51-55

*Chapter 51: The World is Full of Fools! (Seeking Votes! Seeking Support!)*

"Haha! Obito, where did you find such an idiot?" On the rooftop of a nearby house, Zetsu, resembling a pitcher plant, and the masked Uchiha Obito were observing the conflict unfolding in the narrow alley.

Seeing the Mist Ninja envoy deliberately provoke the Uchiha, the ever-excited White Zetsu burst out laughing.

"This world is full of fools. The Mist Village has plenty of brainless idiots. I specifically chose one of the radical militants from the Mist Village's war faction. If he were obedient, I wouldn't have picked him as the envoy."

Uchiha Obito coldly watched everything unfold.

"You're right about that."

Black Zetsu chimed in, casting a discreet glance at Uchiha Obito, adding, "Indeed, this world is never short of fools! But… do you really think this will draw out Uchiha Sōgen? We're in Konoha; that fool might be dealt with before Uchiha Sōgen even gets involved."

Shifting the topic to avoid saying too much, Black Zetsu continued.

"It’s worth a try. Besides, the fool's death is part of the plan anyway. If he can serve a purpose before dying, then it's a win-win. Our ultimate goal is to destroy the Uchiha. Whether it’s through internal strife in Konoha or a war with the Mist, the outcome is the same for me!"

"If we can learn more about Uchiha Sōgen's abilities beforehand, it will make our next steps much smoother."

The Mangekyō Sharingan with unknown abilities is extremely dangerous! Even though Uchiha Obito believed there weren't many people in the shinobi world who could threaten him, caution is always necessary. He didn't want to see his grand ambitions crumble due to carelessness.

He swore to create an ideal world without war, a world with Rin in it.

He couldn't afford to fail.

"The Mangekyō Sharingan, huh? You Uchiha are terrifyingly powerful!" White Zetsu remarked in awe.

"Yes, the Uchiha are too dangerous, which is why we must eliminate this threat before executing the plan." Uchiha Obito agreed. As an Uchiha himself, he knew how troublesome the Uchiha’s power could be. If they didn't eliminate this uncertain factor early, who knows what complications might arise later?

Someone could awaken an ability similar to his own or, worse, one that could counter his powers.

It's possible that Uchiha Sōgen might already possess such power.

That's why this time, unlike the night of the Nine-Tails incident, Obito didn't act recklessly. Instead, he chose to use the Mist Village as the first strike.

"So, is your contact with that Uchiha Itachi kid also part of the plan to destroy the Uchiha?"

"An interesting pawn. If used correctly, he might help bring an end to the Uchiha." A cold smile crept across Obito's face beneath his mask as he mentioned the intriguing boy.

The Uchiha clan must be destroyed, though selecting one or two useful pawns would facilitate future plans.

Meanwhile, the conflict in the alley escalated. The Mist envoy reached out to grab Uchiha Fujika, while the three Konoha Chunin hesitated…

At that moment—

Whoosh, whoosh!

Fujika hurled shuriken.

This wasn’t the war era anymore, and Konoha wasn’t a battlefield, so no one expected a five-year-old girl to decisively throw shuriken, let alone aim for vital points like the neck, heart, and kidneys.

It wasn't just about her shuriken skills; the critical factor was that this child had the determination and resolve to kill.

The three Konoha Chunin tasked with protecting the Mist envoy were completely stunned and didn’t react at all.

However, as an envoy from the Mist Village, the opponent was at least a Jonin. Moreover, coming from the dangerous Mist Village where even walking required watching out for shuriken from behind, the envoy remained highly vigilant. As soon as Fujika acted, he responded.

A kunai slipped into his hand from his sleeve.

With a swift motion, he easily deflected the incoming shuriken.

"As expected of the Uchiha, even a brat is this capable!" Without any hesitation, the Mist envoy threw his kunai at Fujika, fast and fierce. If he could kill this Uchiha brat, even if he died afterward, it would be worth it.

A war between the Mist and Konoha would break out once again.

