A New Mangekyō
The news was almost too heavy to process.
"What?" someone gasped, breaking the stunned silence. "Are you saying it's too risky for the Uchiha to join the Village?"
Of course it was risky. Everyone knew the dangers of taking in a clan like the Uchiha—but the potential benefits were undeniable. The real question was never about risk. It was about whether anyone would allow the Uchiha to hold political power.
Konoha—more precisely, the Hokage faction led by Hiruzen Sarutobi—would never tolerate it. They had inherited the will of the Second Hokage, who believed the Uchiha were a hidden danger, an evil to be suppressed and exploited before it grew too strong.
From that perspective, only two villages had the courage—or perhaps the magnanimity—to accept the Uchiha: Kumogakure and Iwagakure. For the power of the Sharingan bloodline, many Daimyō and Kage might risk everything. The chance to add that strength to their ranks was worth almost any gamble.
And so, elite teams from rival villages converged on the northwestern region of the Land of Fire.
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The Flight of the Uchiha
On a broad plain outside a small town in the northwest, two to three thousand Uchiha refugees finally stopped after a full day and night of frantic travel. They were exhausted, their faces pale with grief and sleeplessness.
"Clan Leader Fugaku, what is the situation?"
Shisui's voice was tight with dread as he looked at the small group returning from the ruins of the Uchiha compound. Though he already suspected the answer, he couldn't help but hope.
A wounded clansman lowered his gaze and spoke with trembling lips. "They're all gone. Only a few of us survived."
Shisui's body shook, a tremor that came from deep inside. The elder council members—Yashiro, Hotaru, and Genshi—stood nearby, their eyes red and furious. Shisui's own three-tomoe Sharingan spun furiously, a storm of emotion pushing his dormant eye power closer to awakening—but he was still far from a true Mangekyō.
Across the tent, Mikoto clutched her young son Sasuke. The veins on her arms bulged as a searing energy surged through her eyes. She hadn't used her Sharingan in years, not since marrying Fugaku, yet now it flared alive. The three tomoe began to merge, twisting into the shape of a three-winged wind vane. Her vision sharpened to an almost painful clarity.
But no one noticed. Grief eclipsed everything.
---
A New Clan Leader
Shisui took a long breath and forced himself to speak with authority.
"From this day forward," he declared, "I will serve as Clan Leader of the Uchiha."
Yashiro and the other elders nodded immediately. Normally, the succession required a formal meeting and a vote among the elders and elite jōnin, but in this desperate hour, formality meant nothing. It had been Fugaku's final wish for Shisui to lead; no one would object.
Just then, an Uchiha scout rushed inside. "Shisui-nii, Elder Yashiro—Yugito from Kumogakure has arrived!"
"Let her in," Shisui ordered without hesitation.
A third of their clan had perished, including their leader. Yet their ordeal was not over. Only once they reached the Land of Lightning would the Uchiha truly be safe.
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A Message from Kumogakure
Moments later, Yugito entered the tent, carrying an unconscious Neji on her back. Shisui's eyes narrowed in concern as he stepped forward.
"Neji!" Yugito exclaimed as the Hyūga prodigy stirred awake.
Neji opened his eyes weakly, ignoring Yugito's worried call. His gaze fixed on Shisui. "The Uchiha cannot rest. Move immediately toward the northwestern border of the Land of Fire. Stop only when you reach the Land of Waterfalls. The Fourth Raikage will meet you there."
Yugito nodded sharply. "Do as Neji says, Shisui."
Shisui blinked in surprise. He had always assumed Yugito was the leader of their escort. Yet it was clear now that Neji commanded their strategy.
It was astonishing. But Shisui did not question it. After a moment's thought, he simply asked, "I can follow your plan. But tell me—what actions will Kumogakure take?"
Neji closed his eyes and spoke calmly despite his exhaustion. "News of the Uchiha's departure from Konoha is spreading across the ninja world, but no one knows you intend to join Kumogakure. We can use that secrecy to our advantage and send a distress signal to Iwagakure. The Fourth Raikage has already mobilized troops. Ōnoki of Iwagakure may try to accept the Uchiha himself, or at least he won't allow Kumogakure to claim you unopposed. If both Iwagakure and Kumogakure move at once, Hiruzen Sarutobi will be too cautious to act recklessly."
A sharp, clever plan. Shisui understood at once.
Without another word, he gave the order for the clan to advance toward the Land of Waterfalls.
