Double-Agent Ploy

The underground chamber of Naka River Shrine was so quiet that only breathing could be heard.

Five former "Root informants" knelt in a row, their expressions dazed, as if they had just woken from a long nightmare.

Just now, Xuan Shi had spent a full 50 points of clan prosperity—an "ask forgiveness, not permission" line of credit the system had specially approved on account of his completion of the "purge plan"—to erase all the curse marks on the five people's tongues.

Now, they were free, and they were lost.

"Look at me."

A gentle yet unquestionable voice rang out.

Shisui Uchiha stood before them, the three tomoe in his eyes instantly linking into a complex, four-cornered pinwheel pattern.

Mangekyo Sharingan.

Even without activating the legendary strongest genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, the yin-release chakra carried by those eyes alone was enough to make an ordinary ninja's mental defenses collapse in an instant.

The five spies shuddered at the same time, their gazes turning hollow.

"You are still Root's informants." Shisui's voice seemed to ring directly in the depths of their minds. "But from today on, what you see and what you hear will be decided by us."

"When you face Danzo, you will subconsciously forget the Uchiha's unity and exaggerate the Uchiha's chaos."

"You must act greedy, stupid, and selfish. You must demand rewards from him, and betray your companions for profit."

"This is your instinct, and also the only way for you to survive."

As Shisui's words fell, a flash of green light passed through the five people's pupils, then they returned to normal.

They blinked. The confusion in their eyes vanished, replaced by a fervent loyalty—loyalty to the Uchiha, and an obsession with playing the role of "greedy traitor" well.

Xuan Shi stood to the side, holding several scrolls that had been written out long ago.

"Time for acting lessons."

He walked up to Tieshan Uchiha and stuffed a scroll into his hand.

"Uncle Tieshan, your mission is the heaviest this time." Xuan Shi patted his shoulder. "You need to tell Danzo that Clan Head Fugaku has recently become obsessed with the tea ceremony, locking himself in his study all day to research tea utensils, and ignoring clan affairs entirely."

Tieshan took the scroll, his face showing a smile uglier than crying. "This... will Danzo believe it? The clan head clearly..."

"He will." Xuan Shi cut him off. "Because this is what he wants to see. People like Danzo are the most arrogant. He would rather believe the Uchiha are a bunch of hopeless trash than believe we are enduring hardship and biding our time."

Xuan Shi turned to another person. "Shinichi, your script is: because the spoils were not divided evenly, the radical elders got into a fight at last night's secret gathering, and someone was even injured."

"Remember." Xuan Shi swept his gaze over everyone, his eyes sharp. "The more you act like idiots who keep tearing each other apart over petty profits, the more at ease Danzo will be."

"Go."

Xuan Shi waved a hand. "Don't keep that lord waiting."

Deep beneath the Hidden Leaf Village.

This place never saw daylight year-round, and the air was filled with a moldy smell and a faint tang of blood.

Root Base.

Danzo Shimura sat on the chair that symbolized power in the dark. Half his face was hidden beneath bandages, and his exposed lone eye flickered with a cold light in the candlefire.

In the shadow before him, someone knelt.

Tieshan Uchiha.

Tieshan's forehead was covered in cold sweat, his body trembling slightly. This was not merely because of acting, but also because of physical fear—even though the curse mark had already been removed, the dread of this old man that had piled up in the depths of his heart over the years still made him instinctively want to flee.

"Report." Danzo's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of coarse sandpaper rubbing together.

Tieshan swallowed and presented the scroll with both hands.

"Lord Danzo... these are the observation records from the past few days."

A masked Root ninja took the scroll, checked that there was no issue, then handed it to Danzo.

Danzo slowly unfurled the scroll.

As he read on, the corners of his originally taut mouth actually rose by a faint arc.

"Obsessed with the tea ceremony? Heh." Danzo let out a cold laugh. "Uchiha Fugaku is nothing more than a watchdog in the end. At a time like this, he actually still has the leisure to play with such refined things."

He continued reading downward.

"Elder infighting? Because of uneven distribution of the Police Force's gray income?" The contempt in Danzo's eyes grew even stronger. "As expected, the people of this clan are greedy and shortsighted to the bone."

He closed the scroll, his gaze landing on Tieshan again.

That look was like he was looking at a dog wagging its tail and begging.

"Not bad," Danzo said flatly.

According to Xuan Shi's script, this was the time to "add a scene."

Tieshan slammed his head to the ground, his voice trembling yet carrying a trace of greed he could not hide. "Lord Danzo... um... you promised that if the intelligence was valuable, this month's funding..."