Having suffered losses during the Nine-Tails incident, Konoha, without the Fourth Hokage, wouldn't stand a chance against the Mist. As long as the Mist emerged victorious… even in death, he would become a hero of the Mist Village, remembered like the Mizukages of the past.

Before he set out for Konoha, the Fourth Mizukage had already hinted that his mission was to die in Konoha. Only through his death could the Mist claim the moral high ground, rallying the village to war with Konoha. If he somehow survived and returned to the village, he would face a fate worse than death.

Death was the inevitable outcome of this mission.

Since death was certain, why not go all out and take an Uchiha brat down with him? As for whether his actions would give Konoha the moral high ground…

The village only needed an excuse. The truth was irrelevant, twisted at the whims of the powerful.

"Fujika!"

Naruto and Sasuke were stunned. They wanted to help, but their bodies were frozen, unable to move. They could only watch the fight between Fujika and the Mist envoy, seeing the glinting kunai fly toward Fujika's head.

Clang!

A small blade flashed through the air.

Uchiha Shisui stood firmly in front of the children, deflecting the deadly kunai from the Mist envoy.

"Big brother Shisui!"

Sasuke's eyes lit up upon seeing Shisui arrive in time, and the pressure on him vanished.

"Fujika, are you okay?"

Shisui asked the little girl with concern. As a close friend of Sōgen, he knew how much his friend cherished his family, especially his younger sister, who was ten years younger than him. Although they bickered constantly, she was more precious to him than anything.

If Fujika were hurt…

Sōgen might very well storm the Mist Village and take down the Mizukage!

"I'm fine, big brother Shisui. I'm not hurt!" Fujika replied sulkily.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it!" Shisui double-checked her, ensuring she was indeed unharmed, and finally sighed in relief. "Don’t worry! Everything’s fine now. I’ve already sent the crows to inform Sōgen. He’ll be here soon." He then turned to face the Mist envoy, frowning deeply, knowing this situation was going to be difficult to handle.

This wasn't going to end well.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 52: The Desire for Power! (Vote! Invest!)*

If this were on the battlefield, no matter how many Mist Ninjas came, Shisui could send them all where they belong with the small blade in his hand. Unfortunately, the Mist Ninjas before him held the title of emissaries from the Hidden Mist Village. He knew all too well about the incident two years ago when the emissary from Hidden Cloud Village was killed by Hiashi Hyuga, which eventually led to Hizashi Hyuga's death.

He wasn't afraid of death himself!

But what worried him was that this could spark new tensions between the village and the clan.

Shisui understood Sōgen's personality; he would never allow himself to be wronged. The problem was that Lord Hokage always emphasized the importance of the bigger picture, leaving Shisui feeling torn. Emotionally, he wanted to deal with this scumbag before him, but rationally, he agreed with the idea of focusing on the greater good...

"Body Flicker... Shisui?"

The Mist Ninja recognized Shisui.

During the Third Great Ninja War, Sōgen and Shisui had made a name for themselves on the eastern battlefield, leaving behind a trail of hundreds of Mist Ninja corpses. The names "Flame Demon" and "Body Flicker" didn’t invoke the same fear as "Yellow Flash," which led the Tsuchikage to issue a retreat-on-sight order. However, these names were enough to make every Mist Ninja be on full alert.

The Mist Ninja before Shisui instinctively became defensive.

But seeing that Shisui wasn’t attacking him outright, the Mist Ninja quickly regained his confidence, remembering that he was an emissary this time, essentially protected by diplomatic status. His courage swelled. Besides, he was destined to die in Konoha anyway, so what was there to fear?

"Uchiha Shisui!"

"Die!"

He began forming hand seals rapidly—seventeen in total. Three nearby Chūnin tried to stop him, but they were too slow to keep up with a Jōnin.

As for Shisui, still hesitating, he used the Body Flicker Technique to move the three young ninjas to the rooftop nearby, out of harm’s way, and prepared to restrain the Mist Ninja. He could figure out what to do with him later...

