Thinking about how she had finally reunited with Akira and how hard it had been for him to accept her, Mito was determined not to be separated from him again.
Possessiveness tightened in Mito's chest. Other than Madara, whose circumstances were beyond choice, she wouldn't allow anyone to touch the happiness she had fought so hard for.
"No-I mustn't go find him now. I must not disturb Brother Akira's plan. Since he intends to use me as bait to lure the enemy... I must not hold him back."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. She looked down at Tsunade, resting against her arms.
"Let's go see what's happening."
Tsunade's face scrunched in protest. "Um, Grandma Mito... are we just walking back there-just the two of us?"
"Obviously we're calling Monkey too. He'll be dragged into this either way…"
"But-"
Tsunade hesitated. "Mother said... the Hokage couldn't be trusted."
"...Even the monkey?"
Mito's brows tightened. Sarutobi Hiruzen was Tobirama's disciple-he had been promoted by Akira himself. If even he couldn't be trusted, who in Konoha could be?
"And the Senju clan…"
She glanced down again. The fact that Tsunade had come to her, and not the current Senju head, made it clear-her mother suspected them as well.
"Yes… Whether or not it was their intention, the Senju have the highest likelihood of acting."
There was no simple solution anymore. She couldn't trust anyone within reach. If she brought help from the Uzumaki clan, it would take too long.
"In that case… we'll find someone unexpected."
"Unexpected?" Tsunade tilted her head in confusion. Who could possibly be trusted now?
"Mm." Mito rested her palm on Tsunade's head. "They owe me one."
…
Uchiha Chen felt useless for not being able to help Akira when he needed it most.
To think that Akira had defied Second Hokage's orders and risked everything to rebuild the Senju clan-for a reward as small as one of Madara's hairs just to calm his own aching feelings. That kind of help wasn't ordinary-it was deeply personal.
For that reason alone, the Uchiha clan had committed themselves to returning that favor-even at great cost.
When Mito's messenger appeared asking for help, they were ready in seconds.
Uchiha Chen barely finished vomiting up his unfinished meal before summoning every Uchiha warrior who had been at morning assembly. In minutes, they turned and sprinted toward Mito's estate in formation.
When they stood at her gate in full presence-if not for the steward holding them off-onlookers might've assumed the Uchiha were staging another rebellion.
"Mito-sama!"
Uchiha Chen and his warriors dropped to their knees. Even his tone quivered with emotion.
Mito nodded gently, gripping Tsunade's hand. "I understand you feel indebted. There is indeed help I require."
"Just give us the command, Lady Mito."
"You've heard about what happened with Tsunade's father?"
"Yes!"
They had heard-and knew how delicate that situation was. Normally it would fall to the Senju clan to handle internally. The Uchiha Police Department would have no right to intervene.
"Good. I'm authorizing you to investigate completely-and protect his life at any cost. Once this mission is complete-the debt is repaid fully."
"But it happened inside the Senju..."
Chen stopped himself mid-sentence. A possibility struck him-and his breath caught.
Could it have been someone from Konoha?
Was it someone from Senju? Or even the Hokage?
-Tch...
He inhaled sharply through clenched teeth.
Assassinating the son of a former Shadow was no small event-it would rock any nation to its knees.
Only those who had the power and position to move undetected could attempt it: Tobirama's successor Sarutobi Hiruzen… some high-ranking Senju… or the largest clans with deep roots in Konoha's history…
Certainly not Uchiha-not with how closely they were watched. Every movement outside their district had to be officially approved and logged. Attempting to stealth across multiple clan territories and strike inside Senju grounds unnoticed?
Impossible for them.
"So… is this trust?"
Uchiha Chen couldn't hide his surprise-but also couldn't ignore his gratitude… that after everything, Mito came to him first.
Whoever they offended now-he didn't care.
"I'll complete this to the fullest extent of my ability."
"Go," Mito said calmly.
"Yes!"
In the next instant-dozens of Uchiha vanished into thin air, almost silently.
...
White Zetsu gritted his teeth.
It would've been one thing if Akira's survival remained uncertain… but now? Mito wouldn't even leave her home? Had he overplayed his hand?
It wasn't poison! At worst, that medicine had mild enhancements of existing symptoms-and people usually recovered after one or two days of rest…
By any reasonable measure or instinctual response-Mito should've gone to see him!
Instead… Konoha locked up tighter than war-time protocol. Patrols doubled overnight. The mood was tense across every district line-like someone had planted bombs under their floors and given no warning on timers.
"Did they find me out?"
White Zetsu shook his head fiercely-even considering that felt wrong-
Impossible! If I'd been discovered, they wouldn't handle it this calmly!
And then he saw it.
Uchiha troops-in full police uniform-raiding homes belonging to several influential clans. Even some members of the Sarutobi clan were taken without resistance.
Sarutobi Hiruzen watched in silence-no protest, no objection.
Strangely unsettled-White Zetsu lurked around Akira's estate for two days straight. No slip-up presented itself; no opportunity revealed anything new-
Finally, Tsunade's father recovered fully from his mysterious condition…
And suddenly-Konoha returned to normal overnight.
White Zetsu exhaled for the first time in days―
"I wasn't exposed afterall…"
He allowed himself one breath of relief before locking his glare on Tsunade's house once again-
"I don't believe it-you won't visit him?"
His clawed fingers scraped bark off the tree branch he crouched on-
"Let's see what happens when I take him from you..."
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