Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Seisui in the Crystal Ball, his eyes filled with admiration.
In his view, Seisui was nothing like a narrow-minded, arrogant traditional Uchiha. His words and actions shone everywhere with the dazzling Will of Fire.
He healed and encouraged Might Guy. Even though Seisui could have crushed him with ninjutsu, he had still mainly used taijutsu to fight him. His words were full of encouragement for a fellow student, and in the end, he had even made an uplifting agreement to become "Lifelong Rivals."
As for Rin Nohara, although Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that Seisui's actions had contained a deliberate hint of ambiguity, he was happy to see it and saw nothing wrong with it.
Love was the bond most capable of tying down a ninja's heart. It often represented the formation of a family...
Hiruzen Sarutobi wished that every Uchiha would take an interest in Konoha ninja outside the clan. That way, he would have nothing to worry about. After a few generations, the Uchiha would naturally merge with Konoha as one.
What moved him most, however, were Seisui's words to Obito Uchiha: "Do not let emotions and power blind your eyes. A ninja's clear and rational heart is their most precious treasure."
Combined with Seisui's combat style, which closely resembled Tobirama Senju's in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and Genjutsu, as well as his clear understanding of the Uchiha Clan...
It gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a strange sense of déjà vu, as though the youthful Tobirama Senju had been reborn in Konoha, only to be reincarnated into the Uchiha Clan...
Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly shook his head, hurriedly throwing that outrageous thought from his mind. Remembering his teacher's stern, cold eyes, he instinctively felt a chill run down his neck.
"If my teacher knew what I had just been thinking, then when I meet him after death, he would probably give me a harsh lesson..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and shook his head, joking to himself as he picked up the Anbu report on Seisui. He read it intently, and his expression grew increasingly animated.
After finishing it and pondering for a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. "Kagami, Seisui Uchiha is actually your descendant? If that is the case, then things are different."
"No wonder Seisui loves the Will of Fire so much and even imitates my teacher's combat style. So that is where it comes from. Now everything makes sense. He is a good child from a proper lineage..."
"Since you passed away, the relationship between the village and the Uchiha has grown increasingly tense. As your old teammate, I was unable to look after your descendants. Please forgive me, Kagami..."
For a moment, Konoha's aging Hokage closed his eyes, his mind filled with countless tangled thoughts.
Childhood playmates, comrades from his youth, a friend's descendants, the entanglement between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan...
After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly opened his eyes and muttered, "I still need to speak with that little fellow personally before deciding what to do next."
"What happened today will soon become known to the Uchiha Clan as well. Let us first see how they react. A seven- or eight-year-old Double Tomoe genius, and Seisui, a youth so much like my teacher..."
"What a wealth of talent the Uchiha Clan has. Such enviable gifts."
Recalling Seisui's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly smiled. "Right, that Seisui brat said he was looking forward to the Will of Fire interpretation test. Then this time, I will personally write the questions and grade the papers. Let us see how well he answers."
Hiruzen Sarutobi leisurely rose and headed toward the Ninja Academy, intending to serve as a question-setting teacher there for half a day.
Even he had not realized it...
After seeing Seisui's identity as Kagami Uchiha's descendant and his performance, Hiruzen Sarutobi's way of addressing him had changed from "Seisui Uchiha" to the far more intimate "Seisui brat." Subconsciously, he had begun to regard him as one of his own.
That was the benefit status brought. Those with a background, even in a world like that of the Hokage with extraordinary powers, would have a few more opportunities than ordinary people...
It was simply that risks and opportunities often existed side by side.
"Brother, what are you planning to do from now on..."
After the practical examination officially ended, Shisui and Seisui walked home. Shisui frowned, his voice filled with concern. "Before long, what happened to you will spread throughout Konoha..."
"An Uchiha who resembles the Second Hokage and loves the Will of Fire—this is simply too sensational. From now on, both the Uchiha Clan and Konoha's upper ranks will probably pay attention to you."
"You understand, right, Brother...? Given the Uchiha Clan's current attitude toward Konoha, the clan will definitely resist your actions. They will send people to suppress you, and Konoha's upper ranks may not necessarily accept you either."
Shisui's expression grew increasingly solemn, and even his gaze became somewhat melancholy.
Seisui looked at Shisui in surprise, then laughed.
Compared to Obito Uchiha from the original timeline, who wanted to destroy the world and forcibly restart it for everyone, or Itachi Uchiha, who slaughtered his own clan, his little brother Shisui was somewhat absurd too, but at least he still had some bottom line.
His final words in the original timeline had been: "I am already tired of missions. If this continues, the Uchiha Clan will have no future, so I do not want to go on like this either. Let me rest."
Overall, he had recognized the gap in strength between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha. After being ambushed by Shimura Danzō, he had also become disappointed in Konoha's Will of Fire and developed a desire to simply give up on life.
That could be considered cowardly, but no matter what, Shisui had been beloved by his clansmen in the original timeline, and he had never turned his blade against the Uchiha.
More interestingly, when Seisui stepped forward and took the path Shisui had originally intended to try with even greater momentum...
Six-year-old Shisui seemed wiser than he had been at fifteen. He saw through the true faces of Konoha's and the Uchiha's upper ranks with remarkable clarity and worried immensely for his brother Seisui.
Perhaps that was simply the Uchiha way...
When something happened to them personally, their thinking often became extremely radical. But if it happened to a brother, their minds would become incomparably clear and race at full speed.
Seisui pulled Shisui over and grinned as he tucked him beneath his sturdy arm. "So you know that? A mere six-year-old brat, yet you were thinking of doing something so risky before?"
"Relax. My Will of Fire is flawless. I am Kagami Uchiha's descendant, the ninjutsu I excel at is the Second Hokage's Water Release, and I publicly spoke about the relationship between the Sharingan and emotions..."
"Konoha's upper ranks will pay attention to that match. My image is perfect, so you do not need to worry about me."
"As for the clan, I will handle it. Uchiha ninja only recognize fists, and luckily for me, I am very good at dealing with them..."
Seisui pinched Shisui's flushed cheek, his gaze profound.
He did not care about the Uchiha Clan, nor did he care about Konoha. He only believed in his own strength.
With the Otsutsuki Clan watching hungrily from beyond the heavens, the gains and losses of a single city or piece of land would seem laughable from the perspective of the future.
But Seisui could guarantee one thing.
Along this path, any ninja who traveled with him would at least live a better life than in the original timeline...
As for ninja who harbored ill will toward him, Seisui would squeeze every last bit of value from them and turn their ashes into fuel for advancing future peace...
I woke up late...
I woke up just after seven and thought I would sleep a little longer...
Then when I opened my eyes again, it was nearly ten...
I may have fallen under Seisui's Genjutsu. shrugs There will be another update later, though it might be a little late...
Before you continue