"Shisui, what are you waiting for?"

The voice that reached Shisui's ears made his eyelids twitch. Turning around, he saw Sōgen already standing beside him, forming a hand seal with one hand.

Without waiting for Shisui to say anything:

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"

The Mist Ninja emissary used all his chakra, squeezing out every last bit to unleash the strongest Water Style jutsu he knew, creating a massive waterfall-like torrent in a land without water.

However, standing before him was an Uchiha—not just any Uchiha.

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

With a simple Tiger seal, Sōgen gathered chakra at his throat, and an immense wave of flames, like a tsunami, erupted, clashing head-on with the waterfall.

Water and fire collided, and steam hissed in all directions. The powerful shockwave obliterated nearby walls and buildings, even uprooting trees that would take five or six people to hug. Under the searing steam, the trees instantly withered.

As the steam cleared, carried away by the spring breeze, the narrow alley had disappeared, leaving only a large, still-steaming crater.

As for the Mist Ninja...

Shisui, no longer hesitating, used the Body Flicker Technique to approach. His three-tomoe Sharingan spun, trapping the Mist Jōnin in a genjutsu, rendering him unconscious. Shisui easily captured him, dragging him back to Sōgen like cargo.

"Big brother!"

Fujika, who had been holding back her tears, rushed over like the wind and threw herself into Sōgen's arms, burying her face in his shoulder and crying out loud.

"It’s okay, Fujika. It’s all over now."

Sōgen gently patted his sister’s head.

Shisui had never seen him use such a soft tone, comforting the frightened Fujika. No matter how strong the little girl appeared, she was, after all, just a five-year-old raised with love in her family. This wasn’t wartime; children these days didn’t go through war drills to prepare them for combat and war.

To be honest, Sōgen was proud that Fujika had the courage to throw a shuriken!

In this world, relying on others was unreliable. Only strength you build yourself could be truly counted on.

And today, Fujika had shown the potential to become strong.

"Sōgen..."

"We’ll talk when we get back."

Where Fujika couldn't see, Sōgen's gaze was so cold that even Shisui felt a chill down his spine.

"And this one...?"

"Take him to the police force. We’ll keep him alive for now; he’s still useful."

"I understand."

Faced with Sōgen’s current aura of authority, Shisui didn’t dare argue. Looking at Fujika, who was still sobbing, he felt a rising fury. That damn Mist Ninja... if this were the battlefield, he wouldn’t hesitate to reduce him to ashes!

His frustration showed on his face as though he had just eaten a bitter melon.

"Sasuke, Naruto, you two come along as well!"

Sōgen hadn’t forgotten the two little kids nearby.

At the mention of their names, Fujika’s crying suddenly slowed, turning into quiet sniffles. Maybe she felt it was embarrassing to cry like this in front of her friends, but the feelings of fear and frustration hadn’t completely faded yet, so she wasn’t ready to pretend everything was fine and play with Naruto and Sasuke again.

So, she clung even tighter to Sōgen's neck, hanging onto him like a koala, clearly unwilling to let go anytime soon.

Naruto and Sasuke didn’t say anything, each with their own thoughts, as they followed Sōgen to the police department.

Sasuke looked at Sōgen's back, his eyes shining with admiration and longing. That Fire Style technique Sōgen used just now was incredibly cool—far beyond the little fireball Sasuke had barely managed to summon. He silently vowed to become a ninja as strong as his big brother Sōgen!

As for Naruto...

He stared at Sōgen’s back, then at Fujika in his arms. The image of the kunai flying towards Fujika played over and over in his mind. A sense of powerlessness filled his chest, leaving his limbs stiff and weak.

"I’m so weak!"

The thought suddenly hit him.

He couldn’t protect his friends. When danger came, he could only watch, unable to help. Regret welled up inside him—regret for not paying attention at the Ninja Academy, for skipping classes as if it were routine...

Although he knew that even if he had studied hard every day, things might not have been much different. After all, even Sasuke, who was serious about his studies, had frozen in place.

