Uchiha grounds.The clan courtyard was quiet, sunlight filtering through the trees.
Yoru sat across from Itachi, his expression unusually serious.
"Itachi," he asked calmly, "do you know where the name Konoha comes from? Or why this land is called the Land of Fire? Why our leader is called the Hokage?"
Itachi blinked, clearly caught off guard.
"I… don't," he admitted.
Even Shisui frowned slightly. He realized he couldn't answer either.
Yoru noticed their confusion. Something unreadable flickered briefly in his eyes, but his expression quickly settled into solemn conviction.
"Then listen carefully."
"The First Hokage used Wood Release to bring stability to a land torn apart by constant war. That is where the name Hidden Leaf comes from. But he did not do it alone."
He looked directly at Itachi.
"The Uchiha stood beside the Senju. Together, they ended the Warring States era and laid the foundation for the Five Great Nations."
Shisui stiffened.
"Yoru… that history is usually avoided."
Yoru shook his head.
"Why? Are we supposed to pretend our ancestors didn't exist?" he asked quietly. "Mistakes can be judged. Achievements should not be erased."
He continued, voice steady.
"During the Warring States era, civilians and shinobi rarely lived past thirty. Children were sent to battle at five or six years old. Today, even in wartime, shinobi usually don't fight until they're ten. Average lifespans have risen well beyond fifty."
"That change didn't happen by accident," Yoru said. "It happened because Senju and Uchiha ended that era together."
Itachi's eyes widened, as if a door had opened in his mind.
"Konoha exists because of Wood Release," Yoru continued. "But the title Hokage comes from fire."
He placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder.
"The true Will of Fire is this. Uchiha fire ignites the Senju's forest. The leaves burn, the flames spread, and new life grows from the ash."
He spoke the old phrase softly.
"Where leaves dance, fire endures. Its light protects the village and nurtures the next generation."
Both Itachi and Shisui felt something stir in their chests. Not fanaticism. Not blind loyalty.
Hope.
"The Will of Fire," Yoru said, "was never meant to exclude the Uchiha. It was built on us."
Itachi nodded slowly, eyes shining.
"I understand now," he said. "Konoha exists because Senju and Uchiha protected everyone together."
Shisui hesitated. Something about the framing felt different from what he'd been taught, yet… nothing Yoru said was false.
Yoru continued, his tone turning more somber.
"When Konoha became strong, other nations formed to protect themselves. Peace followed, but it was fragile."
"Then came the disagreement."
Itachi leaned forward. "A disagreement?"
"The Senju believed peace should be preserved, even if it meant compromise. To prevent imbalance, the tailed beasts were distributed."
"And the Uchiha?" Itachi asked.
"They believed peace built on balance alone would fail," Yoru said. "They believed lasting peace required overwhelming strength. Unite the world once, endure the pain, and end war forever."
Silence fell.
Shisui lowered his gaze. He knew this history. He had always believed the Uchiha were wrong.
But now…
"The Senju path led to three great wars," Yoru said quietly. "The Uchiha path was never tried."
Neither choice looked clean anymore.
Shisui's thoughts spiraled.If the Senju were right, why had war returned again and again?If the Uchiha were right, how much blood would their path have demanded?
Meanwhile, six-year-old Itachi reached a simpler conclusion.
"So the Will of Fire means protecting the weak," he said earnestly. "That's what the Uchiha were doing."
Yoru smiled.
"That's a good understanding."
He ruffled Itachi's hair, laughing lightly.
"You're still young. You don't need to solve the world today. Graduate from the Academy. Grow strong. Protect the village in your own way."
Itachi nodded, determination burning in his eyes.
"I will."
Shisui, however, remained silent. His mind raced.
If villages were just nations in miniature…If clans were just smaller powers competing for influence…
Then the Uchiha weren't being feared because of the Nine-Tails alone.
They were being feared because of what they represented.
"Shisui," Yoru said casually, clapping him on the shoulder. "You're overthinking it. Make sure you train Itachi well."
Shisui forced a smile.
"I will."
Three Uchiha stood in the courtyard.
One planted seeds.One questioned the past.One dreamed of a future without borders.
None of them noticed how far their paths had already begun to diverge.