In the 56th year of the Hidden Leaf Village, six years had passed since the Nine-Tails' attack. That night not only cost the Land of Fire its young and powerful Fourth Hokage, but it also pushed the Uchiha Clan—one of the founding pillars of Konoha—into an even more precarious position.
After all, the Sharingan etched into the Nine-Tails' pupils during the attack was undeniable proof.
Within the Uchiha clan council, radical voices grew louder by the day. Uchiha Shisui, who held the Will of Fire close to his heart, was deeply troubled. The clan felt like a powder keg—one spark away from catastrophe.
Fortunately, the clan council had a long-standing tradition of never agreeing on anything, which had bought them some time. Still, Shisui had already begun considering his final resort.
"It seems... this is the only way."
As he stepped out of the council hall, Shisui gazed up at the moon and gently touched his left eye.
Time was of the essence. He planned to head to the Hokage Tower that very night to report his intentions directly to the Third Hokage.
To avoid suspicion, Shisui decided to take a detour through the Forest of Death.
But just as he stepped into the forest, a silhouette appeared in front of him.
At first, Shisui prepared for an ambush, but under the moonlight, he got a clear look at the person's face—and relaxed. His expression softened.
"Dohan? What are you doing here?"
The newcomer was none other than Uchiha Dohan, a prodigy of the Uchiha clan and a peer whose reputation rivaled Shisui's own.
Unlike most Uchiha who specialized in Fire Style and Genjutsu, Dohan was something of an anomaly. He had devoted himself entirely to Lightning Style. During the Third Great Ninja War, on one battlefield alone, he unleashed the heavenly wrath of Lightning Release: Kirin, annihilating fifteen Mist squads in one strike. That feat earned him the nickname "Azure Thunder Dohan."
To Shisui, Dohan—though a year younger—was one of the rare Uchiha who truly embodied the Will of Fire. In his work with the Military Police Force, he treated villagers with kindness and rarely involved himself in clan politics. For that, many of the radicals looked down on him.
"I just finished my usual training," Dohan replied with a gentle smile. "But what about you, Shisui? What brings you to the Forest of Death this late?"
"Couldn't sleep. Just taking a walk," Shisui replied vaguely—he couldn't exactly say he was on his way to report the clan to the Hokage.
"Is it about the clan... and the village?" Dohan asked.
"It is." Shisui sighed deeply. "You understand, don't you? If the clan revolts, they're no match for the village. But even if we win, the damage to Konoha would be catastrophic. All this fragile peace would shatter in an instant."
Shisui didn't harbor much suspicion toward Dohan. On the contrary, Dohan's kind and principled behavior had made Shisui consider bringing him into confidence.
"People who grow up in peace often fail to realize how precious it is," Dohan said. "And those in the clan? Their vision is limited to their own bloodline. That's the root of this dilemma."
Shisui felt genuinely comforted by Dohan's words. It was a rare feeling—until now, he had believed only Itachi, the boy the Third Hokage praised as having the mindset of a Hokage, truly understood. Yet here was another.
"Actually," Dohan continued, as moonlight filtered through the forest canopy and danced across the white haori on his back, "I might have an idea to resolve the clan's conflict with the village. But... I'll need your help."
"What's your plan?" Shisui asked seriously. "What do you need from me?"
"Shisui, I need to borrow your eye."
The words made Shisui's blood run cold.
In the next instant, a streak of blue lightning flashed across his vision.
A clash of metal rang out through the forest as Shisui, in the nick of time, drew his sword and blocked the lethal blow.
"Dohan?! Why?" Shisui shouted as they clashed.
"You're planning to side with the village, aren't you?" Dohan's voice was cold as frost. "You even went so far as to take the long route to the Hokage Tower just to avoid being spotted by the clan."
The two leapt apart, standing across from each other with blades drawn. Their Sharingan—each with three tomoe—locked eyes in grim silence.
"So your vision is no broader than the rest of the clan's," Shisui said bitterly. "And to think... I once believed you carried the Will of Fire."
"Hahaha!" Dohan laughed wildly. "You and Itachi act like you've transcended the clan, but even with that so-called vision, you can't see the future of either the Uchiha or the village. You're just frogs in a well, staring at the moon and thinking you see the whole sky."
Lightning crackled and surged around Dohan's body.
"My eyes," he declared, "see far more than yours ever could. This world is diseased. And what it needs... is a complete and total revolution."
"You plan to start a war? You're insane!" Shisui grit his teeth. "I thought you avoided the clan meetings because you loved peace. But it turns out... you're even more dangerous than the elders. I was fooled by your mask!"
"No, no," Dohan said coldly. "I stayed away because I refuse to associate with insects. They shout about rebellion every day but never come up with a single viable plan. You think politics can succeed when you're surrounded by parasites?"
"I see now." Shisui inhaled deeply, a final decision settling in his heart. "Dohan... your ideals are too dangerous. For the sake of the village, I have to stop you!"
His three-tomoe Sharingan began spinning rapidly, the tomoe merging into a windmill pattern.
"This is your trump card, isn't it?" Dohan watched with icy eyes. "A genjutsu that alters a person's will—Kotoamatsukami."
Shisui's eyes widened in shock. He had never revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan's power—so how did Dohan know?
"You seem surprised," Dohan laughed, pointing at his own eyes. "I told you—my vision reaches farther than you can imagine."
And then, the three tomoe in Dohan's eyes began to morph. Jagged lightning patterns coiled around his pupils.
"Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
Shisui stared in disbelief. He had never expected Dohan to possess such a hidden trump card of his own.