Seeing the uncertainty in Uchiha Shisui's eyes, Uchiha Yoru could only shake his head inwardly.
A prodigy in combat, yet painfully naïve when it came to politics. It explained everything. Where Uchiha Itachi leaned toward obsession, Shisui trusted the Hokage faction too easily. When that trust finally shattered, he chose self-destruction rather than resistance.
That alone proved something crucial. Shisui had never imagined the clan's annihilation. Had he lived, the night of the massacre might not have unfolded so cleanly.
"Shisui," Yoru said quietly, "the Uchiha are isolated. That's precisely why this moment matters."
Shisui listened, still unsure.
"Think about the underground organ transplants," Yoru continued. "Who's coming to us? Almost exclusively members of major clans. They need healthy bodies. We need connections. Once a transaction happens, their interests are tied to ours. Permanently."
That was politics. Not recklessness.
Konoha's Medical Division had been doing similar work in secret for years. Only jōnin and major clans ever knew. They were cautious, watched too closely, forced to rely on death-row prisoners or enemy spies.
The Police Force operated differently. Official on paper, flexible in practice. Fewer eyes. Fewer restraints.
"Then why involve the Hyūga?" Shisui asked. "They aren't isolated like we are."
Yoru shook his head. "You're missing the point. It's not just the Hyūga."
Anyone who entered that operating room broke regulations. Once enough people crossed that line, it stopped being a crime and became a shared secret.
Pull everyone into the same water. When the numbers grow large enough, it becomes power.
"Transfer the prison operations to the Hyūga," Yoru said suddenly. "You don't belong in the dark, Shisui. You should be standing in the light."
The shift caught Shisui off guard.
He saw the fatigue behind Yoru's forced smile and felt a surge of guilt. Yoru had been carrying the dirtiest burdens for the sake of the clan and the village, while he himself hesitated.
"I won't let you down, Yoru-niisan."
Yoru waved it off. "You misunderstand. The Police Force needs you elsewhere. Focus on daily operations. And guide Itachi carefully. Don't let him walk the wrong path."
"Yes!"
Yoru nodded quietly. Shisui's blind devotion to the Hokage faction had already cracked. Doubt had taken root. That alone made him far less likely to turn against the clan.
What remained was Itachi.
The Uchiha lacked nothing in elite jōnin, but true apex shinobi were different. Mangekyō-level fighters were anchors. Lose one, and history tilted.
Yoru had no intention of letting that happen again.
ROOT Headquarters.
"Danzo-sama," Kabuto Yakushi reported, handing over a file. "Recent intelligence from the Police Force. The Uchiha and Hyūga are conducting illegal organ transplants for profit."
Danzo Shimura scanned the report, a cold smile forming in his single visible eye.
"So they've chosen Orochimaru."
His gaze lingered on Kabuto. He knew Kabuto had visited the orphanage, but the boy's calm demeanor and corroborating reports suggested no direct coordination.
Danzo dismissed the matter. Organ trafficking was trivial compared to the experiments he held over Orochimaru's head.
The report cleared Kabuto of suspicion.
Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled smoke from his pipe, brow deeply furrowed. Kneeling before him was Uzuki Yūgao.
Thirty-eight clan members. In just two months.
That was the real threat. Not the organs, but the web of alliances forming beneath the surface.
"Have you noticed anything unusual?" Hiruzen asked.
Yūgao was young, female, and of civilian birth. Exactly why she was ideal. Her talent had earned her a place in ANBU, and now she had been placed inside the Police Force as a quiet observer.
"The Seventh Division hasn't made any overt moves," she reported. "But their enforcement style has changed. Civilians are treated strictly. Shinobi and major clans are handled with leniency."
Hiruzen understood at once.
A political signal. Orochimaru reminding the village that his influence still existed.
And that was precisely why Hiruzen disliked it. Konoha was stabilizing. Power plays now would only reopen old wounds.
Yūgao presented another document. "This is the current roster of the Seventh Division."
Hiruzen's eyes darkened as he read. The structure was deliberate. Too deliberate.
Orochimaru was still ruthless. Still efficient. Yet this felt different from his usual methods.
"Yūgao," Hiruzen said slowly, "you understand the danger the Uchiha pose. The tragedy of the Nine-Tails must never repeat. I need you to go further."
The meaning was clear.
"I will earn their trust and gather intelligence from within the clan," Yūgao replied without hesitation.
Hiruzen smiled gently. "You're young. Don't burden yourself too much. The Uchiha are still part of this village."
Behind the warmth, his resolve was firm.
He needed eyes and ears among them.