The person who came to see Fumori Masaki was Risa. Fumori Masaki was a little curious why she was looking for him. Considering the relatively critical tasks Risa was responsible for, he wondered if it was about Uchiha Ken.
During the battle in the capital, Uchiha Ken accidentally had one of his Mangekyo Sharingan stolen by an opponent, who happened to be a former subordinate of Uchiha Setsuna—Uchiha Kokuya. This was undoubtedly a huge blow to Uchiha Ken, whose father was murdered by Uchiha Setsuna.
After returning to the village, Fumori Masaki sent Uchiha Ken to see Risa, considering Uchiha Ken's psychological state. He couldn't be too careful with young Uchiha clan members, as due to the influence of their kekkei genkai, they were still in a relatively vulnerable stage, not yet mature or firm in their self-identity.
Later, Risa's report came back without any issues, and Fumori Masaki breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't expect Risa to suddenly seek him out. To be honest, Fumori Masaki hoped Risa would talk to him about something else. If it was about Uchiha Ken, it might lead to some trouble.
"Lord Hokage." Risa stood before Fumori Masaki, bowing slightly to him. "I apologize for disturbing you during your busy time."
"We're old friends, there's no need for such formality in a private setting." Fumori Masaki smiled and motioned for Risa to sit at the table, asking, "You must have something important to say, coming here like this."
"Yes, it's about Ken," Risa said.
Fumori Masaki's heart sank slightly. If it were a minor issue, Risa wouldn't need to come specifically; she could just mention it in her regular report. Since she came in person, it meant she had to report it face-to-face.
"Is something wrong?" Fumori Masaki asked.
"Actually, ever since Ken returned from the capital, he's been preoccupied. After I repeatedly asked and offered comfort, he finally told me," Risa said.
Fumori Masaki nodded slightly. Uchiha Ken's willingness to share his concerns with Risa indicated a very close relationship between them; Risa herself might even be somewhat invested, which was evident from her way of addressing him. Fumori Masaki was naturally very pleased with this situation; in fact, he had hoped to see such a result. Although there were some planned factors involved, he had no ill intentions, and it was also good for Uchiha Ken.
However, this matter couldn't be openly discussed, at least not until Uchiha Ken matured. Otherwise, it might make the sensitive Uchiha Ken feel that the village had some conspiracy, causing unnecessary trouble.
Perhaps some people might think Fumori Masaki's actions were bad, but as the leader of the village, Fumori Masaki couldn't truly be completely honest; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to control the village and would cause instability. He had no choice but to act this way. He couldn't just let an Indra reincarnate run wild, could he?
If Uchiha Ken were truly left unchecked, he might be abducted by Black Zetsu, and after being abducted, a good future would not await Uchiha Ken. Black Zetsu never had good intentions.
Fumori Masaki's approach was indeed somewhat cunning, but it was also for Uchiha Ken's own good, allowing him to avoid that destined path of despair and spare him inner suffering, ensuring a bright future. Moreover, Fumori Masaki barely interfered; for instance, the relationship between Uchiha Ken and Risa was something he hadn't anticipated.
"Ken said that during the battle in the capital, he spoke with the opponent—I think his name was Uchiha Kokuya—and from Uchiha Kokuya's words, he learned why Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Kokuya were targeting him." Risa said, a hint of disbelief on her face, "Uchiha Kokuya said that it was because Ken is the reincarnation of Uchiha's ancestor, Indra, possessing Indra's power, which is why they targeted him."
"Oh?" Fumori Masaki showed a surprised expression—half feigned, half genuine. Feigned because while he knew Uchiha Ken was Indra's reincarnation, others were not supposed to know that he knew. Genuine because he truly hadn't expected Uchiha Kokuya to reveal such a thing.
Risa saw Fumori Masaki's expression and said, "Indeed, you are also very surprised by this."
"Indeed. However, regarding Indra's reincarnation, I do know a little; there are some scattered records in the scriptures of the Sage of Six Paths. But I never expected Ken-kun to actually be Indra's reincarnation," Fumori Masaki said.
