Konohagakure — Hokage Office
Standing straight as a blade in the center of the room, Uchiha Shisui looked like the ideal shinobi—calm posture, clear eyes, and that unmistakable devotion to Konoha shining through him.
Across the desk, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, studied him… and smiled.
Perfect.
Truly perfect.
The Uchiha had crushed the Hidden Mist's main force.
And the glory had flowed—neatly, cleanly—into Shisui's hands.
Exactly as planned.
Now Shisui's reputation no longer lagged behind Uchiha Fugaku's. And with Namikaze Minato rising like a comet—plus pillars like Orochimaru and Jiraiya still holding up the village's strength—Konoha's "face" looked strong again.
Of course, the price of the war had been brutal.
Hiruzen's brows tightened for a moment—
Then he thought of Minato, and the knot loosened.
Even if he stepped down, he could still steer the village from the shadows.
Hiruzen lifted his pipe, took a slow draw, and finally spoke.
"Shisui. You performed exceptionally well."
"This… was my duty," Shisui replied, voice steady. He took a breath, then continued, "Lord Third, the Uchiha did not fail Konoha's expectations. I hope the village will reward the clan appropriately."
"It will," Hiruzen said smoothly, exhaling a ribbon of smoke. "With you among the Uchiha, I can rest easy."
His eyes softened a fraction, as if recalling an old friend.
"Seeing you reminds me of Uchiha Kagami."
The name carried weight.
"Kagami had a strong Will of Fire," Hiruzen said quietly. "He devoted his life to Konoha and contributed greatly to the village."
Then his gaze sharpened again—gentle, but unmistakably pointed.
"I hope you will inherit that will."
Shisui's expression didn't waver.
"Yes." He nodded once, firm. "Lord Third, I will continue to do my best."
"Good." Hiruzen's satisfaction showed in his eyes.
Then, without warning, he changed the subject.
"Do you know Uchiha Leon?"
"Leon?" Shisui blinked, then seemed to place the name. "He joined the Konoha Military Police Force, didn't he?"
He did know Leon.
Back then, Leon had been mentioned in the same breath as Hatake Kakashi—an Academy monster, a Chūnin Exams standout.
But after Leon entered the Police Force, he'd… slipped out of everyone's focus.
Shisui's own rise during the war had been so fast that Leon became a distant memory.
"Yes," Hiruzen said, taking another drag. "He's with the Police."
He paused, letting the smoke hang between them.
"I want you to assess him. See whether he has the ability to qualify as Jōnin."
Shisui's eyes lifted slightly.
Hiruzen continued, tone almost warm.
"He's a talented boy. I don't want him wasting away in the Police Force."
For a rare moment, the old man even looked like someone who genuinely hated seeing potential squandered.
In truth, it was a late decision.
He simply wanted to confirm something.
Was Leon really the same boy Hiruzen had been watching through the Crystal Ball—someone who had poured everything into taijutsu and neglected everything else?
"Jōnin-level…" Shisui murmured.
He nodded slowly, thoughtful.
And because Shisui genuinely believed in the Will of Fire, the real intention never even crossed his mind.
This wasn't "cherishing talent."
It was containment.
Hiruzen didn't want another unpredictable Uchiha genius growing in the dark.
"Understood," Shisui said at last. "I'll find time to test him."
"Excellent." Hiruzen exhaled a thicker cloud of smoke, satisfied. "Test him whenever you like. I'll observe with the Telescope Technique."
"If Leon truly has Jōnin ability," Hiruzen added, "then Konoha gains another Jōnin."
"Of course," Shisui said, bowing slightly. "I'm free right now, actually. And I've been curious about our clan's 'genius' for a while."
Hiruzen tilted his pipe toward the door—permission.
—Whoosh—
Shisui vanished in a blur, leaving the office empty again.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
Once Shisui confirms Leon… it'll be time to push Minato into the seat.
He didn't say it aloud, but the logic was simple.
Konoha had "won" the Third Shinobi World War.
Yet the losses were catastrophic.
People would look for someone to blame. Factions would sharpen their knives.
So Hiruzen would do what he did best—
Step back.
Let someone else wear the title and absorb the heat… while he kept his hands on the real levers.
And even from the shadows, he would never stop watching the Uchiha.
After all, Konoha had been founded by Senju and Uchiha together.
The Senju had already thinned to the point of dispersal. Tsunade—the last major Senju name—had conveniently become Hiruzen's student.
That left the Uchiha.
They couldn't be allowed to rise unchecked.
And the Hokage seat?
That was non-negotiable.
As long as Hiruzen still had breath in his lungs, he would make sure no Uchiha ever wore that hat.
Not if Konoha's leadership could help it.
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