Restore the Glory of the Uchiha, It's Our Duty!

"Enough, enough. I get it." Uchiha Ao frowned and hauled Shisui up from where he was slumped in the corner.

Dust fell in soft showers from his robe, but it couldn't hide the concern in the young man's eyes.

"You really are gentle, Ao-kun." Shisui lifted his face, a languid smile curling his lips. He didn't seem to mind Ao's annoyed expression at all.

After all, if Ao had truly hated him, he wouldn't have stopped him.

"Shisui, what are you planning to do now?"

Hearing Ao's question, Shisui chuckled. He let Ao help him slowly to his feet, then brushed the dust from his clothes.

"What am I planning to do?" Shisui tilted his head, a crafty glint in his eyes. Then he suddenly slung an arm around Ao's shoulders and pulled him closer. "First, we're getting Three-Color Dango. The shop on the street corner stuffs theirs with the most red bean paste."

After Ao had talked him down, he'd realized what he could do now.

The only one who could change the Uchiha Clan and save it from disaster was Ao.

He would stay by Ao's side and protect him as he grew stronger, even if it cost him his life.

"You..." Uchiha Ao didn't know what to say. If Itachi reported this to the Konoha High Command, Shisui would be in a very difficult position.

"Come on, the Konoha High Command isn't going to do anything to me anytime soon." Shisui had always been clever. He'd just been led astray by Konoha's so-called Will of Fire.

Ao watched Shisui's carefree smile and sighed.

Oh, well. Give him a few more years, and he'll be able to bring all of Konoha to its knees anyway.

For now, the priority was to trigger the next main quest as soon as possible and speed up his growth.

Shisui had no idea what Ao was thinking. He stepped aside, pulled a roll of bandages from his ninja pouch, and leaned against the weathered stone wall. With practiced movements, he unfastened his bloodstained shirt, revealing dark purple bandages wrapped around his ribs.

Sigh. I never thought Itachi would awaken the Mangekyo because of me—and such bizarre flames, too. They just wouldn't go out.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have lost an arm.

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office in Konoha, Lord Third Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped the pipe in his hand. Gray ash drifted into the bronze ashtray.

Uchiha Itachi stood before him.

"Lord Third, that's what happened. Shisui tried to incite an internal conflict within the Uchiha Clan."

Uchiha Itachi recounted everything that had just happened, leaving nothing out.

Lord Third Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes slightly. His wrinkled hand rubbed the pipe as smoke swirled in front of him. "Itachi, you've worked with Shisui for years. He's always dedicated himself to maintaining peace between Konoha and the Uchiha. Why would he suddenly...?"

Itachi didn't understand Shisui's actions either. Shisui had been the one to teach him about the Will of Fire, guiding him through endless shuriken practice beneath the cherry trees in the clan compound. And when Itachi had been lost after losing control of his Sharingan's power, Shisui had firmly told him, "Protecting Konoha means protecting the Uchiha."

But the Shisui before him now was a stranger.

"I... I don't know." Itachi's voice trembled, something rare for him.

"Ah, Itachi. You may go for now." Lord Third Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand, his aged voice heavy with exhaustion.

Itachi lowered his head and left. He needed some time alone.

Once the sound of Itachi's footsteps had completely faded, a hunched figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the office.

"Hiruzen, the Uchiha have always been an evil clan. If you ask me, they shouldn't be allowed to stay in Konoha. Don't forget the Nine-Tails Rebellion." Danzo had been hiding nearby and had heard about Shisui's Mangekyo.

Danzo shuffled to the desk, his hunched frame stooped. His bandaged right hand absently rubbed the sleeve that concealed the writhing Sharingan beneath it. Greed and malice churned in his murky eyes. "Hiruzen, Shisui awakened the Mangekyo, and now he's trying to incite an Uchiha rebellion—this is a gift from heaven."

His thin finger jabbed hard at the location of the Uchiha Clan Compound on the map. "If we wipe out the Uchiha in the name of putting down rebels, Konoha will be rid of a threat for good!"

The veins stood out on the Lord Third's hand as he gripped his pipe. The embers in its bowl flickered. "The Uchiha are part of Konoha, Danzo. You've gone too far."

"Too far?!" Danzo let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

He'd worked with Hiruzen for years. Did he really not know what Hiruzen was like?

Self-righteous and hypocritical. That was all.

"Danzo, leave this alone for now. Itachi will give us an explanation." The Lord Third sat down slowly and rubbed his brow, exhausted.

"Hmph!" This was what Danzo despised most about Hiruzen.

As the leader of a village, he was indecisive and lacked the resolve of a ruler.

If he were Hokage...

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" Knowing the matter was settled, Danzo turned to leave, sweeping his sleeve behind him.

"Danzo, I'm the Hokage." The Lord Third's voice was low, yet carried unquestionable authority. He struck his pipe hard against the ashtray, scattering tiny sparks. "Until we uncover the truth, you will not take any action against the Uchiha without my approval."

At those words, Danzo trembled with rage.

Hokage, Hokage. If you hadn't beaten me to it, would Teacher Tobirama have chosen you as Hokage?

At a street corner in Konoha, Uchiha Ao followed Shisui to the shop he'd mentioned.

Warm yellow lanterns swayed beneath the eaves, stretching and shortening their shadows.

Shisui ordered two skewers of Three-Color Dango with practiced ease. The sweet scent of red bean paste mingled with the soft fragrance of glutinous rice.

"They're nothing special." Uchiha Ao took a bite and deliberately frowned as he gave his verdict.

He didn't actually like sweets. He usually saved them for Sister Izumi.

"You're still as stubborn as ever, Ao-kun." Shisui twirled the bamboo skewer in his hand, fine lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes. "You were eating faster than me just now."

When they'd finished the dango, Shisui got up and ordered a few more skewers.

"Eating too many sweets is bad for you." Uchiha Ao frowned even harder when Shisui returned with three more skewers.

"It's fine. This might be the only time I get to enjoy them without a care. I probably won't get another chance." Shisui's words suddenly weighed down the air between them.

"Fine. I'll keep you company this once." Uchiha Ao couldn't help feeling sorry for Shisui.

In the original story, among the Mangekyo users, Shisui was the only one who truly cared about his clan. The others were either busy killing their brothers or constantly going on about creating a world with Rin in it.

"Shisui, I want to change the Uchiha Clan."

[ Ding, main quest triggered: Restore the Glory of the Uchiha, It's Our Duty! ]