Anbu "Mirror Flower," begin closely monitoring the Uchiha Clan's gatherings from now on.

"If the clan leader still intends to plot a coup,

I'll use Kotoamatsukami to change his mind! Instead, he'll consider ways to coexist with the village!"

Just as Shisui Uchiha said those words, outside the Hokage's office,

Shimura Danzō lifted the cane he had kept planted on the ground, turned silently, and hurried away, his steps a little hurried.

If anyone had seen Danzo's one exposed eye from the front just then,

they would have noticed that Shimura Danzō's clouded eye was bloodshot, filled with greed and madness.

Kotoamatsukami! I must have it!

Inside the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke again to confirm. "Shisui, are you certain?"

"Yes. I want to do something for the village and my clan. Sorry for the trouble, Lord Hiruzen!"

Shisui Uchiha lowered his head and made his earnest request.

"I understand."

Hiruzen Sarutobi lifted the brim of his Hokage hat and said solemnly, "I'll announce that you've left on a confidential mission."

"If anyone tries to stop you, tell them you're acting on my orders."

"I'll take full responsibility."

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi knew Shisui Uchiha's plan was naive, he still hoped Shisui would succeed.

That way, perhaps the village could avoid another war.

Whether the Uchiha Clan's rebellion succeeded or failed,

it would be a major blow to the village. If it could be resolved quietly like this,

perhaps that would be the best outcome.

Early morning.

Beside a stream near the training ground, Hagoromo smoothly baited his hook and cast his line into the water.

Hagoromo hadn't had time to while away for a long while, and he couldn't think of anything to do, so he had come fishing alone.

As for his students, Naruto and the others, Hagoromo figured they were probably still sleeping in.

Starting today, they would have a few days off.

A gentle breeze blew by, and small fish occasionally leaped out of the stream before dropping back into the water.

Life was peaceful~

Hagoromo sat cross-legged and entered his own state of cultivation, nourishing himself with Yang Release Chakra.

Chakra with a thin golden glow flowed like liquid through his body at full force, nourishing every cell.

Hagoromo closed his eyes involuntarily. The sensation was like breaking through his body's shackles one step at a time.

Just then, Hagoromo suddenly sensed something. He stopped what he was doing and turned to look behind him.

Kakashi, dressed in Anbu attire with a standard-issue long sword on his back, was leaning against a large tree with his arms folded.

"Captain?" Hagoromo was a little surprised to see Kakashi here. After all, he had made sure there were no missions today.

"Is there a mission?"

"That's right, an urgent one." Kakashi nodded. "You'll be on this mission for the next few days."

"..."

Hearing that, Hagoromo put away his fishing rod. Honestly, sometimes he wanted to ask Hiruzen whether everything had been arranged in advance.

Otherwise, why was the timing always so perfect whenever a mission came up?

"What's the mission?" As Hagoromo spoke, he took off the Chunin vest he wore on the outside, revealing the Anbu attire he always wore underneath.

He reached into the ninja tool pouch behind him, pulled out a fox mask, and put it on.

"Anbu 'Mirror Flower,' begin closely monitoring the Uchiha Clan's gatherings from now on."

Seeing that Hagoromo was ready, Kakashi stood straight and said, "If anything unusual happens or you get any information, contact me immediately."

The Uchiha, gatherings?

Hagoromo frowned slightly. He didn't seem to have heard anything about it lately.

Was it almost time already?

"Captain, what counts as unusual?" Hagoromo asked casually.

Kakashi, who had been about to leave, turned his head at the question. After a long pause, he said, "Anyone who isn't an Uchiha or a member of the Anbu appearing there counts as unusual."

At that answer, a flicker of understanding passed through Hagoromo's eyes beneath his mask, and he nodded.

Once he understood the mission, Hagoromo quickly left the training ground and soon arrived at the edge of the woods around Naka Shrine.

Hagoromo touched a finger to the ground and used his Sensory Ninjutsu with all his strength.

He sensed no fewer than a hundred individual Chakra signatures gathered beneath Naka Shrine.

Hagoromo understood. These were perhaps the Uchiha Clan members who had a say in clan affairs or possessed considerable strength.

"And besides Hiruzen's Anbu, there seem to be quite a few rats too."

Prey under watch—that was the Uchiha Clan's current predicament.

What was more, they had produced two geniuses whose ways of thinking were clearly abnormal.

Hagoromo grumbled inwardly as he moved swiftly, using his senses to avoid the people hiding one after another.

Finally, Hagoromo stopped in the crown of a tree.

He turned to look in one direction, his gaze seemingly piercing the dense woods to see through a patch of grass just over a hundred meters away.

There was a Chakra fluctuation there that Hagoromo knew well.

And around that Chakra, many points of Chakra light, large and small, were scattered.

Those bugs again. Danzo's men.

Hagoromo held his breath. Before the Uchiha Clan Massacre Night, Danzo had arguably gained the most.

After all, that old bastard had seized one Mangekyō Sharingan bearing Kotoamatsukami, the Genjutsu hailed as the strongest.

He had also caused Hiruzen to lose an Uchiha spy who possessed the Will of Fire.

Good, you're the one!

Having confirmed his target, Hagoromo went no farther.

Instead, he crouched down and checked his surroundings. Once he was sure nothing unusual was happening, he raised both hands and quickly formed Hand Seals.

"Earth Release: Camouflage Shadow Technique!"

As the Ninjutsu took effect, Hagoromo's body gradually blended into his surroundings.

After confirming that the Ninjutsu had worked, Hagoromo controlled his own Chakra to avoid being detected, then remained quietly where he was.

The greatest weakness of Earth Release: Camouflage Concealment was that the user had to remain still after activating it. Moving would expose them.

It was a Ninjutsu that was lackluster to use but a shame to discard.

But it couldn't be helped. In several months of courses, this was the only reward Hagoromo had received that could conceal him.

Here, at least, it was just right!

In the grass, Aburame Torune was lying flat on the ground when his heart suddenly tightened.

He looked around, a little hesitant.

Beside him, Yamanaka Fū immediately noticed something was wrong with Aburame Torune and asked in a low voice,

"What is it, Torune?"

"I'm not sure, but for an instant just now, my Chakra bugs panicked a little, as though someone was watching us."

"Watching us!"

Hearing that, Yamanaka Fū immediately went on alert.

"Did you notice who it was?"

"No. It was only for an instant. It was like someone passing by gave us a casual glance, then disappeared."

Aburame Torune released a Chakra bug and shook his head.

"Should we notify Lord Danzo and give up for now?"

Yamanaka Fū frowned deeply. After all, withdrawing at this point would really mean all their efforts had been for nothing.