Chapter 60: Shisui Turns Dark

While Kakashi headed to the Hokage office, the street brawl in the village reached its climax. Most of the mob that had gathered at the police HQ had been captured; only a few disguised private ninjas from the two clans were still on the run. Their resistance had caused some injuries among the police, but with the department's full pursuit, it was only a matter of time before they were caught.

Civilians living near the police HQ could see, through their windows, police officers dragging bloodied rioters back to the station, and they were so frightened they shut their doors and didn't dare make a sound.

Meanwhile, Seiryu was still in Fugaku's office, drinking tea with Fugaku and Aburame Shikai. Even the ANBU sent to fetch him to the Hokage's office was detained by him.

Everything was unfolding exactly as he'd planned. After tonight, he'd have all his cards on the table for his alliance with Kakashi, and he'd truly become a player at the chessboard.

The Third wanted to invite him for a talk, but Seiryu had more urgent matters to attend to first.

Just then, a powerful surge of chakra erupted, and the entire police HQ began to shake violently.

"That chakra—your office?" Fugaku's face changed as he looked at Seiryu.

"No rush. I'll go take a look." Seiryu's face was expressionless, but as he turned away, a smile crept onto his lips. Finally, his plan was coming to fruition.

He got up, Fugaku and Shikai following close behind.

Downstairs, police officers who heard the commotion rushed up.

Seiryu waved them off. "Go back to work. It's nothing."

"Is it really okay?" Inaho asked, still worried.

"If there was really a problem, couldn't I handle it myself?" Seiryu glared at him before adding, "Take everyone back. I'll handle this."

Seiryu reached his office door, and turning to Fugaku and Shikai, said, "You two stay out for now. Leave this to me."

…

Two hours earlier, Uchiha Shisui, feeling emotionally battered by the villagers' unreasonable behavior, had not joined the police operation. Watching the police beat and drag the rioters back, his kind heart wanted to intervene. But remembering how those people had treated him and the Will of Fire with contempt just before, he suppressed the urge and instead was consumed by confusion. He decided to visit Seiryu's office to ask why things had come to this.

But when Shisui arrived, Seiryu was away drinking tea with Fugaku. Shisui thought to wait and ponder things, but then a file scattered across Seiryu's desk caught his eye.

…

Seiryu pushed open his office door and saw a scene of chaos. Papers flew everywhere, and in front of the desk, Shisui's eyes were hollow, his three-tomoe Sharingan spinning wildly and blood tears streaming from his eyes. Chakra pulsed violently around him. Had these been his original eyes, he would probably have awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan already.

Seiryu just watched, and after closing the door, silently picked up the scattered documents. This was a copy of the file he'd brought back from Orochimaru's base, and the bait he'd deliberately left in the office. It had worked perfectly.

"Seiryu, these things aren't true, right?" Shisui asked, some life returning to his eyes.

"Shisui, with your clearance, you shouldn't have seen this," Seiryu replied softly.

"Seiryu!" Shisui pleaded, his eyes desperate. He desperately hoped it wasn't true, for what he'd read shattered everything he'd believed in.

"These are all things I found at Orochimaru's base. Could they be fake?" Seiryu said, sitting back in his chair.

"Ahhhh!" Shisui's last hope was crushed by Seiryu's cold words. He screamed in pain, clutching his head, his chakra and ocular power surging. His Sharingan spun ever faster, but that final step to Mangekyo just wouldn't come. Seiryu, through his ninja hawk contract, could sense Shisui's original Mangekyo eyes responding to his emotions.

Looks like without his own eyes, he can't take the final step, Seiryu thought. He moved to seal Shisui's chakra—any more and the boy would die.

Even after being forcibly calmed, Shisui was still not himself.

Seiryu brought over a tea set, calmly brewing tea as he waited for Shisui to finish venting.

Eventually, Shisui quieted, blood tears streaming down his face as he looked up at Seiryu.

"Feeling better?" Seiryu slid a cup of tea over to him.

"Thank you…" Shisui said weakly. "Seiryu, why? Why did things end up like this?"

"I'd like to know that too," Seiryu replied, uncharacteristically swearing. "Shit, how did the village end up like this!"

"We learned about the Will of Fire every day in the academy, but now look at Shimura Danzo, Homura, Koharu—not a single one of them is clean!" Seiryu swore, "People like them should all be executed! But for the sake of the village's stability, I have to shelve evidence that's basically irrefutable!"