Konoha.
After half a year on the front lines, Uchiha Yoru and Uchiha Shisui finally returned to the village.
Compared to the constant tension of the border, Konoha felt almost unreal. The streets were familiar, the air calmer, yet something subtle felt wrong.
Their return was quiet.
Too quiet.
When Orochimaru, one of the Three Legendary Sannin, passed through the village gates, there were no crowds. No ceremony. No recognition. Only the usual guards, standing stiffly at attention.
Orochimaru glanced at the empty road and let out a low, rasping chuckle, his tongue briefly flicking across his lips before he continued forward.
To most, it meant nothing.
To Shisui, it felt like mockery.
Orochimaru had carried the border for half a year, holding back two great nations and countless smaller ones. The pressure had been immense, the cost high, and yet the situation had stabilized far faster than anyone expected.
And this was how Konoha welcomed him back.
As they walked deeper into the village, Shisui finally spoke, lowering his voice.
"Yoru… how can the village treat Orochimaru-sama like this?"
Yoru stopped and turned, his expression instantly serious.
"Shisui," he said firmly, "you have to believe in the Will of Fire. Maybe this is just the thinking of a few rotten individuals. It doesn't represent the whole village. You must trust Konoha."
His tone was measured, almost admonishing.
Shisui stiffened.
"I… I do believe in the Will of Fire," he replied quickly, though his words sounded less certain than he intended.
Yoru stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"You've been under too much pressure on the front lines. Take this time to rest. Don't let doubt take root. Trust the village."
Shisui nodded, forcing a smile, yet unease lingered in his chest.
Had he really begun doubting the village?
The thought unsettled him more than the situation itself.
They continued on, side by side, until the village layout began to change.
Shisui slowed.
Then stopped.
Yoru followed his gaze and froze.
Before them lay the new Uchiha district.
Calling it "remote" felt generous. The clan had been relocated to the edge of the village, bordering a dense forest where few civilians ever wandered. The compound itself was vast, larger than the old district, surrounded by tall trees and heavy silence.
It looked peaceful.
Isolated.
Cut off.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"Yoru…" Shisui began, unsure how to explain what had happened during his supply runs.
Yoru recovered first, forcing a laugh.
"So this is the new district?" he said casually. "See? The village still trusts us. They wouldn't give the Uchiha this much land otherwise."
The words sounded hollow.
Even Shisui could hear it.
Yoru clapped him on the shoulder again. "Come on. Take me to the place the clan assigned me. You said it was impressive, didn't you?"
They entered the compound.
Uchiha eyes turned toward them instinctively, sharp and guarded, until recognition spread. The tension eased, replaced by quiet smiles. Inside the district, this was home. Outside, it never had been.
When they reached Yoru's residence, the courtyard was spacious, well-built, clearly prepared with care.
Shisui spoke quickly, almost too quickly.
"The Clan Head and council said you made major contributions on the front. This was prepared specially for you."
Yoru laughed loudly, as if nothing were wrong.
"Well then, you'll have to work harder, Shisui. One day you'll get something like this too."
The laughter made Shisui's chest tighten.
It sounded like someone pretending not to notice a wound.
"I'll head back now," Shisui said after a moment, hesitating. "Are you… alright?"
Yoru turned to face him, posture straight, eyes steady.
"Shisui," he said seriously, "don't overthink things. Once Orochimaru-sama becomes the Fifth Hokage, everything will change. This is only temporary."
There was conviction in his voice.
A warning too.
Shisui nodded slowly. "I understand. I believe it will change."
As he left, doubt followed him like a shadow.
The more Yoru insisted on trust, the more the cracks in that trust became impossible to ignore.