Shisui (Please Bookmark and Recommend)

A corner of the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Several modest-looking buildings stood here. This was where Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Kagami lived.

Uchiha Obito only had a grandmother at home. Though the village and clan provided subsidies, they could get by, but the word "wealthy" had nothing to do with them.

"Grandpa Tobirama!"

Obito casually pushed open the door and walked straight in.

Compared to the plain exterior, the courtyard within was even more desolate and bleak.

"Is that Obito?"

A hunched old man with a full head of white hair and beard slowly emerged, leaning on a vine cane.

A kind, benevolent smile hung on his face, but a trace of sorrow between his brows could not be concealed.

"It's me, Grandpa Tobirama. I brought a friend today." Obito stepped forward to support the old man.

Though he usually seemed carefree and thoughtless, he was kind-hearted. In Uchiha Madara's words, he was "filled with too much love." That was precisely why Obito had been targeted.

The Uchiha were a cursed bloodline. Most of them were naturally sensitive and more capable of feeling "love."

Yet that "love" became the Uchiha's obstacle.

Because of the Sharingan, eyes known as the eyes that reflected the heart. When their owners suffered a shock—when the "love" in their hearts was destroyed, for instance—the stronger that love was, the greater the power it produced, and the easier it was for them to fall into darkness.

That was also why the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had rejected and even suppressed the Uchiha so fiercely.

They were a clan that swung madly between two extremes.

And at this moment, without exaggeration, Obito was the person in the entire Uchiha Clan who possessed the most "love."

"Oh? A friend?"

Tobirama raised his head, his eyes seeming veiled in white mist as they settled on Qifeng.

Qifeng stepped forward, took out the rusty kunai, and placed it in his palm before the old man.

At the sight of the kunai, the old man's smile froze. The hand gripping his cane trembled faintly, and his steps turned unsteady as he staggered.

"Grandpa Tobirama!" Obito cried out, using all his strength to hold the old man up and keep him from falling.

A trace of pity flashed across Qifeng's face, but he quickly hid it.

At first, he had considered whether he should tell the old man the truth so directly. Judging from his condition, he might very well be unable to bear such a blow.

But Uchiha Kagami was already dead. At most, within three days, the old man would receive the family's Death Notice. Rather than drag it out for three days, it was better for him to know sooner, so he would not be unable to accept it when he saw the body.

In the end, Old Master Tobirama still could not endure the blow and fainted.

Obito supported the old man, tending to him and worrying over him so much that Qifeng felt as though he were surplus to requirements.

After nearly an hour of bustling about, the old man finally slowly woke up in bed.

But the man, already old to begin with, now looked several years older.

Clutching the rusty kunai tightly, he spoke in a hoarse, low voice. "When did it happen?"

"Two or three days ago."

Qifeng had no experience dealing with something like this. He only felt as if a stone were weighing on his heart, making him deeply uncomfortable.

"He..."

"He did very well. He was a hero of Konoha."

Hearing those words, the solemn look on the old man's face eased somewhat. He murmured, as if comforting himself, "Good... good..."

"Grandpa Tobirama—eh, Big Brother Obito is here too?"

A boy dressed in black Uchiha clothing suddenly entered from outside. He froze for a moment when he saw Tobirama's condition.

The old man tugged at the corner of his mouth. With Obito's support, he sat upright and forced a smile. "It's Shisui?"

"Grandpa Tobirama, what happened to you?" Shisui hurried to the bedside.

"Grandpa is fine." Tobirama affectionately rubbed his head.

Obito gave a brief explanation, and Shisui understood the reason. He bit his lip.

The room fell silent.

Qifeng stood to one side, watching the boy. Though young, Shisui seemed quite opinionated. Qifeng was not especially familiar with him.

Uchiha Shisui, Body Flicker Shisui, the future owner of the strongest genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami; a descendant of Kagami Uchiha and inheritor of the Will of Fire.

At the sight of Shisui, some of Qifeng's doubts were answered.

