If he feared that, he would never have ignited the Fourth Shinobi World War. The upheaval of the entire Ninja World meant little to him, let alone changes to the night of the Uchiha Clan's destruction. While Black Zetsu and Obito Uchiha stared at the board, they failed to see they were pieces within it.
Late at night, darkness pressed down heavily. In Fugaku Uchiha's study, the lights burned bright but could not dispel the oppressive air. He sat behind the desk, frowning as he reviewed scrolls about clan supplies.
It was clear the radicals were preparing resources for a future coup. Their methods were crude, and if discovered, the consequences would be severe. As he pondered, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Fugaku Uchiha said without looking up. The door opened, and Itachi Uchiha appeared with a troubled expression. He reported that Shisui had intercepted a secret message from Root.
Lowering his voice, he said that Danzo Shimura seemed to know about their coup preparations. Hearing this name, Fugaku Uchiha shot to his feet, his face darkening. Rage and fear churned together as he demanded details.
Itachi Uchiha said he could not explain clearly and that the letter was with Shisui. Gripping the desk, Fugaku Uchiha felt panic rise. If the village truly intended to act against them, the situation was dire.
"Let's go," he said, hastily putting on his clothes and striding out. Itachi followed, closing the door softly behind them. The moment it shut, all anxiety vanished from his eyes.
kacha. As Fugaku Uchiha stepped outside, crimson Mangekyo Sharingan flared in the darkness.
The Mangekyo pattern rotated silently as Kotoamatsukami activated. Before Fugaku Uchiha could speak, his body stiffened. The terrifying Dojutsu Power altered his will without sound or light, invading his mind instantly.
Exhausted and shaken, his defenses against Genjutsu were at their lowest. The Dojutsu power surged like a flood and shattered his mental defenses. Fugaku Uchiha's vision went black as he lost consciousness.
A strange truth filled his mind, not as words or images, but as an unquestionable certainty. At that moment, another unseen ripple arose deep within his consciousness. Two disturbances met and collided, opening a faint crack in the space about to be overwritten.
Moonlight was cut apart by the branches, breaking into scattered fragments and casting shadows on the ground like clawed hands. The courtyard lay quiet, with only the pale light shifting as leaves stirred.
"Hu, ha."
Shisui Uchiha knelt on one knee and slowly closed his eyes, the glow of the Mangekyo Sharingan fading away. He breathed in heavy gulps, his chest rising sharply as his body shook.
Sweat mixed with thick, dark red tears of blood slid from the corners of his tightly shut eyes. The trail ran down his face, leaving a harsh red line across his strained expression.
"Shisui!" Itachi Uchiha asked urgently. "Are you alright?"
Shisui kept his eyes closed and shook his head slightly, feeling as if countless steel needles were churning inside his skull. Only after a long while did the pain begin to ease.
To be safe, he had used Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku Uchiha at its maximum effect. It did not just drain his Chakra, it nearly exhausted all of his Dojutsu Power as well.
And the result was now right in front of him.
Fugaku Uchiha stood there, his posture still upright and firm. At the instant the technique ended, the scarlet Sharingan that had activated by instinct faded back into black eyes.
The shock on his face also disappeared quickly, replaced by the calm and slightly somber look that usually belonged to Fugaku Uchiha as clan head. Yet within that familiar presence, something felt missing, as if a perfect portrait had lost the warmth and depth of its soul.
Most unsettling of all, Fugaku Uchiha showed no trace of caution or doubt about being here, nor about the clearly abnormal Shisui standing before him with blood tears.
"Shisui?"
Fugaku Uchiha spoke, his voice steady and low as usual. His gaze settled on Shisui as he asked, "Why are you here? Are you looking for Itachi?"
His tone sounded completely natural, as if Shisui appearing here was the most normal thing in the world. The calmness carried a chill that went straight to the heart.
"Fugaku Uchiha."
Shisui Uchiha forced himself to lift his head through the tearing pain in his mind, pain like being ripped apart by a Lie. He pulled a strained smile on his blood-streaked face and tested him. "You called me here. Do you not remember?"
Behind Fugaku Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha held his breath, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.
"Hm? I called you here?"
A trace of mild confusion appeared on Fugaku Uchiha's face. He did not question Shisui's words at all, instead showing an expression as if he were trying to recall something.
"Have you been too tired lately and forgotten?" Shisui continued.
Hearing that, Fugaku Uchiha's furrowed brows relaxed as if he had just realized the answer. He raised a hand to rub his temple and shook his head. "I have been overworking recently. My memory is not as good as it used to be."
It was too natural.
So natural that it made one's skin crawl.
Watching his father's perfectly normal reaction, Itachi Uchiha felt a cold sensation crawl up his spine. The cautious and experienced man before him accepted every strange detail without the slightest doubt, believing Shisui's excuse at once.
Was this the power of Kotoamatsukami? Was this what the Mangekyo Sharingan truly meant?
Seeing Fugaku Uchiha accept everything without resistance, the heavy weight in Shisui's chest finally dropped away. He turned and met Itachi's eyes in the dim light.
Kotoamatsukami had taken effect.
The core of the plan had succeeded.
The consciousness of this clan head had been quietly rewritten, turning him into a perfect Puppet who would follow all instructions. This was the truly terrifying part of Kotoamatsukami.
Its horror was not in open destruction, but in how it could silently rewrite a person's understanding and will, making them a puppet without their awareness. Witnessing this, Shisui could not help thinking of Yunchuan Hyuga's Genjutsu, and felt a trace of relief that it only manipulated the five senses and did not reach this level.
Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the waves of weakness in his mind and stood up, looking at Fugaku Uchiha.
"Fugaku Uchiha."
Shisui's voice returned to calm, carrying an unquestionable tone. "You may have been under too much pressure and wandered here in your sleep. Since there is nothing urgent, please go back and rest."
"If there is anything we need you to do, Itachi and I will inform you."
Fugaku Uchiha showed no sign of offense or displeasure. He nodded without hesitation and replied steadily, "Alright. Then I will leave it to you."
He turned naturally and walked back toward the study, his steps steady and familiar, showing none of the dullness of someone being controlled. The calm presence he carried matched his usual self perfectly.
Only after his figure disappeared did Shisui's tense body sway sharply. Itachi quickly reached out to support him.
"Cough, cough." Shisui coughed lightly and said weakly, "Next, we use Fugaku Uchiha to draw out those radical clan members, and then…"