This plan was entirely his idea. If it succeeded, Elder Setsuna would remain the same as always—the ever-watchful, scheming Elder Setsuna, constantly seeking a chance to stage a coup.
And he, Uchiha Renka, would become the hero of the Uchiha clan.
But if he failed… he might be expelled from the clan, and could even endanger the entire family.
This was unacceptable.
As Renka's thoughts drifted, the sound of Yuki Seisui ascending the stairs reached his ears.
"Taptap."
Seisui's footsteps grew closer. At the same time, Renka's heart pounded violently, his breathing quickened—but he forced himself to suppress it.
Even so, in the eerie stillness, his heartbeat and breath sounded unusually loud.
No… that's just my imagination, he told himself.
Click.
The door opened. Seisui stepped in, eyes scanning the room.
From the corner of his eye, Seisui noticed Renka hidden along the left wall, then calmly sat on the bed.
Renka had concealed himself perfectly. Whether by illusion or disguise, visually he appeared exactly as he had before leaving the room.
But Seisui had sensed the murderous intent and activated his Mind's Eye of the Kagura.
What the naked eye could not detect, Seisui's special perception revealed clearly.
That raw, unhidden malice blazed like a beacon in his senses.
Of course, the Mind's Eye of the Kagura didn't reveal the exact form, so Seisui didn't yet know who this intruder was.
Boredom demanded a bit of excitement.
Seisui was curious to see what this person would do.
Sitting on the bed, he stretched lazily and muttered to himself, "After a long day… time to rest."
Seisui stretched completely relaxed, unaware of Renka's tense gaze, but Renka restrained his impulse to strike, silently remaining in hiding.
Seisui noticed the intruder had not attacked and was surprised.
I'm completely defenseless, and he doesn't strike… is he here to steal information?
But I don't have anything worth stealing.
Seeing no attack coming, Seisui simply lay down on the bed and closed his eyes, pretending to nap.
Yet his awareness never relaxed, staying fixed on the hidden Uchiha in the room.
It seemed casual, but it was tautly controlled.
Sometimes, you never know if something is loose or tight without testing it.
A glamorous goddess might seem polished, but her personality could be lax.
A carefree girl might seem loose, but her character is rigid and disciplined.
Seisui appeared unguarded, but he was fully prepared.
One thought from him could instantly activate Sage Mode.
In Sage Mode, he feared no elemental jutsu or taijutsu.
Because he could not be broken.
Seisui lay on the bed, while Renka still refrained from striking, instead subtly moving to retrieve a notebook from beneath him.
It was a notebook he had found in his hiding place, initially appearing empty—but after flipping through a few pages, his heart leapt.
It was Yuki Seisui's personal diary.
Unfortunately, he had only read two pages before Seisui returned.
Still, he wouldn't interrupt now.
Renka had no interest in mere voyeurism; he sought weaknesses in Yuki Seisui.
The first two pages detailed the Will of Fire and Seisui's understanding of it.
Hopefully the next pages are different…
He silently turned to the third page.
[Reflections on the Will of Fire]
Flipping to the fourth page:
[A rough understanding of the Will of Fire]
Renka's fingers tightened around the notebook so much that they turned blue.
Page five:
[Confused me… what is my Will of Fire?]
Page six:
[Maybe I should explore the village… maybe my Will of Fire is there, but I haven't discovered it yet.]
Impatience rose in Renka. He skipped over several pages.
Page twenty:
[Helped an old woman today, happy.]
Page twenty-one:
[Minato's Will of Fire is strong. He is my teacher. In a trio, one must be my teacher.]
At this point, Renka no longer wanted to continue.
He began to understand why the Konoha leadership insisted Yuki Seisui—despite possessing the legendary Uchiha eyes—should become Hokage, even while being harsh toward the Uchiha clan.
This damned Yuki Seisui was a true devotee of the Will of Fire.
Renka suppressed the urge to throw the diary at Seisui's face and turned to the last page:
[Perhaps I now understand the Will of Fire. The First Hokage's Will of Fire was about protecting family and comrades. The Second Hokage's Will of Fire was about safeguarding. The strongest Third Hokage's Will of Fire was perhaps about dedication.]
[Today, I also understand my Will of Fire—Responsibility.]
[The stronger you are, the greater the responsibility. I will protect the village, my comrades, my family, and everything I hold dear.]
[I will become Hokage. I will lead Konoha along the path of the Will of Fire. I will make Konoha great again!]
[For this, I am willing to give my life!]
Reading the final page, Renka's feelings were complex.
Even though he disliked Seisui, he had to admit—this man genuinely embodied the First Hokage's Will of Fire, unlike the twisted interpretation of the Senju elders.
At this moment, Renka thought, Yuki Seisui is truly the best inheritor of the Will of Fire.
But in his heart, he resolved:
Yuki Seisui must die today.
I said it!
…..
Completed version available on Available on [P]atreon.[c]om/Veltoria [remove brackets]