At the Hokage Council meeting, everyone could feel the invisible tension pressing down on the room.
Anyone seated here was no fool.
It was painfully obvious that after everything that had happened, the conflict between the Uchiha clan and Konoha's upper leadership had reached the point of drawn blades—one spark away from complete explosion.
And now that Kumogakure, the greatest external threat, had been dealt with, the fuse for this inevitable internal war had clearly been lit.
Hatake Kakashi spoke calmly,
"Even if Konoha holds the advantage on the battlefield, during peace talks… we'll probably still end up conceding benefits to Kumogakure, won't we?"
The room shook.
Kakashi wasn't even pretending to give Sarutobi any face anymore.
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
"Kakashi—what are you implying?"
Kakashi smiled faintly.
"Nothing at all. If the Hokage doesn't like hearing it, just take it as idle talk."
Hiruzen snorted.
"Kakashi, while it's true I ordered ANBU to track Danzo, I never authorized you to leave the village without permission—much less take an ANBU squad and involve the Ino–Shika–Cho clans."
"This is a blatant act of insubordination."
Kakashi replied indifferently,
"You're right, Hokage-sama. I did violate orders. That means I'm no longer fit to remain in ANBU."
"So—"
"I formally request to resign as an ANBU squad captain."
Hiruzen frowned, then slowly relaxed his brow.
"Very well. Since this is your decision, I won't stop you."
Kakashi smiled again.
"Then I'm finally free of obligations."
"Qianyu-sama—would the Military Police accept me?"
Instantly, the expressions in the room changed again.
Kakashi was openly declaring his allegiance.
Even Qianyu hadn't expected this move—but—
"Accepted."
He didn't refuse.
Koharu Utatane spoke sharply,
"This… the Military Police has always been handled internally by the Uchiha clan. Kakashi is an outsider—this violates long-standing rules."
Qianyu replied calmly,
"Rules are dead. People are alive."
The words left Koharu completely speechless.
Hiruzen's face flushed with anger, but he knew full well that Kakashi's defection was something he could no longer stop.
Still—
There was one piece of news that allowed him to breathe slightly easier.
He announced,
"There is one more matter."
"Jiraiya will soon return to the village."
That name stirred the room.
One of the Legendary Sannin—a figure standing at the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
No wonder Hiruzen hadn't completely collapsed after Danzo's death.
So this was another trump card.
The attendees exchanged glances.
They all understood—
The coming internal conflict was only growing more turbulent and complex.
Hiruzen's lips curved upward almost imperceptibly.
Jiraiya wasn't his only card.
Meanwhile—
At the Uchiha District, inside the Naka Shrine, the place was silent and deserted.
Suddenly—
Space itself rippled.
A figure appeared without a sound.
He wore a black cloak, a dark hood pulled low, and a tiger-patterned mask covering his face completely. His entire existence seemed hidden, unfathomable, unreal.
The masked man stood quietly for a moment, scanning the shrine as if lost in thought.
Then, with practiced familiarity, he headed toward the concealed underground chamber.
The basement was pitch-black, lit only by faint candlelight.
Yet in the masked man's eyes, everything was crystal clear—
Including the stone tablet standing at the center.
Ancient.
Eerie.
Inscribed with cryptic script.
As he studied it, faint crimson light flickered in his gaze.
Then—
"Who are you?"
A youthful voice suddenly sounded behind him.
The masked man stiffened.
Turning around, he saw a boy—no more than ten years old.
"You are… Fugaku Uchiha's eldest son…"
"Uchiha Itachi."
The masked man nodded in surprise and approval.
"To detect me without making a sound… you truly live up to your reputation as a prodigy."
Itachi said coldly,
"This isn't your first time entering the Naka Shrine."
"Why are you here?"
"What is your goal?"
"And—"
"Who exactly are you?"
The masked man chuckled softly.
"How sharp-tongued."
"Very well. Since you noticed me, I'll tell you."
"My name is—"
"Uchiha Madara."
Itachi's pupils shrank violently.
"Uchiha… Madara?!"
"That's impossible. He's our clan's ancestor—and he died years ago at the hands of the First Hokage."
The masked man sneered.
"That's merely the ignorance of the masses."
Itachi quickly regained his composure.
"To pass through Konoha's barrier undetected… to know the shrine's secrets… and to use such a mysterious space–time ninjutsu…"
"I don't believe you're Madara."
"But you are undeniably connected to him."
The masked man's interest deepened.
"At such a young age, you analyze with this level of clarity…"
"You remind me of someone else."
"The Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze."
"During the Nine-Tails incident, he reached the same conclusion."
Itachi's expression shifted again.
"The Nine-Tails attack… so the one who controlled it was truly you?"
The masked man neither confirmed nor denied.
After a pause, Itachi spoke quietly,
"You possess power far beyond my imagination."
"But that disaster caused the Uchiha clan to shoulder the village's suspicion and pressure—leading directly to our current conflict with the leadership."
The masked man laughed dismissively.
"So what?"
Itachi frowned.
"Even if you aren't Madara, anyone capable of controlling the Nine-Tails with the Sharingan must be a powerful Uchiha."
"Why frame your own clan?"
"Frame?"
The masked man burst into laughter.
"How ridiculous."
"I triggered the Nine-Tails incident on a whim."
"As for the Uchiha clan? I never cared about them."
"If your clan suffered suspicion from Konoha, that was merely a side effect."
"And don't assume that being Uchiha means I feel any attachment."
"In fact—"
"The reason I've come to Konoha this time is to—"
"Erase the Uchiha clan completely."
Itachi stood frozen in shock.
"Why…?"
The masked man's voice turned icy.
"From the moment I left Konoha, and the Uchiha chose to follow Hashirama instead of me—betraying me—only hatred remained."
"I've already allowed the Uchiha to linger far too long."
"It's time for revenge."
He looked directly at Itachi.
"So—Uchiha Itachi."
"Will you cooperate with me?"
Itachi was still reeling.
"Me…?"
"Why would I work with you to destroy my own clan?"
The masked man sneered.
"Don't pretend I don't know."
"You already pledged yourself to Konoha's leadership."
"After Shisui's death, you became Sarutobi's next trump card."
"And what he wants from you is no different from what I want."
"How much of that stone tablet can your eyes read?"
Itachi closed his eyes.
When he opened them again—
The Mangekyō Sharingan flared crimson.
"I knew it," the masked man murmured.
"You awakened the Mangekyō too… ever since Shisui died."
But—
Itachi quickly deactivated it and shook his head.
"It's meaningless."
The masked man frowned.
"Meaningless?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Itachi spoke slowly, each word heavy.
"Because—"
"You and I…"
"…are neither of us a match for that man."
"…Uchiha Qianyu."
The masked man froze.
Then—
Rage erupted.
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