The forest a hundred meters away will burn because of my Will of Fire

"Seisui... isn't this too much of a sacrifice for you?" Uchiha Yashiro looked at Seisui with reverence, hesitation flickering across his face, and even a hint of pity in his eyes.

"It's nothing. Put on the new clothes and go. This is all for the Uchiha Clan." Seisui shoved the clothes Shisui had fetched into Yashiro's hands and gave his shoulder a firm pat.

"Yashiro, there are rot inside the clan sitting in high positions. That's a terrible situation for the family and for us. My strength isn't enough to quell an endless stream of trouble yet, so I need you to help me stay hidden."

"My personal reputation doesn't matter. A little concession actually benefits my plan. But if you think a certain clansman is worth winning over, try to do it discreetly..."

"Still, don't feel burdened. I trust your abilities, but the one who'll carry the Uchiha Clan's future is still me."

Seisui let out a resigned sigh, flashing a tired but confident smile.

Uchiha Yashiro stared blankly at Seisui, his eyes welling up again. He gritted his teeth. "Yes, Seisui. I'll do exactly as you say!"

Seisui's orders to Yashiro were simple.

When he returned to report to Setsuna Uchiha, he was to conceal Seisui's true strength and describe the situation as slightly difficult but still firmly under control.

That way, Setsuna's attention would temporarily shift away from him. While dealing with Yashiro wouldn't be hard, if he provoked the wariness of an extreme Hawk Faction member like Setsuna, there would be endless clansmen coming to provoke him—or worse.

Seisui wasn't afraid of so-called Three Tomoe users, but it would be pointless trouble, and it might even expose his real strength and trump cards.

But in Yashiro's eyes, Seisui had made a tremendous sacrifice.

The reputation of power was practically a lifeline to the Uchiha Clan, yet Seisui had unhesitatingly given up the chance to make a name for himself by crushing a veteran Three Tomoe user. He even showed trust in the bastard who'd been provoking him moments ago!

Enduring humiliation for the sake of the clan, casting aside personal pride, strong yet gentle... that was the image of Seisui in Yashiro's mind.

Dressed in clean clothes, Yashiro silently examined the wounds Seisui had carefully healed. Slowly and resolutely, he knelt in a dogeza and spoke in a low voice.

"Seisui, if you ever command it, I'll go through fire and water without hesitation."

"I know my talent and wits can't match yours, but please let this sinner bear some of your burden. Someone like you shouldn't walk this road alone!"

"Seisui, you don't owe the clan anything. It's those blinded clansmen who owe you far too much."

Seisui slowly but firmly pulled Yashiro to his feet, a hint of gratified smile on his face.

"It's because I have clansmen like you that I'm willing to shoulder the Uchiha's fate, Yashiro."

Yashiro's heart trembled. He spun around abruptly. "Seisui, take care of yourself. Don't wear yourself out!"

A moment later, watching Yashiro's retreating figure, Seisui smiled faintly and thought to himself.

This is the Uchiha... as long as you're stronger than them and give them respect and an out, their life is yours.

He's only a Three Tomoe, but he can become a pawn planted among the Hawk Faction to monitor their movements. Yashiro has some talent too; maybe he'll turn into decent combat power later.

Seisui narrowed his eyes, mulling over the intel Yashiro had just given him.

"Setsuna Uchiha, that old fossil who was toyed with by Tobirama back in the day—why's he popping up again? And what was Fugaku Uchiha thinking, letting a waste like that hold power?"

"If I remember right, Fugaku still had hope for Konoha at this point. He shouldn't have wanted me to get close to the Hokage lineage..."

"But he didn't stop it. Is he hesitating on his stance toward Konoha right now?"

After a moment's thought, Seisui let out a dry laugh and gave up trying to figure out the clan leader's mindset.

Looking at the Uchiha's thousand-year history in the ninja world, the only one who awakened the Mangekyo and never used Susanoo was probably him.

When it came to cowardice and hesitation, Seisui would crown him the strongest!

Normal people couldn't understand the moves of a lunatic. After all, this was an abstract figure who sent his own son off to be brainwashed, turned the clan into a scattered mess, and then finally decided on an armed coup before giving up and offing himself.

To grasp his thinking, you'd probably have to lower your own IQ first.

"Tobirama, how'd I do? Give me a review..." Seisui shook his head and initiated an interaction with Tobirama Senju.

"Mediocre at best. Do I need to remind you how to break his Fire Release? Your skill at buying loyalty isn't bad, though. Reminds me of a bastard I killed..."

Tobirama snorted coldly. "Kid, I don't mind you setting your sights on getting close to Monkey. Everyone has their own motives. Kagami, Danzo, and Monkey were all the same back then. I'm surprised you didn't block my perception."

Seisui didn't take the bait. He rolled his eyes. "Setting that aside, Tobirama, you're such a petty bastard. I just mimicked Uchiha Izuna's signature move, and you let your killing intent slip?"

"Tch, some guy living inside me won't even teach me jutsu, and won't let me learn other self-defense moves... As expected of the Second Hokage, got that domineering CEO vibe down."

Tobirama's face stiffened, a flicker of guilt crossing his mind. Was I that obvious!

But he kept his icy facade. "Who wants to live inside you? Kid, you kidnapped me into this place. You should seriously protect Konoha and inherit the Will of Fire as an apology to me!"

"Tobirama, since you brought it up, I've got to say—even if I stood still, the forest a hundred meters away would catch fire from my Will of Fire..."

Seisui laughed at Tobirama's constipated expression. "Don't get cocky. In a couple days, there's the Will of Fire graduation exam. Want to give it a shot?"

"You probably won't fail, but you sure as hell won't score higher than me."

"Kid, if it weren't for me, my brother could never have summed up the Will of Fire!" Tobirama crossed his arms, looking smug. "Standing before you is the first principal of Konoha's Ninja Academy!"

Seisui shrugged. Even if Tobirama was the one who created the Will of Fire, so what?

Times had changed! The old-school Will of Fire was dead. This was the era of the new wave!

#

That night.

Uchiha Yashiro jolted awake from a dream. "I'm such a damn bastard!"

"Slap!"

Meanwhile, in a certain valley of the ninja world.

An old man of the Uchiha clan was also awake, lost in thought—would this butterfly, Seisui, stir up such a violent storm that it would affect his plans?

Yashiro's part of the story is dragging a bit...

Trying to write with a bit more detail, not sure how you readers are finding it...

All I can say is, that's just how the early chapters go...

I really like what the struggling author Antenna once said: "If you want to write in detail, then just write more!"