Two Plans

Faced with Uchiha Fugaku's question, neither Hayato nor Shisui answered immediately.

Hayato remained calm, while Shisui's first instinct was to glance at Hayato beside him.

"I see. I understand now." Seeing this, Uchiha Fugaku took a deep breath; in truth, he had only been guessing.

But Shisui's expression was far too easy to read.

Hayato shot a helpless look at Shisui. This kid, why was he so bad at keeping a poker face?

Uchiha Fugaku looked at the two of them, his eyes already transformed into crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan, the three tomoe spinning wildly until they merged into a complex pattern.

"Mangekyo!"

Shisui's eyes widened, his gaze fixed on Fugaku's eyes in utter shock.

Smack!

Hayato covered his face and slapped the back of Shisui's head. This kid, did he have to say it out loud like that?

"So, are your eyes also capable of seeing further?"

As Fugaku spoke, he walked toward them. Even though Shisui wanted to believe that the clan head would not harm him, he could not help but grow wary.

Hayato, however, watched quietly as Fugaku reached him, then felt a hand press firmly onto his shoulder.

"Your ocular power is highly unusual," Fugaku said softly. "There is no need to hide it; I can sense it. You have awakened the Mangekyo, haven't you?"

Before Hayato could respond, Shisui was stunned. He looked at Hayato, mouth agape, and asked, "Hayato, you too?"

Hayato nodded helplessly. He had forgotten that Fugaku had awakened the Mangekyo long before them and could perceive it much more clearly.

But Shisui hadn't known.

Seeing Hayato nod, Shisui could hardly believe it.

He had always assumed Hayato possessed only a standard Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Only now, after Fugaku's words, did he vaguely recall that whenever he was with Hayato, that ocular pressure had always been remarkably strong.

"When did it happen?"

"Over half a month ago, right after I returned from a mission," Hayato said, looking at Fugaku.

At these words, Fugaku recalled that nightmare-like scene, which remained vivid even now when he closed his eyes.

"The future?"

"The future."

Fugaku asked, and Hayato nodded slightly.

Hearing this, Fugaku let out a long breath, his gaze toward Hayato shifting.

Hayato had awakened his eyes because he, too, had seen the same scene.

Fugaku remained silent for a long time before speaking slowly: "The Mangekyo is the pinnacle of Uchiha power, but it is also a curse. This matter must remain between us; it cannot be revealed to anyone, including the other elders in the clan."

"Understood." Hayato nodded.

Fugaku gave Hayato's shoulder a light pat before turning and walking alone toward the clan compound.

His mind was in turmoil. He was shocked that there were two more Mangekyo Sharingan users in the clan besides himself, and he was equally incredulous that Hayato had witnessed the same future.

Was this a manifestation of the Uchiha's will, or a warning of what was to come?

The Ninja World was vast, filled with extraordinary powers; even deep within the clan grounds stood a stone tablet left behind by the Sage of Six Paths.

No matter how bizarre things seemed, Fugaku was not surprised.

Instead, he felt a sense of powerlessness, as if truth and fate were intertwined. For a long time, he had felt that what he saw was a judgment and a warning from the heavens—or perhaps the eyes of the Uchiha clan itself—directed at him, an incompetent leader.

But now that Hayato had also awakened the Mangekyo because of this future, could it be that this future was warning him specifically through Hayato?

Fugaku paused and looked back at the two figures still standing by the riverbank.

The Uchiha now had two more Mangekyo than the path that had been set.

If so... the end of his choices was no longer a sense of inevitable despair.

He could still take action based on this difference—not by trying to stop the Uchiha rebellion, but by forging a brighter future for the clan.

At the very least, when they were in the Hokage's office, Hayato had shown him a sign of something different.

He would prepare for both possibilities.

Having regained his composure, Fugaku made his decision. If that path were truly possible, the Uchiha would have a chance at rebirth.

And if not, he would simply proceed as he had originally planned.

Things couldn't get any worse than the situation he had already envisioned.

Hayato watched Fugaku walk away, unsure of what the man was thinking, but he knew he had to deal with the Shisui who was still staring at him.

"Let's go. Let's head to my place first."

Inside Hayato's home, Shisui looked at him. "Hayato, I need you to explain this clearly."

He had been trying to bring it up ever since they left the riverbank, but Hayato had kept stopping him.

Hayato picked up a cup from the table beside him, poured a glass of water for Shisui, and pushed it in front of him before speaking, "Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

"Good, then relax your mind. I am going to cast a genjutsu on you."

As Hayato spoke, Shisui paused for a moment, then nodded earnestly.

The next instant, Hayato's Mangekyo appeared, and a violent surge of ocular power radiated from his body.

Shisui, allowing the genjutsu to take effect, saw his expression turn vacant, though his brows furrowed from time to time; it was clear he was struggling to keep himself from breaking free of the illusion.

Seeing that the genjutsu had taken hold, Hayato paid him no further mind, instead sinking his focus into his system panel.

On it were the bitter fruit entries regarding Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu.

[Sarutobi Hiruzen · Regret Bitter Fruit]

[Shimura Danzo · Malice Bitter Fruit]

[Mitokado Homura · Malice Bitter Fruit]

[Utatane Koharu · Malice Bitter Fruit]

Except for Sarutobi Hiruzen, almost all members of the Council of Elders had harbored malice toward him, an Uchiha, while in the office.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu felt that he, a mere junior, was disrespectful and lacked decorum for talking back to Danzo, while Danzo's malice was genuine—he had even contemplated killing him on the spot.

Heh.

These vermin.

Hayato tapped on the extractable rewards for each entry, rubbing his chin as he began to select them carefully.

'Extract Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet (Proficient), Chakra Qualitative Change, Fire Style Jutsu Power Doubled (buff), Ninjutsu Affinity (Beginner).'

After much deliberation, Hayato ultimately settled on these few; the bitter fruits from these individuals were quite ordinary, even Danzo's malice only amounted to the desire to kill him.

It didn't even reach the level of Epic.

Or perhaps, in Danzo's heart, killing an Uchiha clansman like him was simply a trivial, everyday affair?

With only that conjecture in mind, Hayato accepted the doubling effect, and the next moment, countless insights regarding Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet (Advanced) flooded into his brain.

He clenched his fists, the sound of his knuckles popping rhythmically, which left Hayato feeling exceptionally satisfied.

His current chakra volume was quite decent, but... compared to when he sensed the battle between Jiraiya and Orochimaru not long ago, it still seemed to be quite a distance away.