Genji's Treachery

Mitokado Homura, standing nearby, also nodded in agreement:

"We can't rush this! Everyone, think again about how to get the intelligence to Uchiha Yan, or how to let him send his intelligence out."

"Could I use insects to get inside?"

"Even a tiny amount of chakra would be detected. That won't work."

"Getting intelligence inside will inevitably require chakra, unless we send in a civilian. But Kirigakure's Anbu won't let anyone near Yan."

"Not necessarily!"

Shikaku spoke in a low voice. "I remember that the Ninja Cat Clan can control stray cats. We can write the intelligence on paper and have a stray cat take it inside."

"Yes, exactly!"

Fugaku's eyes lit up. "Let's do that. As long as we can make contact with Yan, things will be easy.

"Inabi, take a few three-tomoe users to meet Yan and bring him back. I'll have a stray cat deliver the message right away."

"Wait!"

Mitokado Homura interrupted. "You can't move, and you're too far away! I'll ask Jiraiya to go in person."

"That works too!"

Without any hesitation, Mitokado Homura began sending a message to the Hokage Building. The intelligence they had received today concerned the entire battlefield, and they couldn't afford the slightest carelessness.

By midnight that day, a stray cat was lying motionless on Uchiha Yan's bed.

"Hmm? Little Calico?"

Uchiha Yan's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected to see Little Calico here. She was absolutely adorable.

"Just what I'd expect of myself. Even stray cats know how learned I am and want to become my students.

"If you want to be my student, shouldn't you pay some tuition? Stay still and be good. Let me pet you, just once...

"Hehehehe..."

It never occurred to Uchiha Yan that the Uchiha Clan was sending him a message. He had long since forgotten that the Ninja Cat Clan were the Uchiha's Summoning Beasts. He thought Shisui's and Itachi's Summoning Beasts were both crows, and simply assumed that the Uchiha's Summoning Beasts were crows too.

Little Calico stayed perfectly still, letting Uchiha Yan bring his hand toward her back.

"Hmm?"

Only then did Uchiha Yan notice a cord tied around the cat's neck. Lifting her head, he saw a piece of paper and a pen hanging beneath her neck.

He opened the paper and glanced at it, then breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like Black Zetsu had taken the bait! Neither he nor Nagato would be able to resist a secret technique that allowed one person to perform the Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals alone.

Picking up the pen, he wrote the intelligence on the back of the paper. Just as he was about to have the stray cat take it back, Uchiha Yan thought of the Hokage Building's prejudice against the Uchiha and added one final sentence:

'Genji wants to discuss something with me in three days. Move in the Western Sea Area in five days.'

Uchiha Yan believed that once the Third Hokage saw this letter, he would definitely find a way to rescue him, rather than stop caring about him after getting the intelligence.

To keep the Kirigakure Ninja from becoming suspicious, Uchiha Yan planned to ask to go fishing by the sea the next day. But before he could speak, Shiori told him that Genji wanted to see him.

Had Kumogakure backed down? It shouldn't have happened this quickly.

With all sorts of questions in mind, Uchiha Yan met Genji again.

Genji pointed to the stool opposite him. "Sit! Tea or alcohol?"

"Tea!"

"Different from the rest, indeed!"

Uchiha Yan rolled his eyes. "What decent person drinks in broad daylight? What if they get drunk and make a scene?"

Genji poured Uchiha Yan a cup of tea and said with a smile:

"Kumogakure already knows about the peace talks between Konoha and Kirigakure, and they've begun to soften their stance.

"When do you think they'll agree to Kirigakure's demands?"

"They'll soften their stance when the Hokage starts approaching the Kirigakure Envoy himself.

"The problem is, Lord Hokage isn't a fool. If Kirigakure comes asking for peace talks without having done anything, he's bound to be suspicious. But it won't take too long.

"The Third Hokage wants peace more than anyone else. If you're patient enough, the initiative will stay in your hands."

"Exactly!"

Genji nodded slightly. "Hiruzen Sarutobi hasn't refused peace talks, but he hasn't agreed to them either. He merely asked Yae to stay in Konoha for a while.

"Can you tell me where the Uzumaki Clan survivor is?"

"Heh!"

Uchiha Yan set down his teacup. "What are you thinking? I won't give you the other two pieces of intelligence before I'm back in Konoha.

"You'd better think about how to keep Konoha from discovering your peace talks first. Once Konoha finds out, those talks will be useless."

"He won't find out. Danzo is already attacking the former site of the Land of Whirlpools with all his strength, but he's been held off and gained nothing.

"Kumogakure is also controlling the pace, keeping Konoha's attention focused solely on the battlefield. Intelligence matters will be left to intelligence ninja.

"And both sides will only gather intelligence on each other on those two battlefields and in the various villages. They won't come to the Land of Sea.

"You're an exception. There won't be anyone else as clever as you."

"What good is being clever? You still caught me, didn't you?

"If I'd known, I should have sent my suspicions back ahead of time instead of coming to the Land of Sea to look for evidence first.

"It's strange, though. Why did your two countries only think of working together now? One has Lightning Release, the other Water Release. Water conducts electricity. If you joined forces, your fighting strength would increase considerably."

"What? Kirigakure Ninja aren't afraid of electricity?"

"Just wear insulated shoes! How much could shoes cost?"

"Couldn't the other ninja villages buy them too?"

"Get them once first! If that doesn't work, buy up all the shoes, then sell them at a high price and get them again."

"No wonder Danzo calls the Uchiha Clan evil. You really are evil."

Genji shook his head with a smile. "Do you really not want to come to Kirigakure? As long as you're willing, I can give you my position and make you the Kirigakure Advisor."

"Do I look like a fool to you? You might agree, but would the other ninja in Kirigakure? Would those Kekkei Genkai Clans?"

"But if you don't come to Kirigakure, you're doomed!"

"Impossible! You wouldn't bear to kill me. You still want to use me against Danzo. Ideally, you'd have Danzo and me go at each other like dogs, weakening Konoha further."

"Hahaha... I want you to come to Kirigakure more and more."

Genji laughed aloud. "You're right. That's exactly what I thought, and exactly what I've done.

"In Konoha's eyes, you're already dead! And both the Third Hokage and the Uchiha Clan value you highly. The conflict between Danzo and the Uchiha can no longer be reconciled."

"What do you mean?"

Uchiha Yan's eyes widened. "What do you mean, I'm already dead? What exactly did you do?"

"I told Konoha that you moved freely through Kirigakure's headquarters and had almost escaped after obtaining the intelligence, only to be betrayed by a Konoha ninja, resulting in your death at the hands of Kirigakure Ninja.

"Most importantly, Kirigakure also saw a series of plans in your mind, plans that could defeat Kirigakure without Konoha suffering any great losses.

"Hahaha... Do you know how Hiruzen Sarutobi reacted? His whole face darkened. He values you far more than a little!"

Uchiha Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had sent the intelligence out already, or he really would have been screwed to death.

If he returned to Konoha after supposedly dying, even a fool would realize he had made a deal with Kirigakure and might well have become a spy. At that point, neither the Third Hokage nor the Uchiha Clan would spare him.

But now that the intelligence had been sent out, he had nothing to worry about. He only needed to keep acting to lull Genji into a false sense of security.

Just watch how I fool you, you scheming old bastard!