Throne Of The Uchiha

First Meeting with Orochimaru

"It seems that you understand the Sharingan far more deeply than I do," Uchiha Jin said, his tone tinged with admiration. "Just a few subtle layers of genjutsu guidance, and I was deceived."

Fugaku shook his head. "The Sharingan evolves in many directions. Some users excel in taijutsu, others in ninjutsu or genjutsu. It's not a matter of superiority—only specialization."

At this point in time, the Uchiha clan hadn't yet classified these divergent evolutions formally. This was partly due to missing information—particularly secrets that vanished when Uchiha Madara defected. He had taken with him many of the clan's highest-level scrolls, including forbidden techniques and crucial notes on the evolution of the Sharingan.

In retrospect, Fugaku's own sons would embody this divergence. Itachi, a genjutsu master whose illusions could manipulate perception and time itself, brought the Sharingan's illusory powers to near perfection. Even Tsukuyomi, though unable to truly change someone's will, could permanently scar the mind.

Sasuke, by contrast, favored ninjutsu and physical enhancement. His Sharingan supported devastating techniques like Chidori and Amaterasu, not illusions.

Jin scratched his head. "Maybe… but your genjutsu is still terrifyingly effective."

Fugaku nodded. With both of them having awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, their genjutsu would now operate at a high level of parity. But he knew the gap would widen drastically once the Mangekyō Sharingan was awakened. Each user's dojutsu would manifest unique abilities, and some would gain powerful offensive or defensive strengths while others focused on perception or illusion.

Jin didn't object to Fugaku continuing his sealing studies. In the shinobi world, words held little weight—strength dictated everything. If you couldn't back your argument with power, it would be ignored.

After they parted ways, Fugaku spent several more days conducting sealing experiments. He used a wild boar and a giant centipede to test how living beings reacted to different seal matrices.

He quickly discovered that stronger chakra disrupted the stability of basic seals. Ordinary sealing techniques could momentarily trap or immobilize creatures in the real world but lacked the sophistication to compress, distort, or store them.

Only advanced fūinjutsu—such as the Four Symbols Seal (Shiki Fūin)—could create a pocket dimension, a conceptual space between illusion and reality. The Fourth Hokage, Minato, would eventually use this technique to seal Kurama, the Nine-Tails, inside Naruto's body.

Likewise, Danzo Shimura employed the Reverse Four Symbols Seal on his chest—a self-destructing seal that drew everything in its range into himself and annihilated it.

The Uchiha clan, however, possessed only rudimentary sealing techniques, as their specialization lay in combat and dojutsu rather than fūinjutsu. But for now, what they had would suffice. Fugaku planned to continue his research later, especially if the war demanded it.

---

When Fugaku returned home that evening, he found his father kneeling solemnly in the living room. His aura was heavy, his expression grief-stricken. It reminded Fugaku of the day his mother died.

"I'm back."

Uchiha Tenjo opened his eyes. "Uchiha Ueno has fallen. He died on the front lines in the Land of Rain. The funeral is tomorrow morning. Be prepared."

Fugaku was stunned. Ueno had been one of his father's closest students—a comrade and trusted subordinate. His loss clearly weighed heavily on Tenjo, who, as clan head, rarely showed emotion. But within their home, the mask of leadership fell away, and only a grieving man remained.

Fugaku recalled speaking with Ueno at the front lines. He had been a broad-minded man with remarkable insight, unshackled by clan politics. "Fighting for the clan's honor is the greatest reward," Ueno had said with a smile.

Now, he was gone.

"My condolences, Father. I will be ready."

War claimed more lives each day. Corpses returned to Konoha constantly, each a reminder of the price of peace. Funerals had become routine—only family and close comrades were expected to attend.

---

The next morning, after a quiet breakfast, Fugaku and Tenjo dressed in funeral formals, each holding a single white chrysanthemum, the flower of mourning.

Other Uchiha clansmen joined them, silent and somber. Together, they walked out through the clan gates and headed toward Konoha Cemetery, where the Memorial Stone stood.

As the crowd gathered, Fugaku noticed a lone figure near the stone. Slender frame. Pale skin. Long black hair. Piercing golden eyes. Magatama earrings.

Orochimaru.

He stood calmly, hands folded, watching the ceremony. Fugaku's gaze met his. For a moment, they silently acknowledged each other with a nod before turning back to the service.

Fugaku hadn't expected to see Orochimaru here.

At this point in the timeline, Orochimaru was still one of the Sannin-in-training, not yet branded by his obsession with immortality or the grotesque experiments that would one day stain his name. He was cold and aloof, but not yet corrupted.

However, rumors whispered that he had already begun interacting with Danzo Shimura and his covert organization, Root. Still, the more infamous experiments—reanimation jutsu, body-swapping, and Hashirama cell cultivation—were likely years away.

Fugaku's thoughts spiraled. He recalled that Konoha's infamous Wood Release project—an effort to reproduce the First Hokage's power—would not officially begin until the end of the Third Great Ninja War.

But he suspected ambitions were already stirring. After all, the power of Hashirama Senju's cells was too great a temptation.

Fugaku knew his own fate: the Mangekyō Sharingan would awaken soon. But without the Eternal Mangekyō, its use carried the risk of permanent blindness. Absorbing chakra or pupil power helped, but only First Hokage cells could stabilize repeated usage.

Obito Uchiha was proof: Madara had repaired his body using White Zetsu, a synthetic lifeform born of Hashirama's tissue. This gave Obito the stamina and healing to use Kamui—his space-time Mangekyō power—without losing vision.

If Fugaku could acquire even a small amount of those cells, he could preserve his vision and pass the gift of Mangekyō on to future clan members. Just a few Mangekyō users would greatly increase the Uchiha's standing—a deterrent strong enough to halt any enemy nation.

He didn't need Konoha to begin the experiments. Ambition would do the work.

Rumors of Wood Release were bound to spread, and Fugaku knew the hearts of Konoha's leadership. They would hesitate publicly, but in secret, Root and others would act.

Even the Third Hokage, so often seen as benevolent, had looked away from Root's crimes.

No matter who spearheaded the research—Danzo, Orochimaru, or rogue elements—it was only a matter of time before Hashirama's cells appeared again.

And when they did, Fugaku would be ready.

Thanks to Ermao Buer for the reward.