Uchiha Hikari

Shisui rushed toward Konoha at top speed, returning to the village before the sun had even set.

The sun dipped below the horizon.

Konoha was as bustling as ever; the defeat on the Kirigakure front and the death of the Sannin Jiraiya had apparently not yet been announced by the village leadership.

The entire village remained immersed in the joy of Sunagakure signing a surrender and the great victory at Kannabi Bridge.

People came and went on the streets, and residents laughed and drank in taverns and restaurants. No one noticed Uchiha Shisui, clad in his military gear, weaving through the lanes and hurrying toward the Uchiha clan compound.

Many ANBU noticed Shisui.

According to protocol, while the war was still ongoing, a ninja returning from the front lines was supposed to register immediately and report to the Third Hokage. For someone like Shisui to head straight for his own clan compound was technically a breach of regulations.

However, they seemed to know what had happened and did not stop him.

By the time Uchiha Shisui returned to the Uchiha clan compound, he found that the area had already fallen into a heavy, somber atmosphere.

This situation made Shisui's heart skip a beat, and he quickened his pace.

In front of the gate to Shisui's residence, a beautiful figure was waiting for something. Seeing Shisui appear, her gentle expression relaxed, and she called out, "Shisui!"

"Sister Mikoto!"

Shisui stepped forward quickly.

Uchiha Mikoto's gaze immediately fell upon his right eye, which was wrapped in bandages, and her expression shifted slightly. "Shisui, your eye."

"It's nothing, Sister Mikoto, just a minor injury."

Shisui smiled, but his gaze went straight past her toward the house.

The once-cozy home was now deathly silent, a stark contrast to the bustling village. Several clan members were waiting outside the door, including elders responsible for handling the deceased.

"Shisui, your father, he..."

Mikoto followed his gaze, her expression darkening. "For the past few days, your father has been drifting in and out of consciousness, and his mind has become confused. But he constantly calls your name, which is why I had Fugaku call you back."

"I understand. Thank you, Sister Mikoto."

Shisui nodded and walked quickly into the house.

The Uchiha clan members at the door stepped aside, watching as Uchiha Shisui pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a bed with a figure lying upon it.

The man did not look particularly old; he was middle-aged, appearing slightly older than Fugaku.

He was not lying flat but propped up against the headboard. His dark eyes stared at the dim sky outside the window with a dull, vacant expression. He did not even notice Shisui entering the room until Shisui walked up to him and called out, at which point a flicker of light returned to his eyes.

"Father."

"Shisui..."

Uchiha Hikari forced a smile, but it stiffened the moment he saw the bandages over Shisui's right eye. His eyes even shifted into the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and he grew agitated. "Your eye—where did your right eye go!"

"Izanagi? No, that's not it. It's not blindness—was it gouged out? That bastard Fugaku... cough... how could he have promised me... cough, cough, cough."

Shisui hurriedly stepped forward to pat Uchiha Hikari's back, explaining softly, "Father, this is not the Clan Head's fault. We encountered a terrifying opponent on the front lines. It is a miracle I made it back with my life; losing a Sharingan is nothing."

"A terrifying opponent..."

These words caused a strange look to cross Uchiha Hikari's face, but he still snorted coldly. "No matter the opponent, you should have protected your eyes! The Sharingan is the foundation of our Uchiha clan. Even if you lost an arm or a leg, you should never have lost your eye!"

As he finished speaking, Uchiha Hikari's tone gradually calmed. "Tell me what happened on the front lines."

"Yes, Father."

"At first, the war on the front lines went smoothly. Kirigakure launched many attacks against us, all of which we repelled, until a man named Yuki Yoru appeared on the battlefield and ambushed our logistics base at Souta Village..."

Shisui recounted the situation on the front lines. As he listened, a grave expression appeared on Uchiha Hikari's face. He even sat up, listening intently to Shisui's words and occasionally interjecting to ask for details.

The two spoke until Shisui mentioned that Jiraiya had activated Sage Mode only to die at the hands of Yuki Yoru. A complex expression, one that could have been a smile or a look of grief, crossed Uchiha Hikari's face.

"I never expected Jiraiya to die in the Kirigakure war... No, that's not enough. There is still Orochimaru..."

Uchiha Hikari muttered to himself, then suddenly looked up at Shisui. "That Yuki Yoru... he truly is a monster."

"Yes, he is very strong. Whether it is his Body Flicker Technique or other aspects, he was able to completely overwhelm me."

Shisui subconsciously ignored the first two sentences of Uchiha Hikari's muttering.

Ever since his grandfather, Kagami Uchiha, died in the First Great Ninja War, his father had harbored immense hostility toward the Hokage's lineage, prioritizing the Uchiha clan above all else.

After Shisui was born, Uchiha Hikari often told him to restore the glory of the Uchiha. Every conversation always revolved around the clan; he could never go five sentences without mentioning the Uchiha.

This caused Shisui great distress. Everything taught at the Ninja Academy was for the sake of Konoha, and the entire village believed in the Will of Fire. Why was his father so stubborn, obsessed with the clan day and night?

Could his father not distinguish between the importance of the clan and the village?

Shisui always felt his father was too narrow-minded, which had led to many arguments between them.

This had caused their relationship as father and son to deteriorate significantly.