Watching Shisui Uchiha disappear into the night, Qiu Shan Uchiha knew that Shisui was staking his life and his future on this operation.
If he succeeded, the Uchiha Clan would finally escape its predicament. If he failed, the Third Hokage would not dare turn openly against the clan just yet, but he would certainly brand Shisui Uchiha an S-rank Rogue Ninja. There would be no place for him in Konoha, or even the Land of Fire. The village he loved would hunt him to his death.
But there were some things that someone had to do, even if neither you nor I would. Someone always had to shoulder the burden and press on.
Qiu Shan Uchiha had considered doing it himself. But first, he had only just awakened his Sharingan and had yet to adjust to the sudden surge in chakra and ocular power. Second, as far as Shisui knew, Qiushan had only copied one Kotoamatsukami and could not deal with both the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō. Third, although Qiu Shan Uchiha was close to Shisui, he was a typical member of the Uchiha Clan, and both the Third Hokage and Danzo would be wary of him.
So Shisui Uchiha was the only one who could do this.
Besides, Qiu Shan Uchiha had a task of his own. He needed to find Elder Uchiha Ling. Only when both sides abandoned their hostility could the friction between the Uchiha Clan and the village ease.
Just then, Qiu Shan Uchiha heard a notification from the system.
"Congratulations, host. The Dōjutsu Kotoamatsukami has been learned and assimilated. Mangekyō side effects have been reduced, and usage time has increased. The Mangekyō Sharingan can now recover to a limited extent. Please review the details yourself."
At the sound of the notification, the corners of Qiu Shan Uchiha's mouth lifted slightly, and he turned his attention to his Sharingan.
Shisui Uchiha's Dōjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, was so powerful that its recovery period was extraordinarily long. He needed to wait more than ten years before he could use it a second time.
But after the system had learned and assimilated the Kotoamatsukami Qiu Shan Uchiha had copied, it not only became smoother to use, but its recovery period also dropped from over ten years to six months. Moreover, as long as he did not use his Dōjutsu and Susanoo too frequently, his Mangekyō Sharingan could last him almost a lifetime.
Good. Even if I can't get the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in the future, I won't have to worry about going blind. Now that my Dōjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, is ready, it's time to pay our beloved Elder a visit.
The borders of the Land of Fire had been restless lately, with neighboring countries still itching to make a move. As Konoha's leader, the Third Hokage had a heavy workload, so working overtime at an hour like this was perfectly normal.
Shisui Uchiha knew exactly where to find the Third Hokage. The simpler the plan, the less likely it was to go wrong, so he intended to approach him directly. Kotoamatsukami was extremely subtle. As long as no member of the Hyuga Clan stood beside the Third Hokage watching him constantly with the Byakugan, Shisui was very confident he could place him under Kotoamatsukami without him noticing.
Of course, the Third Hokage was no exhibitionist. He would never have someone from the Hyuga Clan watch him every moment. How would that be any different from walking around naked? Ordinarily, he had no more than one or two Anbu squads on standby nearby.
Shisui Uchiha was fast; he would not have earned the title Body Flicker Shisui otherwise. He soon reached the foot of the Hokage Building and stopped. Just as he would on any ordinary visit to the Hokage, he announced in a clear voice:
"Shisui Uchiha requests an audience with the Third Lord Hokage. I have important intelligence to report."
Then he stood there quietly without another word.
Inside the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage was still reading documents at his desk with a pipe between his teeth. When an Anbu reported that Shisui Uchiha had requested an audience, he set down the document in his hand.
Shisui Uchiha only returned to the village this afternoon and handed in his mission. If he's coming to see me at this hour, either he forgot to report some important intelligence from the mission, or something has happened within the Uchiha Clan.
"Send Shisui Uchiha in." The Third Hokage took the pipe from his mouth and exhaled a cloud of smoke.
As Shisui Uchiha entered, the Third Hokage felt briefly dazed, as though he were seeing his old friend Kagami Uchiha. As Kagami's descendant, Shisui had inherited not only his talent but even something of his bearing and appearance.
Kagami Uchiha, don't blame me. I don't really want to target the Uchiha Clan, either, but too few of them have inherited the will of fire. I have no choice. If the clan cannot serve me, then I can only let it slowly disappear, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi thought silently.
When Shisui Uchiha reached the front of his desk, the Third Hokage collected himself. Before Shisui could speak, he asked with a smile:
"Shisui, you've only just returned from your mission. What brings you here at this hour instead of resting? Is there something important? Has anything changed within the Uchiha Clan?"
Shisui Uchiha knew the Third Hokage did not suspect him yet. He knelt on one knee, braced one hand against the floor, and lowered his head as he spoke:
"Lord Hokage, everything is well within the clan. I have a personal concern and have come to seek your guidance."
Hearing that nothing had happened to the Uchiha Clan, the Third Hokage relaxed and asked with a smile:
"What is troubling you? Tell me. I have lived a little longer than you, after all, so I know a little more."
At the Third Hokage's words, Shisui Uchiha replied:
"Lord Hokage, I'm not sure why, but something has happened to my Sharingan lately. I don't know whether it's good or bad, and it has me worried. That's why I came to see whether you could take a look."
Shisui Uchiha's words made the Third Hokage tense inwardly. As the longest-lived Hokage, he had heard of the Uchiha Clan's famed Sharingan for many years. Moreover, his teacher, Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, had told him about it.
The Uchiha Clan's Sharingan possessed far greater power than what they currently displayed. The Three-Tomoe Sharingan was not its final stage. Only the most exceptional geniuses of the Uchiha Clan could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. The legendary Madara Uchiha had awakened those very eyes, and they had been responsible for much of the fearsome reputation he had earned.
Still, he did not yet know whether Shisui Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. But Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi trusted his own judgment. He believed Shisui Uchiha had inherited his will of fire and remained under his control.
The Third Hokage waved to the Anbu waiting nearby, signaling them to wait outside the room. If Shisui Uchiha truly had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he would become a devastating weapon in his hands. That information could not be allowed to spread, and Danzo in particular must never find out.
Before you continue