Uchiha Massacre?
Hmm. That's a worthwhile question to consider. After all, according to the original story, the Uchiha clan really did get wiped out. There wasn't even a trace of Black Zetsu—just the internal friction between the Uchiha and the Hidden Leaf Village reaching a boiling point... and then a weasel from within decided to slaughter his whole clan.
But thinking deeper, the Uchiha only came to such bitter enmity with the village because of another Uchiha—Obito Uchiha—who unleashed the Nine Tails and got Minato and Kushina killed. And Black Zetsu? He was manipulating Obito from the shadows the entire time.
Considering everything that master manipulator did, it's entirely possible that the Uchiha massacre had been part of his plan all along. And frankly? The logic checks out—
The Uchiha clan was too unpredictable. Who knows when a Mangekyō Sharingan might awaken that could threaten Black Zetsu? By that point, the Eye of the Moon Plan was already set in motion. With Obito acting as its executor, a clan full of potential disruptors—these red-eyed Uchiha—would've been a massive obstacle.
In short, the Uchiha clan really was cursed with misfortune. Inside the village, they had deadly enemies; outside, scheming masterminds were circling like vultures.
And following this line of thought, it's easy to understand how hopeless the original Uchiha clan was. Staying in the village meant death. Running away only made them targets for Zetsu's plans. There was no path to survival—unless a powerhouse like Madara Uchiha suddenly showed up to crush all resistance.
Of course, that was the original story. Now, the Uchiha are a true pillar of the village. Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly flipped a switch and turned into a scheming Lord Third from some conspiracy theory, any move against the Uchiha now would mean fighting all of Konoha.
Basically, the internal threat is gone—or at least irrelevant. The real issue is still the outsider: Black Zetsu.
Thinking this far, Uchiha Kei finally spoke:
"Everyone, there's no need to be so nervous or discouraged. Black Zetsu may be tricky, but he's not invincible. Like I said, advanced sealing techniques are a huge threat to him. And lucky for us, the top sealing experts in Konoha... happen to be my friends."
"So what we need to consider is how to lure Black Zetsu out of hiding and find the right chance to seal him."
"Also, while Black Zetsu is immune to all ninjutsu and highly resistant to taijutsu, he doesn't fare well against special dōjutsu. For example, if a Mangekyō Sharingan awakens a unique ability, it might be able to affect him."
The mention of Mangekyō dōjutsu made the Uchiha elders stir. Their eyes instinctively turned to Uchiha Setsuna. Setsuna narrowed his eyes and said gravely:
"I see. So Mangekyō abilities can work. That would explain why this 'Black Zetsu' targets our clan."
"Now that the Uzumaki are no more, the Uchiha—with bloodline powers capable of threatening him—are Black Zetsu's greatest enemy."
"Whatever his scheme is, it's clear now: the Uchiha and this Zetsu creature are destined to be mortal enemies."
"If we were still the old Uchiha clan, we'd be doomed under an enemy like that. Just like the Uzumaki were."
"But now…"
His words trailed off, and Uchiha Kei saw it firsthand—the smirk of an old dragon king. This geezer, half a foot in the grave, crooked his mouth into a confident grin.
And as he spoke, his Sharingan changed—three tomoe spun into a Mangekyō. The inverted triangles gleamed in his old, murky eyes, but the brilliance of the Mangekyō didn't dim one bit.
Seeing this, Uchiha Kei nearly blurted out, "What the hell?!"
Setsuna awakened the Mangekyō?! When did that happen?
Looking at the others, Kei realized they weren't surprised at all. Clearly, everyone knew.
So he was the only one left in the dark? Was this some kind of elaborate bullying scheme?
As Kei's mind veered toward conspiracy theories, Uchiha Fugaku spoke up:
"Sorry, Kei-kun. It's not that we didn't want to tell you. Elder Setsuna himself asked us not to."
He glanced at Setsuna, who stayed silent—clearly agreeing. With Black Zetsu entering the picture, their original plans no longer mattered.