Danzo looked at Tieshan kneeling on the ground and begging for a reward, and the last trace of doubt in his eyes disappeared as well.

Greed was good.

Greedy people were the easiest to control. If Tieshan had acted righteous and awe-inspiring, or without desires or demands, he would instead have suspected whether this was a false defection. But this money-grubbing, groveling appearance now was the Uchiha traitor he was familiar with.

"Give it to him."

Danzo casually tossed out a heavy money pouch.

The money pouch smashed down in front of Tieshan, making a crisp metallic clink.

"Take it. Continue watching Fugaku. Especially on the day the Nine-Tails jinchuriki gives birth, I want the exact Police Force patrol map."

"Yes! Yes! Thank you, Lord Danzo!" Tieshan grabbed the money pouch and stuffed it into his robes as if hugging his lifeline, then withdrew with profuse gratitude.

Watching Tieshan disappear into the darkness, Danzo turned and gave an order to a trusted subordinate behind him.

"Pass down the order. Temporarily withdraw the high-intensity surveillance teams on the Uchiha perimeter."

"My lord?" The trusted subordinate was somewhat puzzled. "Now is the critical moment..."

"Precisely because it is the critical moment, our energy cannot be wasted on a group of fools who are tearing each other apart." Danzo snorted coldly. "Orochimaru has been moving frequently around the edge of the village lately. That snake seems to be planning something. Transfer the manpower over to watch him."

"The Uchiha... as long as they continue rotting like this, they are nothing to fear. Once I deal with the trouble outside, I will turn back and clean them up."

"Yes!"

The trusted subordinate left with the order.

Danzo leaned back in his chair and closed his lone eye. He felt that he controlled everything, that the board of the Hidden Leaf was still firmly in his grasp.

He did not know that the moment he made this decision, an enormous black curtain had already completely covered his eyes.

Uchiha Clan Compound, Naka River Shrine.

Xuan Shi stood beneath the torii gate, watching the eastern sky gradually turn pale like the belly of a fish.

The morning wind stirred the hem of his clothes, bringing a trace of chill.

"Ding."

A clear notification sound rang out in his mind, more pleasing to the ear than any music.

[Main Mission, First Stage: The Viper in the Shadows, completed.]

[Mission Evaluation: Perfect (S-rank).]

[You successfully turned all Root spies and constructed a false intelligence network, causing the hostile force to fall into strategic misjudgment.]

[Calculating rewards...]

[Reward obtained: Clan Prosperity +100 points.]

[New function unlocked: Mangekyo Dojutsu Optimization (prosperity may be consumed to reduce the side effects of the Mangekyo Sharingan).]

100 points.

Xuan Shi clenched his fist, savoring the pleasure of that number jumping in the system.

With this huge sum, many of his previous ideas could be put into practice. For example, exchanging for some physique-enhancing medicine for Shisui and Itachi, or repairing the vision in his own eyes.

"Is it over?"

Footsteps sounded behind him.

Itachi Uchiha walked over holding the hand of Sasuke, who had not fully woken up yet and was rubbing his eyes. Shisui followed behind them, a relaxed smile on his face.

"No, it's only just beginning."

Xuan Shi turned around and looked at this pair of brothers, as well as the future "Body Flicker Shisui."

The current Uchiha had already become an iron plate internally. Danzo had become blind, and Obito was still wandering outside.

It was time to take the second step.

"The first step is complete. Danzo is already blind." Xuan Shi looked at Itachi, his gaze falling on Sasuke, whose hand he held. "Next, it's our turn to make contact with the Golden Flash."

"Teacher Minato?" Obito (crossed out) Kakashi's teacher, and also the current Fourth Hokage. Itachi's eyes focused.

"Right."

Xuan Shi walked over and reached out to straighten Sasuke's slightly messy collar.

"Itachi, get ready. Tomorrow, take Sasuke out for a stroll on the street. Go eat at that shop with the best three-colored dango."

"We need a 'chance encounter.'"

Xuan Shi raised his head and looked toward the blond-haired face on Hokage Rock.

"We need to let that Lord Hokage see with his own eyes that the Uchiha are not the dark, mad, hate-filled clan from the rumors."

"We need to let him see that there are also older brothers holding their younger brothers' hands here, that there is also a yearning for peace, and that there is also... a 'Will of Fire' worth protecting."

"Only then, on the night the Nine-Tails descends, will he entrust his back to us."

Itachi nodded thoughtfully.

The morning light finally broke through the clouds, spilling over the surface of the Naka River in shimmering waves.

A new day had begun.

For the Uchiha Clan, this was the first day of rebirth. And for the Hidden Leaf, a silent transformation was quietly brewing in the morning breeze.