A knock at six in the morning and a list

At the edge of the Forest of Death.

Jin Uchiha hid there alone, out of everyone's sight.

A few blasts of Fire Release burned the corpse's brain to ashes first.

Then he restored it to the state it had been in just before death.

He casually tossed it deep into the woods and left without looking back.

He didn't encounter a single soul on the way.

The moment he stepped through his front door, his urge to laze around came flooding back.

He flopped onto his bed, and the snores followed immediately.

Early the next morning.

He was sleeping soundly when someone knocked on his door.

Jin Uchiha was thoroughly annoyed.

He crawled out of bed with his eyes half shut, yawned, and pulled the door open.

Shisui Uchiha stood outside.

Jin immediately started complaining.

"Seriously, Shisui, don't you ever sleep?"

"Look at the time yourself. It's only six in the morning!"

Shisui Uchiha stood there stunned, unable to get a word out.

He looked at his groggy clansman, whose eyelids were still fighting to stay open.

Then he glanced outside, where the other Uchiha had long since begun training, their figures scattered throughout the clan grounds.

Shisui couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

Was this guy really an Uchiha?

Still in bed at six instead of getting up to train?

He couldn't understand it.

But remembering why he'd come today, he reined in his frustration.

"Six isn't early anymore."

"Even ordinary civilian kids in the Hidden Leaf have to get up at five."

"For lineage shinobi like us Uchiha, the whole clan gets up at four thirty."

"You might not know this, but there's a Taijutsu fanatic named Might Guy who starts training at three thirty."

"Jin, you need to push yourself, too."

"Once we're assigned to teams the day after tomorrow, we might be sent straight to the battlefield."

Shisui spoke from the heart.

His feelings toward the clansman before him were five parts guilt, three parts familial affection, and two parts an expectation he couldn't quite explain.

The two of them had often hung out together as children.

After his grandfather, Kagami Uchiha, died, he threw himself into training, and they gradually lost touch.

Shisui was a genuinely sincere person.

Because of what had happened to Jin Uchiha's parents, he truly considered Jin family.

But Jin's circumstances afterward made him feel he had let Jin down.

It was all his fault.

If he'd looked out for Jin sooner, Jin wouldn't have suffered so much.

That was why he had hopes for him.

He believed Jin was only putting on this lazy act because of the humiliation he'd suffered within the clan.

Once Jin really applied himself, he would surely become someone formidable.

If the two of them joined forces and brought in a few like-minded clansmen, the Uchiha could turn things around, and both the Hidden Leaf and the Uchiha could move toward peace.

Unfortunately.

Shisui could talk until his lips wore out, but it all went in one of Jin's ears and out the other.

"All right, Shisui. Enough with the motivational speeches."

"I'm just a good-for-nothing. Even thinking about working myself to death is exhausting. Lying around feels much better."

"Come inside first."

Jin waved a hand, cutting the conversation off cleanly.

He'd spent so long playing the meek loser and had only just cemented that persona.

He couldn't simply throw it away now.

He stepped aside, and the two entered the living room.

Shisui really had no idea what to do with him. His head began to throb.

He still had a long way to go before he could draw out Jin's drive to improve.

But that was fine.

He trusted their friendship. Sooner or later, he'd get Jin back on his feet.

Pushing down those feelings, Shisui smiled.

"Jin, I've got some good news."

"When Clan Head Fugaku heard about this, he slammed his hand on the table."

"Those few elders from the Radical Faction got an absolute tongue-lashing."

"Starting today, all the mistreatment of my grandfather's former subordinates will stop."

"They'll receive the same resources from the clan as every other Uchiha household."

"The clan has also agreed to repay all the survivor benefits and other supplies withheld over the past few years."

"Start thinking about what you want."

"Oh, and one more thing."

"The old Third heard about it, too, but since it's an internal clan matter, he can't really intervene."

"That said."

"Lord Hokage still plans to take some money from the village funds to compensate those of you who've been wronged."

Shisui's eyes shone as he spoke.

Clearly, he was genuinely pleased with this outcome.

Jin Uchiha didn't say a word.

Looking at how happy Shisui was, he didn't know what to say.

His chest felt tight.

Jin wasn't a fool. Of course he could tell Shisui genuinely cared about him and considered him a friend, even family.

But still... ah.

He sighed inwardly. He really didn't want any of this.

Now that you've gone and done this, how am I supposed to stand by and watch Danzo kill you and gouge out your eyes?

But if I can't harden my heart, I'll get dragged into this whole Uchiha mess.

What a headache.

At the end of the day, he's still a kid.

Well, of course he is. Shisui's only thirteen this year.

In the world of my previous life, he'd just be a little brat who hadn't even started middle school.

What was I doing when I was thirteen?

Copying homework? Fighting with girls in class? Skipping school? Talking back to my parents? Playing games?

His heart felt terribly heavy.

As he stared at Shisui, something struck him squarely in his soft spot.

It was just that the waters surrounding the Uchiha were too murky, and he still hadn't figured out how to navigate them.

Still, it wasn't that big a deal.

If all else failed, he could stab Danzo in the back when the time came, rescue Shisui, and have him "vanish without a trace."

As for all this good news Shisui was talking about?

Fugaku? Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Like hell.

That spiel would only fool a naïve rookie like Shisui.

Forget it. Not worth arguing over.

It doesn't have much to do with me anyway. Might as well get whatever I can out of it.

"I want Izanagi and Izanami, a Tachi, and a set of sword techniques to go with it."

"Convert the rest into Explosive Tags and Soldier Pills."

Shisui stared straight at him.

After a brief stunned pause, he asked, "Have you awakened your Sharingan?"

"No."

Jin answered without hesitation. "Just preparing ahead of time."

Shisui said nothing.

He knew exactly how significant those things were.

But since Jin had asked, he thought for a few seconds before replying.

"I already know Izanagi and Izanami myself. I'll give you the scrolls later."

"I have a Tachi and sword techniques at home. I'll bring them over in a bit."

"The clan head won't refuse the Explosive Tags and Soldier Pills."

"I'll agree to that on his behalf."

Shisui's expression was perfectly calm.

Jin, on the other hand, froze, looking completely bewildered.

Well, damn.

The clan and village barely had to provide anything he'd asked for. Shisui alone was covering the bulk of it.

So the clan could settle the whole thing with a few Soldier Pills and Explosive Tags?

He'd never noticed before, but Shisui was loaded.

Still, it made sense when he thought about it.

Shisui's branch was closely connected to the main Uchiha line.

His grandfather was Kagami Uchiha, after all.

Just as Jin was about to say something else, someone appeared out of thin air in the courtyard.

A masked ANBU shinobi.

"Shisui Uchiha, Jin Uchiha."

"By order of Lord Hokage, both of you are to go to the Hokage Building at once."

"No dawdling. Immediately."