Yuki Seisui never expected to draw him out.
"This pull… I must be incredibly lucky this time."
He muttered under his breath. Just as he was about to enter the training grounds to test his new skills, a knock sounded at the door.
"Hm?" Seisui froze. Almost no one ever knocked at his door.
Uchiha Haru had his own key. Minato never knocked. And the Uzumakis usually just called from downstairs.
This was a first.
With curiosity, Seisui walked down to the first floor and opened the door, only to see Uchiha Setsuna standing there.
"I've come to give you an explanation."
Seisui didn't react to the formal greeting, knowing exactly what this meant.
Setsuna continued, "We've investigated the matter with Uchiha Renka. It was entirely his own idea—he planned to kill you to force me into a coup."
"And he thought he would become a hero of the Uchiha clan."
Setsuna's eyes flickered with disdain.
There's no way someone like him could ever be a hero.
Even if he had succeeded, Seisui would have killed him.
Even if Seisui didn't act, his granddaughter would have.
In his mind, someone like Renka was just a fool who couldn't tell the difference between a major and minor threat.
Seisui listened without surprise.
He trusted Setsuna understood the power of the Mangekyo.
And anyone who knew the Mangekyo's true power would never do something so foolish.
Just when Seisui thought Setsuna came only to explain this, Setsuna spoke again.
"But this explanation isn't enough."
"There won't be anyone like this to bother you again."
A flicker of murderous intent appeared in Setsuna's eyes, and Seisui noticed it instantly.
"So… you're going to kill them all?" he asked, curious.
Setsuna gave him a long, deliberate look, then nodded after a moment of silence.
"These people are unstable factors; they must be removed early."
"Uchiha Renka was just one of them."
"There are many more like him."
"Killing them will benefit the Uchiha clan—and it's also an explanation for you."
Setsuna's words were blunt, yet the decisiveness was remarkable.
"Just telling me this… aren't you afraid I'll tell anyone?"
"Will you?"
Seisui paused, then shook his head.
"No."
That's why I'm telling you.
"We'll act tonight. After this, there will be no more fools like Uchiha Renka."
With that, Setsuna turned and left.
Seisui sighed as he watched him go.
No matter what, the Uchiha clan had to be cut down.
The difference was whether it would be the whole clan or just a portion.
But perhaps this isn't so bad after all.
Not long after Setsuna left, a masked ANBU appeared before him.
"Seisui-sama, the Hokage wants to see you."
"Alright, I'll go shortly." Seisui nodded.
From the moment Setsuna told him tonight's operation would prune part of the clan, Seisui knew Sarutobi Hiruzen would be involved.
And he also knew the ANBU would arrive soon.
Sure enough, shortly after, they did.
Looking at the walls of the Hokage's office, Seisui smirked.
The steel underneath the wall coverings was exposed.
Even the steel window frames showed signs of being replaced.
He hadn't visited in a long time and hadn't expected the office to look like this.
Examining the surroundings, Seisui realized there were no new marks—these were old ones.
No doubt, this was Danzo's doing.
Now that Danzo was on the Iwa battlefield, there were no new traces.
Why Hiruzen hadn't repaired them, Seisui didn't understand.
Seeing Seisui arrive, Hiruzen sighed.
"You know why I've called you here, don't you?"
"Yes." Seisui nodded.
"It's about the Uchiha clan?"
"Exactly." Hiruzen sighed again.
"A month ago, the Uchiha clan leader asked me to transfer some clan members back to Konoha."
"Then he explained the pruning plan."
"They intend to eliminate members with extreme tendencies."
"That should be a good thing, right?" Seisui smiled.
"It is indeed good," Hiruzen admitted, though worry lingered in his expression.
"This time I want you to watch secretly. If necessary, lend a hand."
"You have enough power without the Mangekyo; handling this situation will be fine."
Hiruzen looked at him.
"What exactly is their plan?" Seisui frowned.
"If I don't know, I can't help."
"They plan to use Uchiha Renka, who hasn't appeared for a month."
Seeing Seisui nod, Hiruzen explained the plan devised by Uchiha Hikae and Uchiha Setsuna.
"Renka accidentally awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, but the awakening amplified his negative emotions."
"He bore malice against Setsuna for not approving his coup. During a clan meeting, he appeared suddenly, furious, and slaughtered those members in front of everyone."
"Then Uchiha Haru arrived and executed him."
"That's their plan."
Hiruzen tapped his pipe on the table for emphasis.
"All right, I'll watch tonight," Seisui nodded.
The plan was solid.
But how will they get Renka's Mangekyo to activate?
Seisui left the Hokage's office and looked toward the Uchiha district.
Tonight will be a bloody night.
He didn't go immediately but returned home first.
Once home, he clapped his hands, disappearing in an instant.
He had matters to discuss with Uchiha Haru, and the bamboo grove was the perfect place.
Before him, muscular Panda Ming was working out intensely.
"Panda Ming… I liked the way you used to be."
"I will become the second Sage!" Panda Ming lay on the ground, training frantically with a ten-meter-tall panda pressing on him.
"I will never be bullied again!"
Seisui shook his head. He had no idea what had triggered this drastic change.
"Help me summon Haru."
Seisui sighed and said it directly.
Panda Ming's body pressed to the ground, then suddenly leapt, clapping his paws together.
Uchiha Haru appeared.
The ten-meter panda that Seisui had used to force the summoning crashed heavily onto its back, almost knocking it over.
"Alright, summoned. Don't disturb me while I train!"
Seeing Panda Ming's antics, Seisui sighed once more.