UCHIHA DISTRICT
Kakashi stopped a few meters from the entrance, maintaining a relaxed posture as he observed the ANBU positioned around the perimeter, all alert, but without advancing a single step. Sakura remained beside him in silence, her gaze analyzing the scene without interfering, quickly realizing that this was not just ordinary surveillance.
"Order from the Hokage." Kakashi spoke directly, without changing his tone. "You will vacate the Uchiha district immediately."
The ANBU did not respond right away.
The silence between them was not hesitation, it was evaluation.
One of them stepped forward.
"We cannot do that." The voice came out low, controlled. "We received orders from Danzō-sama to monitor the area."
Kakashi did not look away.
"So you're saying you're going to ignore a direct order from the Hokage?" He kept his tone light, but the pressure came with it.
The ANBU held firm.
"We're saying we have an ongoing mission."
Sakura remained quiet, but her gaze shifted slightly, understanding the real weight of that. It wasn't just an order being refused, it was a clear division within the village itself, something that should not happen under normal conditions.
Kakashi tilted his head slightly.
"What mission?" He asked directly.
Another ANBU answered.
"Monitoring the barrier."
The focus shifted.
"Barrier?" Kakashi repeated, his tone now more attentive.
"Yes." The ANBU confirmed. "The district is sealed."
One of the ninjas pulled out a kunai and threw it directly toward the district, testing the barrier without needing further orders.
CLACK
The blade hit something invisible and fell to the ground without passing through, proving that the barrier was solid enough to block any simple attempt.
Kakashi did not move, but his gaze shifted slightly as he felt no chakra flow coming from it, which made it even stranger.
'No chakra… this isn't a common jutsu.'
Sakura kept her focus ahead, analyzing the situation without speaking as her thoughts moved quickly.
'Who did this… I've never seen anything like it.'
____
INSIDE THE BARRIER — UCHIHA DISTRICT
Space distorted subtly and Riser appeared beside Merlin without generating any visible impact from the outside, as if his presence simply did not exist beyond the barrier.
The Mangekyō Sharingan was already active, and his gaze moved directly outward, passing through the barrier naturally as he observed the ANBU, Kakashi and Sakura without difficulty.
'What do we have here… in front of my district.'
Merlin didn't waste time observing just one point, her gaze swept through the entire district and then returned to the ninjas outside, analyzing the situation as a whole without haste.
"Your barrier is very good, Riser-sama." She spoke directly, without losing focus.
"Thank you, Merlin." He replied simply, without taking his eyes off the exterior.
Merlin slightly shifted her gaze back to the district.
"Can I start the reconstruction?"
"Yes." Riser replied without hesitation. "Feel free… just don't change them."
Merlin understood instantly.
"Maintain the traditional Uchiha style." She confirmed.
Riser gave a slight nod.
"Exactly."
Merlin moved away right after, heading toward one of the houses without wasting time, already starting the work without needing further instructions.
Riser remained where he was.
The Sharingan stayed active.
He took a few steps forward and approached the barrier, stopping just centimeters away while maintaining his focus on the other side.
'Knew my barrier would draw attention.'
On the outside of the barrier, under Riser's attentive gaze, Kakashi kept a firm posture as he calmly evaluated the ANBU, already understanding their hesitation even before any answer.
"Regardless of the barrier, the Hokage's order remains the same." He spoke directly. "Stand down."
The ANBU exchanged glances, the silence filled with tension making the internal conflict clear, as they knew the Hokage's order was absolute, but they also carried direct orders from Danzō, which made any decision a risk.
"Why are you taking so long?" Kakashi stepped forward half a step, his tone still controlled, but more pressing. "What is there to think about? If you don't leave now, you will be considered traitors."
____
Riser watched without looking away, the active Sharingan following every reaction from outside as the decision formed naturally.
"A traitor, huh…" He spoke low. "That could make things easier for me."
