Uchiha Ren and Uchiha Mikoto were not the kind to lose themselves in blind romance.
After their indulgent moment on the sofa—carefree in passion, careless of consequence—Ren slowly loosened his hold on the girl in his arms, her lips still faintly swollen from their kiss. For a fleeting instant, even he found himself a little startled by how far he had let things go.
His palm lingered briefly at her hip before he withdrew, exhaling softly.
"Mikoto, it's getting late."
A lingering sheen of emotion still shimmered in Mikoto's eyes, but as he pulled back, the haze faded, leaving only the soft flush that refused to leave her cheeks. She steadied her breathing, smoothing her clothes before meeting his calm gaze.
"The intelligence consolidation shouldn't be delayed," Ren said quietly, helping her sit upright. "We'll need to start arrangements first thing tomorrow."
"Mhm, I know."
Her voice was gentle, almost like that of a devoted wife, as she reached out to straighten the collar he had wrinkled earlier. That softness carried an undercurrent of sharp composure—the capable leader she showed the outside world.
"I informed Brother Fugaku this afternoon," she said evenly. "Later, I'll have Hazuki contact Yashiro."
"By tomorrow before noon, we'll complete the transfer and integration of the clan's intelligence network."
Ren nodded. "You also have Ah Yan's summoning contract. After the meeting tomorrow, coordinate with her. Check for any overlaps in the intelligence channels."
He paused, his voice lowering slightly, carrying quiet trust.
"I've also assigned a few tasks through Ah Yan. Only you need to know."
Mikoto's lashes trembled faintly.
She didn't need details to understand. The man before her—her "little brother" in name—had likely set something in motion that wasn't meant for others to see.
She didn't question it.
Whatever he did, she trusted it was for her… or for the clan.
That was enough.
"To avoid Grand Elder Hokaku storming over, I should head back now," Ren said with a light chuckle, placing a brief kiss on her forehead before standing.
At the entrance, Mikoto caught him off guard with a quick kiss of her own before letting him go.
Ren didn't return home immediately. Instead, he changed direction and headed toward the residence of his grandfather, Uchiha Setsuna.
As expected, in the tea room, he found Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Hokaku seated together, sharing a quiet drink.
Setsuna glanced at his grandson arriving alone and snorted faintly, clearly displeased that he hadn't pressed his advantage further.
Hokaku, on the other hand, had been somewhat distracted. But when he saw Ren standing straight, composed and properly dressed, a trace of surprise flickered in his eyes—followed by unmistakable approval.
Measured. Proper. Knowing when to advance and when to stop.
A fitting future clan head.
"Grandfather. Elder Hokaku."
Ren greeted them calmly, as if merely stopping by out of courtesy.
The three shared an unspoken understanding. Their conversation stayed light—touching briefly on the eastern front and the clan's internal arrangements. For once, the atmosphere remained unusually peaceful.
Ren did not linger. After a short while, he excused himself and left.
Moonlight had already spread across the stone-paved paths outside.
Without pause, he made his way deeper into the clan grounds—toward the Uchiha archives.
From the blood-soaked chaos of the Warring States era to the hidden truths behind Konoha's founding… from scattered secrets across the shinobi world to every inherited technique not sealed as forbidden—
A thousand years of Uchiha history and wisdom were preserved within those walls.
The archive now stood brightly lit, heavily guarded—nothing like the hollow shell it would one day become, stripped bare under the pretense of "preservation" after the clan's fall.
For now, the Uchiha still stood at the peak of the shinobi world.
Proud. Untouchable.
—
While Ren immersed himself in ancient texts under the steady glow of lamplight, Shimura Danzo stormed into the Hokage's office after a long, frustrating day.
The exposed half of his face was dark with suppressed fury, every wrinkle etched with restrained anger.
The polite receptions. The evasive refusals from the various clans.
Each one had been like a thorn in his flesh.
He was the leader of Root. The shadow of Konoha. The darkness feared across the shinobi world.
And yet—
Today, he had been humiliated.
If he were Hokage…
None of this would have happened.
'Hiruzen… you deserve to die.'
The door slammed shut with a heavy bang, startling even the ANBU guards hidden in the shadows.
Behind the desk, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up through the haze of smoke, already aware that the recruitment efforts had gone poorly.
"Danzo."
The name came out low, steady.
Danzo's voice, however, was sharp with restrained fury.
"These clans—defying the village's authority… It's time they learn what Root is capable of."
Hiruzen's expression hardened instantly.
He tapped the pipe lightly, ash falling in quiet flakes, his voice carrying unmistakable warning.
"Danzo. Mind your position."
"This kind of talk—undermining the unity of the village—I don't want to hear it a second time."
Danzo let out a cold laugh instead of backing down.
He kicked the issue right back.
"The major clans refuse to cooperate. They won't serve Konoha."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes dark.
"So tell me—how should they be dealt with?"
"Without enough elite shinobi, stopping Kumogakure's advance is nothing but a fantasy."
He knew his role.
The enforcer. The one who played the villain.
After he pushed hard, the Hokage would step in—playing the benevolent leader.
A routine both of them knew too well.
And so did everyone else in Konoha.
Danzo understood his own position clearly.
All his authority ultimately rested on the will of the Third Hokage.
Which made it… unstable.
'It's time to deepen cooperation with Orochimaru…'
'The Wood Release experiments must succeed. No matter the cost.'
Just as that thought settled, Hiruzen spoke again, exactly as expected.
"Tomorrow, I will personally visit the clans."
His tone was firm.
"Once manpower is secured, you will depart immediately for the northeastern front."
"No delays."
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