I was really scared, not kidding.
"Then have you ever thought that the release of this information may trigger a war!"
"Don't scare me, Patriarch. You've always been like this—hesitant when you should be decisive, soft when you should be firm. That's why Uchiha has fallen into such a sorry state."
War?
Who are you trying to frighten? Do you really think Konoha is that fragile?
Konoha is indeed focused on recovery right now, but that doesn't mean just anyone can launch a war against it.
Even Iwagakure and Kumogakure would have to weigh their options carefully before making such a reckless move.
A full-scale war is unlikely, but external trouble? That's inevitable.
And that is exactly what Yan wants.
The more distractions there are outside, the more secure Uchiha will be from within.
Fugaku's stern face turned red instantly when Yan's words struck his weakest spot.
It was only because the person in front of him was Yan that he didn't erupt. If it had been someone else, they wouldn't have left unscathed.
"I'll handle the leak of the information. It won't trace back to Uchiha. Just make sure you're right about this."
Since you claim I'm not tough or ruthless enough, I'll give you the platform—prove yourself.
Let me see what you're capable of.
"Oh, and don't forget to pay me. Everyone has families to support, Patriarch. Don't try to pocket my intel commission. Selling this information could fetch 70 to 80 million ryo easily."
You can play games and stir chaos, but don't mess with my money.
What's mine should be paid in full—every single ryo.
Information is valuable these days—especially sensitive intel on the Five Great Nations.
The bounty guild loves that kind of product. They'll gladly pay top dollar for it.
"…"
He was dead serious one moment, then stunned the next.
He hadn't expected Yan to be this kind of Uchiha—money-driven and cheeky.
"Don't worry. You'll get every ryo of your payment. Not a single coin will be missing," Fugaku finally promised, albeit through gritted teeth.
"Then I'm relieved. Patriarch, take care of yourself."
With the matter resolved, Yan was ready to leave. As for what followed—well, it was up to Fugaku's capabilities now.
The dignified Uchiha Clan Head, and you can't even handle this?
If it weren't for the fact that Yan's personal movements would attract too much attention, he wouldn't have involved Fugaku at all.
There are things he preferred to do himself when possible.
If only he had Kamui…
The power to come and go at will, unseen and untraceable.
Unfortunately, that formidable ability landed in the hands of an idiot like Obito.
Wait a second!
Yan suddenly froze.
Obito's already blackened—he's no longer the boy from back then. He dragged Uchiha into a catastrophe.
So why the hell should Yan show him any mercy?
True, special abilities like Kamui are rare, but Sharingan in general isn't unattainable.
Obito's Sharingan? It's currently with Kakashi.
So why not take it back?
It would greatly aid him in dealing with Obito down the line. More importantly, Kamui would be extremely useful right now.
But Kakashi… he hasn't been spotted around the village recently.
Anbu operatives are easy to identify—especially Kakashi with his trademark silver hair.
"It seems I've overlooked something important."
Given the situation, Yan had no choice but to apologize to Kakashi in advance.
That Sharingan is going to be reclaimed.
After all, it belonged to Uchiha in the first place.
The only reason no one has taken it back until now is out of respect for the Third Hokage.
Yet the Third used that leeway to glorify Kakashi, parading him as a hero, turning him into Konoha's poster child—"Copy Ninja Kakashi."
A title that's more of a joke when you think about it.
No one from the Uchiha Clan ever verified that label—yet the world accepted it.
The irony is almost poetic.
According to Shisui's latest letter, Anbu operatives have been dispatched to the Land of Fire's Daimyo's residence for protection.
They're operating from the shadows.
And Kakashi not appearing in the village recently—does that mean he's there too?
This is a rare opportunity.
It would be far easier to operate in the Daimyo's residence than in the heart of Konoha.
Yan didn't plan to kill Kakashi. He just needed that eye back.
