After school, Naruto arrived at the Uchiha clan grounds at Sasuke's invitation.
Also known as the "Uchiha Special District," the Uchiha clan compound once lay on the outskirts of the Hidden Leaf Village's central area. However, following the Night of the Nine-Tails, the Uchiha were relocated to a corner of the village. Although the land area expanded, its isolation from the village's bustling center drew complaints from many Uchiha members.
After stepping through the gates that separated the clan from the rest of the village, Naruto officially entered the Uchiha district. Under Sasuke's enthusiastic guidance, he curiously took in his surroundings.
"Naruto, that's Uncle Inoka's house. He's got a short temper, but he's really kind to kids."
"That's Sister Izumi's place. She's always hanging out with my brother Itachi, so he never has time to play with me."
"That used to be a little shop run by an old lady. Her grandson died in the last war. Not long after, she passed away alone in her home. Father and the others had to take care of her body."
"And over there—that's Shisui's house. My brother treats him like a brother too, but he's super mysterious."
As Sasuke went on with his introductions, images of various people flickered through Naruto's mind. He began to form a clearer picture of the Uchiha clan. This was exactly why he had accepted Sasuke's invitation—he needed to investigate the clan up close to prepare for his next move.
Before long, Naruto's gaze fell upon a tall building opposite the Uchiha compound. Curious, he asked, "Sasuke, what's that building? Is it a landmark for your clan?"
Sasuke followed Naruto's gaze and shook his head. "I don't know. It's been there for as long as I can remember."
Naruto gave a noncommittal "oh" and shifted his attention elsewhere. If even Sasuke didn't know what the building was, then it was likely an ANBU surveillance post keeping watch over the Uchiha clan.
The Uchiha, long suspected of plotting a coup, had lived under constant ANBU surveillance. Ironically, the clan's two most powerful members—Itachi and Shisui—were themselves loyal to the Hokage.
In a way, the Uchiha's situation was its own dark joke.
As Naruto noted the layout of the Uchiha grounds, he followed Sasuke toward the clan leader's residence, already curious and slightly excited about meeting Sasuke's family.
Meanwhile, inside the ANBU surveillance post…
Monitoring the Uchiha compound was none other than Uchiha Itachi.
When he spotted Sasuke and the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki—Naruto—on the surveillance feed, Itachi frowned, his expression shifting uncertainly.
Naruto had actually accepted Sasuke's invitation. Did Shisui not report this to the Third Hokage?
Though both Itachi and Shisui were in the ANBU, they served different masters—Itachi was loyal to Danzo, while Shisui reported directly to the Third Hokage.
Just as Itachi was about to act, the Root agent stationed beside him also noticed the footage.
"You're thinking about deleting the footage, aren't you?" the Root operative said coldly. "The Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki has entered Uchiha territory. Just what is your clan planning? Rebellion?"
Itachi turned calmly and replied, "Whether the Uchiha are rebelling is up to Lord Third to decide. Root doesn't have the authority to make that call. Let's just keep watching."
The Root agent snorted but didn't push further. "I'll report this to the commander. He'll make the right judgment. You'd best not make any reckless moves."
In the Hokage's Office…
The Third Hokage sat in his chair, listening to Shisui's report on the Uchiha clan.
When Shisui mentioned that the Uchiha Police Force had become increasingly confrontational toward the village, Hiruzen sighed. He no longer knew how to manage this growing faction.
Reducing their budget might provoke a strike, which would cripple village security. Sending ANBU to intervene risked igniting even greater conflict.
He once had enough prestige to unite the other clans against the Uchiha. But after the Cloud Village diplomatic incident, the Hyuga clan withdrew into neutrality, avoiding all village affairs except paid missions.
The minor clans had also taken a wait-and-see approach, adopting ambiguous attitudes.
Fortunately, within the Uchiha clan, both Itachi and Shisui served as double agents. Their willingness to provide intelligence to the Hokage helped prevent outright escalation—at least for now.
"Lord Third, that's the situation in the Uchiha clan. The people simply want more rights," Shisui concluded. Relieved that the Hokage showed no intent to strike against the clan, he added, "There's one more matter I'd like to bring up."
"What is it?" asked Hiruzen.
Just then, an ANBU agent monitoring Naruto burst into the room.
"Lord Hokage, the Jinchuriki has entered Uchiha territory without authorization. I wasn't sure how to handle it, so I came to report directly."
The moment he finished speaking, the ANBU noticed Shisui standing nearby. His masked expression turned awkward.
Hiruzen frowned and turned to Shisui. "What were you about to say? Go ahead."
With a somewhat embarrassed expression, Shisui said, "That's actually what I came to report."
The Third Hokage paused but didn't let down his guard. He trusted Shisui, a descendant of Kagami, and believed in his Will of Fire. But even his own disciples had betrayed him before—trust had its limits.
After choosing his words carefully, Shisui explained, "Yesterday, Sasuke mentioned he wanted to invite Naruto over. I didn't think Naruto would accept so soon. This is just a matter between two kids—it has nothing to do with the clan."
Hiruzen's suspicions eased slightly. He understood that the Uchiha attacking Naruto was unlikely.
Still, one could never be too cautious.
Thinking it over, Hiruzen turned to the ANBU. "Assemble both the ANBU and the Shadow Guard. We're going to the Uchiha compound."
"Lord Third…" Shisui began, hesitating—regretting that he hadn't reported the incident sooner.
Hiruzen patted Shisui on the shoulder and said, "I trust you, and I trust the Uchiha. But Naruto has already survived one assassination attempt. I can't risk another."
"If it'll ease your mind, you're welcome to come with me. Think of it as a visit."
Shisui had no rebuttal. Silently, he followed Hiruzen out. He had no desire for a full-blown conflict between the clan and the village—so he had to go.
(End of Chapter)
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