Night fell like ink, gradually enveloping Konoha.
While most of the village had drifted into slumber, a few dim streetlights hung like solitary stars, punctuating the darkness. However, within the ANBU headquarters beneath the Hokage Rock, the scene was starkly different.
Outside, the building was as silent and dark as any other, but inside, it was bathed in brilliant light. An oppressive silence filled the air, broken only by the faint hum of electronic equipment and the occasional low-muttered report.
Eight-year-old Uchiha Itachi, clad in the signature dark gray ANBU uniform with a standard-issue ninjato strapped to his back, walked up the stairs. His eyes were as calm as still water, yet they held a depth far beyond his years. He followed closely behind a ninja wearing a white cat mask.
"From today on, you are a member of the ANBU, Itachi." Kakashi's left eye shifted toward the boy behind him from beneath his mask.
"Yes, Kakashi-senpai. I look forward to your guidance," Itachi replied, his tone calm and respectful.
The two soon arrived at a surveillance room. Rows of monitors lined the walls, each screen flickering with a dense grid of small camera feeds. Every frame captured the real-time movements of various locations within the Hidden Leaf.
Two ANBU ninjas on duty turned around at the sound of their entry, nodding a greeting to Kakashi, who was arriving for the shift change.
This is—?! Itachi's heart jolted as he recognized the scenes on the screens. Positioned right in the center of the monitors was the main gate of the Uchiha Clan District. Beside it was the entrance to the Military Police Force headquarters. Most of the other screens displayed various corners of the Uchiha compound.
So... the village has been monitoring the clan all along... Itachi's breathing hitched.
"This will be your primary post for the foreseeable future." After finishing the handover with the departing ninjas, Kakashi turned to Itachi.
His silver, spiky hair shimmered faintly in the dim light. Behind the mask, his expression remained unreadable, and his voice was flat, though it carried a trace of hidden complexity.
"This is a sign of Lord Hokage's trust in you," Kakashi stated. "Your mission is to monitor the movements within the Uchiha district and the actions of your clansmen."
Trust... Bitterness welled up in the depths of Itachi's soul.
This so-called "trust" was nothing more than the physical manifestation of the rising anxiety and suspicion the village leadership felt toward the Uchiha. To have an Uchiha monitor their own clan—they called it trust, but it was undoubtedly a form of intimidation.
Kakashi seemed oblivious to the turmoil within the boy. He pointed toward several specific screens showing the entrances to the district, the training grounds, and even the residences of high-ranking Jonin.
"The Nine-Tails' attack—you know of it. A Sharingan pattern was seen in the Nine-Tails' eyes," Kakashi's voice dropped, turning solemn. "While there is no direct evidence, the village has been highly suspicious of the Uchiha ever since."
"A few months ago, Shisui Uchiha led a team to investigate the rebellion in the Star Village. They encountered a mysterious Uchiha ninja who defeated them soundly and even stole one of Shisui's eyes. That event pushed the village's suspicion to an unprecedented level."
The Nine-Tails' incident and the mysterious Uchiha from the Land of Stars.
Itachi's face darkened. Having lived through the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, he understood the gravity of the situation. He was also well aware of what had happened to his best friend, Shisui—that mysterious ninja was powerful enough to overwhelm even him.
Kakashi's words hit Itachi like a heavy stone cast into a still pond, sending ripples of unease through his mind. He understood that Kakashi was speaking the truth, and that he was being told these things only because he had joined the ANBU and gained the Hokage's "trust."
These two events were like sharp thorns driven deep into the heart of the village leadership, creating an indelible wariness toward the Uchiha.
"Therefore, from this moment on, the ANBU's surveillance of the Uchiha will be total." Kakashi's gaze sharpened. He turned to face Itachi directly, and despite the mask, the boy could feel the weight of his stare.
"You are here to report any abnormality—any suspicious sign at all—to the higher-ups immediately. Remember, your loyalty belongs first to the village."
Itachi's hands tightened into fists.
The village and the clan...
He recalled his father's instructions when he was told to join the ANBU: to gather intelligence on the village leadership and the ANBU's movements to bring back to the clan. Now, the Hokage wanted him to spy on his own people for the sake of the village.
A searing pain, like the twist of a blade, tore through Itachi's heart.
"Understood!" Itachi took a deep breath, forcing his emotions back down.
He knew he couldn't afford to show hesitation. For the sake of the clan's future, for the peace of the village, and to prevent the worst from happening, he had to endure this agony. He had to play his part perfectly in the rift between his family and his home.
He moved silently to a vacant console, his fingers skillfully navigating the controls to pull up various feeds. The images flowed across the screens like a tide: clansmen sweating on the training grounds, children laughing in the streets, and elderly women taking evening strolls. Familiar faces, every detail magnified and laid bare under the scrutiny of the ANBU.
Beside him, Kakashi sat down, watching as Itachi activated his two-tomoe Sharingan. The sight reminded him of his fallen Uchiha comrade.
Itachi's eyes darted between the screens, his Sharingan precisely capturing every subtle movement and expression. He forced himself to remain detached, viewing his people through the cold lens of a pure observer.
However, as his gaze swept over the main entrance of the district, his pupils suddenly contracted. His heart skipped a beat.
A familiar figure appeared on the screen—Uchiha Izumi.
She was walking toward the clan gates with slow, almost stumbling steps. Her hair was disheveled, and the eyes that were usually bright and clear were now clouded by a thick veil of exhaustion. Her face was several shades paler than usual.
Stopping before the gates, Izumi looked up at the entrance and rubbed her temples, seemingly struggling to stay conscious. Her physical fatigue was impossible to hide.
Kakashi's voice rang out from beside him, pulling Itachi back to the present: "Did you find something?"