After leaving the Hokage Building, Uchiha Shisui saw that dusk was drawing near. The streets of Konoha were slowly growing lively.
"Rin! Slow down!"
Obito squeezed out of the crowd, carrying a pile of gifts.
"Slow down, Obito! These are gifts for Kakashi."
Rin Nohara looked at the reckless Obito and puffed out her cheeks, pretending to be angry.
"Uncle Sakumo's death and Uchiha Shisui's disappearance hit Kakashi hard. We can't bring up anything that might make him sad when we visit him this time."
"Right! Don't worry, Rin. I'll make sure to cheer that guy Kakashi up!"
As Obito spoke, his gaze shifted to the rooftops ahead. A familiar figure flashed past above.
Only a moment later, Rin's voice snapped him out of his daze.
"Obito! What are you spacing out for? Here, take this!"
"N...nothing! I just thought I saw someone familiar."
As he spoke, Obito took the gift Rin Nohara had picked out for Kakashi.
"Rin, you bought so much stuff. Do you think that guy Kakashi will even accept it?"
Once they were off the main street, Obito panted beneath a mountain of gifts and pouted.
"It doesn't matter. As long as it helps Kakashi move on."
Rin Nohara smiled at Obito and tilted her head.
Obito's face visibly reddened. In his heart, he cursed Kakashi: You bastard! If you dare refuse our gifts, I'll tear you limb from limb!
At the Uchiha Compound, Uchiha Shisui pushed open the wooden door that had gone untouched for nearly a year. Dust drifted slowly to the ground in the light of the setting sun.
"I'm home..."
Uchiha Shisui murmured, then dragged his exhausted body into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed without caring how dirty the house was.
"I made it about twenty percent of the way over the past year in Kirigakure. I wonder how much longer it'll take to reach the Mangekyo."
Uchiha Shisui muttered to himself before soon falling asleep.
A month passed quickly. Uchiha Shisui wandered around the compound as usual.
The clan had also learned what had happened to Uchiha Shisui. He had returned after a year with the strength of a Three-Tomoe Sharingan wielder, earning the recognition of every clan member.
After the former clan head passed away, Fugaku Uchiha inherited both the position of clan head and the role of captain of the Konoha Military Police Force.
At Fugaku Uchiha's home, he held a teacup and looked at the clan's recognized number-one prodigy with a strange smile.
"If you have something to say, Clan Head, just come out with it."
Uchiha Shisui spoke to Fugaku Uchiha as he played with the newborn Itachi Uchiha.
Mikoto Uchiha picked up on the sensitive topic and tactfully set some pastries on the table before heading into the kitchen.
Once Mikoto Uchiha had left, Uchiha Shisui secretly lamented the missed opportunity.
"Ahem. Shisui, I heard you're serving in Lord Hokage's Anbu?"
Fugaku Uchiha cleared his throat. Uchiha Shisui had either been playing with his child or watching his wife.
Uchiha Shisui glanced at Fugaku Uchiha and thought to himself: I'm still just a kid. What bad intentions could I have? People who look at others through a biased lens really are disgusting.
When Uchiha Shisui didn't answer, Fugaku Uchiha speculated to himself: I only learned about a close-knit unit like the Anbu after becoming captain of the Military Police Force. I didn't know Shisui was one of them too. But they have strict rules, so he must have his reasons for staying quiet.
"Clan Head, I am serving in the Anbu. But you should give up on the idea of having me act as a double agent," Uchiha Shisui said with a shrug.
Fugaku Uchiha looked a little embarrassed. He hadn't expected his intentions to be guessed. He really had wanted Uchiha Shisui to pass along the Hokage's important decisions and classified information to the clan. That way, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't be so passive and could better integrate into the village in the future.
"I think you should focus on the clan for now, Clan Head. You have to secure your home before you can defend against outside threats. The clan elders certainly aren't behaving themselves."
Seeing that it was about time, Shisui rose to take his leave. Today was the day he returned to duty.
Fugaku Uchiha watched Uchiha Shisui leave, then slowly lifted his teacup, lost in thought.
At the Hokage Building, Uchiha Shisui entered the office in his Anbu uniform and said respectfully, "Lord Hokage, 06 has returned to duty."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction and smiled. "Shisui, the information you brought back from Kirigakure was very important. This is the Scroll of Seals. It contains many forbidden techniques. You may choose one as your reward."
Uchiha Shisui glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi, wondering what the old man was up to. After finding nothing amiss, he slowly stood and declined. "Lord Hokage, I did it for the village. It was my duty."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected anyone to refuse the Scroll of Seals. The surveillance hadn't turned up any problems either. It seemed Uchiha Shisui was a steadfast inheritor of the Will of Fire after all.
"Since you've refused the Scroll of Seals, I'll record your contribution instead. If there are any other ninjutsu you need, you can exchange your merit for them."
Thinking this, Hiruzen Sarutobi also believed that the young man before him might become the next Kagami Uchiha.
"Lord Hokage, I'd like to exchange for the Uzumaki Clan's Yin Seal and the Strength of a Hundred Technique."
Although Uchiha Shisui didn't know what the old man was up to, it was clear that he wanted him to learn some ninjutsu.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't ask for details. He handed Uchiha Shisui the S-rank Yin Seal and the B-rank Strength of a Hundred Technique, then cautioned him, "The S-rank technique must not be shared, and you'll need to return it after you've learned it."
After putting the ninjutsu scrolls in his pouch, Uchiha Shisui opened the mission scroll.
"Watch the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?" Uchiha Shisui was somewhat surprised. They were actually making someone from the Uchiha Clan watch the Nine-Tails? They really weren't treating him like an outsider!
Uchiha Shisui put away the mission scroll and headed for the home of Namikaze Minato and Kushina.
Night spread like ink, slowly enveloping the whole of Konoha in a gentle embrace.
Namikaze Minato's cozy little home rested peacefully beneath the moonlight.
A large, leafy tree stood outside the house. Its thick branches reached in every direction, while layer upon layer of dense leaves formed a giant green canopy.
Uchiha Shisui was concealed in the treetop, leaning against the trunk, his figure hidden among the dappled shadows.
He clutched the ninjutsu scrolls containing the Strength of a Hundred Technique and the Yin Seal. In the moonlight filtering through the leaves, he studied the scrolls intently, his brow furrowing now and then as he puzzled over their complex principles.
A gentle breeze stirred, making the leaves rustle. A few were caught by the wind and drifted down onto his shoulders.
After a long while, he finally lowered the scrolls and looked up at the warmly lit window. "Tch. What an irritating mission. Spying on someone else's happiness every single day."