as Hokage."
"The Five Kage Summit is imminent. We must elect a new Hokage!"