But still...

It didn’t stop him from yearning for strength!

He wanted power like Sōgen’s—the power to protect his friends and those he cared about!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 53: Uchiha Shisui’s Head (Please Vote! Please Invest!)*

After returning to the Police Department, Fujika, exhausted from crying, fell asleep in Sōgen's arms. He gently placed his sister in the break room, where Kurama Yakumo was still resting. The large bed in the break room was more than enough for the two five-year-old girls to sleep comfortably!

As for Naruto and Sasuke, they certainly didn’t have the privilege of entering the room specifically prepared for the little girls.

Moreover, the two boys still had energy to burn, so they snuck into the training ground of the Police Department to watch the officers train.

“Still alive, huh?”

Sōgen pushed open the office door and walked in, seeing Shisui sitting on the sofa and a Mist ninja sprawled on the floor beside him like a dead dog.

“Yeah, still alive.”

“As long as he’s not dead.”

Sōgen walked over to his desk, sat down in his chair, and said, “Well then, let’s start the interrogation, Shisui.”

“Interrogation?”

Shisui hesitated for a moment and said, “Sōgen, I’m not exactly good at interrogation. Maybe we should let someone else…”

“Quit the chatter. We don’t have much time. The ANBU will probably be here soon to retrieve this guy. I need to know what the Mist ninja are up to before that happens. Don’t tell me you’re bad at interrogation—you can fool others with that, but not me. Our clan’s Sharingan is called the ‘Hypnotic Eye’ for a reason. Plus, you told me yourself about the ability of your Mangekyō Sharingan.”

The Sharingan possesses a variety of abilities, including insight, copying, and hypnosis.

With it, the user can observe chakra flow, copy taijutsu and non-kekkei genkai ninjutsu, cast and break illusions, and even hypnotize enemies during interrogation, extracting the desired information. As the Sharingan evolves, it can also enhance the user's physical abilities and chakra reserves.

It’s an all-rounder.

Although this is a bit of an exaggeration, there’s no denying the Sharingan’s power.

The nicknames “Insight Eye,” “Copy Eye,” and “Hypnotic Eye” summarize the Sharingan’s versatility.

“So, what about you, Sōgen? What’s your dōjutsu?” Shisui asked curiously. What had happened to Danzō was no ordinary illusion. It had to be the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

In other words, Sōgen's dōjutsu might also be related to genjutsu.

“That’s a secret!”

Sōgen responded straightforwardly.

Though this secret couldn’t be kept forever, he saw no reason to reveal it in this situation. Telling Shisui now wouldn’t achieve anything besides satisfying his curiosity, and it could increase the risk of exposure.

“Alright, stop wasting time. Hurry up, Shisui.”

Shisui sighed in resignation. Facing pressure from both his clan leader and his department head, he reluctantly lifted the Mist ninja, forced his eyelids open, and projected his visual power into him. This was the Uchiha clan’s interrogation technique, leaving no external injuries as the entire process took place within an illusion.

It didn’t take long for Shisui to toss the unconscious Mist ninja back onto the floor.

“So, what’s the situation?” Sōgen asked.

“This guy… he did it on purpose.”

Shisui frowned. “His mission was to provoke a war between the village and the Mist. He came here expecting to die, with no intention of returning to Kirigakure. Attacking Fujika was just a part of his plan to take someone down with him before dying. Plus, he has some personal grudge against the Uchiha clan…”

“On purpose?”

Sōgen narrowed his eyes.

If he remembered correctly, the real ruler of Kirigakure at this time was Uchiha Obito!

Which meant…

Obito was planning to stir up trouble using Kirigakure!

The Mist ninja delegation had arrived two days ago, under the pretext of reclaiming the sword, Samehada. They demanded that Konoha return the sword, threatening war if their demand wasn’t met.

The Third Hokage hadn’t given a clear answer, simply stating that he needed time to think. In the meantime, the Mist ninja were lodged at the embassy.

