Beneath the night sky, a shooting star streaked across the peaceful heavens like a silver tear that had been left behind, silent as it passed.
Its tail trailed a long ribbon of light, like silver threads accidentally scattered by the Weaver Girl of the night. In an instant, it embroidered a dazzling path across the ink-blue canvas.
A young man on the ground looked up.
The light of the meteor met his gaze, leaving him momentarily dazed.
He had been transported to the Ninja World for over three months now, but he still couldn't accept that it had happened because of a dump truck.
Otherwise, his Sharingan wouldn't have jumped straight from Two Tomoe to Three Tomoe.
Uchiha really were born evil!
Most importantly, it was now Konoha Year 52, just six months after the Nine-Tails Rebellion.
At a time like this, he couldn't escape even if he wanted to!
The Uchiha Clan had already been forbidden from leaving the village.
Zhang Fan... or rather, Uchiha Yan, as he should be called now, couldn't help sighing.
Was he really doomed to just wait for death?
The Three Pure Ones, Amitabha, God, Brahma, the system, Deep Blue—any of you, please show up! Otherwise, I really will have no choice but to wait for death!
[System activated...]
Perhaps the gods and Buddhas really had heard his prayer. A mechanical notification suddenly rang in Uchiha Yan's ear.
The voice was clear and cold, as though it came from another dimension, yet also seemed to echo directly in his mind.
Then a light screen slowly unfolded before him.
[Strongest Hokage System] [Main Quest: Become Hokage and Make Konoha Great Again] [Reward: ???] [Side Quest 1: Become the Uchiha Clan Head] [Reward: Mangekyō Sharingan] [Side Quest 2: Increase your reputation in Konoha until at least 100,000 people know you] [Reward: Choose two types of chakra and fuse them into a Kekkei Genkai] [...]
Great. Very powerful!
Looking at the system panel, Uchiha Yan couldn't help reflecting.
His name had two characters associated with fire. One represented the Will of Fire, and the other represented the Hokage.
Then there was the system's quest.
What did this mean?
It meant he was the chosen one, born to be Hokage!
Who else could claim the Hokage Position but him?
He'd march straight to the Hokage Building, drag that old Sarutobi off the Hokage's seat, and take it for himself.
And then... he could die, taking the entire Uchiha Clan down with him!
He didn't even need Uchiha Itachi. He'd do it himself and wipe out his own clan!
"Ah, what a disaster!"
Uchiha Yan sighed.
In his previous life, he'd been an overworked corporate drone. In this life, all he wanted was to live a good, peaceful life.
Was even such a simple wish too much to ask?
Just as he was lamenting his fate,
footsteps suddenly sounded behind him, drawing nearer. Whoever it was clearly meant to approach him.
"Yan, it's almost time. We should head to the clan meeting."
Hearing the familiar voice,
Uchiha Yan tilted his head toward the fellow clan member who had come to stand beside him.
"Shisui, why did they send you?"
The boy called Shisui scratched his head and gave an awkward grin.
"This is your first clan meeting, so I was worried you wouldn't find your way."
"Thanks for thinking of me!" Uchiha Yan patted Shisui on the shoulder.
But soon, he fell silent again.
Shisui didn't say anything more, either. He simply stood to one side, quietly watching the young man before him.
He knew Uchiha Yan, at least he thought he did.
Gentle, kind, always willing to help others, and someone who considered himself part of the village.
But for some reason,
three months ago, Yan's personality had changed completely.
He was impatient, flustered, even afraid, and none of it was hidden from his face.
Whenever Shisui asked him about it, Yan only shook his head and refused to say a word.
"Yan, what's going through your mind?"
Faced with Shisui's question once more, Uchiha Yan shook his head again.
But this time, he explained why.
"I can't see a future for the Uchiha Clan. I can't see a future for myself, either."
"The future?"
Shisui looked puzzled.
In his heart, the Uchiha Clan's future lay with the Hokage.
As long as they stood firmly on the Hokage's side, their future would surely be bright.
As far as he knew, Uchiha Yan, like him, belonged to the Dove Faction. He shouldn't have been thinking this way.
And all this had started three months ago.
"Yan!" Shisui looked at Uchiha Yan with utmost seriousness. "What happened three months ago?"
"You know our Uchiha Clan can only have a future if we stand with the Hokage. You can't become like those in the Radical Faction."
Uchiha Yan's mouth twitched.
I was just putting on a dramatic act. How did this turn into a lecture?
Besides, the Uchiha Clan was doomed no matter which side they took. What was the point of all this effort?
Why bother?
He might as well join me in storming the Hokage Building. At least we'd die quickly!
But he couldn't say that.
Uchiha Yan's expression grew stern as he answered,
"Shisui, things are far more complicated than you think. I'm so worried because I've already worked out what's really at stake."
"What have you figured out?" Shisui was getting anxious.
The Uchiha Clan's path to greatness lay right before them. Why had even Yan begun to doubt it?
Just as Shisui was about to try persuading him again,
Uchiha Yan shook his head once more and gazed into the distance, toward Kage Rock.
"Shisui, the fact that you're asking me that can only mean you still don't understand."
With that, he turned and started walking toward Naka Shrine.
"Come on. The clan meeting's about to start!"
Watching Uchiha Yan walk away, Shisui felt a strange sensation well up inside him.
He didn't understand why Yan, who had always been so kind, had suddenly become so quiet and solemn. It was as if he were drowning, desperately searching for a lifeline.
Shisui couldn't help feeling confused himself.
"Yan, do you really think our Uchiha Clan has no future?" Shisui couldn't help asking. His voice trembled slightly, as if he were searching again and again for reassurance.
Uchiha Yan stopped. He didn't turn around, only let out a soft sigh and said,
"Shisui, we have to create our own future, don't we?"
Shisui fell silent. He didn't know how to answer.
Looking at the clan member before him, Shisui felt as if he had never truly known him.
Yan was shrouded in mist, impossible to see clearly.
So Shisui could only follow quietly behind Uchiha Yan, his heart filled with doubt and unease.
Yan, what are you planning to do?
The two walked on without a word until they reached Naka Shrine.
The sun had quietly set, and quite a few members of the Uchiha Clan had already gathered outside the shrine.
Most of them had awakened the Three Tomoe.
After all, clan meetings were attended only by jonin or shinobi with the Three Tomoe.
And within the Uchiha Clan, strength was tied to the degree to which one's eyes had awakened.
The more Tomoe one had, the stronger one was, and the more versatile one's combat abilities became.
Otherwise, the saying "If you meet an Uchiha with the Three Tomoe, run if you're alone" wouldn't have spread through the Ninja World.
That was why most Uchiha jonin had the Three Tomoe.
Those who became jonin with Double Tomoe or Single Tomoe were the exception.
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