"Captain Kakashi?!"
Itachi was startled to see Kakashi.
The other Uchiha clan members recognized him too. The intruder was Kakashi of the Anbu.
Under normal circumstances, a Konoha ninja who joined the Anbu had to give up his identity and work in secret. But Kakashi was a special case.
Before Shisui and Itachi joined the Anbu, Kakashi's Sharingan had been unique throughout the entire Anbu. He had even used it to earn the name "Copy Ninja."
So everyone in the Ninja World knew that Konoha's Anbu had a Sharingan-wielding Kakashi.
Tonight,
Kakashi wasn't wearing Anbu armor or a mask, but the Uchiha saw it as nothing more than a clumsy attempt to hide the truth.
And so,
dozens of Uchiha Ninja quickly surrounded Kakashi.
"Kakashi, why did you sneak into our Uchiha Clan Compound without a word?"
Fugaku, stepping forward as Clan Head, frowned and demanded an explanation.
The answer was obvious.
Anyone could guess that Kakashi had appeared here because the Konoha high command had sent him to eavesdrop on them.
When Kakashi stayed silent, Fugaku grew even more displeased and spoke more harshly:
"You should know that even if you don't say a word, the Police Force can still deal with you for trespassing on the Uchiha Clan Compound."
In Konoha, the Anbu usually meant four words:
Free to come and go.
They reported their every action directly to the Hokage and didn't have to explain themselves to anyone else. That was the Anbu's privilege.
There was one place, however, that even the Anbu couldn't enter at will.
The Uchiha Clan Compound.
The Uchiha had complete autonomy. They were a true Independent Kingdom.
Faced with Fugaku's demand,
what should he do?
Kakashi broke out in a few cold beads of sweat. Should he keep quiet and let the