A month later.
"My eyesight is completely restored!"
Gazing at the world in crisp clarity, Uchiha Fugaku couldn't suppress his joy.
After refining White Zetsu's corpse and obtaining the cells—or more precisely, the traits—of Hashirama Senju, a cool and soothing energy had been continuously healing his damaged eyes.
Now, a month had passed, and the injuries to his eyes were fully repaired.
But that wasn't all—he could feel his ocular power had grown stronger.
The chakra and strength contained within his Sharingan were clearly a level higher than before.
Not only had the crisis of blindness been averted, and the damage to his eyes completely healed, but even his visual prowess had seen a noticeable enhancement.
This wasn't hard to understand. After all, when Uchiha Madara fused with Hashirama's cells, he evolved his eyes into the Rinnegan—evidence that Hashirama's cells have a significant enhancing effect on the Mangekyō Sharingan.
While his own eyes weren't Eternal Mangekyō, and evolving into the Rinnegan was out of reach, a boost in ocular power was still well within reason.
Footsteps approached.
He turned to look and saw Uchiha Yakumi walking toward him, wearing the Police Force armband on his left arm.
"Clan Head."
Stopping in front of Fugaku, Yakumi greeted him respectfully.
Within the Police Force, he would address him as "Captain," but within the Uchiha clan, he was always the "Clan Head."
"What is it?" Fugaku asked.
Yakumi didn't respond immediately. Instead, he glanced around cautiously.
"There's no one else nearby," Fugaku said calmly.
Thanks to the Yamanaka clan's body constitution he now possessed, his sensory abilities had become extraordinarily sharp. Even ninja adept at concealing their presence would struggle to get close without being detected.
"Clan Head, Uchiha Sen just accepted an out-of-village mission."
As a member of the Police Force, any time Sen accepted a mission requiring him to leave the village, he was obligated to report it.
He had just done so moments ago.
Yakumi had planted someone he trusted at the registration desk, so the moment Sen filed the report, Yakumi knew.
"He finally took a mission."
A glint of murderous intent flashed in Fugaku's eyes.
This hidden traitor lurking within the Uchiha clan had been a thorn in his side for far too long. Now, at last, he had a chance to eliminate him.
"Clan Head, please let me lead the team to take him out!"
Yakumi's killing intent surged.
He loathed traitors—those who betrayed their own kin—and wanted nothing more than to tear them to pieces.
But Fugaku shook his head.
"Uchiha Sen has awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan. He's an elite jōnin, even more troublesome than most others at that level. He may be hiding even more power. Only if I personally handle this can we ensure success."
Though he understood Yakumi's eagerness, Fugaku refused his request.
This assassination must not fail. If it did, the Third Hokage would be on high alert.
Moreover, as a spy embedded within the Uchiha clan, Sen had likely been granted special benefits by the Third—perhaps even powerful forbidden jutsu.
Only someone with Kage-level strength—someone like Fugaku himself—could handle this with absolute certainty.
"I'll leave a shadow clone behind to maintain appearances and quietly slip out of the village. You'll cover for me. Whatever happens, don't let anyone know I'm gone."
"Yes, sir," Yakumi replied with a respectful nod.
After Yakumi departed, Fugaku prepared for his journey. But he hesitated.
He might be gone for two or three days. Leaving behind only a shadow clone wasn't foolproof. Someone as close to him as Mikoto could easily spot the difference.
After some thought, he made a decision.
"Mikoto."
He found her in the backyard, wearing an apron and watering the flowers she'd lovingly cultivated.
Sunlight glinted off the spray from the watering can, casting her graceful figure in a soft glow. The sight was like a serene painting.
"What is it?"
Hearing his voice, Mikoto set the can aside and walked over.
"I need to leave the village for a while," Fugaku said.
After considering it, he chose to tell her the truth.
"For how many days?" she asked.
"Two or three. I'll be leaving quietly and leaving a shadow clone behind. I need your help to cover for me."
Since he couldn't deceive Mikoto, the only option was to enlist her help.
"Quietly leaving the village?"
A subtle crease appeared on Mikoto's elegant brow, but it quickly disappeared as she replied, "Don't worry. I'll cover for you."
She could tell this wasn't an ordinary trip.
But if he wasn't telling her the details, it must be because he couldn't.
As his wife, she chose to be understanding and supportive, not press for answers.
"This must be kept secret—even Itachi and Sasuke can't know."
"Don't worry. I understand. I am a jōnin, after all," Mikoto said with a warm smile.
A man in his late twenties to early thirties, with black hair and a bit of stubble on his chin, appeared at Konoha's village gate.
This was Uchiha Sen—the mole hidden within the Uchiha clan.
"Sen, heading out on a mission?" a member of the gate security team greeted him warmly.
"Yeah. Picked up a mission. I'll be gone for two or three days," Sen replied.
The warmth from his comrades stirred a pang of guilt in his heart—but it quickly faded.
He did feel sorry for those he worked alongside day in and day out.
But this was a direct order from Lord Third Hokage.
A shinobi should not be swayed by emotion. The mission must always come first.
The Third had tasked him with monitoring the Uchiha clan—to protect the village from any threats they might pose. It was all for the sake of the village.
"It's getting late. You'd better head out. When you're back, we'll grab a drink," said a fellow officer who was close to him.
"Sounds good. I'll hold you to that," Sen replied with a sincere smile.
He had returned to the Uchiha clan with his mother when he was twelve and had lived there for sixteen years.
In that time, he'd made countless friends—bonds forged in life-and-death situations—and truly come to feel the warmth of the Uchiha family.
Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder... what if he hadn't been a spy?
But that was a fantasy that never could've been.
Even before he'd returned with his mother, he had already accepted a mission from the Third Hokage: to infiltrate the Uchiha clan as an informant.
Whoosh!
Exiting the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village, Uchiha Sen vanished into the surrounding forest.