Konoha received two shocking pieces of news in quick succession.
The first was the news of Jiraiya's death in battle.
There is no such thing as a completely sealed wall in the world, and Yami hadn't issued any gag order from the Hokage's office. So, by the next day, nearly every ninja in the village knew about it, and shortly after, even the common villagers did.
Many elderly people sighed.
The Sannin once symbolized that Konoha was rich in talent, and each of them had the potential to become Hokage.
But times had changed. Now one of them had died, one had defected, and only Tsunade remained in the village, barely holding onto that golden legacy. It was also a sign that the era of the older generation of shinobi had fully passed.
The other piece of news, however, was exhilarating.
The Uchiha clan had returned!
When dozens of Uchiha members walked through the streets in their signature robes with the clan's emblem, many didn't react at first. It wasn't until an old man recognized the Uchiha fan symbol that it caused a massive stir.
"Uchiha? Weren't they wiped out?"
"That's right. I thought the only Uchiha left in Konoha was Lord Hokage's student, Sasuke?"
"What's going on? Is this fake?"
"Could be. Someone should go to the Hokage Building and report it. What if they're spies from another village?"
As soon as this was said, many people looked at Yuichi and the others with alert gazes, but also with a hint of excitement.
Spies... weren't they walking 500,000 ryō bounties?
But soon, the appearance of several Anbu dispelled any such thoughts.
Yami publicly issued an explanation.
When Uchiha Itachi committed his crime, some Uchiha clansmen managed to escape. In recent years, to avoid pursuit, they had concealed their identities and lived in seclusion elsewhere.
Now, under the leadership of the new patriarch, Uchiha Sasuke, they had slain Itachi and could return to Konoha in peace to rebuild the Uchiha clan.
With the village's strength increasing, most people were pleased. After all, the stronger Konoha became, the more confident they felt traveling to other villages. That confidence came from having a powerful backing.
Although the Uchiha clan didn't have a great reputation in the village before, people had long realized that no matter who ran the Police Force, things were the same. There wasn't much difference.
After making their presence known, the Uchiha quickly became low-key again.
Trivial matters were left to the elders. For Yuichi and the others, their top priority was improving their strength.
If they had activated Susano'o during the battle with Itachi, they wouldn't have won with such difficulty.
Thus, the most urgent task now was mastering the Mangekyō and unlocking their third power.
Before training began, Yami met with each Mangekyō user to understand the abilities they had awakened.
Yuichi, left eye: Observation Enhancement, boosts the power of ninjutsu. Right eye: Amaterasu.
Yuji, left eye: Guardian, creates a powerful protective barrier strong enough to resist Kirin. It can shield the user or any target in sight. Right eye: Yama, can absorb and transfer life force.
When Yami learned about Yuji's abilities, he fell silent for a long time.
A Uchiha so afraid of death... was rare. What kind of mentality did he have when he awakened those two pupil techniques?
Despite feeling speechless, Yami took those powers very seriously, especially Yama. Used wisely, it could provide infinite self-regeneration or even...
Next was Yushi. His abilities were exactly the same as Uchiha Itachi's: Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu. A standard combo—one genjutsu, one offensive.
Then came Yumi. Her right eye ability, Soul Compression, could twist and compress space, dramatically increasing the speed of the left eye.
Including Sasuke and Shisui, and not counting the clan's hidden talents like Izumi, the Uchiha's power had now reached terrifying levels.
Six pairs of Mangekyō. Such a sight hadn't been seen since the Warring States Period. According to Hikari, even in her time, there were only three Mangekyō among the Uchiha.
They could start steamrolling.
Yami didn't delay. He personally transplanted Itachi's eyes into Sasuke and observed the formation of the Eternal Mangekyō.
His own eye evolution couldn't serve as a reference, as it felt more like breaking through a bottleneck in ocular power.
During the surgery, Yami maintained the heightened perception of Sage Mode and did indeed make a discovery.
If the regular Mangekyō was a round mirror, then that mirror was incomplete, with cracks in the corners. It didn't affect usage, but it always felt flawed.
The complete Eternal Mangekyō was like placing two mirrors atop each other, filling all the gaps and forming a complete reflection.
Yami even tried switching Sasuke's eyes back afterward, but the Eternal Mangekyō still remained.
So, it wasn't the eyes that completed the mirror—it was the host?
Then, if two Mangekyō were awakened by the same person, would their "cracks" be identical? In that case, even swapping them would be meaningless?
With that in mind, Yami gave a subtle look to Shisui and gave him an unspoken instruction.
Konoha's southern district, antique teahouse patio.
More than a decade ago, Uchiha's most promising genius lost an eye here.
Now, more than ten years later, the two former protagonists met again.
But compared to before, Shisui had become much calmer. He greeted Danzō with a slight nod.
"Danzō-san."
"I didn't expect to see you again, Shisui." Danzō leaned on his cane, looking at him with one eye. "I noticed a mysterious presence around Yami a long time ago, but I didn't expect it to be you."
Shisui smiled lightly. "Who would've thought that the one who hated the Uchiha clan the most—Danzō—would have descendants that became the clan's savior?"
Danzō replied with a sneer. "Doesn't sound like you hold much resentment toward me?"
"Not resentment."
Shisui shook his head. "Just stating facts. If there's blame, it lies with me for not being decisive enough back then."
"I should have either directly controlled you and the Third Hokage with Kotoamatsukami, or used it on Fugaku and the clan elders to make the entire Uchiha clan a bargaining chip. That would've been the right move."