Understanding Setsuna's thoughts, Fugaku continued:
"Kei-kun, the truth is... Elder Setsuna doesn't have long. Awakening the Mangekyō has drained the last of his life force. He won't be with us much longer."
"He wasn't trying to hide it from you out of malice. He wanted to wait until after his death—to leave his Mangekyō to you."
"We all know what kind of person you are. If we had told you earlier, you wouldn't have accepted his gift. You'd have felt guilty—maybe even tortured by it."
"That's why we kept it from you."
Uchiha Kei: "!!??"
He was at a complete loss.
Leave him a Mangekyō? He wouldn't accept it? Guilty and pained? What kind of image did they have of him?! Where were they getting these assumptions?
At that moment, Kei's normal brain short-circuited in the face of the clan's bizarre logic. His mind was full of "What are you even saying? Are you sure you're talking about me?"
After a long while, Kei had to admit—Fugaku was indeed talking about him. His look of shock and disbelief had been interpreted as deep emotional turmoil, moved by Setsuna's selfless sacrifice.
Setsuna even smiled and said:
"Kei-kun, don't feel burdened or upset. This was my choice—my way of atonement. After seeing the plans and actions you've taken for the clan, I realized how blind and stubborn I used to be, leading us into the abyss."
"This is something I'll never forgive myself for. Leaving this Mangekyō to you—the one who represents the Uchiha's future and hope—is my way of making amends."
"So Kei-kun, this eye is the last thing I can give to the clan... and to you. Please, accept it."
With that, the elder bowed.
Because he was kneeling, Kei couldn't even dodge. The other elders, of course, saw nothing wrong with this and treated it as perfectly normal—making Kei feel even more conflicted.
Not long ago, Setsuna had planned to hand over the position of head elder to him. But this—this was different. This involved the Mangekyō Sharingan.
This was a treasure of the shinobi world, the pinnacle of the Uchiha clan's power. Something that, if Danzo ever found out about, would drive him insane, spamming "WHERE?" nonstop for three days straight.
If he accepted it, Kei's power would skyrocket. As a fellow Uchiha, transplanting the eyes wouldn't be an issue. The only downside was that without a blood relative, he couldn't awaken the Eternal Mangekyō.
Even so, while the Mangekyō would eventually go blind, if he could capture White Zetsu and have Orochimaru handle the transplant of White Zetsu's cells, he could stabilize the Mangekyō like Obito did—using its power without fear of blindness.
In short, accepting the eyes would pave the way for his rise.
So... should he accept?
Honestly, it wasn't even a real question. The pros vastly outweighed the cons.
So...
"Elder, thank you for your kindness. If, unfortunately, you pass away... I will accept the gift of your eyes. But only after your passing. Until then, these eyes remain yours."
"Also, please try these two items—don't ask questions. Just eat them first."
Kei pulled out a can of system-brand cola and a system-brand hamburger.
The Uchiha present were stunned. He hadn't used any jutsu—so how did he produce those things? Their faces were filled with confusion.
Kei didn't explain. He simply gestured for Setsuna to eat.
Without hesitation, Setsuna accepted and began eating and drinking. The others watched with curiosity as the scent of the burger wafted through the air, making them all sniff instinctively.
It wasn't exactly gourmet, but it definitely stirred the appetite. Definitely edible—
In the future, things like soda and burgers might exist in the shinobi world. But this was pre-Third War. The tech tree hadn't sprouted that far yet. This system-made meal was one-of-a-kind—an absolute monopoly.
To Setsuna, the burger tasted pretty good. It was better than average, a true premium meal. The cola wasn't really his thing, but its unique sweetness gave him a rush of refreshment—as if he'd suddenly grown younger.
Wait... that wasn't just a feeling.
His energy was returning. His worn-out body felt revitalized. The system's food had restored a surprising amount of his vitality.
He had thought he'd drop dead next month. But now? He might live another two or three.
Such shocking effects left him visibly stunned.
The other Uchiha didn't yet understand the system's food and assumed his reaction was due to the taste. Now they were all eager to find out how good it had to be to make Setsuna lose composure.