The next day, 5 a.m.
The sky was only just beginning to lighten, yet the Ino–Shika–Chō alliance had already begun their great migration in secret.
Only Nara Kazama was absent.
Because the plan required the Uchiha's cooperation, he went ahead to find Uchiha Kai.
And so—
Still fast asleep and dreaming, Uchiha Kai was rudely dragged out of bed by Kazama.
He was furious.
Nothing annoyed him more than having his sleep disturbed.
But—
The moment he heard that the Nara clan was already on their way to the Uchiha compound and needed an escort, Kai shot up from his bed instantly.
No complaints, no wasted words.
He vanished with a Body Flicker, and within five minutes had already notified Fugaku, Tekka, Aburame Shibi, and the others.
This news lit everyone up with joy.
Immediately, they moved.
Tekka rushed to the Police Department to mobilize manpower. Fugaku went to rally the various minor shinobi clans that had pledged allegiance to the Uchiha in recent weeks, ordering them to send their elites for support.
They had no choice.
Konoha wasn't under their control alone.
The Ino–Shika–Chō were still one of the Hokage's trump cards. If Hiruzen Sarutobi caught wind of their defection and sent the ANBU to intercept them, who knew how much strength they might lose.
So they split up to act.
In just fifteen minutes, nearly eighty Jounin had been assembled.
Fugaku himself went to the Police Department to oversee the operation.
He would anchor the formation personally.
If the Hokage's side didn't make a move, all the better. But if they dared to intervene, Fugaku wouldn't hesitate to unleash his Mangekyō Sharingan.
As for Uchiha Kai, he chose to remain behind and guard the Uchiha compound — their base could not afford to be left exposed.
But at the same time, he sent word through a messenger crow to Shisui.
As ANBU vice-commander, and with Shikaku back in play, Shisui was almost certainly compromised already.
And besides—
From Shisui's complaints, Kai knew he had no real power in the ANBU. Hiruzen had deliberately packed his team with Uchiha members, ordering him to lead them against Danzō and Root.
So forget it.
Since Shisui was already exposed, Kai saw no need to hold back.
He told him directly: mobilize the ANBU as much as possible, target Danzō, target Root's bases, and launch sweeping investigations.
As for the reason? Make one up!
If nothing else, say ANBU intelligence suspected Root was hiding foreign spies.
If anyone tried to block the investigation? Fight.
If not? Arrest them.
Then interrogate them, torture them, fabricate evidence if necessary.
If others stepped in to stop them... so what?
At worst, bow and apologize — claim it was a mistake.
I've apologized, what more do you want? Strip me of my position?
Given Shisui's symbolic importance to the Hokage faction, would Hiruzen really dare sacrifice him?
And if some Uchiha pawns got killed in the process? So be it.
They weren't loyal to Kai anyway. If they died, they died. Bad luck.
But—
Kai didn't yet know that the ANBU's commander, Yamanaka Haichi, was also secretly one of their own.
Unfortunately, even with control of ANBU, Haichi didn't dare intervene in this case.
Because afterward—
If Hiruzen investigated and realized that not a single Ino–Shika–Chō defector had been captured by the ANBU, he'd smell something off immediately.
So instead, Haichi made sure some clan members were deliberately discovered, sparking skirmishes, even creating just enough noise to make it look real.
Otherwise, there would be no way to explain things away.
Meanwhile—
In the ANBU, Vice-Commander's Office.
Shisui sat at his desk, his face full of bitterness.
Clearly, when he'd first been appointed ANBU vice-commander, he'd felt secretly pleased. He thought his infiltration had gone well.
After all, if Hiruzen hadn't trusted him, why would he be given such a position?
But soon after—
When he realized he had no real authority, that he could only command the Uchiha under him, and that his "mission" was simply to lead them into clashes with Root, he knew he had been far too naïve.
Hiruzen had seen through him.
And yet—
Even knowing the truth, Hiruzen had chosen not to expose him.
Instead, he had turned Shisui's Uchiha subordinates into disposable tools, forcing him to lead them against Danzō's men.
What should he do?
Shisui didn't know.
Which was why he had spent the past two days holed up in ANBU headquarters, wrestling with this problem.
At that moment, he felt a summons.
He performed the summoning technique, and a crow appeared with a message tied to its leg.
He unfolded the slip of paper and read it.
By the time he finished, his eyes were wide with shock.
It can be done... like this?!
He was stunned.
But after a moment of thought, he drew in a deep breath.
"Linghua, come in."
Shisui's voice cut through the silence.
This was Hiruzen's personal assistant assigned to him — and his watchdog.
Sarutobi Linghua, of the Sarutobi clan.
Her very presence spoke volumes.
"Vice-Commander, what are your orders?"
Linghua's voice was soft, almost gentle.
She was strikingly pretty, her big watery eyes filled with a subtle charm as she looked at him.
But Shisui, having read her file, didn't underestimate her for a second.
She was a veteran ANBU operative, a spy cultivated by the Sarutobi clan itself.
Beneath her delicate exterior was a ruthless heart — fall for her act, and you wouldn't even know how you'd died.
She was, in essence, the shinobi world's Black Widow.
"Transmit my order: squads one through seven. Assemble immediately."
Shisui's eyes flashed.
He gave Linghua a calm, detached look as he spoke.
Yes.
She was alluring, but he was even more disciplined.
Raised with full knowledge of the Uchiha's precarious situation, he had never once let himself be distracted by women.
He lived for only one thing: the revival of the Uchiha.
So even if he understood Hiruzen's intention, he still couldn't help but scoff inwardly.
A honey trap? Seriously?
On the other side, Linghua froze for a moment, then nodded and stepped out.
After two days of observation, she had begun to understand the man before her.
He was practically a monk.
Beauty had no sway over him.
Sometimes, she even wondered if there was something wrong with him in that regard.
About ten minutes later—
Twenty-eight Uchiha wearing ANBU masks of various colors assembled. Several Jounin Shisui had served as squad leaders.
Linghua's eyes flickered as she watched.
Her gaze lingered on Shisui, silently trying to divine his intentions.
But he gave her no chance, his voice cool as he issued the order.
"Special operation."
"No questions. No chatter. I will lead personally."
"Move out."
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