Hidden Leaf's Spy Within! Kamizuki Yu Strikes Back at Root and Guides Minato

Kamizuki Yu strolled down the street, several subtle gazes prickling against his back like needles.

The corner of his lips curled up. A dog never gives up eating shit.

Several figures silently trailed behind him, attempting to blend into the bustling crowd.

The Root ninja at their head made a gesture, signaling the others to spread out and surround him.

They were Lord Danzo's finest trackers and sensory specialists, every one of them battle-hardened.

Yet just as they believed they had locked onto their target and were preparing to observe him further, the scene before their eyes suddenly distorted without warning.

"Hmm?"

One Root ninja halted. The world began to spin and melt before his eyes, finally sinking into chaotic darkness.

He did not even have time to issue a warning.

The others encountered similar circumstances at almost the exact same moment.

Their consciousnesses seemed to be forcibly dragged away by an invisible hand, sinking into a bottomless mire.

A moment later, the Root ninjas stood where they were in a daze, their eyes vacant.

"What... were we doing?"

"Where's the captain?"

"It seems like... we lost track of someone..."

They looked at one another, their faces filled with confusion. Their fragments of memory concerning Kamizuki Yu had been erased as though by an eraser, leaving behind only vague orders and the shock of a failed mission.

In the end, they could only retreat in disarray with the conclusion that they had made an error during the mission.

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Kamizuki Yu casually turned into a newly opened dango shop.

"Owner, three-color dango and a pot of hot tea."

The steaming dango and tea were soon served.

For trash like them, silently erasing their memories and creating the illusion of a mission failure hardly warranted Tsukuyomi.

What he had used on those men just now was merely an ordinary genjutsu, along with a tiny bit of Kamui distortion—enough to make them question their lives.

He had no interest in actually killing them. That would be far too likely to alert the enemy, and it would be much less fun.

Danzo, that old dog, was more patient than he had expected.

Looks like I'll have to find an opportunity to give him a "surprise."

Root's base.

The atmosphere in the dark room was so oppressive it was suffocating.

"Trash!"

Danzo Shimura viciously flung the report in his hand to the floor, murderous light gleaming from his exposed left eye.

"Several top operatives, yet you couldn't even touch the corner of his clothes? You can't even remember what happened?"

The Root ninja kneeling on one knee trembled slightly. "My deepest apologies, Lord Danzo! We... we truly encountered something we couldn't understand. There are gaps in our memories."

"Something you couldn't understand?" Danzo's voice was hoarse. "This Kamizuki Yu truly is suspicious!"

His fingers clenched hard, his knuckles cracking.

The more mysterious and unfathomable Kamizuki Yu was, the more uneasy he made Danzo feel—and the more intensely he stirred Danzo's desire to control everything.

"Continue monitoring him! Use every means available. I want to know his every move, and where the limits of his abilities lie!"

"Yes!"

The ninja accepted the order and withdrew, leaving Danzo shrouded in shadows once more.

"Hiruzen, Minato... you will regret this. Hidden Leaf's stability must never rest on one person alone, especially not a powerful man of unknown origins."

He had to find a way to restrain Kamizuki Yu—or find a pawn who could replace him.

Hokage Office.

Minato Namikaze set down the document in his hand, a faint trace of exhaustion hidden between his brows.

"Yu, you're here." He smiled.

Kamizuki Yu leaned back against the sofa and poured himself a cup of tea. "Is the reconstruction work going smoothly?"

"For the most part, yes. Thanks to your suggestions, many aspects have become far more efficient." Minato spoke sincerely. "Especially your reform proposal for the ninja education system. I think it's very forward-thinking."

He paused, and his tone grew somewhat grave. "It's just that there are always dissenting voices in the village."

Kamizuki Yu took a sip of tea. "You mean Elder Danzo, or the other two elder advisors?"

Minato did not deny it, merely sighing softly. "Elder Danzo is deeply wary of you. Elder Homura and Elder Koharu are also somewhat uneasy about how much influence you possess."

"Chief Honorary Advisor. Authority nearly equal to that of your deputy, yet unconstrained by any rules or regulations. It's only natural that they would be concerned." Kamizuki Yu's tone was calm.

"Yu, I trust you completely." Minato immediately made his stance clear.

"I know." Kamizuki Yu smiled faintly. "Still, some flies buzzing around are indeed rather irritating."

Minato frowned. "What do you intend to do?"

"Don't worry, I know my limits." Kamizuki Yu set down his teacup. "By the way, what are your plans for the Uchiha Clan?"

The abrupt change of topic caught Minato off guard.

"The Uchiha Clan? At present... they are still serving in the Police Force. Though there have been some rumors since the Nine-Tails incident, I believe Clan Head Fugaku can keep his clansmen in check." Minato sounded somewhat uncertain.

Kamizuki Yu understood. Minato still hoped too strongly for a peaceful resolution and was not wary enough of the Uchiha Clan.

"Rumors are more ferocious than tigers. The Police Force's power is too concentrated, and it operates outside the Hokage's direct command structure. In the long run, that is not a good thing."

"You mean...?" Minato's gaze sharpened.

"Power needs checks and balances, and it also needs an outlet." Kamizuki Yu spoke slowly. "It is better to guide than to block. Give them higher status and a broader stage, but at the same time, keep the hilt of the blade in your own hand."

For example, recruit outstanding Uchiha ninja into ANBU, or even the Hokage's personal forces.

Divide some of them, win over some of them, and marginalize some of them.

Minato fell into deep thought. Kamizuki Yu's proposal was undoubtedly bold and impactful.

"I will consider it carefully." Minato nodded solemnly.

Kamizuki Yu rose to his feet. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going. I'll take a look at the training grounds."

"Alright."

After leaving the Hokage Building, Kamizuki Yu stretched his muscles.

Danzo's little schemes, the concerns of the two elder advisors, the Uchiha Clan's hidden crisis... the waters of Hidden Leaf were even murkier than he had imagined.

But that was what made it interesting.

His gaze turned toward a certain area in the southeast of the village.

The Uchiha Compound. There should be quite a few good things there for him to check in.

Besides, it was time to meet a certain future "genius defector."

Perhaps he could add a small unexpected twist to the script of that person's life ahead of time.

Kamizuki Yu's figure flickered several times before vanishing at the end of the street.