Konoha, beside the Ninja Academy playground.
Tokuma Hyuga glanced at Yun beside him and asked, "What's wrong? Did you eat something that upset your stomach?"
Yun rubbed his abdomen and shook his head. "No, I just feel a little uncomfortable."
Izumi looked at her brother and asked, "Do you want to go back and rest, big brother? I can ask the teacher for leave for you."
Yun smiled and ruffled Izumi's hair. "I'm fine now. It was just a momentary thing. By the way, why isn't Hana here today?"
Tokuma replied, "I heard something happened to the dog at her house. I think it's got diarrhea, so..."
"Does Sister Hana need to take care of the dog?" Izumi scrunched up her nose.
The leisurely hours at the Ninja Academy passed quickly. Yun even managed to catch up on some sleep before leaving a Shadow Clone behind and slipping away that afternoon.
On the mountain behind Kage Rock, Yun rubbed his abdomen again. With his attention split, he shared all the information gathered by his clone, Sora.
That was why doubts about Obito had been arising in Yun's mind ever since earlier.
The plot didn't really matter to him, but when something truly unexpected happened, it introduced many more variables.
With the nerve reaction speed he'd inherited from Namikaze Minato, Obito couldn't possibly react faster than he could. The battle during the Nine Tails Incident was proof enough.
But the truth was, the moment Yun appeared using Flying Thunder God, Obito had clearly known his location in advance, whether it was the iron chains or the Great Fireball Technique.
And Obito's later return proved that this ability wasn't passive, on top of his reaction speed being far greater than Yun's.
Then it had to be an active skill.
The timing was just right? That phrase could mean a lot of things, too.
"Yun, you're early."
Shisui appeared nearby with the Body Flicker Technique, interrupting Yun's thoughts.
Putting aside the questions he hadn't figured out yet, Yun smiled. "Don't be so serious. If all goes well, we can begin tomorrow."
Shisui gave a slight shake of his head and formed Hand Seals. A barrier rose around them on all sides.
Only after the barrier was in place did Shisui look at Yun and say, "We should still be careful without a barrier. Many people in the clan don't understand what we're trying to do."
Yun glanced at the barrier around them and nodded. "That's exactly why we need the power of your eye. Not every Uchiha is crazy, and children the same age as little Sasuke shouldn't have their fate gambled away."
In fact, at this point in time, Fugaku had been killed, but Itachi hadn't awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan yet. If Yun hadn't wanted to take control of the entire Uchiha clan with the least possible losses, wiping out the entire Hawk Faction wouldn't have been impossible.
Decades had passed since Konoha's founding, and the Hawk Faction made up most of the Uchiha clan. Many ordinary civilians were among them, too.
Take the owner of the Uchiha Rice Cracker Shop and his wife, for example. Though they were both kind people, Uchiha Nanadai was the one who made decisions on their behalf at clan meetings and represented them.
"Tomorrow? There's a clan meeting in seven days. Let's set it for then."
After speaking, Shisui looked at Yun. "Sometimes, I'm curious about what secrets you're hiding. As far as I can tell, you haven't awakened the Sharingan, but you say you'll have decisive power by tomorrow."
"The only decisive power I can see you having is the Mangekyō Sharingan. If our side has two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan, things will be different at the clan meeting and with the Fourth Hokage."
"I said from the beginning that I wouldn't ask you, but is it really possible to go straight from never having awakened your Sharingan to the Mangekyō?"
Yun smiled. "You should understand how the Sharingan awakens. When you lose something—or someone—important, a certain power manifests in the optic nerves in your brain."
"That power is what stimulates the Sharingan to awaken. As for kekkei genkai...a hereditary disease. Atavism, bloodline, or an abnormal energy. Which one do you think I have?"
Shisui shook his head. "I don't know. But over the past two years, what you've told me has helped me understand a lot, so I'm willing to believe you."
Yun looked ahead, seemingly gazing through the dense trees at Konoha beneath Kage Rock.
Truthfully, at first, all he'd wanted was to survive in this terrifying world.
If he could, he'd wanted his family to live happily. He'd farmed in Konoha instead of becoming a shinobi. When Pain attacked, he'd been revived, hung from a tree to enjoy a lovely dream, then taken down to go back to farming.
"Believe me? For this power to appear in you, an Uchiha...you truly are a descendant of Kagami Uchiha."
As Yun spoke, he looked at Shisui. "The fact that the Fourth Hokage trusts you might have a lot to do with that identity, too."
Shisui let out a breath, even though Yun's answer had nothing to do with what he'd said.
"Whew... At the clan meeting in seven days, come with me, Yun."
As soon as Shisui finished speaking, he disappeared with the Body Flicker Technique. The barrier that had surrounded them vanished as well.
Under the night sky, Yun stood on Kage Rock and looked down at the village.
He'd changed Konoha a great deal, but fortunately, things were moving in a good direction.
If tonight's third transaction went smoothly, then whether it was the Rinnegan or the Mangekyō, the Uchiha's internal problems would be settled all at once.
And after that...
Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato, I hope you don't disappoint me.
No one became Hokage by being softhearted. Even in Sarutobi Hiruzen's case, it was still unclear how many methods the others had used when the Second died.
As he pondered, Yun looked toward the area beneath the Hokage Building.
The Root Division, which sustained the great tree by drawing up nutrients, had long remained in darkness. But the tree's roots were supposed to be the cleanest part.
Konoha, Root Division.
"Is that all he said?"
Danzo's voice rang out. The Root Division shinobi kneeling before him replied, "Uchiha Shisui is very alert. My summoning beast was also kept out by the barrier he put up."
Danzo set down the report, his gaze dark. "He never let his guard down, even against an ordinary mouse? Leave. Keep monitoring Uchiha Yun and Uchiha Shisui."
The shinobi in the shadows withdrew. Danzo clutched the scroll in his hand.
They can begin tomorrow?
If everything goes smoothly?
Is that Uchiha named Yun more of a genius than Itachi? Why does Uchiha Shisui keep talking with him?
What are they planning, with so much caution?
I have to speed up my plans. The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan must belong to Konoha—to me!
Hiruzen, you're too soft.
Whether it's the Nine Tails or the Uchiha, any power we don't control is unstable.
Only if I become Hokage can I make Konoha great again!
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