The sun filtered timidly through the shoji paper windows of the meeting room, casting long shadows over the polished tatami mats. However, despite the morning light, the darkness of war continued to envelop the atmosphere, an intangible but oppressive presence. Kenji, his mind already calibrated for the battlefield, his combat instinct sharpened by years of conflict, felt the urgency in every fiber of his being. His question, born of strategy and the need for power, hung in the air, an inquiry about the absence of other unique eyes that could change the course of battle.
"Patriarch," Kenji began, his voice deep and resonant, cutting the silence with the authority of a war veteran. "I perfectly understand the situation with the Senju and their alliance with the Sarutobi, which, I admit, has complicated the panorama. But in an offensive of this magnitude, with the Mangekyo Sharingan at stake as our strongest card, where are the other pillars of our clan? Other Mangekyo users, with abilities as unique and devastating as ours. Few of us awaken this power, but their presence is decisive in any major engagement." Kenji was not one to shy away from the truth, no matter how harsh.
Uchiha Tadao, the Patriarch, nodded slowly, his face marked by the wisdom and fatigue of years of leadership in wartime. His own Sharingan, though latent at that moment, projected an unwavering authority, a presence that filled the room. "A logical and insightful question, Kenji. We are not lacking in power, believe me, but we are lacking in versatility and availability at this critical moment. The other Mangekyo users are tied up on crucial fronts, defending vital points or containing threats that, were it not for their presence, would have already collapsed. We cannot afford the luxury of moving them without risking disastrous collapses in other battle zones."
The Uchiha Patriarch Tadao, with his own Mangekyo Sharingan that was said to possess a unique ability to manipulate shadows at will, creating tactical illusions so intricate that they completely disoriented the enemy, or even using the forbidden technique of Izanagi to alter reality in his favor at critical moments, was the supreme strategist of the clan. His presence was not only an anchor of power, but the mastermind behind the largest and most complex campaigns. "My own Mangekyo, as you know, has its usefulness in macro-strategy and in battlefield control, Kenji. My ability, the Kagemane no Jutsu (Enhanced Shadow Imitation Technique), allows me to extend my influence over the field, creating massive distractions or sealing large-scale enemy movements, but I cannot be on two fronts at once. My duty is to coordinate all our forces from the rear, foresee movements, and counter the Senju strategies in their entirety."
Tadao continued, his voice becoming more descriptive, explaining the situation of each of the other Mangekyo Sharingan users, painting a picture of a clan at its limit, stretched to its breaking point.
"First, there's Uchiha Shisui, the 'Blaze Release User,' whose speed is rumored to rival the thunder god of another era. His Mangekyo Sharingan grants him the ability to instantly teleport, Shunshin Maekara, to any location he sees, making him our best scout, ultrarapid messenger, and, of course, high-priority assassin. Currently, Shisui is containing the Hozuki incursion in the Land of Mist. The Hozuki, with their devastating water attacks and their ability to turn into liquid, have wreaked havoc on our vanguard units, dissolving formations and evading capture. Shisui is the only one who can match their speed and evade their moisture techniques; his Shunshin Maekara allows him to attack them before they can fully solidify. Moving him from there would be handing them the coastal flank, and with it, a direct route to our supply villages."
"Then we have Uchiha Kagami, whose Mangekyo, it is said, grants him the ability to reflect any chakra attack with double its force, a formidable defensive technique we call Hanransha (Chaos Reflection), making him an impregnable shield. Kagami is on the Rock Border, facing the Ishikawa, a clan of Doton (Earth Release) users with overwhelming stony defense and attack. Their ninja can raise rock walls in seconds and launch massive projectiles capable of destroying entire battalions. Kagami is our impregnable wall; without him, those Doton users would break through our defenses like a battering ram, opening a devastating path to the heart of our territory."
"There is also Uchiha Izuna, the younger brother of our previous patriarch, and an unrivaled prodigy in his generation. His Mangekyo allows him to use the dreaded Amaterasu (Unquenchable Black Flames), a flame that burns endlessly until it consumes what it touches. Furthermore, he possesses a powerful illusory ability, Kagami Shinku (Mirror Void), which traps his opponents in a time loop where they relive their greatest failures and traumas again and again, crumbling their will into madness. Izuna is in the mountainous region, holding back the Hatake, a clan of shinobi known for their mastery of lightning and their lightning-fast speed, capable of attacks so fast they are almost invisible. Izuna's black flame is the only one that can burn them without a trace before they can evade the attack, and his genjutsu paralyzes them before they can react, preventing their speed attacks. It is a perfect countermeasure."