____
Outside, the ANBU were not traitors, but they were trapped between two orders they could not ignore, and the choice they had to make in that moment had no clean outcome.
Sakura kept her gaze firm.
'They know they're wrong… those are Tsunade-sama's orders.'
Kakashi did not lose focus.
'If they obey the Hokage, they'll create problems with Root… but still… there's only one choice.'
One of the ANBU crouched down, picked up the kunai that had been thrown earlier and stood up without looking back, making the decision without needing further words.
He turned.
And left.
The others didn't take long.
One by one, they withdrew at the same pace, abandoning their position without resistance, accepting the Hokage's order even knowing it would bring consequences later.
Silence returned.
But this time, resolved.
Sakura let out a light breath.
"For a moment I thought we'd have to fight."
Kakashi didn't change his posture.
"Yeah…" He replied simply. "At this point, anything was possible."
Sakura turned her gaze back to the barrier.
"But… who did this?"
Kakashi didn't answer immediately.
"Probably the new Uchiha they've been talking about." He said directly, without softening it.
____
Riser didn't look away, watching the outcome without any surprise as the analysis concluded naturally.
'Kakashi managed to drive the ANBU away… and still figured out it was me.'
He took a step forward.
'I think it's time to introduce myself.'
Riser slightly turned his face toward Merlin.
"I'm heading out." He spoke simply. "Do as you wish… or leave, but don't let anyone see you yet."
Merlin didn't hesitate.
"Yes, Riser-sama."
Riser began walking toward the barrier, maintaining a calm pace as his presence approached the invisible limit, and on the outside Sakura broke the silence first, still looking at the district without fully understanding what would come next.
"So now, sensei… what do we do?"
Kakashi opened his mouth to respond, but stopped midway as he noticed something changing ahead, his gaze focusing on the exact point where the barrier existed, and then he saw when the presence crossed the limit as if it had never been an obstacle.
A young man stepped out of the district.
His red eyes were active.
The Mangekyō Sharingan spun steadily.
Sakura saw it too.
Her body froze for a second as her gaze locked directly onto his eyes, recognizing the pattern, but immediately realizing that it was different from what she had seen in Sasuke.
'That's the Sharingan… but it's different…'
Riser stopped a few meters from them, without haste, his gaze passing over both before focusing on Kakashi as if he already understood the entire situation.
"Well… I must say you saved their lives, Kakashi Hatake."
Kakashi didn't look away.
"You… Riser Phenex." He spoke directly, evaluating. "The Uchiha."
Riser tilted his head slightly.
"I suppose my eyes confirm that."
The Sharingan remained active, hiding nothing.
Sakura didn't look away, still analyzing the different pattern she saw, trying to understand what it truly meant.
Riser turned his face toward her.
"I don't know your name yet."
Sakura answered immediately, maintaining a firm posture.
"Sakura Haruno." She didn't back down. "That Sharingan… it's different."
Riser didn't take long.
"The correct term is Mangekyō Sharingan." He explained simply. "The evolved version of the Sharingan."
Silence fell for a moment.
Sakura kept her gaze fixed, absorbing the information without interrupting, while her thoughts aligned quickly with what she had heard before.
'Evolved version… Ino didn't say anything about that…'
Kakashi didn't look away, analyzing every detail with precision while maintaining a relaxed posture.
'Without a doubt an Uchiha… and he keeps a Dōjutsu active for this long… he's strong.'
Riser observed both of them without hurry, as if he had already understood enough about them before the conversation moved forward, and then shifted his focus back to Kakashi without changing his expression.
"Do you have something you want to ask me, Kakashi?" He spoke simply. "You seem curious about my eyes… you have one under that mask too, don't you?"
Kakashi showed no surprise.
"Yes." He replied directly. "But we don't have time for that… the Hokage sent us here."
Riser didn't look away.
"Then tell me." He spoke in the same tone. "What does the Hokage want with me?"
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