The Kaleidoscope is the Eye of Reflection

"We cannot delay any longer. The longer this drags on, the more severe the unrest within the village will become. I will go to the Uchiha compound myself." Sarutobi Hiruzen set down his pipe and stood up abruptly.

The Third Hokage, still in the prime of his life, possessed the same demeanor as the powerful ninja whom the people called the Shinobi Hero.

"No, absolutely not!"

Shimura Danzō moved with lightning speed to block Sarutobi Hiruzen's path. "If you enter the Uchiha compound and those fellows decide to turn against you, how will you fend off the attacks of so many elites?"

Shimura Danzō displayed concern for Sarutobi Hiruzen, as well as his distrust of the Uchiha, but his voice grew much quieter when expressing his worry, and it held a hint of barely concealed joy.

After all, if the Uchiha were truly foolish enough to lay a hand on Sarutobi Hiruzen...

His thoughts were quickly interrupted by Sarutobi Hiruzen's firm voice. "I don't think the Uchiha clan is foolish enough to raise a hand against their Hokage within Konoha."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was quite confident. "Furthermore, I am not so easily dealt with. While I hold them off, the Anbu will have enough time to break into the Uchiha compound."

"Hmph, do as you please, then."

Watching Shimura Danzō turn and leave the meeting room, Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath and hurriedly ordered, "Arrange two Anbu squads to accompany me to the Uchiha clan."

However, Sarutobi Hiruzen did not see the look in his old friend's eyes after he turned away.

The Uchiha clan hasn't rebelled? How is that possible? Can't I just help them rebel?

As long as a battle breaks out, Root will provide the final spark.

The Uchiha clan, a family he had always loathed, would be wiped clean by the Anbu and others, and if Sarutobi Hiruzen were to "unfortunately" die on the battlefield of this suppressed rebellion...

Who would be the most likely person in Konoha to inherit the position of Hokage?

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura lacked the talent to be Hokage; Hatake White Fang was as sharp as a blade, but he lacked the bearing of a Hokage; Lady Mito had already passed away, and Sarutobi's three wet-behind-the-ears disciples were not qualified either.

The previous generation had completely died out, the middle tier consisted only of himself and that blade, Hatake White Fang, and the next generation had not yet fully matured!

Only I remain, and only I am left!

The flames of ambition gradually burned fiercely within the socket of Shimura Danzō's left eye.

Unlike the noise within the village, the Uchiha compound appeared quite silent. Even the guards who usually stood watch at the gate were nowhere to be found; it was as quiet as a deserted place.

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned slightly, tapped his pipe, and adjusted the hat that signified his status as the Third Hokage. His thoughts raced, yet he could not reach a conclusion.

"They've completely locked the gates? What on earth has happened?"

Slowly exhaling the smoke he had drawn into his lungs, thick clouds of vapor swirled around Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Zero, go and call for the gate to be opened."

A figure wearing an animal mask flashed and stood at the main entrance of the Uchiha compound, their voice neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for those near the gate to hear.

"The Third Hokage has come to visit the Uchiha clan."

For a moment, there was no reply. Only the faint chirping of birds reached their ears, making one wonder if the Uchiha clan had been wiped out overnight.

Sarutobi Hiruzen grew increasingly puzzled and signaled the Anbu to call out again. After the second summons, the sound of heavy, stumbling footsteps began to echo from within the compound.

"Creak."

The wooden gate slowly swung open to both sides, revealing the person who had opened it.

He was bruised and swollen, with fresh blood still staining his face. His ninja flak jacket was shredded as if chewed by a dog, and patches of dark, congealed blood clung to him, making him look quite disheveled.

What is going on? Was the Uchiha clan massacred?

Sarutobi Hiruzen's tense muscles relaxed inadvertently. "What—"

"Follow me. Yuji is already waiting for you." The once cold and arrogant Uchiha forced a smile.

The smile, which should have been as refreshing as a spring breeze, now brought only palpitations and fear.

With his scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan, a face covered in blood and grimaces, and bared, blood-stained teeth, the only image left in one's mind was that of a man-eating beast.

The way his figure stumbled as he walked made it all the more eerie.

Has some sort of mental illness broken out in the Uchiha clan, leading them to slaughter each other?

Sarutobi Hiruzen adjusted his slightly crooked conical hat and stepped slowly into the Uchiha compound.

The Uchiha clan was a family with a long history; even after the entire clan moved into Konoha, their compound maintained the architectural style of the Warring States period, allowing them to gather a group quickly if an enemy invaded.

However, the guards who usually stood watch were nowhere to be seen.

The Anbu had already scouted the situation inside the Uchiha compound, and Sarutobi Hiruzen knew clearly that the path ahead did not lead to the clan leader's residence. After another turn, it would lead to the Uchiha clan's training ground.

The intelligence on the Uchiha compound had been thoroughly investigated by the Anbu, but this only left Sarutobi Hiruzen feeling more bewildered.

The gate to the training ground was wide open, but a layer of hazy, misty energy blocked his line of sight, its chaotic colors undulating like water ripples.

What on earth is this!

"Third Hokage, please enter."

Perhaps because he had never used the word "please" before, the tone of the bruised and battered Uchiha sounded rather strange.

With his guard fully raised, chakra already condensed in his body, and a summoning seal inscribed on his arm, Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly and stepped into the training ground.

The world suddenly went black, and the shift in space brought a dizzying sensation of displacement.

In an instant, the crimson of fire and surging heat waves replaced his momentary discomfort. The scorching air and turbulent chakra made Sarutobi Hiruzen feel as if he had returned to the Great Ninja War of the past.

Observing his surroundings from the corner of his eye, he pulled his body back slightly, only to find that there was no longer a path of retreat. Drawing large amounts of warm air into his lungs, the Shinobi Hero straightened his posture once more and stared straight ahead.

Flames—what met the eyes was a brilliant collision of flames, with flying sparks and radiant embers weaving together into a picturesque landscape of aesthetic beauty.

Perhaps sensing the arrival of Sarutobi Hiruzen, the halo gradually dissipated, allowing the surrounding environment to slowly reveal itself.

The ground was a grayish-white, devoid of any other color, while the sky was filled with magnificent planets shimmering with a faint, ethereal glow.

Even the well-traveled Sarutobi Hiruzen had to admit that today's encounter completely exceeded the experience he had accumulated over the years.

The situation had spiraled entirely beyond his plans.

The battlefield was littered with the elites of the Uchiha clan, and at its center, a pair of wicked, blood-red eyes stared directly at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Welcome to my world, Third Hokage."