Finally, Tadao paused, his eyes fixed on Kenji, before mentioning the last user. "And of course, Uchiha Setsuna, our youngest Mangekyo user. Her ability, Jikan no Me (Time Eye), allows her to see fragments of the near future, seconds or even minutes ahead, and manipulate her own perception of time, which makes her practically untouchable in combat by foreseeing every opponent's move. In addition, she is an invaluable countermeasures strategist, capable of designing plans to neutralize any enemy technique. She is defending our most critical resources in the Hidden Valleys, a convergence point for our vital supplies, food stores, medicines, and weapons. It is also the most vulnerable route to our main fortress. Without Setsuna there, with her ability to anticipate ambushes and attacks, the entire clan's supply line would collapse in a matter of days."
Uchiha Hishiro, the Keeper of Ancient Scrolls, nodded with a somber gaze, confirming the gravity of the situation. "Each of them is a vital anchor, Kenji. Moving just one would create a vacuum that our enemies would immediately exploit, like predators sensing weakness. War is a game of Go, Kenji, where every stone, every shinobi, every Mangekyo, counts and must be in its exact place to maintain balance. A single false move can mean defeat."
Uchiha Akemi, the Treasurer and Logistics Master, added with a sigh of resignation, though her voice maintained its pragmatic tone. "Keeping them on those fronts is a constant drain on resources and manpower, Kenji. But losing them, or losing control of those areas, would be even worse for the clan. Your return, with the fullness of your power, is an unexpected blessing that allows us to attempt a daring assault on the Echo Valleys without weakening other vital areas. You are the missing piece to break the stalemate."
Kenji closed his eyes for a moment, the mental image of a giant chessboard in his mind, or rather, an intricate network of chakra threads stretching across the entire Land of Fire, each representing a supply line, a defensive position, a life. He understood the situation. They were not alone in using the Mangekyo Sharingan, but their forces were stretched to the limit, each user in a critical defensive position. His own Mangekyo, with its illusory abilities focused on Shadow Tsukuyomi (a distortion of time and space perception that could plunge opponents into a state of paralysis and confusion) and Mugen Enmu (creation of widespread illusions, capable of generating nightmare labyrinths or making enemies relive their greatest fears), along with the primordial Susano'o, that gigantic manifestation of chakra for offense and defense, would be the hammer the clan needed to break the stalemate in the Echo Valleys. His ability to disorient, terrorize, and stun large groups of enemies, plunging them into chaos, was precisely what was required for a massive and decisive offensive.
"I understand the situation, Patriarch," Kenji said, his voice filled with a renewed determination that was palpable in the air. His eyes opened, the Sharingan spinning with a premonitory intensity. "Then, I will be the vanguard in the Echo Valleys. If the others cannot move, I will bear this weight, and beyond. I will be the hammer, the spear, the wall. No Senju will stand in our way."
Tadao nodded, his approval unmistakable. "So be it, Kenji. You will not be alone, of course. You will have at your disposal the best available units of the clan, our most experienced Jōnin and a contingent of elite Chūnin. Two months. Use this time to recondition yourself, to sharpen your skills and, of course, to get to know your son, Itori. It is precious time that will not return. After that, war will claim you completely. The survival of the clan, and with it, your son's future, largely depend on your performance in the Echo Valleys."
The meeting concluded, leaving Kenji with the immense weight of strategy and the tender memory of Itori's eyes, his little son who represented a fragile hope in this world of conflict. The two months of relative peace, of family bonding, would be a fleeting and precious oasis before the impending storm. The war with the Senju was an insatiable beast, a thousand-headed dragon that devoured peace and life mercilessly. And he, Kenji, along with the other pillars of the Sharingan, the wielders of the celestial eyes, were the few who could face it and keep the Uchiha Clan standing, forging their legend in blood and fire.