---
The Fourth Raikage Reacts
At the border of the Land of Lightning, the Fourth Raikage burst into laughter as he read the hawk-delivered report.
"That kid Neji has given me a magnificent surprise!"
Even the usually calm Tsuchida, his trusted lieutenant, trembled as he scanned the intelligence: a group of two to three thousand Uchiha was heading for the Land of Waterfalls and would arrive within three days. The message requested the dispatch of elite forces.
Tsuchida couldn't help but exclaim, "The younger generation truly is remarkable! Before the Chūnin Exams, no one would have believed Neji capable of winning the Uchiha over. Yet he has done it. That alone qualifies him to one day challenge for the title of Raikage."
The Fourth Raikage set his jaw. "Tsuchida, I will meet the Uchiha personally. You will manage the village in my absence."
Tsuchida hesitated, then suggested, "Raikage-sama, perhaps have Killer B lead two battalions toward the Land of Hot Water to further pressure Konoha. Take a medical-nin unit with you for support."
The Raikage grinned. "Good idea. I can't wait any longer."
He donned his straw hat, activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and shot out of the camp like a thunderbolt. Tsuchida chuckled and shook his head. "Does he really need to be this excited?"
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Iwagakure Moves
Meanwhile, Uchiha Inaho traveled with two clansmen toward the Land of Earth, carrying Shisui's urgent letter. Their plan was to reach the Iwagakure border post and request aid, then personally deliver the message to Tsuchikage Ōnoki.
But fate intervened. As they crossed the Grass Country border, they encountered a patrol led by Kitsuchi, Ōnoki's only son and one of Iwagakure's most formidable warriors.
"I came under orders from the Tsuchikage to investigate the Uchiha," Kitsuchi said, raising an eyebrow at the unexpected meeting.
Recognizing his importance, Inaho immediately handed over the sealed letter and explained their plight.
Kitsuchi's eyes narrowed as he read. The Uchiha wished to ally with Iwagakure? Risky, yes—but the potential rewards were enormous. He accepted the letter at once. "I will deliver this to the Tsuchikage personally."
Without delay, he returned to Iwagakure.
---
Ōnoki opened the distress letter with a mix of surprise and intrigue. The proud Uchiha asking for help? Their desperation must be extreme.
"Interesting," he murmured, a sly smile forming. "The Uchiha choosing the Land of Earth… this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our village."
Kitsuchi stood by as his father considered the implications. Ōnoki had ruled for over thirty years. He knew that accepting the Uchiha carried great risk—but the potential advantage was far greater.
"This chance will not come again," Ōnoki decided. "Prepare our forces. I will personally lead a medical-nin unit to meet the Uchiha."
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Tension in Konoha
Back in Konoha, the Hokage's council chamber was packed with senior officials and elite jōnin. The air was thick with suspicion.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, for once without his pipe, fixed Danzo Shimura with a cold stare. "Danzo, did you truly kill Uchiha Fugaku?"
Danzo's face tightened, but he nodded curtly. "Hiruzen, do you doubt me? Only I had the ability to eliminate him."
Hiruzen's eyes flashed. He tossed several photographs onto the table. "Then explain these!"
The images, though slightly blurred, clearly showed a masked man during the battle at the Uchiha compound—an intruder with a Sharingan and the power of Wood Release.
Danzo inhaled sharply, at a loss for words. The evidence was damning.
"Who is this masked man?" Hiruzen demanded, slamming the table. "Why does he wield both Sharingan and Wood Release? And why did you conceal his existence?"
Sweat beaded on Danzo's forehead. "I… I don't know. Perhaps a rogue Uchiha. I swear, I have no deeper connection. We used each other, nothing more."
The council members exchanged uneasy looks. A rogue Uchiha capable of such power? Many remembered the Nine-Tails' attack years ago and the mysterious Sharingan that controlled the beast. Could this be the same man?
Hiruzen's voice turned icy. "Then explain this: Yume Ryuma attempted to assassinate me and claimed she acted under your orders. How do you account for that?"
The room erupted in shock. Danzo's eyes widened. He had believed Ryuma died on a mission in Kumogakure. Now this revelation threatened everything.
Slamming his cane to the floor, Danzo growled, "This is a frame-up! Someone is trying to ruin me."
But the damage was done. The council's sharp gazes weighed heavy upon him as suspicion thickened like a storm.
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The fate of the Uchiha—and the balance of the entire shinobi world—hung by a thread.
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