"There's one more thing."
Shinji said to Fugaku, "The Hokage has invited me to join his personal Anbu."
"I accepted!"
Shinji shared some key points of his conversation with Hiruzen Sarutobi at the Hokage Building with Fugaku, also clarifying that his joining of the Hokage's personal Anbu was only in name.
Fugaku was taken aback, instantly understanding Hiruzen Sarutobi's intentions.
He then frowned. The Hokage was both helping Shinji resolve his public troubles and trying to win over the Uchiha.
This made him feel somewhat displeased deep down.
Shinji was clearly one of their Uchiha. Couldn't the Uchiha help him solve his problems?
Fugaku felt an inexplicable sense of frustration, like a prized cabbage he had carefully cultivated in his own field was about to mature, only for the neighboring landlord to reach out and pluck it first.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi was, after all, the Hokage.
Even as the Uchiha clan head, on the surface, he was still subordinate to the Hokage.
The Hokage...
A flicker of longing appeared in Fugaku's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
He looked at Shinji and said, "Very good."
He was quite satisfied that Shinji hadn't hidden this matter from him.
They were truly of the same clan; no one was closer than a fellow clansman.
Fugaku lightly tapped the table with his hand, thought for a moment, and said:
"In that case, from today onward, you are a member of the Police Force, promoted to captain."
Shinji showed surprise.
The rank of Police Force captain was typically only held by elite Jonin.
Above that, there were only the elders in management and Fugaku himself, the Police Force chief. A captain was still a position of considerable authority.
But he really didn't want to be a captain.
Wasn't it enough to clock in and out on time every day in his previous life?
And wasn't this still working for Fugaku?
Shinji was a hundred percent unwilling in his heart. He stepped forward, about to refuse.
But he saw Fugaku raise a hand to stop him.
"Since the Hokage is being so generous, we Uchiha cannot be stingy. You also don't have to actually serve in the Police Force, but you can enjoy the authority and benefits of a Police Force captain at any time."
"The clan will also grant you most permissions. If you have any needs, come directly to me."
This promise carried significant weight.
Even as clan head, his appointment of Shinji still needed to be discussed with several elders, but he believed that with Shinji's current potential, plus the fact that the Hokage himself was trying to win him over, pushing for Shinji to become a captain would proceed smoothly.
"Well... alright then!"
Shinji hesitated for a moment but ultimately agreed.
As long as he didn't have to go to work and could enjoy the benefits for free, why not?
Seeing that matters were mostly settled, Shinji took his leave: "Clan Head, I'll head back now. I've been staying at Teacher Tsunade's place recently. If anything comes up, you can notify me there."
"Oh?" Fugaku's eyes lit up, and he said earnestly, "Work on maintaining a good relationship with Lady Tsunade."
Shinji nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Shisui quickly spoke up to leave as well: "Clan Head, I'll be going too."
With that, he hurried after Shinji and left together.
Once outside the Police Force building, Shisui stepped forward and stopped Shinji.
"Senior, there's something I'd like to discuss with you. Is now a good time?"
Seeing Shisui's hesitant expression, Shinji smiled.
After a moment's thought, he said, "Let's take a walk."
...
Shinji and Shisui headed toward a small lake within the Uchiha clan grounds.
The lake was wide and open, and many clan members came here to train. In the future, Sasuke would practice the Great Fireball Technique by this very lakeside.
Shinji casually tossed a stone into the water and asked, "Shisui, what's on your mind?"
Shisui fell silent for a moment, then gently touched his own eyes and got straight to the point. "Senior, your eyes... have they evolved again?"
His gaze fixed intently on Shinji.
During the last clan meeting, when he witnessed Shinji's battle with Tekka, he had sensed something unusual. And at that meeting, Shinji had given him a subtle hint.
Shinji was slightly surprised by Shisui's directness but didn't deny it, answering straightforwardly, "That's right."
He raised two fingers to his eyes, which suddenly lit up with the crimson glow of the Sharingan. The tomoe slowly twisted and transformed, instantly filling his entire pupils with intricate, three-layered spiral patterns.
Seeing this, even though he had suspected it, Shisui's heart still trembled. He sighed softly, "So it really is the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Senior, you're truly incredible."
Shisui scratched his head.
As someone who also possessed the Mangekyō, he understood better than anyone the terrifying power these eyes represented.
Perhaps it was because he had awakened the Mangekyō that Shinji had mastered Storm Release? Maybe that was the ability granted by his eyes?
Shisui lowered his head, his thoughts drifting as he privately speculated about Shinji's recent actions.
Unfortunately, he was overthinking it!
Shinji smiled, deactivated his Mangekyō, and patted Shisui's shoulder. "Shisui, you've also awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, haven't you?"
Shisui snapped back to reality and nodded, openly admitting it.
Seeing Shinji's honesty, he held nothing back, even revealing the ability of Kotoamatsukami to him.
Shinji was slightly taken aback, not expecting Shisui to disclose such an important trump card so completely.
But he didn't mind—even if Shisui hadn't said it, he already knew.
"Senior, it seems you don't plan to tell the clan leader about awakening your eyes, nor have you informed the Hokage."
Shisui suddenly spoke up. He had sensed this from the conversation between Shinji and Fugaku and now took the opportunity to bring it up.
"Tell the clan leader, or tell the Hokage?"
Shinji's tone grew slightly heavier, and he looked at Shisui with a strange expression.
"Shisui, do you want to intensify the conflict between the clan and the village?"
"The war just ended, and Konohagakure is in a weakened state, recovering and rebuilding."
He pointed to his own eyes. "If the clan leader and elders learn of the power of these eyes, do you think they might develop other ambitions?"
"Besides, isn't your Kotoamatsukami perfectly suited to subtly rewrite someone's will without them knowing?"
"Lately, the clan leader has been eager to advance further and become Hokage!"
Shisui's heart sank heavily.
He had kept Kotoamatsukami a secret because its ability was too eerie, involving the manipulation of others' wills. He was reluctant to use it lightly and had never mentioned it to anyone, including the clan leader.
But with Shinji's pointed remark, he suddenly realized how naive his own thinking had been.
Recalling the recent rumors in the village, many within the clan harbored ambitions for the position of Hokage.
If the clan were to learn that both he and Shinji had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, the Uchiha's pride would only swell further.
He had read in the clan's records that the last person to possess the Mangekyō was Madara Uchiha, one of the founders of the Uchiha Clan.
And that man's fate was to be defeated by the First Hokage at the Valley of the End.
The village's higher-ups surely knew about the Mangekyō Sharingan and would undoubtedly view them with even greater wariness.
Countless thoughts flooded his mind, and a cold sweat broke out on Shisui's forehead.
He suddenly realized that a hidden crisis had long existed between the Uchiha Clan and Konohagakure, ready to erupt at any moment.
Shisui had only vaguely sensed it before, but now his understanding was clearer.
"Why hadn't I thought of this before?"
This was not what he wanted to see.
He did not wish for either the village or the clan to come to harm.
His breathing grew unconsciously rapid.
Suddenly, a weight settled on his shoulder.
Shisui looked up blankly, meeting Shinji's calm gaze.
Shinji patted his shoulder gently and asked, word by word, "Shisui, if I were to become clan leader, would you support me?"