Shisui rushed back toward the Hidden Leaf at top speed. Before the sun had even dipped below the horizon, he had already returned to Konoha.
The setting sun painted the skies crimson.
Konoha, as always, bustled with life. The defeat at the Mist frontlines, the death of one of the Sannin—Jiraiya—had yet to be made public by the upper echelons.
The village still basked in the euphoria of Sunagakure signing a formal surrender and the sweeping victory at Kannabi Bridge.
Civilians crowded the streets, laughter spilling from taverns and restaurants as friends clinked sake cups and shared stories. No one noticed the lone figure in full battle gear—a war-worn Uchiha Shisui—moving swiftly through the lanes, heading straight toward the Uchiha district.
Several members of the ANBU noticed him.
By standard procedure, any ninja returning from an active battlefield during wartime was supposed to report for debriefing at once and meet with the Third Hokage.
Charging back to one's clan grounds without notice, as Shisui was doing, technically violated protocol.
But those ANBU all seemed to understand something had happened… and not one of them stopped him.
When Shisui arrived at the Uchiha compound, a heavy atmosphere had already descended.
The air was thick, and unease gripped the district.
A terrible feeling gnawed at Shisui's chest, making his steps even quicker.
Just outside the Shisui residence, a graceful figure stood quietly waiting. Upon seeing him, her tense features finally softened.
"Shisui!" she called out.
"Mikoto-san!" Shisui quickened his pace.
Uchiha Mikoto's eyes immediately fell on the bandages wrapped around his right eye. Her expression shifted.
"Your eye…"
"It's fine. Just a minor wound," Shisui smiled reassuringly, though his gaze had already passed beyond her toward the house.
The once warm and peaceful courtyard was now deathly silent, a stark contrast to the joy radiating from the rest of the village. Several Uchiha were stationed outside the door, among them elders responsible for "corpse affairs"—funeral and remains handling.
"Shisui, your father…" Mikoto's voice softened as she followed his gaze. "He's been in and out of consciousness for days. Even when he could speak, he'd keep calling your name. That's why Fugaku decided to summon you back."
"I understand. Thank you, Mikoto-san."
Shisui nodded and quickly made his way into the residence.
The Uchiha members at the entrance all respectfully stepped aside, watching as Shisui pushed open the sliding door and stepped in.
The interior of the room was sparse—barely furnished, with just a single bed.
On it lay a man.
He didn't appear particularly old—likely middle-aged, perhaps a little older than Fugaku.
Rather than lying flat, he sat propped up against the headboard. His dark eyes stared blankly out the window at the dimming sky. He didn't even notice Shisui enter… not until the boy approached and softly called out to him.
"Father."
"…Shisui…"
Uchiha Kōfū's face slowly twisted into a faint smile—only for it to freeze the moment he saw the bandages wrapped around Shisui's right eye.
The warmth in his expression vanished. His Sharingan flared to life, revealing three tomoe in each eye as his voice trembled in agitation:
"Your eye—your right eye! What happened to it?!"
(Note: In the anime, Shisui once referred to Kagami as his father—but the timeline doesn't quite match up. Kagami was a contemporary of Hiruzen and Danzō, meaning his son would be Fugaku's generation—not Itachi's. However, the manga confirms in Chapter 627 that Shisui is Kagami's descendant, not necessarily son. So in this story, Shisui is set as Kagami's grandson, not his son.)
"Izanagi…? No. That's not it—it wasn't blindness… was it extracted?! That bastard Fugaku—cough!cough! What did he promise me?!" cough, cough…
Shisui quickly stepped forward and patted his father's back to ease the cough.
"That's not it, Father. It's not the clan leader's fault. We encountered an overwhelmingly powerful enemy on the frontlines. I was lucky to escape with my life. Losing one eye… that's a small price to pay."
"An overwhelmingly powerful enemy…"
Kōfū's expression turned strangely contemplative, but he still snorted coldly.
"No matter how strong the opponent, your Sharingan must be protected at all costs! It's the foundation of our Uchiha identity. You could lose an arm or a leg, but an eye—never!"
His tone softened somewhat as he added, "Tell me everything. What happened at the frontlines?"
"Yes, Father."
"At first, the battle went well. The Mist launched several assaults, but we held them off each time… until a shinobi named Yuki Yoru appeared. He led a surprise raid on our supply base in Futada Village…"
Shisui recounted everything that had transpired.
As he spoke, a deep frown settled over Uchiha Kōfū's face. He gradually sat upright, listening intently, occasionally interjecting with questions about specific details.
The two conversed like this for some time—until Shisui reached the part where Jiraiya entered Sage Mode, only to fall in battle to Yoru.
At that moment, Kōfū's expression twisted into something unreadable—half a smile, half a shadow of grief.
"So Jiraiya… actually died in the Mist War? Hmph. No… it's not enough. There's still Orochimaru…"
Kōfū muttered under his breath, then suddenly looked up at Shisui.
"This Yuki Yoru… seems he truly is a monstrous prodigy."
"He is," Shisui nodded. "In speed, jutsu, taijutsu—he completely overwhelmed me."
He carefully ignored his father's earlier mutterings.
Ever since his grandfather, Uchiha Kagami, died in the First Shinobi World War, Kōfū had harbored a deep resentment toward the Hokage faction.
Everything he did revolved around the Uchiha clan.
Growing up, Shisui was constantly told to restore the Uchiha's former glory. Every conversation revolved around the clan. His father never let it go—three sentences in, it was always about the Uchiha.
It troubled Shisui deeply.
The shinobi academy taught them that all their actions were for the sake of Konoha. The Will of Fire guided the village's heart. So why… why was his father always so obstinate—forever preaching "the clan," "the clan," "the clan"?
Clan or village… which should take priority?
Why couldn't Father see the bigger picture?
Shisui couldn't help but think his father was too narrow-minded—and over the years, the two of them had clashed more than once.
Their relationship… had never truly been close.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin