On the afternoon of the following day, Diarmuid and Hiashi went to Ichiraku Ramen to enjoy a couple of bowls together.
Just as they finished drinking the broth from their bowls, a masked ninja materialized abruptly behind them.
Diarmuid slowly set his empty bowl down. Before he could even utter a word, the ninja standing behind them spoke in a low voice: "Diarmuid-sama, Danzo-sama has instructed me to inform you that the operation will commence tonight."
Diarmuid smacked his lips lightly before responding, "Tell Danzo I understand."
"Understood," the ninja complied. With a sharp shhh, he vanished into thin air.
Hiashi set his own ramen bowl down, a wave of profound emotion washing over his face as he remarked, "So, it seems today is the day."
Under ordinary circumstances, given Hiashi's position as the head of the Hyuga clan, he should never have been privy to such sensitive information. If a prominent noble house like the Uchiha clan could be systematically eliminated by the village, knowing about it would inevitably breed dark, uneasy thoughts in his mind.
However, because Diarmuid was a close personal friend of his, a matter of this magnitude could never be kept completely hidden from him. Consequently, Hiruzen had chosen to lay all his cards on the table during their meeting a few days prior.
"The events that follow are not something you should get involved in. Just pretend today was entirely ordinary. Come, let's head back," Diarmuid said, pulling some paper currency from his sleeve and placing it on the counter.
Shortly after, Diarmuid and Hiashi arrived back at the Hyuga compound.
Meanwhile, over at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
Kakashi pushed open the door to the faculty office and locked his gaze onto a specific individual inside. "Iruka."
"Ah, Kakashi-senpai!" Umino Iruka stood up to greet him respectfully the moment Kakashi entered.
Kakashi nodded in return and stated calmly, "Come out for a moment. I have a word to say to you."
Seeing the seriousness of his demeanor, Iruka didn't overthink the request. He stepped out of the office, and the two quickly walked over to the secluded corner of the stairwell.
"What is the matter, Kakashi-senpai?" Iruka questioned.
While Iruka was only slightly younger than Kakashi, Kakashi had famously skipped grades, graduated early, and attained the rank of Jonin in his youth. Iruka, on the other hand, was currently a Chunin instructor. Therefore, he routinely addressed Kakashi as 'senpai'.
In reality, while their relationship wasn't exceptionally close, they got along quite well. Iruka had always actively sought to build a genuine friendship with Kakashi, but the silver-haired ninja was currently trapped in a state of severe emotional isolation.
Within Konoha, aside from Might Guy, whom he considered a true friend, Kakashi viewed practically everyone else merely as 'colleagues.'
"An assignment has been designated for you," Kakashi stated.
Iruka blinked, entirely caught off guard. "Me?" He was completely bewildered, finding the statement almost impossible to believe.
I am just a simple Chunin instructor, comfortable in my stable government post, earning a humble living.
How could a sudden, high-profile operational assignment fall into his lap out of nowhere?
Indeed, to Iruka, the concept of operational missions felt like a distant memory from a lifetime ago. Ever since he transitioned into a full-time teaching role at the Academy, he had never been assigned to any mission.
"Yes. However, it is nothing overly complicated. The village has been actively vetting suspicious personnel over the past few days. You are aware of this, correct?" Kakashi opened.
"Yes, I am somewhat aware," Iruka nodded.
Given that even entering and exiting Konoha now required rigorous security screenings, he was naturally well-informed.
"There will be a major operation carried out tonight. A group of highly dangerous, malevolent individuals has successfully infiltrated Konoha. To ensure the absolute safety of the students, you are to detain all lower-grade students within the school grounds after dismissal. Await further directives there. Is that understood?" Kakashi mandated in a deep, serious voice.
Iruka let out a silent breath of relief. Oh, so that's all it is.
"No problem," Iruka answered swiftly.
"Excellent. Then I shall leave it in your hands. I have other pressing matters to attend to, so I must take my leave," Kakashi added rapidly.
With a brief exchange of farewells, Kakashi turned and departed the Academy grounds at once.
Watching Kakashi's retreating silhouette, Iruka experienced a sudden, inexplicable tightening in his chest, an ominous sense of dread settling deep within him.
In truth, much like Hiashi, Kakashi would never have been drawn into the orbit of this dark historical turning point in the original timeline. Yet, because so many variables had been fundamentally altered, he too had stumbled blindly into the center of this swirling vortex of conspiracy.
As twilight began to blanket the village, a tense atmosphere enveloped the Uchiha clan compound.
Another so-called clan meeting had been called to order today.
