Naruto: I am Uchiha Fugaku

After a long night of anxiety, early the next morning, Uchiha Shisui left the Uchiha compound and headed straight to the Hokage Residence.

Inside a private room, he met with the Third Hokage and immediately spoke in an urgent tone:

"Lord Hokage, my identity as a mole may have been exposed."

"Your identity as a mole may have been exposed?"

The Third Hokage's head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at Shisui.

He asked gravely,

"What makes you think that?"

Shisui quickly explained,

"Last night, I went to hypnotize Uchiha Hiro, who accompanied the Clan Head to the Land of Fields. I intended to ask him whether Danzo's disappearance had anything to do with the Uchiha clan."

"But just as I was about to get an answer, a clansman named Uchiha Kyōsuke appeared, saying the Clan Head had summoned Hiro, and took him away."

After listening, the Third Hokage fell silent, thinking deeply for a while before finally speaking:

"The timing of this Uchiha Kyōsuke's appearance is indeed very suspicious."

Just as Shisui suspected—Kyōsuke's arrival was far too coincidental.

Coincidence, when too perfect, usually isn't coincidence at all.

The most likely scenario was that Shisui was being watched, which explained Kyōsuke's timely interruption.

"Do you have any other evidence?"

"Additionally, I suspect that some members of the clan may be monitoring me…"

Shisui's voice was uneasy.

"Can you be certain?"

The Third Hokage's expression grew more serious.

"Not with certainty, but the likelihood is high."

After thinking carefully, Shisui added,

"The ones I've noticed are all Uchiha clansmen, and they know who I am. It's possible they just glanced at me in passing—but I have this vague feeling that I'm being watched."

The Third Hokage lit his pipe and took a few long drags, his brow furrowed as he sank into thought once more.

After a long pause, he finally said:

"There's a strong possibility your identity has indeed been exposed."

First, his attempt to extract information was suddenly interrupted. Then, he began sensing surveillance.

He didn't believe it was a coincidence.

The most likely explanation was that the Uchiha clan had already uncovered Shisui's identity as the mole and had begun monitoring him.

The Hokage spoke sternly:

"If your identity is compromised, don't return to the Uchiha compound for now—it's too dangerous."

"Understood, Lord Hokage."

Shisui looked troubled.

He had always known this day would come. But now that it had arrived, he couldn't suppress the unease in his heart.

"Right now, the best course of action is for you to disappear from the Uchiha clan's line of sight."

"And as it happens, while taking control of Root, I found something that may be useful to you."

The Third Hokage smiled faintly.

Since Shisui was unsettled by the exposure of his identity, this would be the perfect time to offer something to calm his nerves.

"Something useful to me? What is it?"

Shisui asked curiously.

"A Sharingan."

"What? Root has a Sharingan…?"

Shisui was stunned—he hadn't expected that Root possessed Sharingan eyes from the Uchiha clan.

"It's not so surprising."

The Third Hokage sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"Danzo was fascinated by the Wood Release kekkei genkai, so it's only natural he'd covet the Sharingan as well. After all, Uchiha Madara was the only one to rival the First Hokage."

"Danzo went too far."

Shisui's face showed clear anger.

As a wielder of the Sharingan himself, the thought of Danzo secretly collecting and experimenting with them left a bitter taste in his heart.

"Yes, he certainly went too far. But at least now, the eyes he collected can be put to proper use."

"One of them can be used to replace your blind right eye—to restore your vision."

The Third Hokage spoke with a sigh.

In truth, he had also secretly collected Sharingan eyes, but had refrained from using them out of concern for how Shisui would react. Now that Danzo had disappeared, the ones found in Root could be attributed to Danzo's wrongdoing.

"You'll need to vanish for a while—to undergo the transplant and adjust to the new eye."

"I understand."

Shisui nodded.

Uchiha Clan Head's Residence

"Clan Head, the bodies of those six clansmen have been sealed into this scroll."

Uchiha Yakumi, whose black hair had tinges of brown, handed a sealing scroll to Uchiha Fugaku.

Fugaku took it and noticed that Yakumi kept glancing at the scroll, as if holding something back.

Fugaku asked directly:

"You're wondering why I had you dig up their bodies?"

"Yes… I was curious."

Yakumi hesitated but eventually nodded.

He truly didn't understand why Fugaku wanted the bodies of six deceased clansmen exhumed.

And he felt a bit conflicted about the act—it was a form of desecration, after all.

Seeing this, Fugaku knew that if he didn't offer some explanation, this loyal subordinate might harbor doubts.

He wouldn't betray him, but discontent would fester.

After a moment's consideration, Fugaku said:

"The reason I had you retrieve their corpses is because my Mangekyō Sharingan's dōjutsu requires the use of kekkei genkai corpses."

"Your dōjutsu needs kekkei genkai corpses…?"

Yakumi was stunned.

He knew that Mangekyō techniques were special—but he hadn't expected it to be this special.

Still, after the shock faded, a sense of joy rose in his heart.

The Clan Head trusted him enough to share such a secret.

He felt deeply honored.

"Though the ninja world seems calm, dark currents surge beneath the surface. I'm far from being invincible right now."

"That's why, even if it means desecrating their remains, I must put these corpses to use."

Fugaku sighed.

"If those six knew their bodies could help strengthen the Clan Head even in death, they would surely be willing. Only with your strength can the clan have hope."

Yakumi quickly responded.

He had indeed been uncomfortable with exhuming the dead—but he wasn't narrow-minded. Now that he understood the purpose, he fully supported the Clan Head's decision.

"I'm glad you understand."

Fugaku nodded.

In the future, he would inevitably reveal techniques like Ice Release or Shikotsumyaku in front of his most loyal followers.

In real combat, there was no room for holding back.

Rather than hiding things, it was better to give them a heads-up now and earn their trust.

And by the looks of it, it was working well.

With a mix of shock and excitement, Yakumi departed. Fugaku made his way to the basement beneath his study.

"Unseal."

Taking out the sealing scroll Yakumi had handed him, he released the seal—and the corpse of one Uchiha clansman emerged.