Naruto: I am Uchiha Seiryu

"Still holding out, Lord Third?" Uchiha Seiryu and Sarutobi Hiruzen watch Itachi and the fifteenth generation Ino-Shika-Cho approach the Police front lines via crystal ball. The scene is rather tragic.

Seiryu places the arrest warrant before Hiruzen again. "Because of your stubbornness, the village loses a strategist and an intelligence master."

He understands Shikaku's group means to repay their earring oath by fighting to the death, and Kakashi is willing to oblige. Their political lives are over, even if their physical lives aren't.

"Or are you planning to put everything on the table now?" Seiryu asks, half-smiling.

Hiruzen tenses—he does have a hidden private army: nearly 50 jonin, 130 special jonin, and over 300 chunin. But if he uses them and loses, his reputation will be ruined.

Some things are light until you weigh them—they become crushing.

Hiruzen sighs and looks at Seiryu. "You're only 17. Why rush? With your skill, being Sixth Hokage is just a matter of time."

"Do you really believe that, Lord Third?" Seiryu asks.

Hiruzen has no answer and looks back at the crystal ball.

Itachi and the fifteenth generation Ino-Shika-Cho reach the road to the Police HQ.

Kakashi and Shisui, with a group of Uchiha, are waiting.

Seeing Kakashi in the sphere, Hiruzen is surprised. "Why is Kakashi in the village?"

"Not just that," Seiryu says, "Look at Genma's chakra—he should be arriving soon."

Hiruzen quickly adjusts the telescope technique, spotting Genma and a force of nearly 1,500 ninja behind him.

"Kakashi brought the border troops back?" Hiruzen asks in disbelief. "Aren't you afraid of a Mist invasion?"

"Don't worry, the Mist won't invade," Douguang smiles.

"You're sure?"

"Of course. I carved that assurance out on the battlefield myself," Seiryu replies.

On the coastline of the Land of Fire, Kakashi's redeployment is quickly detected by Mist scouts and White Zetsu.

The Mist elders propose a probe, and Uchiha Obito, controlling Yagura, immediately agrees.

But when Mist ships reach the shore, they halt at the sight of a single sword—Kakashi's Kiburi Blade, crackling with electricity.

Mist holds a near-religious reverence for the Seven Swords. But in the Third Ninja War, another blade left a deep scar in their memory—the very Kiburi now planted on the beach.

No Mist ninja dares to advance.

Elsewhere, another Mist force lands, but is confronted by a man doing handstand push-ups on a cliff in rhythm with the waves, bathed in moonlight—a man in a green jumpsuit with a shiny bowl cut.

"Retreat," the Mist commander orders, recalling the fate of their Seven Swordsmen in the last war.

…

Hiruzen lights his pipe again and returns to the crystal ball.

Shisui and Itachi have started fighting, while Kakashi faces the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

Both are masters of Uchiha swordsmanship. Their blades clash, Sharingan spinning. The ground scorches beneath them, both retreat, and two raging fire dragons collide.

As the flames die, Itachi throws shuriken, but they all miss as seven Shisuis appear, saying, "Itachi, don't forget—I'm the one who taught you shurikenjutsu."

"Brother Shisui! Why?" Itachi defend and asks, "Why betray the Will of Fire?"

Shisui attacks again. "Itachi, neither the Third, his advisors, nor even Danzo represent the Will of Fire."

Shisui's clone vanishes and attacks from behind.

Itachi blocks, but sees more and more people converging—Anbu, Jonin—all subduing Itachi's few allies.

Soon, only he and Shisui, plus the still-fighting Kakashi and Ino-Shika-Cho, remain.

"You don't represent the Will of Fire, either," Shisui says, as his clones overwhelm Itachi.

He spares Itachi's vital points, holding back.

…

"Time to sign, Lord Third. The Will of Fire shouldn't burn on meaningless ground," Seiryu says, as the fighting nears its end; victory for Shisui and Kakashi is just a matter of time.

Hiruzen understands the situation is lost—even his secret troops would be outmatched by Kakashi's border army.

He sighs and signs the document.

"That's better, Lord Third. You can't only preach the Will of Fire when you're winning," Seiryu says, immediately collecting the signed document.

But just then, the scene in the crystal ball changes.

A masked figure suddenly appears at the center of the battlefield, swinging a chain-linked scythe to drive back all of Shisui's clones.

Explosive tags appear around Shisui and Kakashi.

Kakashi rushes to Shisui's side.

Explosions force back would-be rescuers.

Seiryu slams the desk. "Care to explain, Lord Third, why this masked man appears now and attacks our people? Is this your trump card?"

Hiruzen appears panicked. "Seiryu, this has nothing to do with me!"

As the smoke clears, a giant, dark-green Susanoo appears. Beneath it, blood tears flow from Shisui's eyes. Behind him, Kakashi and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio are unharmed.

Soon, cracks appear on Susanoo, and Shisui collapses in Kakashi's arms.

"Looks like you're in trouble," the masked man says to Itachi. "But I told you—I'd help when you needed it."