Unsurprisingly, due to Itachi's highly controversial political stance and open allegiance to the Hokage, he had been thoroughly ostracized by his peers. Consequently, he was barred from participating in this gathering.
Yet, this exclusion provided him with the precise window of opportunity he required.
Stepping into the clan's communal kitchen, Itachi's eyes remained entirely cold and detached as he emptied a packet of specialized powder into a massive pot of simmering broth.
He slowly and meticulously stirred the liquid until the substance dissolved uniformly into the soup, before slipping away into the shadows without leaving a single trace.
The political meeting dragged on for over an hour. Afterward, the clan proceeded with their traditional communal dining ritual. This had always been their standard procedure; following a formal meeting, the members would dine together to foster solidarity, exchange casual thoughts, and further dissect the core directives and philosophies established during the assembly.
Once the evening feast concluded, the Uchiha clansmen departed the hall and headed back to their respective households.
For some inexplicable reason, every single person felt an intense wave of physical and mental exhaustion washing over them tonight, instilling a desperate urge to crawl into bed and sleep.
Shortly after lying down, the clansmen drifted into an incredibly deep, unshakeable slumber. Rhythmic snoring echoed across the households, and within moments, the entire Uchiha compound fell into an eerie, unnatural silence.
Roughly half an hour later, a bizarre, shadowy figure slowly materialized within the boundaries of the Uchiha compound.
He wore a stylized swirl mask that exposed only a single eye, and a sweeping black cloak completely obscured any defining physical characteristics.
"The Uchiha..." the masked man murmured softly under his breath.
It was Obito, operating under his chosen guise.
"You are late."
The moment Obito appeared, a frigid voice cut through the silence from a short distance behind him.
An individual stepped out from the deep shadows cast by the adjacent buildings. It was Itachi, clad in his full standard-issue Anbu armor. His facial features were entirely rigid and mask-like, his eyes seemingly devoid of any human emotion as he stared directly at the masked intruder.
Obito turned around smoothly, letting out a soft chuckle. "I don't think I am late at all."
"Per our prior arrangement, you shall assist me in—" Itachi began.
However, mid-sentence, his cold expression fractured violently. His eyes instantly manifested into the three-tomoe Sharingan as he shifted his gaze directly behind Obito, snapping, "Who goes there?!"
Simultaneously, with a fluid flick of his wrist, several shuriken slipped from his sleeve, held tightly between his fingers, ready to launch.
Obito was internally startled as well, for he too had suddenly detected an enigmatic presence manifesting right behind him.
The energy signature possessed a faint, fleeting trace of familiarity, yet it was overwhelmingly alien. In fact, it didn't even truly resemble the presence of a living human.
"There is no need to be tense," a remarkably calm, cultured voice drifted into their ears.
Hearing the voice, Obito let out a subtle sigh of relief and turned his body to look toward the source.
A figure radiating a faint, ethereal luminescence stood quietly behind him. Though the entity appeared completely solid to the naked eye, a focused analysis through the Sharingan revealed with absolute clarity that it was a non-physical, spectral manifestation.
For a brief moment, neither Obito nor Itachi could fully comprehend the exact nature of what they were looking at.
"Diarmuid..." Obito initiated, offering a brief nod of acknowledgment.
Itachi's eyes widened slightly with underlying astonishment. He had never personally encountered Diarmuid, though he had reviewed numerous intelligence files regarding his operations. He was well aware that Diarmuid had been residing within Konoha recently, but this marked his very first time witnessing this legendary figure in person.
"I recall you explicitly stating that you would not directly interfere in this matter," Obito questioned directly, narrowing his single visible eye. "What happened? Did you have a change of heart?"
What stood before them now was merely a projection generated via the Spirit Transformation Jutsu, a pure spiritual body.
Listening to Obito's inquiry, Diarmuid's brow twitched slightly, and a subtle smile played on his lips. "Madara, why else would I present myself here? Do you truly lack the self-awareness to grasp the answer? It is simply because I do not trust you."
Beneath his mask, Obito's expression turned slightly rigid with embarrassment. Ever since the fateful Night of the Nine-Tails, where his grand ambitions had completely unraveled, he had actively avoided making contact with Diarmuid. Facing him now naturally stirred a lingering sense of guilt and caution.
Meanwhile, Itachi carefully observed the dynamic between the two, his sharp mind rapidly processing and logging the data.
So, this self-proclaimed Uchiha Madara possesses a prior history with Diarmuid. As for when their paths first crossed... based on Konoha's intelligence records, it most likely occurred during the Nine-Tails' tragedy or shortly thereafter. Their timeline matches perfectly.
