In Konoha's 48th year, the Hyuga Clan, Konoha's foremost clan, went to war against Kirigakure and suffered a crushing defeat. They also lost a Byakugan belonging to the Main Family.
In the Hokage Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi laid the reports from the front lines on the table. The situation in the Shinobi World was extremely precarious, and the Hyuga Clan's defeat only deepened Hiruzen's sense of crisis.
"Tell me what you think. How should we handle the battlefield against Kirigakure?"
After hearing Hiruzen's question, Danzo glanced at the two elders beside him, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
Silence fell over the room. Hiruzen tapped his pipe, his gaze gradually sharpening.
"Since none of you have a solution, then your three clans can each send members of the younger generation to the front!"
When the three heard that Hiruzen was ignoring their old ties and sending their own clans' shinobi to war, their faces darkened.
"Hiruzen! The Uchiha Clan is still in the village, isn't it? I think we should send them to the front instead!"
Mitokado Homura spoke quickly. His clan was in the midst of rapid growth, and sending the younger generation to the battlefield would cripple its structure.
Utatane Koharu faced the same predicament as Mitokado Homura. Seeing that he had proposed a solution, she set aside her reservations and quickly voiced her agreement.
Leaning on his cane, Danzo raised the corners of his mouth slightly and said to Hiruzen, "Hiruzen, I also think the Uchiha Clan is the best choice for resolving the village's current predicament."
"Enough... You may leave for now. Let me think it over."
With that, Hiruzen considered the matter for a moment, then gazed intently toward the Uchiha Compound.
At the gate of the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Shisui leaned quietly against a tree trunk. Dusk was settling in, and the day's classes at the academy had ended.
"Shisui! Over here!"
When Uchiha Shisui spotted Shisui, he waved to him.
"Big Brother Shisui! Do we have to train again tonight?"
Shisui smiled as he asked what they would be doing next.
"Mhm. Lord Hokage assigned me to train you, so you can't slack off."
Uchiha Shisui flicked Shisui on the forehead and chided him.
"Ow... Of course not, Big Brother Shisui. I want to become an excellent shinobi too!"
Shisui rubbed his forehead where he had just been flicked and protested plaintively.
"Enough! No more chatter. Today, we're practicing tree climbing!"
Meanwhile, in the Uchiha Compound, Fugaku Uchiha stared at the mission he had been handed and fell into thought.
"Oh, Tōsan! What's that?"
"It's Itachi! This is a mission assigned by Lord Hokage."
Fugaku Uchiha smiled and patted Itachi Uchiha on the head.
"A mission? What kind of mission?"
In response to Itachi Uchiha's question, Fugaku Uchiha patiently explained, "A mission related to war!"
"War?"
"Itachi, there's no need to ask so much right now. When you reach the battlefield, you'll see for yourself what it's really like."
Fugaku Uchiha put away the scroll and rose to go into the bedroom. But Itachi Uchiha, who was only a little over two years old, unexpectedly stood there pondering.
At the training ground, Uchiha Shisui tied two weights to Shisui's feet and told him to coat them with chakra, then slowly walk up the tree trunk.
At first, Shisui struggled, but he didn't give up. Instead, he tried even harder. It didn't take long for him to master tree climbing.
"Not bad, Shisui! You learned that quickly even with weights on. Your reputation as a genius is well deserved!"
Uchiha Shisui handed Shisui a cup of water and praised him.
"Big Brother Shisui, I'm still a long way behind you, so I need to work even harder."
Shisui scratched the back of his head and said with determination.
"Keep it up, Shisui! Nii-san believes in you."
Uchiha Shisui patted Shisui on the shoulder, encouraging him.
After a short rest, Uchiha Shisui was about to leave when Shisui suddenly called out to him.
"Big Brother Shisui! Today at the Ninja Academy, we learned about the Will of Fire. I want to know, what is your Will of Fire?"
"The Will of Fire?" Uchiha Shisui paused, then continued. "Shisui, I don't have a Will of Fire, because my own will stands above it."
"Then what is your will, Big Brother Shisui?"
"To make the Shinobi World into one 'great Konoha village'!"
With that, Uchiha Shisui patted Shisui on the shoulder and vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.
Shisui watched Shisui disappear into the distance, deep in thought.
In Konoha's 49th year, the Uchiha Clan, led by Fugaku Uchiha, set out for the Mist Battlefield.
At the Land of Fire's coastline, outside the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, stood Kirigakure's camp.
"Commander! We have important information!"
Karatachi Yagura took the scroll that had just been delivered. After unrolling it, he gave an order:
"Have the main force prepare for battle! Be ready to support the vanguard at any moment!"
"Yes, Commander!"
Karatachi Yagura stepped out of the tent. The sky was growing dark. Smoke drifted in the distance, and bodies and blood-filled craters lay everywhere, grim reminders of the horrors of war.
"The Uchiha Clan of Konoha? I hope they won't be as useless as the Hyuga Clan!"
Fugaku Uchiha's face was gloomy after the skirmish. Kirigakure had gotten the better of them in their very first battle, springing an ambush that cost him several elders who had always treated him well. But to his surprise, he seemed to have awakened those eyes.
At Kirigakure's vanguard, clashing blades and the flashes of Explosive Tags made for a brutal battle.
"Shisui! Retreat! There are too many enemies!"
As the Uchiha Clan's great elder, he didn't want one of the clan's gifted shinobi to die in the war.
"No! Great Elder, these Kirigakure shinobi will become stepping stones on my path to fame."
With that, Uchiha Shisui drew the two Ninja Blades on his back and charged alone into the Mist Ninja army.
"Hahaha! Good! Our Uchiha Clan has been dormant for far too long! The Shinobi World has forgotten what it was like to be ruled by the Uchiha! Everyone, charge!"
At the Uchiha Clan great elder's command, every Uchiha behind him activated their Three-Tomoe Sharingan and charged at the Mist Ninja army.
"Out of my way!"
Uchiha Shisui kicked aside a Mist Ninja blocking his path, then charged into the mass of enemies with his blade. Like a meat grinder, he cut through the Mist Ninja army; they fell one after another without even getting close to him.
After cutting down countless foes, his Ninja Blade grew dull. Uchiha Shisui discarded it and charged bare-handed into the densely packed Mist Ninja army.
As the Mangekyo in his eyes shifted, he instantly rushed into the front ranks of the allied forces and unleashed a punch with the force of a thousand blows.
The punch compressed the air, producing a sharp crack. Before one Kirigakure shinobi could react, Shisui's fist struck him head-on. He flew backward like a kite with its strings cut, crashing through several comrades behind him.
Uchiha Shisui didn't pause for a moment. He raised his left leg high and swept it through the air in a fierce arc, striking the surrounding enemies.
The kick came with the force of splitting mountains and shattering stone. Shinobi were swept away wherever it landed, their bodies crashing to the ground like broken dolls.
Some tried to stop him with Water Release Ninjutsu, but Uchiha Shisui used the force of his kick to accelerate and charged straight into the wall of water. Moving like a specter in the hazy mist, he struck one enemy after another, every blow landing precisely and sending up clouds of blood.
A shinobi seized his chance to attack from behind, driving a Kunai toward Uchiha Shisui's back.
A cold smile tugged at Shisui's lips. Without turning around, he reached back with his right hand and caught the shinobi by the wrist.
He squeezed. A sharp crack rang out as the bone broke. The shinobi screamed and dropped the Kunai. Shisui turned with the motion and drove his knee into the man's abdomen. Blood sprayed from the shinobi's mouth, and he crumpled to the ground in agony.