"Lord Hokage! "
As soon as he saw the approaching Third Hokage, Uchiha Shisui respectfully bowed his head.
"Mm."
The Third Hokage had already suppressed the fury on his face.
At this moment, he wore a kind and slightly troubled expression.
"Lord Hokage… did something happen? "
Shisui, ever perceptive, caught the hint of distress on the Hokage's face and hesitated before asking.
"Ah…"
The Third let out a long sigh, the worry on his face deepening.
Only after a brief silence did he speak.
"Just a short while ago, Uchiha Fugaku and his wife, Mikoto, privately made contact with the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—Naruto Uzumaki."
"What?!"
Shisui's expression changed dramatically, his eyes widening in shock.
The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki was one of the village's top secrets. The Hokage had long since issued a strict order—no one was allowed to approach him privately.
And yet, the clan head had ignored that order?
What exactly was Fugaku planning?
As a member of the Uchiha Clan, Shisui was well aware of the legend that their Sharingan could control Tailed Beasts. It wasn't just a rumor—it held truth.
Was Fugaku eyeing that power?
"I dispatched ANBU to intervene and summoned Clan Head Fugaku to the Hokage Tower for questioning," the Third Hokage said grimly. "But he was extremely resolute… and even made a request of me."
"He made a request… to you? "Shisui's voice was filled with disbelief.
Not only had the clan head broken the rules by approaching the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, he had then stood before the Hokage without remorse—and made demands?
"What kind of request? " he asked, still stunned.
"He claimed that his wife, Mikoto, was a close friend of Naruto's late mother, Kushina Uzumaki, and asked that she be allowed to continue seeing him."
"…"
Shisui fell silent.
He didn't believe for a second that the real reason for the request was Mikoto's friendship with Kushina.
More likely, it was just a pretext—a roundabout way for Fugaku to get closer to the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki through his wife.
"The Uchiha Clan is still the largest in the village. Their stance can't be ignored," the Third Hokage said with a weary sigh. "For the sake of maintaining peace within the village… I had no choice but to agree."
He looked older in that moment—his once proud and upright posture now seemed slightly stooped.
Looking at the aged Hokage, Shisui felt a surge of emotion.
This man had upheld the Will of Fire all his life, striving for peace, refusing to retire even at his advanced age—all for the sake of the village.
Why couldn't the clan understand his intentions?
Why did the clan head and the others always have to stir up conflict?
Danzo's death… the public confrontation not long ago… and now this—secret contact with the Jinchūriki, followed by an unreasonable request.
Shisui clenched his fists and made a decision.
Looking the Hokage in the eye, he said with conviction, "Lord Hokage, I will always stand with you. If the Uchiha Clan dares to commit treason… I will stop them."
The Third Hokage smiled faintly, a look of comfort in his eyes tinged with sorrow.
"You and Itachi both carry the true Will of Fire. But it pains me to put such a burden on you."
"Whether it's me or Itachi, we've already accepted the possibility of standing against our clan. Not even the Uchiha can stop us from protecting the peace of the village," Shisui said with unwavering determination.
The Third Hokage's smile deepened—he was very pleased with Shisui's response.
Somewhere deep underground, in a cavernous space filled with countless White Zetsu—
Buzz—
A swirling vortex appeared in the darkness, and from it stepped a man in a spiral-patterned mask—Uchiha Obito.
"Any updates within the Akatsuki? "
Obito turned to Zetsu—half black, half white—and asked calmly.
The Water Country, surrounded by oceans, often left him cut off from news, so he would return to this secret base from time to time for updates.
"There's been some movement. The biggest change… is Orochimaru's recent addition to the Akatsuki," said the black half of Zetsu.
"Orochimaru? "Obito raised an eyebrow.
Back when he was still in Konoha, he had little interaction with Orochimaru. But even with limited contact, he had sensed it clearly:
Orochimaru was not someone who would submit to another's control.
"How could someone like him willingly join Akatsuki? "
"Pain invited him to a meeting in the Land of Rivers. During the meeting, Orochimaru saw Pain's Deva Path—the one with the Rinnegan—and attempted to seize it."
"After being defeated, Pain threatened him with death. That's when Orochimaru agreed to join."
The white half of Zetsu explained.
"There's something off about that," Obito muttered, frowning.
"Pain may be powerful, but Orochimaru is notoriously slippery. It's not easy to pin him down—let alone force him to comply."
"There is indeed something suspicious," said the black half of Zetsu with a sinister chuckle.
"My guess? Orochimaru hasn't given up on stealing the Rinnegan. He's joined Akatsuki just to stay close to Pain—waiting for a chance to learn its secrets and take the eyes for himself."
"But it'll be a wasted effort. Even if he manages to take them, they'll be useless to him."
With Pain's actual body hidden away, the eyes displayed by the Deva Path were merely extensions. Even if Orochimaru managed to steal them, they would be meaningless.
"Pain probably knows this already. But since Orochimaru is still a Kage-level combatant, he plans to make use of him anyway," Obito mused.
"Most likely," Zetsu's white half agreed.
"What else? "Obito asked.
"There's one more thing… Two Akatsuki members were recently killed by someone from your clan—Uchiha Fugaku. Judging by the reports, Fugaku possesses Kage-level strength."
"Kage-level strength…" Obito's eyes narrowed in surprise.
He hadn't expected the supposedly weak and submissive clan head to be anything more than a placeholder.
Then a thought crossed his mind. He frowned.
"Has he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan? "
Ordinary Kage-level shinobi weren't worth his concern. What he truly feared… was the Mangekyō.
As a bearer of that very power, he knew all too well how terrifying it could be.
"We can't confirm that yet," Zetsu replied with a shake of his head.
"Keep a close watch on him," Obito ordered. "Find out if he's awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."