Furthermore, their current relationship is visibly strained, completely aligning with our existing profiling.
Naturally, the intelligence Itachi was drawing upon was derived from the private discourse Hiruzen had shared with Diarmuid just a few days ago.
Shifting his gaze away from Obito, Diarmuid turned his attention toward Itachi, his lips curving into a vibrant grin. "Uchiha Itachi, after the sun rises tomorrow, you will no longer possess a sanctuary within the borders of Konoha. Tell me, would you be interested in joining my ranks? The Yorozuya has assembled an exceptional cohort of elite talents who share a similar caliber to your own. I am entirely confident you would integrate into our culture seamlessly."
To be perfectly honest, if it were a matter of pure intellectual curiosity, Itachi genuinely harbored a much higher level of interest toward the enigmatic organization known as the Yorozuya.
He was well aware that the Yorozuya was entirely comprised of uniquely gifted individuals who carried themselves with distinct flair; operating among them might truly feel like finding a proper home.
However, analyzing the situation through the lens of his long-term mission parameters, Diarmuid, despite his terrifying individual combat proficiency, had consistently maintained a relatively stable and harmonious diplomatic relationship with the leadership of Konoha. Consequently, Diarmuid had never been classified as an immediate existential threat by the village's intelligence apparatus.
If he were a primary threat, would he be permitted to navigate Konoha like an honored guest, residing within the private compounds of the noble clans, and regularly sharing tea with the Hokage himself?
In stark contrast, this masked individual claiming to be Uchiha Madara represented the absolute 'core nemesis' of Konoha. Current historical data proved that this man had already executed a devastating assault against the village, unleashing the Nine-Tails and inflicting catastrophic damage upon its infrastructure and population.
Furthermore, Konoha's investigations indicated that he operated as the head of a highly organized, clandestine syndicate. That specific syndicate was the exact target Konoha desperately needed to monitor and neutralize. Therefore, Itachi's operational mandate required him to embed himself within the masked man's faction to ascertain the full scope of their global conspiracy.
"Diarmuid, shouldn't we respect the concept of prior agreements?" Obito stated, his voice dropping into a deeper, gravelly register. "Itachi has already solidified a formal covenant with me. Once tonight's affairs are concluded, he will officially operate as one of our assets."
Diarmuid chose not to offer a direct counterargument. He merely maintained a genial, knowing smile as he kept his eyes trained on Itachi.
Itachi fell into a brief silence before speaking clearly, "That is correct."
Obito secretly let out a sigh of relief, a distinct glimmer of pride emerging in his gaze as he cast a sidelong look at Diarmuid.
In his mind, this felt like scoring a definitive psychological victory over the enigmatic powerhouse.
See that? It appears my personal charisma and vision carry far greater weight, Diarmuid.
Of course, Obito was fully aware that Itachi was not a genuine rogue ninja. He knew with near certainty that Itachi's willingness to align with his faction was driven by a calculated desire to extract intelligence from within his ranks.
Yet, he was entirely indifferent to that hidden agenda. His current operations were severely hindered by a critical shortage of high-tier, capable operative talent, and Itachi represented the absolute perfect asset to execute his immediate goals.
This partnership was nothing more than a calculated arrangement of mutual exploitation.
In Obito's assessment, as long as the true parameters of the Eye of the Moon Plan remained completely classified, he could afford to selectively drip-feed non-essential information to Itachi to keep him compliant.
Diarmuid raised an eyebrow, letting out a soft, amused click of his tongue. "Is that so? What an absolute pity. I suppose I can only harbor hope that an opportunity for collaboration presents itself again in the future."
He cast a brief glance upward at the glowing moonlight before continuing, "In that case, I shall not disrupt your operational timeline. Per our agreement, I will remain stationed in the immediate vicinity to ensure no external variables interfere with your work, Uchiha Madara..."
Turning a sharp, demanding gaze back onto Obito, Diarmuid's tone shifted, laced with a cold, unyielding weight. "Do not lose sight of my specific compensation. If you dare to pocket a single extra pair, I will extract your own eyes to settle the ledger."
An intense wave of irritation surged within Obito's chest. Yet, suppressed by the lingering, absolute psychological pressure Diarmuid had consistently exerted over him, he didn't dare voice a direct protest. He could only maintain his aloof, enigmatic posture, offering a cold snort. "I am a man who has always held his word in high regard."
Itachi's gaze flickered between the two figures, his analytical mind instantly formulating a critical deduction.
It appears that Diarmuid occupies the absolute dominant position in this dynamic, comfortably suppressing this dangerous masked entity.