In those two days, many in the village had been watching closely, while privately discussing the Mist ninja’s claim—that the sword Samehada was in the hands of Uchiha clan leader Uchiha Sōgen.

“Shisui, use Kotoamatsukami to alter his will.”

Sōgen tapped his fingers on the desk and said, “The Mist ninja’s reason for attacking Fujika was based on their spy’s report that the Third Hokage and the Uchiha clan were at odds. They wanted to use the threat of war to force the Third to take action against the Uchiha…”

“Sōgen?”

Shisui’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What’s the problem?”

“Well… it’s just…”

“If you’re worried about exhausting your visual power, I can help you restore it.” While solving Yakumo’s problem, Sōgen had deepened his understanding of Yin and Yang Release. With the help of Samehada, restoring Shisui’s visual power was not impossible!

Shisui was stunned.

Restoring the Mangekyō Sharingan’s visual power… was that even possible? No, wait—that’s not the issue here. He didn’t care about exhausting his visual power. For the sake of the village and the clan, he would sacrifice his life without hesitation.

The issue was…

“Using Kotoamatsukami to alter, no, to fabricate the Mist ninja’s will… Sōgen, what are you really planning…?”

“I’ve already said this many times. Our clan and the Third Hokage can’t coexist peacefully. To ensure harmony between the village and the clan, Konoha needs a new Hokage. And before that… the Third needs to step down.”

“Of course, ‘step down’ is just a polite way of saying it. The best outcome is for him to die,” Sōgen silently added to himself. As long as the Third Hokage lived, he would always be a threat to the Uchiha clan. However, the Third couldn’t die at the hands of the Uchiha. No matter what dark deeds he may have committed, he was still the chosen successor of the First and Second Hokages, and the longest-serving Hokage in Konoha’s history.

No matter what mistakes he had made,

anyone who stained their hands with the blood of a Hokage would never be forgiven by the village.

Orochimaru could get away with it because he was a lone wolf who didn’t care about his reputation. As long as it didn’t interfere with his research, he didn’t mind being branded a villain. Even during the era of the Seventh Hokage, despite his major contributions during the Fourth Shinobi World War, Orochimaru was still under surveillance by the ANBU.

Unless the Uchiha were ready to completely sever ties with the village, they couldn’t be the ones to kill the Hokage.

But that didn’t mean someone else couldn’t!

It was just borrowing someone else’s blade.

“Even if that’s true, would the Mist ninja’s intentions really affect the Hokage’s succession?” Shisui had learned to be cautious in his responses. Instead of outright calling the plan ruthless, he pointed out its flaw. The Third Hokage could easily dismiss it as a ploy by the Mist, rendering Sōgen’s plan futile.

“Which is why the Mist ninja are so confident it will work—because they know that the Cloud ninja once blackmailed Konoha. The Third Hokage killed the younger brother of the Hyūga clan leader and handed him over to the Cloud as an apology. So, if the Mist want to take the head of Shisui of the Body Flicker while reclaiming Samehada, that’s only natural, right?”

Sōgen smiled warmly as he spoke.

But to Shisui, that smile was terrifying. He unconsciously touched his neck, feeling a chill.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 54: Kotoamatsukami (Requesting Votes! Requesting Investments!)

Shisui wasn't stupid.

With a little thought, he understood why Sōgen was doing this—it was meant to provoke the Hyuga clan and create a rift between them and the Third Hokage. But would it work? The Hyuga hadn't rebelled two years ago, so why would they break ties with the Third Hokage now?

Besides—

"Sōgen, Hyuga Hizashi committed suicide, didn't he?"

"Heh... This is the first time I've heard you talk so much nonsense, Shisui. Whether Hyuga Hizashi killed himself or was murdered, does it really matter?"

Sōgen laughed out of frustration.

Shisui's personality... was truly troublesome! If they weren't friends, Sōgen might have considered taking his own eyes out to see if he could use "The Knight Never Dies Unarmed" for himself! After all, the Sharingan is just a tool, and even Uchiha Madara had used Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan. But, of course, that wasn’t the right path.

