But...
Since his rebirth, Haruma had lived as an invisible presence in the Uchiha Clan.
During that time, he had lived through White Fang's suicide.
The Third Shinobi World War.
The Nine-Tails' rampage in Konoha.
The death of the Fourth Hokage, Naruto's father...
Everything had been exactly the same as the original story.
During the Third Shinobi World War, to avoid being sent to the battlefield, Haruma had even deliberately injured himself, breaking both his legs and soaking himself in cold water.
At the time, because he was young, weak, and seriously ill, he had been left behind with the clan.
More than a decade of restraint, transformed in a single day!
Now that Haruma had something to work with, he had dared to put on quite a performance in front of Fugaku.
If he wanted to get more money, he certainly couldn't rely on himself alone.
To get anywhere in the world, he still needed backing.
As for why he had chosen this moment to come clean with Fugaku...
Haruma had his own considerations.
The rampage of the Nine-Tails controlled by the Sharingan, Shisui's sudden death, Itachi growing quiet after joining the Anbu, and the increasing number of people assigned to surveillance.
All of this undoubtedly made the undercurrents between the Uchiha Clan and the village leadership surge even more fiercely.
Faced with this situation and powerless to change it, Fugaku was at the point when he most hoped for a miracle.
Likewise, the prerequisite for gaining Fugaku's trust!
Was this pair of Mangekyō eyes.
A special ability, a clean background, and Shisui's presence!
Only with all of this could Fugaku feel at ease handing over control of the Uchiha Clan!
Taking control of the Uchiha Clan was the first step in Haruma's plan!
Clearly, that first step had gone reasonably well.
But all of this depended on the plot remaining unchanged!
Before this!
Haruma had made no unnecessary moves and had not become that butterfly flapping its wings on the other side of the ocean.
But things were different now!
The sweeping personnel changes in the Konoha Military Police Force!
And Fugaku, who had recognized the importance of money...
Their next moves...
Would undoubtedly cause a major departure from the original story's development.
So even Haruma himself couldn't be sure what changes would follow. After all, he couldn't actually see the future.
That was why Haruma hadn't explained the specifics to Shisui or Fugaku.
After all, both of them believed he could see into the future!
If he made a definitive statement, only for it not to happen...
It would instead make the two suspicious.
But if he only gave them a general direction of events...
Then whatever happened next, Haruma could act as though he had anticipated it all along.
So turning the two into puppets who only needed to obey orders was the perfect approach.
Afterward, he only needed to occasionally toss them a few secrets nobody else knew.
Once those were confirmed, the two would willingly serve as puppets.
Fugaku, who had spent a long time thinking off to the side, suddenly looked up and told Haruma, "I think we can tell Mikoto the truth!"
"Big Sister Mikoto?"
Haruma looked at Fugaku in puzzlement. "Although I trust Big Sister Mikoto to keep a secret, you should understand that the fewer people who know, the safer it is, right?"
"Of course I understand!"
Fugaku nodded and explained, "But a qualified medical-nin needs at least several years of study."
"Especially since the clan's medical-nin are all older clan members."
"Although we could disguise Shisui's face during the surgery, there's still a risk of him being recognized, and the chances aren't low."
"We belong to the same clan, and there's his reputation as Body Flicker Shisui! Apart from children who were only recently born, everyone in the clan knows him."
"So I thought that rather than risk someone else discovering him, we might as well tell Mikoto the truth and have her treat Shisui herself."
At this point, Fugaku said firmly, "Of course! Mikoto would never reveal the secret to anyone without permission! You can rest assured of that!"
Oh, right!
I almost forgot Big Sister Mikoto knows Medical Ninjutsu too.
"That's fine. I also trust Big Sister Mikoto to keep the secret."
Then Haruma gave Fugaku a strange look, his tone somewhat hesitant. "But... do you really want Big Sister Mikoto and Shisui to meet?"
"What are you talking about, kid?" Fugaku looked speechless. "Why can't Mikoto and Shisui meet?"
"Since you've agreed that we can tell Mikoto, it's settled!"
Shisui, who had been listening all this time, also rose to thank him. "Sorry for the trouble, Clan Head Fugaku."
"It's only right."
Fugaku patted Shisui's shoulder, then said to Haruma, "I'll go home for dinner, then bring Mikoto over to operate on Shisui."
Haruma watched Fugaku's retreating back with an exceedingly complicated look.
Bringing his wife to treat his illegitimate son.
That old rascal Fugaku really was easygoing!
Forget it. I've already told Big Sister Mikoto everything I should. Presumably Fugaku will behave himself from now on.
I wonder who Shisui's mother is.
Haruma turned and looked at Shisui with the same complicated gaze.
When all was said and done, the child was innocent.
I'd better treat Shisui a little better from now on.
Patting Shisui's shoulder, Haruma said gently, "Brother Shui, come have something to eat first. Once tonight is over, you'll be able to recover."
With that, Haruma pushed the half-remaining boxed chicken drumstick meal toward Shisui.
Although he didn't understand why his close friend's tone sounded strange...
Shisui still politely said, "Thanks."
When Fugaku arrived home, he was about to go look for his wife, Mikoto.
Then his brow furrowed as he noticed something seemed strange at home.
It was clearly dinnertime, yet the dining table was completely empty. None of the lights in the house were on either, leaving it rather dim.
Realizing something was wrong, Fugaku was about to head to his wife's room when he saw Mikoto walk out of the kitchen with her hands behind her back.
In the dim surroundings, Fugaku couldn't make out his wife's expression right away, but for some reason, he felt a chill down his back.
Looking at his wife, whose aura seemed off, Fugaku softly asked in puzzlement, "Mikoto?"
"Sasuke is eating in his room. I think we should go to the training ground and have a proper talk," Mikoto said softly, her head lowered and her hands behind her back.
The atmosphere was a little strange, but Fugaku also intended to find somewhere private to talk to his wife about Haruma and Shisui, so he nodded. "Then let's talk at the training ground. As it happens, there are some things I need to come clean about too."
With that, Fugaku led the way toward the training ground, failing to notice anything unusual about his wife behind him.
Hearing her husband say the words "come clean," Mikoto's delicate frame trembled, and her face seemed to pale a little.
Tightening her grip on the kitchen knife behind her back, Mikoto followed Fugaku.
The training ground in the Uchiha Clan compound.
Night hung overhead.
The training ground was completely deserted, with only Fugaku and Mikoto, the couple who had just entered, remaining.
"Mikoto?"
"Why are you holding a kitchen knife???"
Before he could figure out the matter of the kitchen knife, he saw Mikoto already rapidly forming hand seals.
The bewildered Fugaku grew even more bewildered.
"Wait!! What are you doing??"
Elite Jonin-level chakra poured forth!
Her blood-red Three-Tomoe Sharingan looked even more eerie in the night!
Mikoto, who hadn't responded all this time, finally spoke.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Claw Crimson!!!"
As Uchiha Mikoto's icy voice rang out!
The flames spewing from her mouth scattered into countless drifting, flame-colored cherry blossoms!
Each cherry blossom trailed a scorching tail of flame as it shot toward the still-bewildered Uchiha Fugaku!
Boom, boom, boom!
As a series of explosions rang out, half the training ground was dyed fiery red.
"It's good to be young!"
Grandma Wang had finished dinner and gone out for a walk to help her digestion.
Passing the training ground and seeing the red glow inside, she voiced her sentiment.