Land of Hot Water — Daimyō Residence.
Guards stood in neat rows along both sides of the entrance corridor.
They did not even react as two figures walked straight past them.
Only when Sora and Shisui reached the inner residence did a few personal guards finally sense something was wrong. Hands moved toward sword hilts—
The last thing they saw
was a pair of resplendent crimson eyes.
…
"Sora… attacking a daimyō violates the shinobi accords, doesn't it…?"
Sora glanced at Shisui lazily.
"You're the one who kept saying you wanted to kill the Hokage's advisor, and now you're lecturing me about accords?"
"Uh…"
Without slowing his steps, Sora entered the estate.
"You handle it next. Long-term mental control isn't my specialty."
Shisui blinked.
"How do you know my genjutsu can do that? I've never told anyone."
…
The Mangekyō Sharingan was said to reflect the user's heart.
In Sora's understanding, its awakened ability was deeply connected to the user's mindset at the moment of awakening.
In the original timeline—
Years later—
Shisui, desperate to reconcile the village and clan, awakened Kotoamatsukami, the ability to alter another's will.
Itachi, consumed by destruction after Shisui's death, awakened Amaterasu.
Obito, having witnessed his beloved die at his best friend's hands, sought to escape reality—and awakened Kamui.
The initial emotion mattered.
But innate talent mattered too.
An Uchiha like Sasuke, not inclined toward genjutsu, could never awaken the strongest illusion no matter how much he brooded.
Before fully awakening Kamui, even as a two-tomoe Sharingan user, Obito had already displayed spatial distortion traits.
Madara himself had once remarked that Obito's body had not been crushed cleanly by the falling rock—it was as though he had passed through it.
Perhaps intangibility had always been Obito's latent gift.
When the Mangekyō awakened, he simply connected fully to the Kamui dimension.
…
Genjutsu was manipulation of the five senses.
And Shisui was arguably the most gifted genjutsu user among the Uchiha.
Even if he had not yet awakened Kotoamatsukami—
Sora was certain he possessed something similar.
…
"I told you. I've seen the future."
Sora smirked playfully.
"You've got a strong desire for control, you know."
"Don't—don't talk nonsense!"
Shisui's face reddened slightly.
"I just want people to acknowledge me!"
"Controlling them counts as acknowledgment. Forced affection—I get it."
"What are you even saying?!"
Their banter was cut short as the daimyō's personal guards surrounded them.
Like the Fire Daimyō's Twelve Guardian Ninja, other nations had similar protectors.
These three shinobi were from Yugakure.
By chakra level, roughly equivalent to Konoha chūnin.
In a small country like this, that qualified as elite.
…
"Uchiha…"
The fan-shaped clan crest on Sora and Shisui's backs was unmistakable.
The lead ninja—stronger than the other two—kept his composure, but his scalp prickled at the sight of Shisui's three-tomoe Sharingan.
In the Warring States Period, there had been no genin, chūnin, jōnin ranking.
Who gave rise to the title "Hokage"?
Uchiha Madara.
Because of his mastery of Fire Release.
What if—
What if the ranking system beneath the Hokage had originally mirrored the number of tomoe in the Sharingan?
One tomoe — genin.
Two tomoe — chūnin.
Three tomoe—
Universally acknowledged jōnin-level power.
It was suspiciously convenient.
Perhaps Hashirama had simply used the Uchiha's tomoe as a baseline.
…
Other shinobi could pretend to be weak.
An Uchiha could not.
The moment the Sharingan appeared, opponents knew exactly how much force to deploy.
Shisui's appearance was distinctive.
A young man with three tomoe—
The Yugakure shinobi's body trembled.
"Don't tell me… you're Shisui of the Body Flicker?!"
Sora raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"As expected of Shisui-sama. Your fame travels far."
Shisui scratched his nose awkwardly.
"That's embarrassing. Please don't."
Unlike the relaxed duo, the Yugakure leader was visibly tense.
"Why have you invaded the daimyō's residence?! Don't you know the Five Great Nations agreed not to accept missions harming a daimyō?!"
"That's unfortunate," Sora replied casually.
"We're not shinobi of the Five Great Nations."
The Yugakure ninja froze.
…
Are you kidding me?
Aside from the Hyūga and their Byakugan, no clan was more recognizable than the Uchiha.
You're literally displaying the Sharingan and pretending to be rogue shinobi?
At least cover your crest first, idiot!
…
"So the news hasn't reached here yet… never mind."
Sora smiled faintly.
"I don't like killing."
"You have five seconds to leave."
He did not activate his Sharingan; his presence lacked Shisui's intimidation.
The Yugakure ninja snapped,
"What kind of joke is that?! Even if it's—"
He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
Even if it's Shisui, we three can handle him…
That would be a lie.
He inhaled sharply.
"Five seconds isn't enough. Ten."
"We guarantee we'll disappear from your sight."
"What are you saying?! Suiseki! We're—"
Smack!
The leader backhanded his subordinate and dragged both him and the female shinobi away.
Yugakure had been peaceful for years.
It prided itself on pacifism.
In simpler terms—
It was weak and pragmatic.
He knew his limits.
All three together might stall Shisui briefly.
But the other boy beside him spoke casually as an equal.
Why die for a daimyō?
They had already attempted resistance.
Retreat was perfectly acceptable.
The slapped subordinate glanced back at Sora.
"One person… five seconds each?"
Sora nearly laughed.
"Go. Maybe you'll make it in time for dinner."
Shisui sighed.
"I don't want to kill either, but abandoning a mission so easily…"
Sora raised a brow.
"What would you prefer?"
"Charge bravely and die?"
"They have families too."
He smiled faintly.
"Courage isn't only about facing certain death."
"Recognizing the gap in strength and retreating decisively—"
"That's also an art."
"The art of following one's heart."
…
Crash.
Sora kicked open the screen door.
Inside, the plump Daimyō of the Land of Hot Water cowered in terror.
Sora's smile faded.
"Do you understand that art?"
"I—I—I—"
…
"Wrong answer."
"Shisui. Do it."