"Ken is very distressed by this matter. Because he is Indra's reincarnation, he was targeted by Uchiha Setsuna and others, which resulted in his father's death. He wonders if being Indra's reincarnation means he has a past destiny, forcing him to walk certain paths," Risa said worriedly.
"He's overthinking it, but I understand that for him, such news would indeed be a huge blow." Fumori Masaki frowned slightly and said, "Didn't you tell him that while there might be some innate karmic connections, destiny is ultimately something one decides for oneself?"
"Of course I told him, but he still feels very uneasy," Risa said with a troubled expression. "I really don't want to see him like this, so I came to ask for your help."
"Why? If even you can't help him, how can I?"
"The reason Ken feels uneasy is because he lacks a sense of security. After learning that he is Indra's reincarnation, he is afraid that he will end up like Uchiha Madara in the past. He wants to break free from this situation but feels that he might not be able to do so with his own strength," Risa replied.
"I see. Mere words of comfort can't give him complete security. He might have some doubts about destiny, but he also needs the support of power." Fumori Masaki nodded, then smiled: "I understand. He's hinting through you to pass the message to me. He's a bit too timid to say it himself!"
Risa's cheeks flushed slightly, a little embarrassed. The real reason was indeed this: Risa and Uchiha Ken had a very close relationship; she was the person Uchiha Ken trusted most. Risa, deeply influenced by Fumori Masaki, had progressive ideas and wouldn't let Uchiha Ken fall into so-called fatalism. However, Uchiha Ken himself was still somewhat worried and wanted help from the village but was too afraid to ask directly, so he asked Risa to come.
Risa also felt a little annoyed by Uchiha Ken's awkwardness, but she understood his personality well. After so much torment, this young man still possessed a kind heart, which she found rare and precious, and it was something she admired about him.
"Alright, in that case, have him come here himself." Fumori Masaki said with a chuckle, "Since he's the one involved, he needs to come and resolve it himself. How can he always rely on you?"
Risa smiled apologetically and said, "Then I'll leave it to you, Lord Hokage. Honestly, hearing this, I was truly surprised. It seems Uchiha Madara was also Indra's reincarnation and caused a lot of trouble, but I hope Ken can avoid repeating Uchiha Madara's mistakes."
"Very good. Uchiha Madara was actually just unlucky. If the Hidden Leaf Village had been established earlier, and he had met Lord Hashirama later, perhaps such things wouldn't have happened." Fumori Masaki said this to comfort Risa, but deep down, he felt that even then, it would have been impossible. Because Black Zetsu existed, and he had an intelligence advantage, he could take targeted measures. Without knowing of Black Zetsu's existence, no matter how good the situation was, Black Zetsu could still find an opportunity.
However, there's nothing to worry about now. Black Zetsu has been sealed by the Totsuka Blade. As long as this incident is resolved, there's no need to worry about anyone using the power of Indra and Asura. If, taking this opportunity, Uchiha Ken and Fujimura Yuuki maintain a genuine friendship, perhaps Indra and Asura will no longer reincarnate.
In the original timeline, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha reconciled after the Valley of the End battle, and the thousand-year grudge between Indra and Asura ended, with their chakra no longer reincarnating.
Risa bid farewell to Fumori Masaki and left to call Uchiha Ken. Fumori Masaki considered for a moment, then ordered the Anbu to call Uchiha Kagami, requesting him to come as quickly as possible.
So, Uchiha Kagami arrived at the Hokage's office before the others. He didn't know why Fumori Masaki had summoned him and asked, "Masaki, what's wrong?"
Fumori Masaki then told him what had just happened. Uchiha Kagami immediately looked surprised. He hadn't expected Uchiha Ken to realize his identity and asked, "What are you planning to do?"
"What else can we do? This is actually a good thing. Since Ken-kun knows his identity, he'll be more cooperative in this matter, which is perfect for dealing with Uchiha Kokuya," Fumori Masaki said.
"How so?" Uchiha Kagami was curious.
"According to Ken-kun, Uchiha Kokuya said he wanted to obtain the power within him. What do you think Uchiha Kokuya plans to do?" Fumori Masaki asked.
