Konoha, beside the Ninja Academy training field.
Hyuga Tokuma glanced at the boy next to him and asked,
"What's wrong, Yun? Did you eat something bad?"
Yun rubbed his stomach and shook his head,
"No, just feeling a little off."
Beside them, Izumi looked at her older brother and asked,
"Do you want to go home and rest? I can ask the teacher for leave on your behalf."
Yun smiled and ruffled her hair,
"It's fine, it only lasted a moment. By the way, why isn't Hana here today?"
Tokuma answered,
"I heard something's wrong with her dog. Had the runs or something, so..."
"So Big Sis Hana needs to take care of the dog?" Izumi wrinkled her nose.
Peaceful time at the Ninja Academy passed quickly. After catching up on some sleep, Yun quietly left a Shadow Clone in his place and snuck away in the afternoon.
On the mountain behind the Hokage Rock, Yun touched his abdomen again. His Clone, "Ku," was sharing all its experiences with him in real-time.
This meant all the confusion he had felt earlier about Obito… was now in Yun's mind as well.
Even though he didn't really care about following the "canon" storyline, when unexpected events started piling up, they introduced a lot of unpredictable factors.
Based on what he inherited from Minato, his lightning-fast neural reflexes, Obito shouldn't be able to outreact him. That was proven during the Nine Tails attack.
But now, it was obvious that the moment he used Flying Thunder God, Obito had anticipated his exact location. Both the chain and the Fireball Jutsu had hit with premeditated timing.
And when he reappeared again later, Obito was ready once more.
This couldn't be passive perception; it had to be some kind of active ability.
"Perfect timing?" That phrase had many implications.
"Yun, you're early."
Shisui's sudden arrival broke Yun out of his thoughts.
Letting go of his half-formed suspicions, Yun smiled:
"Don't be so serious. If everything goes smoothly, we can start tomorrow."
Shisui shook his head slightly, then formed hand seals. Four defensive barriers sprang up around them.
Only after confirming the seals did Shisui speak:
"We need to be cautious, even in seemingly safe places. There are still many in the clan who don't understand our intentions."
Yun looked around at the barrier and nodded.
"That's exactly why we need your eye. Not all Uchiha are madmen. Kids like Sasuke's age shouldn't have to carry this burden."
In truth, with Fugaku dead and Itachi yet to awaken his Mangekyō, if Yun really wanted to, he could wipe out the entire Hawk faction of the Uchiha with minimal losses.
Since Konoha's founding, decades have passed. Most of the Uchiha belonged to the Hawk faction, and many of them were just ordinary civilians.
Take the owners of the Uchiha pancake shop, for example, friendly people. But in clan meetings, it was always the Seventh Elder who made decisions on their behalf.
"Tomorrow? There's a clan assembly in seven days. Let's make it then."
Shisui looked at Yun seriously.
"I've always been curious about you, Yun. From what I can see, you haven't even awakened the Sharingan. Yet you claim that after tomorrow, you'll possess decisive power."
"The only thing I can think of that fits that description… is the Mangekyō Sharingan. If we have two Mangekyō users on our side, the balance of power changes entirely, both in the clan and with the Fourth Hokage."
"You always said I didn't have to explain. But jumping straight from no Sharingan to Mangekyō, is that even possible?"
Yun smiled:
"You know how it works. The Sharingan awakens under emotional trauma, when someone loses something important, their visual cortex triggers a unique response."
"That very power stimulates the birth of the Sharingan.Bloodline limits… they're really just genetic disorders. Recessive traits, mutated energy, unstable reactions. So which one do you think I am?"
Shisui shook his head.
"I don't know. But over the past two years, everything you've said has made me understand a lot. So I'm willing to believe in you."
Yun looked ahead, gazing through the trees at the village below the Hokage Rock.
To be honest, all he ever wanted at first was simply to survive in this terrifying world.
If possible, he just wanted a happy life, farm in Konoha, and not to become a ninja. When Pain invades, die, and get revived, then hang off a tree dreaming, wake up, and farm again.
"You believe me? This kind of power appears in someone like you… you must be a descendant of Uchiha Kagami."
Yun turned to Shisui:
"The Fourth Hokage trusting you probably had a lot to do with your heritage too."
Shisui exhaled softly, sidestepping the comment.
"Then… the clan meeting in seven days, join me, Yun."
With that, Shisui vanished using Body Flicker. The surrounding barriers dissolved.
Beneath the night sky, Yun stood atop the Hokage Rock, gazing at the village below.
Konoha had already changed significantly because of him. Thankfully, all changes were moving in the right direction.
And if tonight's third trade succeeded, then whether it was the Rinnegan or the Mangekyō, the internal issues of the Uchiha could be resolved in one fell swoop.
After that…
'Namikaze Minato, Fourth Hokage, please, don't let me down.'
People who become Hokage are never truly kind-hearted. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, when the Second Hokage died, how many dirty tactics were used in the succession and consolidation of power? No one knows for sure even now.
Yun's gaze dropped to the base of the Hokage Building.
The roots that nourish the great tree always dwell in darkness, but ironically, they are also often the purest part.
Konoha, Root Division.
"That's all he said?"
Danzo's voice echoed coldly.
Kneeling below, the Root ninja responded:
"Uchiha Shisui is extremely vigilant. Even my summoned beast was blocked by his barrier."
Danzo set down the report, his eyes dark.
"He didn't let his guard down even for a rat? Fine. Dismissed. Keep monitoring Uchiha Yun and Uchiha Shisui."
As the shadowy figure disappeared, Danzo gripped the scroll tightly.
"So it begins tomorrow?"
''If all goes well'.... Is Uchiha Yun more talented than Itachi? Why does Shisui keep talking to him? What are they plotting with such caution?'
'I must accelerate my plan. The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan must be held by Konoha, by me.'
'Hiruzen… you're too soft. Be it the Nine Tails or the Uchiha, any power not under control is unstable.'
'Only if I become Hokage... can I make Konoha great again.'