Inabi and Shisui

"Defeat the evil Senju Tobirama!"

"Root out Konoha's cancer, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō!"

With the crowd whipped into a frenzy, the Uchiha began the clan meeting's usual "denunciation of the leadership." Naturally, nearly everyone opposed the idea of relocating the clan grounds.

"Fine, then we won't move! At the next Jonin meeting, I'll firmly reject the Third!"

Uchiha Fugaku, his face fierce, gave the closing remarks at the clan meeting. The crowd cheered loudly, and he declared the meeting adjourned.

Down below, Uchiha Chen pursed his lips, not the least bit surprised.

Drawing on his memories from his previous life and what he'd learned over the past few years, Uchiha Chen had come to understand Uchiha Fugaku's character.

Uchiha Fugaku was, in fact, a textbook example of the "Yuan Shao" type.

He was full of schemes but lacked resolve, easily swayed by others' words, and constantly shifted between the hawks and the doves.

He hadn't become clan head because of any political talent. He was simply the strongest among the Uchiha's middle generation.

For Uchiha Chen, though, it was actually a good thing that such a hollow fool sat in the clan head's seat.

Uchiha Chen took one last, deep look at Fugaku, who sat in the middle of the secret chamber with his eyes closed, then turned and blended in with the orderly stream of departing clan members. He rested a hand on the head of the shortest boy in the group, whose nose was shaped like a rice ball.

"Shisui, congratulations on awakening the Three-Tomoe Sharingan! Want to take a walk?"

"Huh? Oh, sure!"

Uchiha Shisui, who had been frowning slightly, managed a faint smile and fell in naturally behind Uchiha Chen as they headed toward a secluded grove.

The clan meeting had begun in the afternoon, and by the time it ended, the sun was setting.

The forest was bathed in the soft, warm glow of the setting sun, as if a layer of orange-gold gauze had been draped over its dense trees.

Uchiha Shisui loved his clan and his village, and now he was troubled by the seemingly irreconcilable conflict between them. Uchiha Chen, meanwhile, was racking his brains over how to bring Shisui, with his formidable strength, onto his side.

The two chatted briefly about the fighting on the Mist battlefield, then fell silent.

"Wait!"

After the rustle of leaves beneath their footsteps, a young man wearing the Military Police Force's dark blue uniform stepped in front of them and stared straight at Uchiha Chen.

"Chen, I've awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan too. I want to challenge you again!"

Uchiha Chen raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly.

"Oh, Inabi~

Tekka really misses you, you know! Every day when I patrol and train with him, he brings you up."

Uchiha Inabi stopped hearing anything as soon as he heard "every day when I patrol and train with him." His square face flushed redder than the sunset.

As fellow Uchiha prodigies, he had almost always been held back by Uchiha Chen, who was two years younger.

Even worse, his own younger brother, Tekka, had become Uchiha Chen's devoted fanboy and did whatever Chen told him.

Did Inabi know how much that hurt the Uchiha, a clan full of brothers obsessed with their siblings?

Uchiha Inabi was seeing red.

He glared at Uchiha Chen through his Sharingan, even feeling his Eye Power rise a little with his anger.

When would he defeat Uchiha Chen?

Today! It would be today!

"Chen! Fight me!"

Inabi hurled more than a dozen Shuriken in a fit of rage. Their crisp metallic clatter rang through the forest as they ricocheted again and again, tracing strange arcs before closing in around Uchiha Chen.

Uchiha Chen lazily stretched, then sprang into the air like a cat. He lightly tapped several of the incoming Shuriken with his toes and dodged them with ease.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique! Sharingan Shuriken Technique!"

Inabi spat out a fireball several meters across, then manipulated the Shuriken flying all around him to attack Uchiha Chen again. As the Great Fireball blocked Chen's view, he tried to close in and strike.

A textbook Uchiha fighting style!

Uchiha Chen dodged Inabi's attacks like a nimble butterfly, with enough leisure to appreciate all of Inabi's techniques.

His peerless throwing skills for testing his opponent, his graceful Taijutsu, almost like rhythmic gymnastics, his powerful Fire Style for disruption, and his genjutsu control through the Sharingan.

Once an Uchiha awakened the Sharingan, their combat options were practically limitless. Every one of them was like a top-ranked Zed player, casually pulling off five-kill streaks without a scratch on the battlefield and racking up legendary scores!

This fighting style, refined and passed down by the Uchiha for centuries, was nearly flawless. It had only one weakness—and it could hardly be called a weakness:

Every technique depended on the Uchiha's Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan.

What you rise by, you will also fall by!

In the Uchiha world, those with greater Eye Power held an overwhelming advantage over those with less.

(Except for that one brothers' battle that went viral.)

When an Uchiha faced a fellow clan member with greater Eye Power, he would end up like Yuelun's Zed against Faker's Zed: getting completely outplayed and left with no way to fight back.

After casually avoiding another of Inabi's attacks, Uchiha Chen caught sight of Shisui standing nearby, lost in thought. He immediately lost interest in playing with Inabi.

He narrowed his eyes and, while keeping his Three-Tomoe Sharingan active, brought a sliver of Mangekyō Eye Power to bear.

Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!

In Uchiha Inabi's mental world, metal stakes rained down and pinned his spirit in place, instantly robbing him of control over his body.

"Damn it!"

Uchiha Inabi fell to the ground in humiliation and glared at Uchiha Chen.

"Keep training, Inabi!"

Uchiha Chen pulled a marker from his clothes, pushed Inabi's bangs aside, and wrote a number on his forehead.

"That's the 131st time you've lost to me! Shisui and I are heading off!"

"Chen and Inabi seem pretty close!"

After watching the two clan members spar, Uchiha Shisui seemed to be in a better mood. He even chatted with Uchiha Chen about them.

"We get along well enough. It's mostly because Tekka keeps asking me to 'look after' his brother."

Uchiha Chen led Shisui to a secluded clearing in the forest, then stopped abruptly and turned to look at him with a complicated expression.

"Let's stop here!"

Shisui was different from Itachi. Deep down, he loved his clan no less than the village. If Chen wanted him to stand firmly by his side, though, he would have to use a stronger remedy.

"Shisui!"

The wind's mournful howl played a sinister tune through the forest. The setting sun cast its last rays on Uchiha Chen, stretching his shadow almost infinitely long.

"So, was it you?"

"What?"

Shisui touched his flat nose and looked at Uchiha Chen in confusion.

Whoosh!

The autumn wind of October swept up the fallen leaves, bringing a chill that seeped into their bones. Uchiha Chen's hand settled on the sword at his waist. His scarlet Sharingan fixed on Shisui, and a hint of killing intent surfaced.

"The Mangekyō can control a Tailed Beast!"

Uchiha Chen drew his sword halfway, his voice growing more and more agitated.

"You awakened the Mangekyō, didn't you?

Why would you hurt the village? Why would you ruin the relationship between the village and the clan? Say something!"

"I..."

Uchiha Shisui was astonished that someone had discovered his Mangekyō awakening. For a moment, he didn't know how to explain.

I awakened the Mangekyō, something seen only once in decades, and not long afterward, someone used the Mangekyō to control the Nine-Tails and attack the village.

Oh no!

Did I just become the mastermind?