His own eyes were the best. Rather than obsessing over eye-swapping tactics, it would be better to study how to unlock the Rinnegan. After all, the Mangekyo Sharingan is ultimately inferior to the Rinnegan. Kotoamatsukami may seem powerful, but it might not even work against the Rinnegan.

Not to mention, even among Mangekyo Sharingan users, Sōgen doubted that Kotoamatsukami could permanently alter someone's will—at most, it would only distort it for a short time.

He reined in his wandering thoughts and continued to explain:

"The most important thing here is to make the Hyuga and other clans realize that the Third Hokage has aged. He's no longer the strong shinobi he once was. Under his leadership, Konoha is becoming a pushover for anyone to exploit. You might think this method is despicable, but the fact is the Third Hokage chose to back down in the face of Cloud Ninja's threats."

"If we don't act now, when the Third decides to give up a Uchiha body to appease the Mist Ninja, how do you expect me, as the clan leader, to respond? Should I pick a clan member to die?"

Sōgen stood up from his chair, walked towards Shisui, and questioned:

"If I choose war, are you going to try to stop me from clashing with the village? Shisui, you need to make a final decision—either support me and trust that I can unify the clan and the village, or continue doubting me. Of course, you can also make another choice... you’ve been curious about my ocular powers, haven’t you? Try them out for yourself!"

As he said this, he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Sitting on the sofa, Shisui looked up at Sōgen, whose red eyes were gleaming. They stared at each other for more than ten seconds before Shisui turned his head and said in a low voice:

"Sōgen, don’t let me down!"

"If you've made up your mind, then act quickly. You have one minute. In one minute, I need to see results. I’ll deal with the Anbu outside, but if I don’t see what I want in one minute..."

Sōgen could tolerate Shisui to a certain extent because they were friends, and because Shisui had the Mangekyo Sharingan. But precisely because they were friends, Sōgen wouldn’t allow him to make the wrong choice. The Uchiha clan's rise required the efforts of many people.

As the ancient saying goes: "One flower does not make a spring, but when hundreds bloom, spring arrives."

For the Uchiha to rise again, Sōgen couldn't do it alone!

So, if Shisui truly strayed from the path, Sōgen wouldn’t hesitate to use force to correct him.

After delivering this ultimatum, Sōgen turned around, walked to the window, opened it, and leaped out. He blocked the approaching Anbu before they could enter the police department, intercepting them on a nearby rooftop.

"Uchiha Captain!"

The Anbu with the dog mask knelt on one knee. "Lord Hokage has ordered that you bring the Mist emissary to the Hokage’s office."

"I understand. I’ll be there shortly."

Sōgen said with no expression, noticing the Anbu still kneeling and not leaving. He frowned. "Didn't you hear me? You can go back and report to Lord Hokage that I’ll be there soon."

The Anbu trembled slightly, not daring to say anything further, and silently left.

When Sōgen returned to the office, Shisui was wiping the blood from the corners of his eyes with a tissue. The trash bin was filled with blood-stained tissues, evidence of how much strain Kotoamatsukami had placed on Shisui. The blood loss alone made it clear how severe the burden had been.

Sōgen lifted the limp, compliant Mist Ninja by the eyelids and used his ocular powers—just as Shisui had done earlier—to hypnotize and interrogate him.

"… Threaten Konoha with war… Mimic the Cloud Ninja’s success… Demand the Samehada sword and Shisui Uchiha’s head... Not bad! No obvious flaws."

Sōgen let go, and the Mist Ninja collapsed to the ground.

"Well done!"

Sōgen praised Shisui.

In response, Shisui forced a bitter smile. If Sōgen hadn't pressured him, he would never have used Kotoamatsukami. In his eyes, that power was horrible—he'd rather defeat enemies with a single strike than alter their will.

"One more thing, Shisui—remember not to leave your blood or hair lying around. It’s best to burn it!"

