After Uchiha Douhuan left, Uchiha Shisui couldn't even spare the time to install the pair of Sharingan Douhuan had given him. He rushed toward the Hokage Building at full speed.
Even though Douhuan had said he wouldn't use Shisui's eye to control the Hokage, Shisui didn't dare take such a risk.
At the very least, the Hokage-sama must be warned.
With that belief, Shisui endured the burning pain in his empty eye sockets and staggered all the way to the front of the Hokage Building.
"Uchiha Shisui?"
The two Chūnin guards stationed outside widened their eyes in shock when they saw who it was—and in what condition.
This was the famous Shunshin no Shisui, yet he looked like this? What on earth had happened?
"I need to see the Hokage! Now!" Shisui blurted.
"What happened—?"
Hearing the commotion, Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped out of his office. The moment he saw Shisui's hollow eye sockets, he sucked in a sharp breath.
Today's mission had been for Shisui to investigate the Uchiha clan meeting… yet Shisui returned gravely injured.
Could the Uchiha clan already be rebelling?
"Shisui! Quickly! Call for medical-nin!" the Third ordered.
"Hokage-sama, I have urgent intel to report. Medical treatment can wait," Shisui insisted the moment he heard Hiruzen's voice.
"…Very well."
Seeing Shisui's desperate state, Hiruzen brought him inside his office and dismissed everyone else.
"Speak, Shisui. What exactly happened?"
Hiruzen's voice was heavy, and mentally, he prepared himself for the worst.
Taking a deep breath, Shisui recounted every detail of what had happened that night—including the ability of the Mangekyō Sharingan Uchiha Douhuan had taken from him. He dared not hide even a single detail.
And the more Hiruzen listened, the darker his expression became.
In truth, he had already prepared himself for the possibility of the Uchiha clan beginning a rebellion.
But the information Shisui brought was far more severe than that.
"Douhuan, huh…"
At some point, Hiruzen had taken out his pipe. After exhaling a long stream of smoke, he recalled Douhuan's figure in his mind.
In Hiruzen's memory, this Uchiha, who had earned great military merit during the Third Great Ninja War, whose reputation paralleled Shisui's own, had never behaved like the typical arrogant Uchiha.
Compared to Shisui, he was more reclusive and quiet, but his "smiling law enforcement" policy within the Konoha Police Force was extremely well-received, helping greatly to ease hostility between villagers and the Uchiha clan.
Hiruzen had once thought he was like his former comrade, Uchiha Kagami—an Uchiha who carried the Will of Fire in his heart.
He never imagined Douhuan would harbor such a dangerous conspiracy.
And now, the man held not one, but two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Hokage-sama, please be extremely careful! Don't give Douhuan any opening!" Shisui urged.
"I understand, Shisui. Rest easy—things haven't reached the worst-case scenario yet."
Hiruzen patted his shoulder. "Go and have your eyes replaced first."
"Hokage-sama!" Shisui protested.
"Even if he uses your eyes to control me, his plan won't succeed. Shisui, listen—
The Hokage is Hokage because the people of the village recognize the Will of Fire.
If Douhuan thinks controlling me means controlling all of Konoha, then he's gravely mistaken!"
He squeezed Shisui's shoulder firmly.
"So go. We still need your strength to stop him."
"Hokage-sama…"
Shisui's voice choked slightly.
"I understand. I'll stop him—no matter what."
…
After Shisui was taken away for eye surgery, a figure leaning on a cane slowly emerged from the shadows of the Hokage office.
"Hiruzen, why are you still hesitating!?"
The man snapped when he saw Hiruzen sitting in silence.
"Do you want to become a puppet of that naturally evil Uchiha brat?"
"Danzō… stay calm."
Hiruzen lifted his gaze toward his old comrade. "Things haven't reached that point yet."
"Uchiha Douhuan clearly already has treasonous intentions! If we keep sitting idly, it will be too late!" Danzō growled.
"And the Uchiha have long harbored rebellious hearts. Once they learn that Douhuan awakened the Mangekyō, they might rise today! We must strike first and apprehend him immediately!"
"Enough, Danzō! I am the Hokage!" Hiruzen barked.
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"
Bang!
Danzō slammed the door as he stormed out.
Hiruzen inhaled deeply from his pipe and looked out into the night sky.
Knowing Danzō, he would definitely send his own men to assassinate Douhuan.
And Hiruzen didn't mind that outcome—
If Danzō succeeded, all problems would be resolved.
If he failed, then it would simply be Danzō's personal action, unrelated to the Hokage.
This quiet understanding had existed between them for many years.
"These truly are troubled times…"
Hiruzen murmured as smoke filled the office.
…
The next morning, the sun rose as usual.
After waking up, Uchiha Douhuan washed up briefly and headed to work at the Police Force.
He had barely sat down in his office when the captain of the Police Force—also the Uchiha clan head—Uchiha Fugaku entered with a grim expression.
"Douhuan, get ready. There's an urgent mission from the village. You'll go with Inoka and Zaito. You're in charge of the squad," Fugaku said.
"Understood."
Douhuan nodded. He wasn't surprised by this.
If anything, he felt the mission came earlier than expected.
"So the Hokage's faction couldn't hold back after all?"
After Fugaku left, Douhuan drew the long blade at his side. The cold steel reflected his face.
He sheathed the blade, gathered his gear, picked up the mission scroll, and waited at the Police Force entrance.
Soon, his teammates arrived—Uchiha Inoka and Uchiha Zaito.
Both were talented young Uchiha who had already become Chūnin before the age of twenty and awakened two-tomoe Sharingan.
But like many Uchiha, their limited brainpower was entirely consumed by clan pride.
Because of that, both held some disapproval toward Douhuan, who always advocated "smiling law enforcement."
Even so, this was a mission.
They offered him a proper salute.
Douhuan nodded.
Let's go.