Pulao

In the office.

Big Brother Shinji looked at Uchiha Izumi. The girl who had once been too shy to say more than a few words now wore the savage expression of a vengeful demon. His heart softened...

He stood and drew Izumi's head against his chest. "It's over, Izumi. It's all over... I'm sorry. I came up with the plan, but I never imagined Itachi would hurt you to make it more convincing. I didn't think it through."

"I'm sorry, Izumi."

Big Brother Shinji lifted Izumi's chin and gently pressed his forehead against the sobbing girl's trembling forehead.

"If you need to blame someone," he said softly, "blame me."

"No... no! Big Brother Shinji!"

Overcome by Big Brother Shinji's tenderness, Izumi could no longer hold back. She burst into tears.

She threw her arms around Big Brother Shinji's waist.

She held him tight, as though he were her lifeline.

"Big Brother Shinji, I know everything. I know you saved me. You're so kind, and everyone has pinned their hopes on you. They want you to lead the clan toward a better future... But you used up your own Ocular Power to bring me back, even though it could have cost you your sight."

"It was Uchiha Itachi! This is all his fault!"

"I'll kill him! No matter where he hides in the Shinobi World, I'll find him, gouge out his eyes, and rip out his heart!"

"But I won't let him die!"

"I'll make him look with those eyes and see how ugly, filthy, cold-blooded, and heartless he truly is—!!!"

"I'll keep him on the brink of life and death for the rest of his days, repenting for what he's done. I can do it!!!"

The clover-shaped Mangekyo Sharingan in Uchiha Izumi's eyes spun with a sharp hiss.

"...All right, Izumi. Relax."

Shinji Uchiha patted her back. "Even if you want to make him repent, you need to calm down first. Otherwise, the only person you'll hurt is yourself."

Izumi sniffled a few times and looked up. "Big Brother Shinji... will you help me?"

"..."

Big Brother Shinji met Uchiha Izumi's gaze. She had not calmed down at all; she looked ready to destroy everything. He had no other choice.

"Of course I'll help you!"

Only after he said that did Uchiha Izumi's Mangekyo Sharingan fade.

Relief showed plainly on her face, and the tension left her body.

"..."

Shisui watched, his expression deeply conflicted.

For a moment...

For a moment, he truly thought the fears of Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, and the others were not entirely unfounded...

When a terrible shock awakened their eyes, members of the Uchiha Clan really could go mad. They really could make choices and do things utterly at odds with reason and with who they had been!

Big Brother Shinji looked at Izumi, who sat quietly on the bed with her arms wrapped around her knees and her eyes lowered. After some thought, he took out a mask and offered it to her.

It was a mask that left only the eyes exposed, entirely Haku... no, bone-white.

A large character for "Pu" was written across it.

Uchiha Izumi studied the mask, then looked up at Big Brother Shinji in confusion. "Big Brother Shinji, what's this?"

Shisui leaned in too.

He stared curiously at the unusual mask. It seemed to be made of some special material. Could it actually block Dōjutsu from seeing through it?

"Pulao. That's the mask's name. Pulao is a Mythical Beast whose cry sounds like a bell. The name is a reminder to stay vigilant, to keep the warning bell ringing and never forget what must not be forgotten."

Big Brother Shinji put it gently. "Izumi, you can't move around Konoha as Izumi anymore. After all... you're dead."

"I'm giving you this mask to remind you of that. From now on, stay by my side."

Shisui was baffled. "Pulao? What kind of Mythical Beast is that? I've never heard of it."

Izumi reached out with a pale hand and took the mask. Tears ran down her cheeks again as she stared at the character for "Pu." After a long while, she no longer hesitated.

She placed the mask firmly over her face.

"Uchiha Izumi is dead... From now on, my name is Pulao!"

Knock, knock!

Shisui's eyes sharpened. He rose and called, "Who is it?"

"Chief, the Hokage is here!"

Shisui looked down at Big Brother Shinji. Shinji Uchiha met his gaze and nodded.

"Show him in!"

"Yes!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi had left the Uchiha Clan Compound, and everything in the village seemed normal. Still, his unease had driven him to the Konoha Military Police Force.

He needed to see Shinji Uchiha with his own eyes before he could rest easy!

But...

As he neared the chief's office, he heard Shisui and Big Brother Shinji talking. He stopped without thinking and listened.

"The children of the clan must attend the Ninja Academy!"

"After the New Year, when the new students enroll, every child of the right age must go! This isn't about humiliating the Uchiha. It's about showing the village, showing the Third Hokage, that the Uchiha truly are becoming part of it. The Hokage's faction may not understand me. Fine. I'll prove it through my actions!"

Outside the door.

Hiruzen Sarutobi held his breath and listened intently.

Big Brother Shinji intended to send every child of the right age to the Ninja Academy?

That was a good thing!

But...

Can I still believe what he says?

Shisui's troubled voice came from inside. "But everyone is against it. In the past, we drew lots to choose one child to attend school. That's how it's always been. The rest trained within the clan..."

"And now that the Uchiha have complete control of the Konoha Military Police Force, everyone wants their children to join it when they grow up. They don't want the next generation involved with the village at all. They don't believe the village's school can teach them anything about the Uchiha legacy, either..."

Outside the door.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened.

The Uchiha really are evil by nature!

Bang!

Big Brother Shinji slammed his hand on the desk. "Nonsense! How stupid can you be? Why do you think I've done all this? I did it for the clan and for the village!"

"Do you really think I enjoy fighting for power?! If that were what I wanted, I could rule the Land of Grass or the Land of Iron by myself. Those useless samurai couldn't last a single exchange against me. I could even become a Daimyō! Why would I stay here playing this idiotic game of make-believe with Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others?"

"What I want is to make all of Konoha great again!"

Hiruzen's expression changed again.

Could it be...

Is Big Brother Shinji serious?

If he were only putting on an act, there'd be no reason to be so confrontational and blunt about the village and me...

He's a clever man.

Shisui sighed helplessly. "Then you tell them. I can't do it. Every one of them comes to me asking for an exception. It puts me in a difficult spot too."

"If they bother you again, tell them to come straight to me!"

"Lord Hokage? What are you doing here?"

A woman's voice rang out suddenly. The office fell silent at once, as though those inside feared a secret might have been overheard.

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned.

He gave the pretty kunoichi, who was blinking her wide eyes at him in curiosity, an awkward smile.

"I'm here to see your chief."

"Oh. Would you like me to announce you?"

"No, no need!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand stiffly. "I'll go in myself. Get back to your work!"

"Oh—"

Clutching a stack of documents, the kunoichi gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a suspicious look. She glanced back several times as she walked away, her eyes full of wariness.

Suspicious!

Very suspicious!

Hiruzen could only cough to cover his embarrassment before knocking on the office door.

"Come in!"