The Plan

Elder Shinsuke hurried out of the village with a group of shinobi, while Fugaku and the other three continued through the forest.

Gray Hawk soared overhead, helping them keep watch on movements within the Land of Fire.

That let them avoid Konoha shinobi on patrol.

The four did not reach the outskirts of Konoha until the following afternoon. They used the Transformation Technique to slip into the village.

Yamanaka Keichi and Elder Shinsuke had not yet returned.

Disguised as an ordinary villager, Fugaku glanced around and spotted Sanada, also disguised as a villager, in a corner.

Fugaku gave him a discreet signal, and Sanada vanished in the blink of an eye.

The message was simple: the mission was complete. The operation was over.

At Fugaku's home in the Uchiha District, all eight of them gathered once more in the secret chamber.

"Next time you take action, let me know," Sanada said with a grin. "Sitting around in the village is boring. I'd rather be out fighting the enemy."

"You'll get your chance. How have things been in the village these past few days? Anything important happen?"

"Nothing else. But word of Elder Genki's death has reached Konoha. Elder Shinsuke took a hundred Konoha shinobi to meet Yamanaka Keichi and Akimiichi Choichi," Sanada said.

"I expected the Third Hokage to send someone. There are only two members left on the Konoha Council of Elders now: Elder Ishihara and Elder Shinsuke.

"Stop all operations against Elder Ishihara. If anything happens to him too, the Third Hokage and the rest of the leadership may realize something is wrong.

"Elder Shinsuke has always put principle before personal ties. We can try to win him over.

"But don't make it too obvious. With Elder Genki dead, Kumogakure's morale will probably surge. They may launch a