The next morning.
News from the previous night trickled back to the Red-Armored Army's camp. Uchiha Hazuki, who had taken over intelligence duty for the latter half of the night, organized the important information and placed it somewhere conspicuous on the table.
She blew out the candle beside her desk and stretched languidly. Just as she was about to eat some of her field rations, a lazy voice spoke up.
"Hazuki, why eat field rations? Daju and the others should have breakfast ready by now. It's much better hot."
The traveling quartermaster was from the Ninken Clan. They summoned one whenever they needed one and sent it back when they didn't, which was extremely convenient.
There was no need to worry about loyalty, either. One Sharingan: Genjutsu was all it took for the cats to remain an indispensable aid to the Uchiha.
Sunlight streamed through the window. Uchiha Mikoto slowly sat up, a few strands of hair falling beside her fair neck. A hazy look lingered in her eyes from just waking, but it vanished in an instant.
Sharpness and gentleness mingled in her shifting gaze, like polished jade catching the morning light and reflecting a breathtaking radiance.
Hazuki turned at the sound of her voice and smiled at her, reaching for the specially made field ration.
"The rations issued by the clan taste good and are nutritious, too. They're much better than the ones Konohagakure hands out."
Her late husband had been a member of Konohagakure's Shinobi Army, so Hazuki knew its standard rations well. She marveled at how generous the clan was with its supplies, then added,
"Besides, I'll just have a little something before I go rest. The important files are on the table. Please take a look."
"Mm. Thanks for your hard work."
Mikoto gave a