"You've really grown, Shisui."
Hearing these "treasonous" words, Danzō didn't get angry but nodded instead. "I admired you back then because you reminded me of my old teammate, Uchiha Kagami. Hiruzen and I never hated him."
"Even the Nidaime respected him."
"But so what?"
Danzō's tone suddenly turned cold. "If Kagami had the Kotoamatsukami, he'd still be a threat. I admit, I coveted your clan's Sharingan, but Konoha had no room for your kind to exist back then."
"There's no need to dwell on the past, Danzō-san."
Shisui maintained his smile. "The Uchiha have been reborn through fire, and now we're Yami's most loyal supporters. You and I stand on the same side."
"I just want to remind you..."
Danzō reached up to his eye socket, gently removing the eye. "It's only because of Yami's existence that you're allowed to walk freely in this village. Aside from him and the Shodai, no one in power would ever tolerate a mountain like the Uchiha."
"So do everything in your power to help Yami gain eternal life. That's the only way Uchiha will have a future."
Shisui accepted the eye and placed it into a petri dish, then knelt on one knee respectfully. "Understood. You don't need to worry, Danzō-san."
Danzō stared at him for a few seconds, then turned and left.
Back at Root, Danzō reported to Senju Tobirama, who had been staying there.
The confidence he showed in front of Shisui vanished. His posture hunched as he carefully approached and whispered, "Sensei, I've returned Shisui's eye to him."
Danzō hadn't had it easy lately. Because of some idiotic decisions he made before, Tobirama often scolded him harshly.
It wasn't that Tobirama believed Danzō had betrayed Konoha. It was that his actions—though well-intentioned—were often counterproductive. That level of stupidity could raise anyone's blood pressure.
Tobirama's only regret was that Hiruzen was dead and sealed in the Shinigami's belly. Otherwise, he would have asked Yami to use Edo Tensei on Hiruzen too. He couldn't be any worse than Danzō.
"You're reporting something this trivial to me?"
Tobirama snorted, put down his pen, and raised his head. Danzō lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze.
"Sensei, I just thought Kotoamatsukami might be a lingering threat..."
"You think too much and do too little."
Tobirama walked over and scolded, "Your vision comes from your strength, and strength defines courage."
"Yami, my brother, Uchiha Madara—they've stood at the top. Their outlook has already transcended the scope of one village or one nation."
"Even if my brother's plan to distribute the Tailed Beasts was a mistake, what he sought was peace across eras."
"I understand."
Danzō responded quietly, but inwardly he muttered complaints.
Why does it feel like... since Tobirama was revived, he's been criticizing the Shodai a lot more?
I grew up listening to his stories about how great the Shodai was...
"If you understand, then stop talking nonsense."
Tobirama's sharp gaze bore into him. "Danzō, remember your position. You and I are assistants now. Yami is the one making the decisions. Don't burden him."
"The Uchiha won't stir up any trouble under his command. But if I find you being arrogant again..."
Cold sweat beaded on Danzō's forehead.
Under the neon lights, Konoha at night was more vibrant than during the day.
People who had worked hard all day strolled the streets or found a bar to share drinks with friends.
Or... went to get a foot massage to recharge themselves.
In the private luxury suite, Yami lay on the bed, face full of comfort and satisfaction.
Beside him, Sasuke, Yuichi, and the others wore the same expressions. Even Yumi, the only girl among them, was no exception.
Who could resist a good foot massage?
"You all should be proficient in using Susanoo and your ocular techniques by now, right?"
Hearing Yami's question, a red glint flashed in Yumi's eyes. The massage therapist went momentarily dazed but didn't stop their movements.
"Yami-sensei, do you have a mission for us?" Sasuke asked, excited.
Now that he had gained a new power, he was itching for a real battle to test his eyes.
"Do you remember what happened with Kirigakure?" Yami asked, eyes closed.
Sasuke nodded.
He'd returned to the village shortly after that incident. Konoha had sent someone to Kirigakure to retrieve the lost eye, but they had been refused.
"I've been tolerating it for years, yet they think I've lost my edge."
"If they insist on testing my patience, then we'll make Kirigakure understand reality."
Everyone stood up, awaiting Yami's orders.
"Tomorrow, you'll set out. Kill the old man named Yagura's advisor first, then retrieve the Byakugan that belongs to Konoha."
"This isn't just a mission. It's a battle to restore the Uchiha name in the shinobi world."
Sasuke nodded solemnly. "Should we destroy the village?"
Since this was meant to display Uchiha's power, it had to be done thoroughly—to make the entire shinobi world see.
"Depends on the situation."
Yami waved lazily. "If the resistance is heavy, then raze the village."
"Don't kill too many people. Just destroy a village. There will be more chances later."
"I understand."
Sasuke grinned. "I'll make Kirigakure understand reality and admit their mistake."
Yuichi and the others laughed too.
Just then, a hurried knock came at the door, which was immediately pushed open.
The manager of the establishment entered in a panic. "Boss, bad news! Tsunade-sama and Anko-sama are here to arrest you!"
"Damn it! Can't even relax for a bit without getting dragged out!"
Yami's face changed. He cursed, stood up, and vanished using Flying Thunder God.
Yuichi swallowed hard and grabbed Sasuke's shoulder. "Quick, Sasuke! Run! Otherwise, we'll get beaten to death by Tsunade-sama!"
(To be continued.)