Uchiha Fugaku stepped quietly into Akira's home, his gaze subtly sweeping over the furniture arrangement. It was modest, but something stood out. Akira gestured politely toward the living room.
"Please, Clan Leader-sama, make yourself comfortable. Would you like some tea?"
Fugaku nodded. As he sat on the modern sofa, he couldn't help but notice the furniture's deviation from traditional norms.
Akira noticed his glance and chuckled. "There wasn't a sofa here before. I added one. I'm not used to kneeling all the time like the old traditions demand. A bit of modern comfort, if you will."
Fugaku smiled faintly, appreciating the honesty. The two shared a brief, comfortable silence as Akira poured him a cup of hot tea.
"You must be here regarding Uchiha Kawa," Akira began, cutting straight to the point. "But I really don't know much. Ever since I was old enough to remember, the war had already broken out. Kawa was constantly on missions, barely home. We were practically strangers."
Fugaku took a slow sip of his tea, then gave a gentle smile. "I didn't come here to ask about Kawa. Not directly, at least. I heard you returned from the Wind Country battlefield. I thought I should visit and see how you're doing."
Akira blinked, caught slightly off-guard. "Thank you, Lord Fugaku. That's... very kind."
Fugaku leaned back slightly. "You said 'also' just now—so someone else has asked you about Kawa already?"
Akira nodded. "Danzo. He sent two Root agents to intercept me right after I returned. They asked me all sorts of questions—why Kawa defected, how he awakened the Mangekyou, where he might be now. I answered them all with the same three words: 'I don't know.'"
Fugaku's expression darkened. His jaw clenched subtly as he muttered under his breath, "That Danzo... Always the same."
He placed the tea down, a note of frustration creeping into his tone. "He's been after our clan for years—scheming, interfering, undermining. He's probably more interested in eliminating Kawa than understanding him."
Akira nodded grimly. "That's the impression I got too. They were so nervous—hands sweating, ready to attack if I refused. Like they feared me more than they feared disobeying him."
Fugaku's eyes studied Akira thoughtfully. "They should fear you."
There was silence for a moment, then Fugaku shifted the conversation.
"I heard something from the front lines. You used a Lightning Release technique to boost your speed, didn't you? Was that why you asked me about Konoha's top Lightning Release users a while back?"
Akira nodded. "Yes, I ended up learning a lot from Kakashi. With his help, I developed a new style of movement—something inspired by the Raikage's Lightning Cloak. It's not perfect yet, but it's coming together."
Fugaku gave a rare smile of admiration. "Brilliant. Truly brilliant. You're more than just the pride of the clan—you're shaping up to be one of the greatest shinobi of your generation. And you've awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan... At age six. That's unprecedented."
Akira bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Lord Fugaku. I still have a long way to go. I won't let this get to my head."
"Good. Stay grounded. That's how true power grows."
Fugaku reached into his cloak and produced a small, weathered notebook. He handed it to Akira.
"This belonged to Uchiha Kagami—a true legend of our clan. It contains records of his genjutsu techniques and tactical notes. I want you to have it."
Akira blinked in surprise. "I... I can't accept this. Shouldn't Itachi have it? He's Kagami's grandson, after all."
Fugaku shook his head gently. "Itachi's already memorized everything in there. He won't need it again. And besides, you're family. We don't keep knowledge from one another."
Touched, Akira accepted the notebook with both hands, handling it like a sacred artifact. His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he flipped through a few pages.
In truth, while his Three-Tomoe Sharingan gave him powerful genjutsu, his actual illusion-casting skills were underdeveloped. Most of his success came from brute force of ocular power. With this book, he could refine his techniques and gain a deeper understanding of the psychological nuances behind genjutsu.
Fugaku watched Akira with satisfaction. He had two motives in bestowing the book. One was strategic: Akira was Kawa's brother. If there was any path back to Kawa, it was through him. And second—more subtly—Akira's growing rapport with the Hokage's camp could benefit the clan politically. He was a bridge.
If they couldn't bring Kawa back... then maybe Akira could carry Uchiha's legacy forward.
After a pause, Fugaku gently asked, "You saw Kawa recently, didn't you? What did he say to you?"
Akira leaned back, recalling the moment. "It was during my battle with Pakura from Sunagakure. My chakra was nearly depleted, and she went in for the kill. Kawa appeared out of nowhere and blocked her attack. He looked at me and said something strange... something about not wanting his future eyes to be destroyed needlessly. I didn't understand it at the time."
Fugaku's expression changed. His brows furrowed in deep thought.
"Future eyes... Could it be...?"
The implications stirred unease in Fugaku's chest. He recalled the encrypted section of the Uchiha stone tablet. The legend spoke of a path to eternal vision—the transplant of Mangekyou between blood relatives. Could Kawa already know this? But how? He had never brought Kawa to the Naka Shrine... or had he?
If Kawa's intent was to take Akira's eyes to gain the Eternal Mangekyou, then his ambitions were darker—and far more dangerous—than Fugaku had feared.
Fugaku stood. "Thank you, Akira. You've given me a lot to think about. Get some rest—you've earned it."
As he left the house, his mind was heavy with uncertainty. Kawa had become a ghost—elusive, powerful, and increasingly unpredictable.
Back inside, Akira placed the notebook on his desk, turned off the lights, and fell into bed with a sigh. It had been a long day.
As sleep crept in, the world outside began to stir.
Word of Uchiha Kawa's Mangekyou had spread across the continent. Rumors turned to bounties. An offer of 80 million ryo had been posted anonymously—Kawa's eye for a fortune.
Mercenaries, bounty hunters, rogue ninja—one by one, they joined the hunt.
But none were as dangerous as the red-haired boy who sat silently in the ruins of a forest hideout, flipping through a charred bingo book.
He paused on Kawa's page and smirked.
"Mangekyou Sharingan... Uchiha Kawa. A defector of Konoha, hm? That's a specimen I can't ignore."
His voice was soft, yet filled with a chilling curiosity. He stood and adjusted the cloak draped over his shoulders.
"I've lost a spy to Konoha recently. Perhaps I'll visit myself. I wonder what other surprises that village holds."
And with that, he disappeared into the night.