Chapter 182: Eternal Kaleidoscope

"Shisui!"

At this moment, the Hokage's office held only three people; Fugaku and Yan Shifan both changed expression and simultaneously spoke to block, yet Shisui's movement did not pause at all.

The two furrowed their brows and looked at Shisui.

Pfft— Yan Shifan inhaled a cold breath, averted his gaze, feeling uneasy, and thought, "They just snap the eyeballs straight off; these guys are truly abnormal, they'd be fit for the Imperial Guards or the Eastern Depot."

Fugaku also thought Shisui was a bit reckless; for this kind of thing, letting someone else try would suffice, or another clan member could do it—why act himself?

Shisui was unaware of their thoughts; a green glow emanated from his hand, and after removing his own left eye, he pressed Obito's left eye onto it, and with a searing sensation, the left eye regained its light.

"Huh?"

Shisui's sudden light "Huh?" made the two puzzled, and they hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? Could it be that it isn't him?"

Shisui shook his head without answering immediately, but the two soon knew the answer.

As chakra surged, the three tomoe in his eyes slowly rotated, forming two distinct shapes.

"Damn it!"

Even the usually steady Fugaku couldn't help but curse; the Kaleidoscope erupted in anger.

"It's really Obito's doing; why would he do this, what has the clan done to him!"

Senhan's murderous aura radiated from Fugaku, and the floor beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, leaving Yan Shifan with a stunned expression.

"Is this guy that powerful? He won't try to usurp, will he?"

Yan Shifan squinted sideways, secretly eyeing Fugaku; although on the surface the other seemed honest, and Shisui appeared to be grooming Itachi as a successor, it wasn't unheard of for a father to wrest the son's position.

While pondering, several ANBU burst into the office in unison, scanning the surroundings warily.

"Hokage?"

"All clear, you may go down."

"Yes."

After they left, Shisui sat down, covering his left eye, his heart filled with shock.

"I see, it seems Obito's ability isn't merely passing through objects."

Shisui pondered briefly then continued, "This left eye is linked to a unique space; I can enter that space through the eye, and I can remotely activate an eye technique to warp space, ultimately sending people or objects into this or other alternate spaces."

Obito's right eye shares the same origin, so it likely possesses a similar ability.

According to Izayoi's intel, after contacting Obito he felt a suction; perhaps Obito's right eye can draw anyone who contacts him into that space.

Shisui grew more confident as he spoke, and Obito's ability became clearer.

"So, Obito must have used this ability to evade physical damage, and after he seized Izayoi he was burned by Izayoi; perhaps when activating the eye technique his body left that space. I see, it's a spacetime-type technique!"

"What? Spacetime, and it's both offensive and defensive—what a powerful eye technique!"

Fugaku couldn't help but sigh; if Obito's both eyes possessed it, even he now wouldn't be a match, because the technique residing in his eyes offers almost no combat boost, at best it would show his death instantly.

"Spacetime?"

Yan Shifan did know a spacetime ninjutsu: the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God. In his view, that technique was godlike; if it could be popularized or used to transport an army, eradicating the four nations' tyranny and unifying the world would be far easier.

Nevertheless, the eyes are impressive, carrying a space with them. Though he isn't versed in strategy, he knows that hiding an army in that space would save a lot of trouble.

Yan Shifan immediately asked, "Can we use this eye to locate Obito, retrieve the other eye, and eliminate him in the process?"

"This"

Shisui thought for a moment, found no method, and could only shake his head.

Seeing this, Yan Shifan gave up, then turned his gaze to Obito's left eye.

"Who is stronger, him or that Kakashi just now?"

"Kakashi doesn't seem to have sensed the eye's power yet; with his current strength he's still weaker than Orochimaru, whereas Obito, wielding the Kaleidoscope, should be able to defeat Orochimaru."

"Indeed, but he once infiltrated Muye Cun and killed the Fourth Hokage; why didn't he take this eye? If the Fourth Hokage, his teacher, couldn't, perhaps Kakashi is even more important than his teacher."

Yan Shifan narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within.

Shisui frowned, considered Yan Shifan's words carefully, then nodded seriously, "I've reviewed records of their squad and investigated what happened to Obito during the ninja academy.