And using it wouldn't be a problem. After absorbing so much Asura Chakra, his body's healing capabilities had advanced considerably.
Maybe not to Senju Hashirama's level, but good enough to recover after transplanting an eye.
With Obito's Sharingan in hand, he could become a nightmare to many.
Maybe he could even bait Obito into revealing himself.
Force the snake from the grass!
Reveal Obito's true identity ahead of time.
The next morning, Tsunade—who had been drunk out of her mind the night before—woke up fully energized, as if none of it happened.
"The Daimyo has formally requested Uchiha to lead the next wave of protection. You need to prepare yourselves. All the Daimyo from different regions will be gathering soon. If anything goes wrong, the blame will fall squarely on Uchiha."
Whether or not the Third Hokage approved, Tsunade was heading to the Daimyo's residence.
The protection job was already handed to Uchiha.
Under pressure from the Daimyo, the Third had no choice but to concede.
He didn't want Uchiha to get too close to the Daimyo—that was his real concern.
On the other hand, Fugaku received official orders from the Hokage's office. He was instructed to select reliable, competent shinobi to accompany Tsunade to the Daimyo's residence for this critical security detail.
Once the order was given, the Uchiha Police Force mobilized at full throttle.
Taking over the Daimyo's security was a major test for the clan—especially since they also had to manage Konoha's internal security simultaneously.
Fugaku had no choice but to summon elite clan members.
As for the squad leader—it was officially assigned to Yan.
Even Shisui, who was already stationed near the Daimyo's residence, would fall under Yan's command during this mission.
The Uchiha dispatched five Jōnin, including Yan, to lead the mission. The rest of the team was made up of Chūnin.
Such a robust lineup would surely earn the Daimyo's trust.
Meanwhile, the Third Hokage also sent a separate squad to accompany them.
Uchiha would handle security inside the palace, while the rest of the regions would be guarded by Konoha shinobi.
No slip-ups would be tolerated during this critical period.
"Move out!"
Now that she was back to business, Tsunade was all resolve and authority. With both squads assembled, she wasted no time leading the mission out of Konoha toward the Daimyo's residence.
Time was running out.
If they delayed any further, the Daimyo from other nations would arrive, and gaining their trust would become that much harder.
Interestingly, Jiraiya didn't accompany them. He stayed behind in Konoha to watch over Naruto.
There would be speculation, but for Yan, this mission wasn't just about protection.
It was a chance to retrieve Obito's Sharingan.
Kakashi, being Anbu, usually kept to himself. He wouldn't mingle with other ninja—especially not during a high-profile mission like this.
In fact, Kakashi at this point in his life was a complete loner, suffering from severe trauma and depression.
He was rarely seen in public outside of official duties.
Which made this an ideal opportunity.
"Captain."
Yan glanced to his side, where Zhiyan nudged his elbow and gestured subtly.
Oh? What a surprise.
Isn't that the rebellious Asuma?
The Third Hokage has two sons—the older one is deep within Anbu, status unclear but definitely elite.
The younger one? That's Asuma.
A textbook rebel.
Perpetually at odds with his father. A troublemaker.
His entire lifestyle screamed defiance. He deliberately did the opposite of what was expected of him.
While most were focused on the mission, Asuma was laughing and joking with his team, totally out of sync with the rest of the procession.
Anyone else would've been scolded or silenced.
But not Asuma.
Everyone knew his temperament—and more importantly, his lineage.
"Leave him be," Yan muttered.
Zhiyan had once clashed with Asuma publicly. If not for Asuma's status, that confrontation might've ended very differently.
For now, their mission's priority wasn't bickering with brats—it was recovering Obito's Sharingan.
Protecting the Daimyo was a secondary concern.
Still, Asuma had better behave himself.
If he kept acting out, Yan wouldn't hesitate to teach him a harsh lesson.
If necessary, he'd send him to meet the gods.
In the original timeline, Asuma left Konoha after a fallout with his father...