Why would Uchiha Kagami, a member of the Uchiha Clan, go to Kirigakure to carry out such a dangerous mission?

Though Uchiha Kagami had not awakened his Sharingan and did not need to worry about it being stolen, for most Uchiha, the clan would always come before the village.

Only a very small number, people like Uchiha Shisui—descendants of Kagami Uchiha or Uchiha closely connected to him—had been influenced by Kagami Uchiha and thus believed the village came before the clan.

Now, it seemed that Kagami Uchiha and this old man, Uchiha Tobikage, must have shared a deep connection.

"Let the old man get some proper rest." Qifeng said, leading Obito and Shisui outside.

Before leaving the room, he discreetly left behind a sealed oil-paper envelope.

Inside was the money he had earned from missions and work over this period. It was not much, but it was a token of his feelings.

His position was awkward. At most, he could be considered the bearer of Uchiha Kagami's final wishes.

There was not much he could do.

Now that he had conveyed those final wishes, the money was merely to make himself feel a little better.

The three of them walked silently to a small river.

The rushing water crashed against the rocks in the river, sending sprays of water flying.

"Senior Qifeng, thank you for your help."

Shisui spoke first. Obito had not noticed what Qifeng did before leaving, but Shisui had seen it.

Shisui had lost his relatives early in life. To him, the old man was his real grandfather.

Reality was cruel, but Qifeng, someone with no connection to them, had offered help. Shisui was deeply grateful.

Qifeng merely waved his hand. "This is only a precursor. There will only be more and more things like this in the future."

"Yes."

Shisui was mature beyond his years.

Compared to him, Obito, standing beside them with a baffled expression and no idea what they were talking about, was worlds apart.

"Have you started training?"

Shisui shook his head, then nodded.

Qifeng patted his shoulder. "Train well. Perhaps we can't change anything, but we still have to do everything we can to protect our ideals and our loved ones."

Shisui stopped walking and looked at him in surprise.

"I'm leaving."

Qifeng waved his hand. With a flash, he disappeared.

If Shisui did not die, perhaps he really could change the complicated relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha.

As long as he could grow up smoothly.

Having met another future powerhouse, Qifeng felt more at ease.

Konoha could produce one remarkable powerhouse after another. That allowed him to be even more at ease living as a couch potato.

I hope the impact won't be too great.

He only wanted to quietly be a corpse collector while gaining enough ability to survive in this chaotic era. He had never thought of changing anything, nor had he ever wanted to become a hero.

He did not want to die. Especially after seeing so many ninja meet such miserable deaths, he wanted it even less.

For the current Konoha, perhaps all he needed was to reveal a little of his ability to be put to important use and valued. As his strength grew, he might even shine brilliantly in war and become a hero of Konoha.

But think about those heroes.

Hatake Sakumo had not died at the hands of enemies. He had died from the schemes of his own people.

Orochimaru had also been driven step by step toward defection by his own people's schemes. Though that completely freed him, without Danzo, Orochimaru likely would never have gone that far. At the very least, he should not have done so before Hiruzen Sarutobi's death.

Namikaze Minato died during the Nine-Tails' Rampage. Obito had entered Konoha without facing any obstruction, known the delivery date of Uzumaki Kushina, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—a date known only to a few people—and not a single Root operative had appeared at the time. That alone said a great deal.

Uchiha Shisui had one eye stolen and was even driven to his death.

And so on, and so on.

Each of them had been an extraordinary figure, yet all had met tragic ends.

All because Konoha had one man: Shimura Danzō!

Therefore, Qifeng saw things clearly. As long as Danzo remained, if he revealed his abilities, his ending probably would not be much better.

Unless he killed Danzo first.

But unfortunately, Danzo had Hiruzen Sarutobi protecting him.

And it could not be denied that Danzo would play a major role in the coming war.

Being an obedient corpse collector was the safest choice.

Only after Qifeng left did Obito react. "What were you two talking about? Why didn't I understand a single word?"

Shisui gave him a complicated look. "Big Brother Obito, this Senior Qifeng is not simple."