His bond with Kakashi was deep, but he seemed to like a teammate named Ranyu Lin, a girl who was sacrificed in a mission, and died in… what?"

Shisui was stunned, and the other two suddenly caught on, then fell silent for a long while.

"Even so, he should have sought Kirigakure; this can't be blamed on Muye Cun or the Fourth Hokage."

Fugaku was puzzled, even recalling the Second Hokage's assessment of the Uchiha.

"The top priority remains dealing with Obito; Kakashi killed that girl yet remained unharmed, and even that eye wasn't reclaimed, showing Kakashi's standing in Obito's mind. In my view, we should use him as bait to lure Obito out and kill him."

Fugaku frowned, remained silent; the method is theoretically viable, but too underhanded.

Shisui, however, refused without hesitation.

"Sensei, I know you act for my sake, but setting aside whether Obito will appear, Kakashi's family has rendered such heroic service to Muye Cun; I cannot do this, or how would the villagers of Muye Cun view us?"

A small action might not reach Obito, a large one would tarnish Shisui's image, and Kakashi, bearing the title of the youngest Jonin, is widely renowned; many in the village watch him.

"Oh? Very well."

Yan Shifan was somewhat surprised; Shisui truly had matured. Though his refusal stemmed from his nature, being able to articulate reasons was commendable.

"Kakashi can stay idle, but what about this eye?"

Fugaku immediately said, "This eye should be kept. Among ninjas, information is life; with this eye, the next time we encounter Obito we could strike first, perhaps killing him outright. Haven't you always refused to transplant my eye to awaken the Eternal Kaleidoscope? Killing Obito would grant us an extra pair of eyes!"

Fugaku rejected using Kakashi to force Obito out, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to kill Obito.

"Regarding the Eternal Kaleidoscope, I was about to tell you both."

"What?" the two were startled, looking at Shisui.

"After I transplanted Obito's left eye, I felt Obito's eye power merging with my own chakra."

"Merge?"

Fugaku frowned, seemed to recall something, then said, "Clan records state that merging a Kaleidoscope with a close relative yields everlasting light; the former ancestor Ban once used the Kaleidoscope of ancestor Quannai to obtain this power, and there are accounts that Quannai's eyes gained eternal illumination after finding a new host."

"Could the so‑called fusion be referring to pupil power?"

Fugaku muttered to himself, his mind racing, and after a moment he came to himself and saw Shisui's shocked expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Uncle Fugaku kept asking me to transplant eyes; I thought you knew how to activate the Eternal Kaleidoscope."

"Um…"

Fugaku's aged face flushed red; he cleared his throat and, awkwardly, explained, "The clan records are vague; the elder and I are only guessing. Even if we can't obtain eternal light, we can still make use of these eyes, and they won't harm you."

Moreover, the clan records mention eye‑swapping, but there are no successful examples. Previously the clan only had my own pair of Kaleidoscopes, so I couldn't try, and naturally I'm unclear about the exact conditions.

Shisui said, "In that case, perhaps it's because Obito and I aren't close relatives. His pupil power doesn't fuse well with mine; at this rate it could take at least ten years to succeed."

Those who are also of the Uchiha clan are naturally connected, yet the Uchiha lineage is ancient, and most of them are only distantly related.

"Moreover, this fusion is forced; I feel the two don't just fail to match, they actively repel each other, yet for some reason they barely coexist."

Shisui pondered; the sensation was especially strange. He even had a premonition that without the force compelling the two to coexist, Obito's pupil power and his chakra could never merge and might even harm his body. He instantly recalled the scene at Orochimaru's lab where first‑generation cells were eroding a white mouse.

"Could it be that the first‑generation cells are at work?"

"What a pity; if the fusion succeeded, we wouldn't have to fear blindness and our power would surge. It's said that Madara's ancestor could wield a perfect‑grade Susanoo hundreds of meters tall, a single slash reaching across the sea."

Fugaku was somewhat regretful, then added, "But since it's not eye fusion, you could try my and Izayoi's eyes. If it works and we can swap eyes, the Uchiha's rise will face no more obstacles!"

Fugaku grew increasingly excited, saying that a pair of Eternal Kaleidoscopes in Madara Uchiha could suppress the ninja world; if there were two, the Uchiha would have no rivals.

