Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Hiruzen Sarutobi’s Reaction
Shisui Uchiha, after Miyuki Uchiha's departure, didn't even bother to replace his lost eyes with the pair given to him. Instead, he rushed toward the Hokage Tower at full speed.
Although Miyuki had claimed he had no intention of using his eyes to control the Hokage, Shisui couldn't afford to take that risk.
At the very least, I must make sure Lord Hokage is prepared.
With this conviction, Shisui endured the searing pain in his empty eye sockets, stumbling as he arrived at the entrance of the Hokage Tower.
"Shisui Uchiha?!"
The two Chūnin guarding the entrance were stunned when they recognized the approaching figure and his wretched state. This was the renowned Shisui of the Body Flicker—how had he ended up like this?
"I need to see Lord Hokage! Now!" Shisui urged.
"What happened?"
At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen emerged from his office, drawn by the commotion. His eyes widened in shock when he saw Shisui's hollow eye sockets. He had sent Shisui to observe the Uchiha clan meeting tonight—had the Uchiha truly begun their rebellion?
"Shisui! Quickly! Get a medical ninja here!" The Third Hokage ordered urgently.
"Lord Hokage, I have an emergency report. The medical ninja can wait," Shisui said as soon as he heard Hiruzen's voice.
"…Very well."
Seeing Shisui's agitation, Hiruzen decided to hear him out first. He led Shisui into his office and dismissed everyone else.
"Speak, Shisui. What exactly happened?" The Third Hokage's voice was heavy, his mind bracing for the worst.
Taking a deep breath, Shisui recounted everything that had transpired that night—how Miyuki Uchiha had taken his eyes and, more importantly, their ability. He withheld nothing.
The more Hiruzen listened, the graver his expression became. Truthfully, he had already prepared himself for the Uchiha clan's full-scale rebellion, but the information Shisui brought was far more alarming.
"Miyuki, huh…"
At some point, Hiruzen had lit his pipe. He exhaled a long stream of smoke, his mind recalling the young Uchiha's figure.
From what he remembered, Miyuki Uchiha, a shinobi who had earned great merit during the Third Shinobi World War, had never been as arrogant as most of his clan. Unlike Shisui, he was more reserved, a lone wolf by nature. However, the "gentle enforcement" policies he implemented in the Konoha Military Police Force had been well received by the villagers, significantly easing tensions between the Uchiha and the rest of the village.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had once believed that Miyuki Uchiha was like his former comrade, Kagami Uchiha—an Uchiha who truly embodied the Will of Fire. He never expected that Miyuki harbored such a hidden scheme. And now, that very man possessed not just one, but two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Hokage-sama, you must be careful! Don't give Miyuki any opportunity to strike!" Shisui Uchiha warned urgently.
"I understand, Shisui. Don't worry—the situation hasn't reached the worst possible outcome yet," Hiruzen said, exhaling a puff of smoke as he tried to reassure him. "For now, go get your eyes replaced."
"Hokage-sama!" Shisui protested anxiously.
"Even if he uses your eyes to control me, his plan won't succeed." Hiruzen placed a firm hand on Shisui's shoulder. "Shisui, you must understand—what makes a Hokage isn't just power. It's the trust and recognition of the entire village. If Miyuki thinks controlling me means controlling Konoha, then he is gravely mistaken."
"…Hokage-sama…" Hiruzen's words made Shisui choke up. Clenching his fists, he nodded firmly. "I understand! I will stop him!"
—
After Shisui was taken away for his eye transplant, a shadowed figure limped out from the corner of the Hokage's office, supported by a cane.
"Hiruzen, what are you hesitating for?!" The figure's voice was sharp with urgency. Seeing Hiruzen sitting silently in his chair, Danzo Shimura could no longer hold back. "Are you really willing to become that naturally evil Uchiha brat's puppet?"
"Calm yourself, Danzo." Hiruzen lifted his gaze to his old comrade. "The situation hasn't reached that point yet."
"Miyuki Uchiha has clearly been planning his rebellion for a long time! If we hesitate any longer, it will be too late!" Danzo snapped, his patience thinning. "The Uchiha have harbored treasonous thoughts for ages. Now that they know Miyuki has awakened the Mangekyō, they could rise up at any moment! We must act first—capture Miyuki immediately!"
"Enough, Danzo! I am the Hokage!" Hiruzen's voice boomed with authority, cutting through Danzo's rant.
"…Hiruzen! You'll regret this!"
BANG!
Danzo slammed the door behind him as he stormed out.
Hiruzen took a deep breath, letting the smoke swirl in the dimly lit office as he gazed out the window into the night.
He knew Danzo all too well—there was no doubt he would take matters into his own hands, sending his men to eliminate Miyuki in secret.
That was fine.
If Danzo succeeded, then all would be well. If he failed, it would merely be his own reckless action—something that had nothing to do with the Hokage.
Such was the unspoken understanding between them, one that had endured for years.
"…These truly are turbulent times." Hiruzen sighed, watching the smoke dissipate into the cold night air.
—
The next morning, the sun rose as usual.
Miyuki Uchiha awoke, went through his morning routine, and headed to work at the Konoha Military Police Force.
The moment he entered his office and had yet to even take his seat, the captain of the police force, Uchiha Fugaku—who was also the clan head—stepped inside.
"Miyuki, get ready. There's an urgent mission from the village. You, Inaho, and Saito will handle it—you're in charge." Uchiha Fugaku's expression was grim as he spoke.
"I understand." Miyuki Uchiha nodded. He wasn't particularly surprised, though he did find it a bit early for this kind of mission.
"The Hokage's side… are they really this impatient?"
After Fugaku left, Miyuki slowly unsheathed the long blade at his waist. The cold steel reflected his face, his eyes dark and unreadable.
With a smooth motion, the blade slid back into its sheath. Gathering his gear, he took the mission scroll and made his way to the front of the Military Police headquarters, where his assigned teammates were already waiting.
Uchiha Inaho. Uchiha Saito.
Both were among the most promising of the younger Uchiha generation. While their strength was nowhere near that of Shisui or Miyuki, they had both reached the rank of Chūnin before the age of twenty and had awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan.
However, like most Uchiha, their minds were filled with an overwhelming sense of clan pride—leaving little room for anything else. Because of that, they had always been critical of Miyuki's smiling law enforcement approach.
Still, with a mission ahead, the two showed proper discipline and gave Miyuki a standard bow in greeting.
Miyuki gave a slight nod in return.
"Let's go," he said, turning on his heel.