As he spoke, Sōgen flicked his hand, sending a small flame into the trash can, incinerating its contents completely. In seconds, only a pile of ash remained in the ceramic bin, though the bin itself was unscathed. The precision of this fire technique left Shisui amazed.

"Sōgen really has mastered Fire Release to an art form!"

Shisui thought to himself that he should settle down and train more seriously.

"Shisui, get ready. Bring this guy with us to the Hokage’s office."

Sōgen ordered.

Shisui walked over and picked up the lump of human trash.

"Wait!"

Sōgen handed Samehada's hilt to Shisui. "Hold onto it."

Samehada obediently infused Shisui with its refined spiritual and physical energy. He soon felt a warmth in his eyes, and his damaged eyesight began to heal. The energy replenished his depleted ocular powers, and within three minutes, even the Mangekyo Sharingan strain from earlier had recovered.

"Sōgen, this is..."

"Keep it secret. I don’t want too many people knowing about this."

Sōgen whispered. "Don’t forget, the unknown Uchiha who attacked during the Nine-Tails' rampage—compared to the Third Hokage, that person poses the greatest threat to our clan."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 55: Rabid Barking (Happy Children's Day to everyone!)*

On the night of the Nine-Tails' rampage,

A powerful, unknown member of the Uchiha Clan manipulated the Nine-Tails, causing chaos. As a result of several factors, the young Fourth Hokage was sacrificed, and the Uchiha Clan faced a long, five-year winter. It wasn't until recently, with Sōgen's rise to power and his defeat of Danzō, that the clan saw the dawn of spring approaching.

Thinking of this,

Shisui frowned.

The Uchiha Clan had been searching for clues about this mysterious Uchiha ever since that night five years ago. However, to this day, they had found nothing and couldn't even confirm whether such a mysterious Uchiha really existed out there!

"Sōgen, have you discovered something?"

"That's right!"

Sōgen nodded, "Although we haven't fully identified that guy's true identity yet, we can confirm that he, like us, has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. Moreover, his ocular technique is an unusual space-time type. If you encounter him in the future, be very careful. If there's a chance, use Kotoamatsukami. I don't want to hear about your death one day."

"Space? A space-time jutsu?"

"Exactly!"

"I can't believe... such a thing really exists!"

A murderous intent flickered in Shisui's eyes. It was because of that sneaky guy that the Fourth Hokage was killed, which led to a rift between the Uchiha Clan and the village that is hard to bridge... Though Shisui was usually mild-tempered, when someone like him got angry, it was terrifying!

At this moment,

Shisui felt a boiling rage inside him.

If that sneaky bastard dared to show up in front of him, Shisui would definitely give his all to kill him!

Noticing the change in Shisui's expression, Sōgen nodded with satisfaction. The reason for revealing this information to Shisui, and helping restore his ocular power using Samehada, was to prepare against Uchiha Obito. The recent actions of Kirigakure indicated that Obito's attention had returned to Konoha, and the Uchiha Clan was likely one of his targets.

It was only sensible to be prepared ahead of time.

Fortunately,

Although Obito's "Kamui" was formidable,

It was by no means invincible.

With Shisui's abilities, as long as he understood some details about Kamui beforehand, even if he couldn't kill Uchiha Obito, he would probably be able to protect himself. Given time, Shisui’s speed with his Body Flicker Technique might even rival that of the Yellow Flash!

"Just keep this information to yourself. Don’t go around telling others. Enemies who use space-time techniques can't be dealt with by sheer numbers. Rather than involving others, it’s better if we handle this ourselves."

"Shouldn't we inform the village?"

"I have no evidence, and I can't prove that this unknown Uchiha isn't connected to our clan. If we rashly report this, it’ll only give the Third Hokage another excuse to come down hard on us. Also, this is an order from the clan leader, so keep your mouth shut."

Shisui closed his mouth.

He hoisted the limp Kirigakure shinobi and followed Sōgen out of the Police Force headquarters, heading toward the Hokage's office. To be honest, as the head of the Legal Division, he felt more like Sōgen's personal assistant at this point. Oh, and just before they left, Sōgen casually kicked the Kirigakure shinobi's limbs, breaking them, justifying it as revenge for scaring Fujika.

