Naruto: I am Uchiha Seiryu

After the raucous banquet, evening arrived.

Everyone left, but slightly tipsy Kakashi and Seiryu went for a walk along the Naka River.

"Kakashi, your help was crucial this time. Do you have thoughts about your future position?" Seiryu asked.

"As long as I can help you, I'll do anything," Kakashi replied.

"Then I'll be direct: I hope you'll become Hokage's assistant and also take over as Police Force Leader. I plan to split the Police's duties—minor village matters and legislation will go to new departments. The Police Force will focus on intelligence and security," Seiryu said.

"Understood." Kakashi nodded.

"You'll have to help me a lot," Seiryu smiled.

"Of course," Kakashi replied.

They walked upriver. By sunset, they reached the village edge.

Suddenly, Kakashi asked, "Seiryu, who was the masked man?"

Seiryu stopped, gazing at the moon reflected in the river. "Don't you already know?"

"So, it really was him," Kakashi sighed.

"Yes. Who knows what he went through to become this. The hero of Konoha, turned into this," Seiryu said.

"This is his eye." Seiryu produced a test tube containing Obito's Sharingan. "Take it. From the chakra I sensed that night, your own eye should have evolved to Mangekyo."

"Indeed." Kakashi lifted his headband, revealing his Sharingan—the three tomoe spinning, then morphing into a Mangekyo pattern.

"Use Mangekyo sparingly. Unlike me, you don't have Sage Mode to nourish your eyes. Overuse will blind you. Here, take this one too," Seiryu cautioned, handing over the other Mangekyo.

Kakashi accepted it in silence.

"As for Obito, let him die a hero. It's better for everyone," Seiryu said.

"Thank you," Kakashi replied. He knew Seiryu had kept the masked man's identity secret, probably for his sake.

"Enough of that," Seiryu smiled, holding out his hand.

Kakashi took it. Seiryu gripped tightly. "We'll be comrades for life, right?"

"Of course," Kakashi smiled.

…

As night fell, Seiryu parted with Kakashi and returned home.

Upon entering, the butler, Uchiha Keiko, said, "Clan leader, young master Sasuke is waiting for you in the study."

"Really? How long has he been here?" Seiryu asked.

"Two hours," Keiko replied.

"Understood. No one is to disturb us for the next two hours."

"Yes, sir." Keiko left.

Seiryu entered the study and saw Sasuke flipping through the textbook Seiryu had made for him.

Hearing the door, Sasuke looked up and put down the book. "Sensei, you're back."

"Been waiting long?" Seiryu smiled.

"No, Sensei. Your work is important. I don't mind waiting," Sasuke replied.

Seiryu looked Sasuke over. The things he'd taught were having an effect: Sasuke was now a true gentleman.

"So, why did you come?" Seiryu asked, taking a seat.

"Sensei, you said if what you taught me couldn't explain what I observed, I should come to you," Sasuke said.

"Is it about your brother?" Seiryu asked.

Sasuke nodded.

"Do you think your brother was wrong in this incident?" Seiryu asked.

After thinking, Sasuke replied, "He shouldn't have opposed the clan."

"What if you set aside the clan's perspective?" Seiryu pressed.

Sasuke fell silent.

"Don't worry, speak freely," Seiryu encouraged.

"You taught me, Sensei, that if entrusted, one must be loyal. From the village's perspective, as Anbu captain, my brother should fulfill his duties," Sasuke said, glancing at Seiryu nervously.

"Don't be nervous," Seiryu patted his head. "So if your brother wasn't wrong, was the clan wrong?"

"No," Sasuke shook his head. "The Police Force was just doing its job—lockdown and arresting Lord Jiraiya. So the clan wasn't wrong either."

"Then who was wrong?" Seiryu asked.

"I... I don't know... but my brother still died that night," Sasuke said dejectedly.

"Sasuke, some things in this world aren't about right or wrong," Seiryu said.

"I... I don't understand," Sasuke said in confusion.

"In fact, the clan was actually staging a coup that night. From the village's side, your brother was in the right," Seiryu smiled.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"But from the clan's side, they had no choice but to rebel. Some in the village couldn't tolerate the Uchiha, so the clan stood at the edge of the abyss," Seiryu explained.

"How could that be?" Sasuke asked, puzzled.

"You didn't know before, but I'll tell you everything now."

Seiryu explained the clan's previous plight to Sasuke.

"So, Sasuke, do you think the coup was right?" Seiryu asked.

Sasuke almost said it was wrong, but reconsidered: had the Uchiha done nothing, they'd have been destroyed. As someone proud of the Uchiha, he couldn't accept that.

"Sasuke, this is your second lesson," Seiryu said. "Some things aren't about right or wrong, but about perspective."

"Your brother wasn't wrong per se, but he chose the wrong side. The clan rebelled to survive; your brother sided with the village. He chose wrong, so he became the clan's enemy. That's all."

"Why is it like this?"

Seiryu's words deeply shook Sasuke's worldview. Unconsciously, his Sharingan activated, two tomoe spinning.

"Sasuke, do you know why I taught you those things?" Seiryu asked.

"You want me to become a gentleman, like in those stories?" Sasuke guessed.

"No, you only understood the first layer. Being a gentleman is good, but more importantly, I want you to learn how to make others fit that ideal. In other words, those standards aren't for yourself, but for others," Seiryu explained.

"I... I don't understand," Sasuke said, still confused.

"That's fine for now. Back to today's lesson—why do you think I'm teaching you about perspective and right and wrong?"

"You want me to always side with the clan?" Sasuke ventured.

"If you were just an ordinary Uchiha, yes. But as my student, it's not so simple," Seiryu said.

"Then, what should I do?" Sasuke asked.

"Sasuke, do you know how to play chess?" Seiryu smiled.

"Chess?" Sasuke was surprised but quickly recovered. "Shikamaru taught me a little shogi."

"Then, what is the perspective of a chess piece?" Seiryu asked.

"A chess piece's perspective? To capture the opponent's pieces? To win the game?"

"Exactly. Every piece, once placed, has only one goal: in shogi, to checkmate the king."

"What about the player outside the board?" Seiryu smiled.