Naruto: I am Uchiha Seiryu

"Players outside the board?" Sasuke repeated Uchiha Seiryu's words. After thinking for a while, he hesitantly said, "Their position should also be to win this match, right?"

"That's right. When two players sit across the board for a normal game, their goal is to defeat the other. So, Sasuke, what do you think is the difference between the two?"

"The pieces are controlled by the player; the pieces themselves can't decide where to go on the board…" As Sasuke finished, he suddenly fell silent. It seemed he understood why his brother had such an ending.

"Of course, that's the norm. But what if one side of the match never intended to win from the start? In that case, do the pieces still have their original stance?" Uchiha Seiryu asked.

Sasuke was stunned for a moment, lost in thought.

"So, teacher, you want me to jump out of the role of a piece and become a player—the one who decides the piece's stance?" Sasuke asked.

Uchiha Seiryu nodded with satisfaction and said, "You are teachable. But Sasuke, you are still far from being a player. To put it simply: Sasuke, do you have any pieces?"

"Please teach me, sensei," Sasuke replied.

"I've already taught you this, haven't I?" Uchiha Seiryu said, staring into Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke was stunned.

After a while, Uchiha Seiryu patted Sasuke's head and said, "That's all for today's lesson. When you're qualified to sit at the board, I'll teach you the skills of playing."

When Sasuke left, his mind was still buzzing. What Uchiha Seiryu taught today was too shocking for him; it would take time for him to digest it.

After Sasuke left, Uchiha Seiryu began his daily Sage Mode practice.

After this period of practice, Uchiha Seiryu's perception in Sage Mode could completely cover the entire Uchiha clan compound.

After a rough sweep of the area, Uchiha Seiryu suddenly sensed something interesting in the clan's cemetery.

With a meaningful smile, he changed clothes and headed toward the clan's cemetery.

Uchiha Itachi was buried in the remotest corner of the cemetery, and there were still fresh bouquets placed before his grave.

Although Itachi hadn't caused actual harm to the clan, not standing with the clan during crucial times was a betrayal. Considering the many clan members who had worked diligently for the family, the Uchiha didn't hold a proper funeral for him, and his grave was placed at the edge of the cemetery.

Still, some of Fugaku's peers would secretly come and leave flowers for him—after all, they had watched him grow up.

As for the younger generation, few came. Even among the genius-filled Uchiha clan, Itachi, who had been a prodigy among prodigies since childhood, didn't have many friends. Apart from Shisui, who kept vigil for two days, it seemed no one else came.

Actually, someone else did.

Uchiha Seiryu bent down to pick up a cornflower with tear stains on its petals. A girl with a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye flashed through his mind.

"Itachi, you really let down a lot of people," Uchiha Seiryu said.

"But perhaps, ever since you were brought to the battlefield at four, your fate was already sealed." He murmured, "What's wrong with this world? Why do tragedies like this keep repeating? When will true peace come to this world?"

At this moment, just a few meters below his feet, a pitch-black figure suddenly froze.

…

Three days ago, when Uchiha Obito turned to stone and shattered, Black Zetsu was utterly desperate.

He had spent millennia trying to save his mother, sealed by those two brothers. Over ten years ago, when Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan was born, it was the closest he had ever come to success.

But after Madara planned everything and fell into eternal sleep, many variables crept in.

First, Nagato, the Rinnegan's host, was veering off course. He seemed unwilling to execute the Eye of the Moon Plan; instead, after collecting the nine tailed beasts, he wanted to use their power to make the world feel pain, so people would cherish peace. He intended to be a god who deterred the great ninja villages—a far cry from the Eye of the Moon Plan.

Fortunately, Uchiha Obito, Madara's backup to check Nagato, remained under Black Zetsu's control.

But three days ago, Obito died in a moment of recklessness!

Black Zetsu, to this day, didn't understand how Obito—who had the Uchiha's strongest survival dojutsu, Kamui, and Izanagi as a safeguard—could die so easily to Uchiha Seiryu.

When Obito turned to stone and shattered, Black Zetsu's heart shattered too.

Millennia of planning, the closest he ever got to success—ruined, just like that!

But after regaining his composure, Black Zetsu got busy again. Wasn't this just another failure? He'd failed countless times over the years. As long as he could save his mother, what did a little setback matter? He'd come so close this time; surely next time he'd succeed.

So, Black Zetsu made a new plan. Step one: hide and wait for Nagato and Uchiha Seiryu—who ruined his plan—to die of old age.

Then, he could recover the Rinnegan and start anew.

Today, he came to the Uchiha cemetery to collect some of Itachi's DNA.

Decades ago, the ninja world produced a genius, Tobirama Senju, who created a jutsu to connect the world of the living and the Pure Land: Edo Tensei.

Upon learning of the technique, Black Zetsu immediately targeted it. He spent much time in Tobirama's lab underground, and learned that Edo Tensei required the DNA of the summoned. Although the jutsu was sealed in the Scroll of Seals after its invention—out of Black Zetsu's reach—he knew he'd get a chance. After all, he had time.

So, for the sake of a Mangekyō Sharingan-level pawn in the future, he came to the Uchiha cemetery. But before he could start, Uchiha Seiryu's arrival nearly scared him to death.

Over the years, Black Zetsu had seen many who mastered Sage Mode and knew how terrifying their perception was.

Though Seiryu wasn't in Sage Mode now, what if he decided to practice it here? Black Zetsu dared not risk it.

So, the moment Seiryu appeared, Black Zetsu wanted to flee.

However, what Seiryu said in front of Itachi's grave made Black Zetsu freeze.

"When will this world have true peace?"

'Wait, maybe my plan isn't doomed yet?'

To Black Zetsu, Seiryu's words were music to his ears.

'I knew it! Once Indra's descendants become strong enough, they always start pondering world peace! Mother, I'll save you soon!'

Black Zetsu forced himself to resist rushing out to fool Seiryu and quietly left underground.

He knew Seiryu was different from the traditional Uchiha; from the way he deduced Obito's identity from clues, it was clear Black Zetsu couldn't fool him as easily as he did Madara. Everything would require careful planning.

Uchiha Seiryu waited a while, and when Black Zetsu didn't show up, he sighed inwardly.

'Did I overact just now?'

That's right—Seiryu hadn't come to the graveyard just to pay respects to Itachi. He was mainly here to fish out Black Zetsu.

But Seiryu didn't plan to do anything to Black Zetsu.

On the contrary, he was very interested in Black Zetsu's plan.

After all, Seiryu knew the ninja world would one day face a massive alien invasion. The best way to fight aliens was to become one yourself.

So, he fully supported releasing Kaguya.

It was just a pity Black Zetsu didn't bite immediately.

…

The next day, with Kakashi's nomination and Hiruzen Sarutobi's cooperation, the election for Konoha's Fifth Hokage began.

Seiryu, unsurprisingly, won every jōnin vote, becoming the sole candidate for Fifth Hokage.

Hiruzen wasted no time sending the results to the Fire Daimyō. Now, all Seiryu needed was the Daimyō's formal approval.

To celebrate, Seiryu held a small banquet.

Afterward, upon returning home, he noticed a letter on his desk.

[Do you want to bring true peace to the ninja world? Then come to the basement of the Naka Shrine.]

Seeing this, Seiryu laughed inwardly. Looks like his bait worked.

But, to avoid Black Zetsu's surveillance, he suppressed his smile and called for Uchiha Keiko.

"Keiko, has anyone been in this room today?"

"No. Did something happen?" Keiko asked.

"No, I must have remembered wrong," Seiryu replied.