At the Hokage's Office,

In the same meeting room as before,

More than half a month had passed since the last meeting, and Konoha's construction crew had already repaired the Hokage's office. Walking through the circular hallway, there were no signs of the previous damage. Guided by staff who had been waiting for them, they arrived at the meeting room door without any issues.

This time,

Shisui wasn’t asked to wait in a small side room.

He entered the large meeting room with Sōgen, carrying the Kirigakure emissary.

Unlike the last time, where he didn’t even have a chance to sit down and speak, this time a seat had been properly reserved for the Uchiha Clan Leader and the Police Force Patriarch. The seat was quite close to the front, directly across from Hyūga Hiashi’s, second only to the Hokage and the two elders.

As for Shimura Danzō, the Hokage's advisor, he was still in the hospital!

And it was rumored that his condition was deteriorating. The medical experts at Konoha Hospital had been working on him for over half a month, but they still had no idea how to treat him. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before he passed away.

This made many people look at Sōgen with strange expressions—some with respect, others with disgust, gratitude, or fear…

"Uchiha Patriarch,"

The Third Hokage greeted.

"Hokage-sama, my apologies for being late,"

Sōgen said as he sat down, offering a half-hearted apology.

"No problem,"

The Third Hokage replied just as indifferently.

Once Sōgen was seated, the Hokage spoke again: "Now that everyone is here, let's get straight to the point! Today’s meeting is to discuss how we should respond to Kirigakure’s provocation. For the details... Homura, please explain."

All eyes turned to Mitokado Homura.

"About half an hour ago, Kirigakure's deputy envoy arrived at the Hokage's office and delivered a declaration of war. They claimed that because the Police Force had captured their envoy, it was a humiliation to their village. They declared that if we don’t provide a satisfactory explanation, Kirigakure’s army would once again march upon the eastern shores of the Land of Fire."

As he spoke,

Homura pushed a scroll forward.

Clearly, that was the declaration of war left by the deputy envoy.

"Rabid dogs barking at Konoha? Hokage-sama, you should’ve broken their legs the moment they uttered those words and thrown them out of the village. Let them know that Konoha isn’t some backwater island village they can challenge."

While the other department heads and clan leaders remained silent, Sōgen was the first to respond.

Hearing his words,

Everyone turned to look at him.

Wow! This guy really has no sense of caution.

Wasn't the Kirigakure envoy captured by the Police Force? And now here he was, hanging limply in Shisui's hand, his twisted limbs making it clear what had happened. Nothing in Konoha stays hidden for long, and those in the know had already gathered all the facts before attending the meeting.

"Uchiha Patriarch, don’t treat war as a game. Do you know how many lives would be lost if we go to war with Kirigakure?"

Koharu Utatane looked at him with displeasure.

"If you're scared, then just hide and be a turtle." Sōgen sneered, not giving the now-fuming Koharu a chance to retort. He continued loudly, "During the Third Great War, we kicked Kirigakure back to the sea where they belonged. Why not do it again now? It's just Kirigakure. Since when did they deserve such respect from Konoha?"

"And besides, everyone, before we rush to discuss who's to blame for this potential war, I found something interesting during my interrogation of that Kirigakure shinobi. Yamanaka Clan Leader, could you do me a favor and read this guy's memory?"

Sōgen looked toward Yamanaka Inoichi, who was sitting diagonally across from him.

Inoichi, who had been quietly observing the drama unfold, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Did he encounter something bad on his way here? Out of everyone present, why did trouble have to come his way? Noticing Sōgen’s gaze, he felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, quickly lowering his head to avoid eye contact.

After all, Danzō’s fate was a warning not to be ignored!

Though the Yamanaka Clan had no feud with the Uchiha Clan, Inoichi instinctively avoided Sōgen’s gaze.

---

(End of chapter)