Shisui was also intrigued, but he didn't agree immediately, instead saying, "Swapping eyes may not be without danger; I need to ask Orochimaru for insight."

Fugaku still acknowledged Orochimaru's abilities; apparently he used first‑generation cells to find another way to cure the Kaleidoscope's side effects.

"Being cautious is fine, but what about this eye?"

"Leave it with me for three days; I'll make some preparations, then return it to Kakashi. For now, don't stir the grass and scare the snake."

"Alright."

Shisui made his decision; the two no longer objected and each went back to their duties.

Fugaku set out again to find Orochimaru, while Yan Shifan returned to handle official matters.

Thus, three days later, Shisui summoned Kakashi.

"The clan has prepared a new tomb for Obito; this is his eye."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage!"

Kakashi took the bottle, seemingly moved by the scene, his mood very low.

Shisui's feelings were equally complicated, but he couldn't show them; instead he gently reassured, "Some members of the clan have voiced opinions; they want to bring this eye back into the clan."

"What?"

Kakashi was startled, instantly flustered; after all, Obito is an Uchiha, and if the Uchiha want the eye back, he has no way.

"Hahaha, Senior Kakashi, don't worry. I trust the bond between you and Obito; keeping this eye with you is the best outcome. It will never be wasted. Please continue to use this eye to watch over Konoha for Obito's sake."

"Lord Hokage!"

Kakashi's voice trembled slightly, then he quickly bowed his head in thanks.

After Kakashi left, Shisui remained silent for a long time, but work had to continue; he had no time to mourn the dead for long.

Currently the northern war in Konoha has settled, and the Raikage is unlikely to continue fighting. In the west, Konoha's firm stance and Danzo's reinforcements have cooled Daoyuki's desire to cause trouble.

In the east, although Kakuzu was rescued by Obito, under Izayoi's protection Ueura Kiyoshi's business has gradually returned to about eighty percent of its former level, and the Uchiha's wealth and strength will continue to accumulate.

The ninja academy in the southwest is also running smoothly; once the first batch of selection results and profits are in, they can expand this model to other provinces.

Everything proceeds methodically, but this is the Uchiha's development.

Shisui remains Konoha's Shadow; external issues have been resolved, yet internal problems stall.

Half a month later, Shisui looked at the list of trainees entering graduation season and couldn't help but frown.

"These people are Konoha's future, but aside from those from the various ninja clans, the other children's abilities are too weak; how can such people bear the heavy responsibilities?"

Yan Shifan glanced and said, "They're just commoners; the resources they obtain differ vastly from those of the ninja clans. Comparing them to the clan's children naturally leads to disappointment."

"But Konoha's ninja rank‑and‑file are mostly commoners; didn't the teacher say we must rally more power to succeed? Even now they're weak—are they still the majority of our strength?"

Shisui was somewhat bewildered.

Yan Shifan knew what he was thinking and said directly, "It's Sima Yi's meaning, right? He previously wrote asking you to court those bloodline families. Courting them is fine, but those secret‑technique ninja clans aren't needed."

"Konoha's resources are limited; if you can't obtain more and still wish to push reforms, you must make sacrifices."

"Sacrifices?"

"Exactly, abandon those ninja clans, use their resources to nurture civilian ninja. With the support of these newly risen civilian ninja, our path will be much smoother."

"Don't forget, our goal isn't just the Land of Fire; those ninja clans alone are far insufficient. Moreover, in my view, those bloodline families should also be abandoned—one powerful bloodline family is enough; they are obstacles to future stability."

"Such a race, inherently more gifted than commoners, conflicts with Yan Shifan's philosophy and is a wholly unstable factor."

Shisui furrowed his brows, deep in thought.

I've wrestled with the Eternal Kaleidoscope's setting for a long time; ultimately I adopted the idea from Bilibili uploader Jinxi Ri, that the Eternal Kaleidoscope is an eye transplant—a fusion of pupil power and chakra, not two eyes stacked. I even saw a claim that one eye socket holds two eyeballs, which I couldn't imagine, so I settled on swapping, though the success rate is low and there is repulsion, and the fusion of pupil power and chakra should take time. This may be why Madara didn't evolve Obito's eye, because there wasn't enough time for fusion.

(End of Chapter)