"He wants to cultivate the power of all creation?"
"Exactly." Fumori Masaki nodded slightly. He hadn't expected Uchiha Kokuya to not try to muddy the waters but instead directly obtain chakra from the two reincarnates, Uchiha Ken and Fujimura Yuuki, to cultivate the Rinnegan. Moreover, Uchiha Kokuya had already obtained one Mangekyo Sharingan, which meant Uchiha Kokuya had obtained Indra's power.
"So, what Uchiha Kokuya lacks is Asura's power, which is the power hidden within Fujimura Yuuki, right?" Uchiha Kagami said.
"Uchiha Kokuya definitely doesn't plan to fight us to the end. He understands the disparity in power. I think he's probably putting his trump card on the Rinnegan. As long as he obtains Asura's power, he will withdraw from this war." Fumori Masaki's guess was spot on, perfectly aligning with Uchiha Kokuya's intentions; Uchiha Kokuya planned exactly that.
Uchiha Kagami found this very reasonable. From previous battles, there was nothing particularly powerful about Uchiha Kokuya. It was quite logical for Uchiha Kokuya to focus on cultivating the Rinnegan. The Rinnegan was a legendary dōjutsu, the dōjutsu of the Sage of Six Paths! Obtaining the Rinnegan was equivalent to obtaining the power of a god.
"We can't let him succeed. I understand. You mean to use Fujimura Yuuki as bait to lure Uchiha Kokuya out?" Uchiha Kagami said, suddenly enlightened.
"That's exactly what I plan to do." Fumori Masaki smiled at Uchiha Kagami, then said seriously, "But since Ken-kun already knows he's Indra's reincarnate, his cooperation is needed for this matter. We also can't hide it from Fujimura Yuuki—that might cause a rift—so we need to have a good talk with him."
"Okay, how should I cooperate with you?" Uchiha Kagami had no objections and asked how he should respond during the upcoming conversation with Uchiha Ken.
"Although we've known for a long time that they are reincarnates, we definitely can't say that. That would make them feel used, and Ken-kun is particularly sensitive right now," Fumori Masaki said. "Therefore, we have to pretend that we don't know the specific situation, only having learned some information about reincarnates from the scriptures of the Sage of Six Paths."
Uchiha Kagami understood this perfectly. He was very clear about the personalities of his clan members; he himself was an anomaly among them. Due to his high talent and good nature, he wasn't particularly affected by the kekkei genkai in his early years. By the time he awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, he was already nearing middle age, his thoughts were mature, and the influence of the Mangekyo Sharingan was limited.
However, Uchiha Ken had suffered immensely from a young age and was affected by the Mangekyo Sharingan early on. His psychological issues were quite severe, and indeed, careful attention was needed.
Fumori Masaki and Uchiha Kagami went over their story, creating a logically complete narrative, and then waited quietly. Soon after, Uchiha Ken arrived, accompanied by Fujimura Yuuki. Uchiha Ken had been temporarily delayed because they had to wait for Fujimura Yuuki, allowing them time to discuss.
Uchiha Ken was very surprised by Fujimura Yuuki's appearance, not knowing why he was there. Fujimura Yuuki himself also felt somewhat bewildered.
When they met Fumori Masaki and Uchiha Kagami, it was in a secret room, as the matters to be discussed were highly confidential and could not be known by others.
"Ken-kun, Yuuki-kun, what we are about to tell you might be beyond your imagination. Ken-kun should have some understanding, but Yuuki-kun does not," Fumori Masaki said.
Uchiha Ken glanced at Fujimura Yuuki, seemingly understanding something in his heart. He wasn't a fool; if Indra had a reincarnation, then was it possible that Asura, Indra's legendary brother, also had a reincarnation? And he knew that Fujimura Yuuki possessed the bloodline of the Senju clan.
Fujimura Yuuki, however, understood nothing, but he knew that what was being said was serious and very important, so he listened attentively.
Seeing their reactions, Fumori Masaki and Uchiha Kagami exchanged glances, then slowly began to speak.