Obtaining Kotoamatsukami

Hearing Qiu Shan Uchiha's words, Shisui felt like a drowning man who had caught hold of his last lifeline. No one wanted the clan and the village to coexist peacefully more than Shisui Uchiha did.

If I suggested that the Uchiha Clan leave Konoha, Shisui Uchiha would probably be the most upset-or the most opposed-even though leaving Konoha was the best option right now.

Konoha was the foremost ninja village, and it faced far too many crises, both large and small. To name just one, in a few years, that wayward student of Jiraiya's would come to Konoha to capture the Nine-Tails. He would open with a Super Shinra Tensei and raze the enormous village to the ground. And the list went on...

So the best course of action now was to relocate the entire clan and leave Konoha. Seeing how cooperative the Uchiha Clan was, the Third Hokage might even hold a farewell ceremony. Once the farewell was over, though, he might go straight to the final step and wipe out the Uchiha Clan with a perfectly legitimate excuse.

Besides, Shisui Uchiha believed in the Will of Fire. He loved not only his clan, but all of Konoha as well. He probably would not agree to that proposal.

So they would have to settle for the next best option. To save his own life and the members of the Uchiha Clan, Qiu Shan would have to ease the tensions between the clan and the village. Only then could he change the clan's fate of annihilation.

With that thought, Qiu Shan Uchiha put his question to Shisui Uchiha.

"Shisui, who do you want to use this Dōjutsu on? Tell me, and I'll see whether you've picked the right people."

Shisui Uchiha scratched his head sheepishly.

"I want to use Kotoamatsukami on Shimura Danzō and our clan leader. That way, we can ease tensions and reduce conflict."

Hearing Shisui's answer, Qiu Shan Uchiha held his head in despair.

"Don't you know where the problem lies? Danzo is only the Uchiha's enemy on the surface. The person who truly distrusts the Uchiha and has the authority to make decisions is the Third Hokage. And within our clan, our clan leader isn't one of the hardliners. He's been trying to reconcile the clan and the village all along, even if he hasn't achieved much. The ones really stirring up hostility are the head elder and his faction. Shisui, you've picked the wrong people."

Who would have thought that Shisui Uchiha, with his immense talent for combat, would be so hopeless at seeing to the heart of a matter?

Only after hearing Qiu Shan's words did Shisui Uchiha realize how naive he had been. He asked uncertainly:

"So I should target the Third Hokage and the head elder with my Dōjutsu?"

Qiu Shan shook his head. "That's not enough. Danzo and the Third are too close. If you change the Third's thinking, it won't take long for Danzo to notice something is wrong. Then there'll be no turning back. Either you, Shisui Uchiha, will be branded a traitor, or the Uchiha Clan will be wiped out. So you have to change at least three people's thinking at the same time for this to work."

Hearing Qiu Shan Uchiha's words, Shisui threw the stone in his hand into the river, frustrated and dejected.

"Isn't there any other way?"

Watching Shisui Uchiha stew in frustration, Qiu Shan Uchiha hesitated. He opened his mouth, then closed it again without saying anything.

Seeing Qiu Shan's hesitation, Shisui felt a spark of hope rekindle in his heart.

"Do you have an idea? Things have already come to this. What could you possibly still need to keep to yourself?"

Faced with Shisui's urgent gaze, Qiu Shan Uchiha thought it over and finally spoke.

"Actually, my Dōjutsu, the Copying Eye, has another ability. It can copy the Dōjutsu of the Mangekyō Sharingan. I didn't mention it before because I wasn't planning to use it. I didn't want you to misunderstand and think I was after your Dōjutsu."

Although Qiu Shan Uchiha felt guilty about deceiving such an honest man, he had no other choice. Right now, Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Dōjutsu was the easiest one for him to copy. Only this way could he evolve his Sharingan as quickly as possible.

Besides, he did intend to help Shisui. Without awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, he would be little more than high-grade cannon fodder, let alone capable of saving Shisui Uchiha's life or changing the Uchiha Clan's fate of annihilation.

Shisui Uchiha had never expected Qiu Shan Uchiha's Sharingan to be capable of copying his Dōjutsu. His initial surprise quickly gave way to delight.

"Of course not! I couldn't be happier. I'd gladly do my part to help the Uchiha Clan survive."

Although Shisui Uchiha loved the village dearly, he loved his clan even more. Even at the moment of his death, he had been thinking of both his clan and the village.

The Uchiha Clan's bloodline was strange. Those who sought power often were not particularly strong, while those who wanted only love, not power, gained strength others could only dream of after losing that love.

That was why the Second Hokage considered the Uchiha Clan evil. Its powerful members-those who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan-had almost all lost someone they loved. In other words, they had all succumbed to darkness.

Seeing how readily Shisui had agreed to his request, Qiu Shan Uchiha could not help asking:

"Shisui, don't you suspect I might be lying to you?"

"Why would I? I trust you. You're my closest friend, someone I can entrust my life to!" Shisui Uchiha gave Qiu Shan a radiant smile.

Deeply moved by Shisui's words, Qiu Shan Uchiha silently swore to himself:

Don't worry, Shisui. You're my closest friend too. I'll save your life, and I'll save our clan.

"Then let's begin, Shisui. I need you to activate your Mangekyō Sharingan so I can copy your Dōjutsu. Don't worry. It'll be quick, and it won't harm you in any way."

Shisui nodded at Qiu Shan Uchiha's words, silently mobilizing the chakra within his body and channeling it into his eyes.

Qiu Shan watched the three tomoe in Shisui's Sharingan spin faster and faster, until they finally formed the shape of a four-pointed shuriken.

He had only ever seen the Mangekyō Sharingan in anime before. This was his first time seeing it in reality. It seemed more mysterious and magnificent than it did in anime, and it possessed a power that seemed to seize his very soul.

Seeing Shisui Uchiha waiting for him with his Mangekyō Sharingan active, Qiu Shan immediately activated his own Sharingan and met Shisui's gaze.

The moment Qiu Shan Uchiha's Sharingan met Shisui's Mangekyō, he felt his own eyes spinning faster and faster. His chakra and mental energy drained at an alarming rate. At the same time, as the tomoe spun, his Sharingan grew hotter and hotter, as though his eyes were about to melt.

Finally, after Qiu Shan Uchiha had expended an enormous amount of chakra and mental energy and was almost unable to hold on any longer, his Sharingan began to slow. The tomoe gradually formed a pattern identical to Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.

At last, Qiu Shan Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan had awakened.