The Great Elder's Invitation

Naka River.

"Clang, clang! Clang..."

Mo swept his kunai sideways, knocking aside the short blade Shisui had slashed at him with. Sparks scattered as his other hand suddenly grabbed for Shisui's hair. Shisui's eyes shifted, and he followed the motion by raising his short blade toward Mo's wrist. But in the next instant, the hand reaching for Shisui's head abruptly withdrew, and the blade cut through empty air, grazing past Mo's fingers.

"A feint?! Damn..."

Before Shisui could finish the thought, a powerful side kick slammed fiercely into his abdomen.

"Urgh!"

Shisui's pupils trembled violently as his body folded like a shrimp. It felt as though he was about to vomit his bile, and he was instantly sent flying.

"Bang!"

His back crashed heavily against a large tree before he fell to the ground, making the entire trunk shudder.

Mo did not press the attack. Instead, he shook his head and said, "Your swordsmanship relies too heavily on the Sharingan. Without its dynamic vision and predictive ability, you can be deceived far too easily. Remember this: first learn to actively observe during battle, then use the Sharingan to strengthen that perception. We'll stop here for today. From now on, you're not allowed to use the Sharingan when practicing swordsmanship either."

Shisui rubbed his head and nodded, while Mo walked to one side and sat cross-legged, beginning his own training.

His Bloodline Limit involving the fusion of Fire and Lightning Release was temporarily at a standstill, but Mo still had other training tasks.

His innate talent might have been considered exceptional compared to ordinary people, but against geniuses on Shisui and Kakashi's level, Mo knew he fell far short.

The reason he had attained such strength at the age of ten was not solely due to the abilities granted by the Seven-Colored Lotus. His own effort was just as important.

Increasing proficiency and unlocking abilities could raise Mo's stats, but fundamental techniques, practical combat ability, taijutsu, and even genjutsu were things he had to learn himself.

Yet precisely because the Seven-Colored Lotus could lighten his burden while quantifying the results of his training, his cultivation efficiency was twice as high for half the effort.

According to the training plan Mo had set for himself, today's focus was genjutsu.

He took out a scroll he had prepared in advance from his ninja tool pouch, spread it on the ground, and began studying it carefully.

Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique. This was an A-rank genjutsu that relied on the Sharingan, essentially a weaker version of Tsukuyomi. Orochimaru had been defeated by Itachi using this technique and subsequently left Akatsuki.

Its manifestation was similar to Tsukuyomi's. The caster constructed a mental world in which captured enemies felt as though their bodies had been pierced by massive iron stakes. While suffering excruciating pain, they were unable to move freely, and smaller iron stakes likewise restrained their limbs. It was one of the genjutsu with the strongest mental attacks among conventional illusions.

The sun slanted westward, and it was time for lunch again.

The two headed home together. Yet as soon as they returned to the clan compound, a middle-aged man with short brown hair, narrowed eyes, and a dark blue long robe jogged over to them.

Seeing this, the two slowed to a stop. Once he arrived before them, Shisui asked, "Uncle Yashiro, what is it?"

Uchiha Yashiro, thirty-two years old, was a jonin and a pillar of the clan's hardliners. In the original story, after Shisui's death, he was the one who went with Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Tekka to confront Itachi.

Yashiro smiled, raised a hand to ruffle Shisui's hair, then looked at Uchiha Mo on the left. His eyes opened slightly as he said, "Mo, the Elder has invited you to his home for lunch. Today."

Uchiha Mo looked up at the sky before turning his gaze back. "Got it. Shisui, you're coming with me."

Only yesterday, he had dealt Root a resounding slap. Given Danzo's petty nature, he was probably close to going mad with rage. Shisui could not stray too far from him now, or Mo feared that rabid dog might do something outrageous.

"Huh? I'm going too? Is that appropriate?" Shisui pointed at himself and looked at Uchiha Yashiro in confusion.

"Hahaha! Don't worry, the Elder's household can spare a meal for you." Yashiro laughed as he ruffled Shisui's hair into a messy bird's nest.

The brothers' parents had died before Shisui turned one. From the age of five, Mo had taken missions with the clan to earn money while relying on the inheritance their parents left behind to raise Shisui through foster care from one household to another. Thus, Shisui had practically been raised on meals from every family in the clan.

Nearly all the clan elders liked this gifted, gentle-natured child. Added to the fact that he was Mo's younger brother, Shisui had basically never been neglected. Most clan members even refused payment when taking Shisui in, only for Mo to forcefully insist on giving them money.

"Let's go. If we're any later, the Elder will start worrying."

Uchiha Yashiro patted Shisui on the shoulder and walked ahead to lead the way, with the brothers following close behind.

The Elder lived near Naka Shrine, while Mo and Shisui had returned to the clan compound from the Naka River, so the distance was not great. Before long, a pitch-black little house came into view.

Yashiro led the three of them into the courtyard and called toward the house.

"Elder Setsuna, I've brought Mo!"

As soon as his voice fell, steady footsteps sounded from within the house.

Not long afterward, a thin old man with a somewhat gloomy face emerged from the darkness of the doorway. He wore his hair short, streaked black and white. Though he showed signs of age, his eyes remained bright and sharp.

Uchiha Setsuna, fifty-one years old and the same age as Hiruzen Sarutobi, was currently the Uchiha Clan's Elder as well as the leader of the hawks. His position carried considerable weight.

"Shisui came too? Come in and sit."

Shisui returned his smile, then slowly entered the house behind Mo. Uchiha Yashiro turned and left.

The meal Setsuna had prepared was not particularly lavish. Its presentation, quantity, and flavor all paled in comparison to the food Shisui made at home, but neither brother voiced any dissatisfaction.

The three gathered around a small table and quickly finished all the food. Only after draining the final cup of wine did Setsuna turn his gaze toward Shisui and say softly, "Shisui, wait outside for a while. I have something to discuss with your brother."

Shisui looked up at Mo's profile. Seeing no response from him, he nodded, stood up, opened the living room door, and went into the courtyard.

Setsuna placed the wine cup in his hand on the table and looked at Mo's calm face.

"I heard... you awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan? And destroyed all four of Kakuzu's hearts?"

Mo did not answer. His black eyes simply turned scarlet, three pitch-black tomoe resting quietly within his pupils.

Setsuna paused slightly, though his expression did not change much.

He fell silent for a moment, seemingly choosing his words.

"Mo, how do you think the Uchiha of today should treat the Hidden Leaf..."