Distinguishing Good from Evil Comes from My Heart and Deeds, Clear as a Mirror

"Senior, Lord Hokage ordered me to deliver these research materials on the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan. He also sent over three Three-Tomoe Sharingan."

Inside a concealed Experimental Base, an Anbu Ninja from Konoha spoke to another Anbu Ninja within the base.

"So the old man sent these..."

The Anbu Ninja inside the base accepted the documents, along with the three Sharingan soaking in Test Tube Nutrient Solution.

He looked at the three Three-Tomoe Sharingan that exuded an eerie aura.

A strange gleam flashed through Sarutobi Shinosuke's eyes as he asked in confusion, "Where did the old man get these Sharingan?"

The Anbu Ninja from the village thought about it. The man before him was the Hokage's eldest son, a senior in the Anbu, and one of the Hokage's right-hand men.

There should be no problem telling him some intelligence.

He answered quietly, "They came from Shimura Danzō of Root."

"Danzo..." Sarutobi Shinosuke suddenly understood. "That explains it. The old man is very conflicted. He's clearly interested in many things, but he always thinks that, as Hokage, he shouldn't do them. He wouldn't go so far as to steal the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan."

"Within the village, the only person capable of doing something like that is probably Darkness of Konoha, Root Leader 'Shimura Danzō.'"

Sarutobi Shinosuke shook his head and said without reservation, "Still... he's only half the old man's black glove. The dirty work the old man doesn't want to do himself, he tacitly allows him to do."

The Anbu Ninja from the village did not dare speak.

"Tell him that we'll do our best to fully understand these Sharingan research materials."

"Yes, Senior."

The village's Anbu Ninja left the Secret Base. He turned back to look at the unremarkable Dense Forest behind him, then gently reached out and touched the air. Ripples immediately appeared in the air.

"What an exquisite Genjutsu. As expected of the Hokage's eldest son."

He shook his head, casting aside his distracting thoughts. Just as he was about to return to Konoha...

He suddenly heard an extremely abrupt cat's meow.

"Meow~"

The Anbu Ninja frowned, his gaze swiftly shooting toward the source of the sound.

—What a fat cat!

That was his first thought.

The next instant!

A sharp whistling sound tore through the air from one side. The Anbu Ninja ducked abruptly in alarm as three Shuriken grazed past his face. One of them severed the strap of his Mask, forcing him to reveal a young face.

"An enemy!?"

The moment he swiftly drew his Ninja Sword, his vision was filled with two scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

"Uchiha..."

The Anbu Ninja's pupils contracted. Almost instinctively, he tried to shift his gaze away and avoid meeting the Sharingan's eyes.

Squelch!!!

The piercing pain in his chest made the Anbu Ninja lower his head dazedly. The Ninja Sword in his hand had never been drawn at all—the sound he had heard was his opponent drawing their blade.

And a Ninja Sword had already pierced through his heart.

It was Genjutsu!

Ding! You successfully killed a "Red Name" Evil Person! Your Chakra has increased slightly! Congratulations, you successfully obtained: "Konoha-Style Swordsmanship" Experience Book ×10!

"Fourth one." Uchiha Chisen pulled out his Ninja Sword and said in a faint voice, "Newbie, you failed to seize all four consecutive opportunities. Your Shuriken Throwing Technique should be reforged from the ground up."

"Y-Yes, Senior..." Izumi walked out from behind him.

Though she was filled with guilt, she also stared fearfully at the Anbu Ninja who had collapsed to the ground.

This was the fourth Anbu Chisen had killed tonight.

The previous three had been Anbu Ninjas standing watch outside.

Watching blood gush from the Anbu Ninja's chest, watching that young face that had lost all its color and was only a few years older than her own, Izumi felt somewhat lost. "Senior... are they really all Evil People?"

"Yes."

Uchiha Chisen flicked the blood from his Ninja Sword. He stared at the "Dense Forest" ahead. Before his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, even the most profound Genjutsu seemed like a clumsy display of skill.

Izumi did not know where she found the courage, but she actually asked Chisen, "Senior... how do you judge another person's evil?"

Uchiha Chisen said, "A heart clear as a mirror."

Izumi froze.

Uchiha Chisen walked straight toward a large tree ahead. Half his body actually merged into the tree, and his voice reached Izumi's ears. "I possess a special ability. My eyes can see through the 'evil' of all living things in this world. The foundation by which this ability distinguishes good from evil is my heart and deeds, clear as a mirror. It judges sin based on my moral values."

Izumi's beautiful eyes widened. Could this... be the power of the Sharingan?

"Newbie. Do you think a ninja who had no choice but to take up arms, go to war to protect their family, and even kill many people, counts as an Evil Person in the eyes of these eyes of mine?"

As Uchiha Chisen posed the question, his body had already completely entered the Dense Forest's Genjutsu.

Izumi hurriedly followed him. Pressing her lips together, she replied softly, "Senior, I don't think so."

"Indeed, they do not."

Uchiha Chisen said blandly, "Its standards of judgment are the same standards I used to judge good and evil before awakening this ability. A person should make their abilities serve them, not let themselves be shaped by their abilities. Otherwise, Justice will become evil wearing sheep's clothing."

The instant Uchiha Chisen finished speaking, the scene before him underwent a world-shaking transformation.

A Secret Base of considerable size appeared before him.

The air was filled with the scents of all kinds of strange medicines.

There even seemed to be a faint trace of blood in the air.

"Who are you people?!" A sudden cry of alarm came from in front of Uchiha Chisen.

There...

A Konoha ninja stared in shock toward them. When he saw Uchiha Chisen's pair of scarlet Sharingan, his breathing stopped for several seconds in fright.

Inuzuka Maki—researcher at an Anbu Secret Research Base. Participated in seventeen human experiments over the years. Once one of Orochimaru's many assistants. Directly or indirectly killed eleven war orphans. Sin level: Red Name!

"I remember you."

Uchiha Chisen's faint voice was like a Shinigami emerging from the Underworld. He advanced step by step and said, "Several years ago, when the Third Hokage raided one of the Three Sannin, Orochimaru's Human Experiment Research Lab, I was there. What a coincidence—I saw you then."

"Apparently, the Third Hokage did not keep the promise he made to me, to secretly execute people like you. Instead, he sheltered you and kept you here for whatever use you still had."

"...It was you? That Lava Release ninja?!" Inuzuka Maki's distant memories exploded through his mind like cannon fire.

His eyes widened.

His face was filled with terror.