Chapter 474: The Plot Changes, Best to Stay Out of It

"I'm not really in the mood to eat."

Uchiha Mikoto offered a bitter smile, aware she was spoiling the atmosphere.

"Did something happen?"

Takuya put down his chopsticks.

In such a situation, who could still focus on eating? Understanding the situation was the priority.

Minato and Pakura also set their utensils aside, all eyes turning to Mikoto.

"Takuya, I need your help. The Uchiha clan needs your help."

The Uchiha had stationed people at the village gates, relaying news to the clan the moment Takuya returned. Mikoto had come straight away.

It looked like a serious issue.

Could it be another conflict between the village leadership and the Uchiha?

Takuya rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

That didn't seem right. If the leadership had clashed with the Uchiha again, Tsunade would have mentioned it during their meeting in the Hokage's office.

Tsunade wouldn't keep such matters from him, especially since anything involving the Uchiha also concerned Mikoto.

And if Mikoto were involved, Takuya would undoubtedly step in.

"Is it something serious that you can't resolve on your own?"

"Yes."

Mikoto sighed heavily, her voice filled with frustration. "It's Obito. The boy has gone missing."

"What?"

Minato's mouth fell open in shock.

Uchiha Obito?

He knew the boy—a kid who didn't act like a typical Uchiha. Obito enjoyed helping others, especially the elderly.

Given his connection to Kakashi, Minato had some familiarity with him.

Pakura, on the other hand, was clueless about who Obito was.

"Missing? You're not joking?"

Takuya was equally startled and pressed for details.

"When did this happen? Was it reported to the village?"

Missing persons weren't unusual in the dangerous world of the Hidden Villages, even in Konoha. People often disappeared without a trace, and many cases went unreported.

Spies were often the culprits, making people vanish and taking their places to infiltrate and gather intelligence.

But targeting members of a prominent clan like the Uchiha? That was rare.

The Sharingan's ability to pierce through most disguises made such infiltration attempts incredibly risky.

"Not yet," Mikoto admitted.

"It happened two days ago. Obito's grandmother… passed away. The boy was devastated. The clan helped with the funeral arrangements, but then Obito disappeared overnight—and his grandmother's body vanished as well."

"The clan, led by the patriarch, has been searching inside and out for days now."

Such matters couldn't be made public—they had to be handled discreetly, at least until a report to the village became unavoidable.

The Uchiha were desperately trying to locate Obito. Finding him would be ideal, but even recovering a body would suffice. If they failed, they'd have no choice but to report it to the Hokage's office and face the consequences.

Obito's parents had died long ago, leaving him in his grandmother's care. Perhaps influenced by her, Obito had developed a habit of helping the elderly.

But who could have imagined that he would disappear overnight?

Could it be Black Zetsu?

Takuya couldn't think of anyone else who would take an interest in Obito, the supposed failure of the Uchiha clan.

Even spies looking to abduct someone wouldn't target a kid like him—Obito was too well-known for being a "nobody."

The Uchiha now had to determine whether Obito was missing or dead.

Either scenario would have significant repercussions.

The Uchiha's power was already heavily restricted, leaving Mikoto no choice but to represent the clan and seek Takuya's help.

Help? Not a chance.

Takuya was almost certain this was Black Zetsu's doing.

To abduct Obito and his grandmother's body silently from Konoha required a level of skill few possessed.

Anyone capable of such an act wouldn't bother targeting someone like Obito unless there was a specific reason.

More promising targets, like prodigious young talents or Fugaku's sons, would have been far more logical choices.

But Obito?

Before his eventual descent into darkness, he was little more than unrefined potential—a hollow shell of talent.

"This is difficult," Takuya finally said, refusing to agree to help search.

He laid out his analysis calmly.

"Whoever orchestrated this, it's been days. Obito has either been taken far away or… his body has been disposed of. Finding him will be nearly impossible.

"Given Konoha's current situation, Mikoto-san, you know as well as I do that the ANBU is still undergoing reorganization. They won't be much help. My advice is to report this directly to the Hokage. If the Uchiha find that difficult, I can speak to Tsunade on your behalf."

The disappearance of a clan member was a problem that could be downplayed—or magnified.

On the smaller end, it was a minor issue.

On the larger end, it could spell trouble for the Uchiha, as the leadership might seize upon the incident to tighten their grip.

That's why the Uchiha had opted to handle the matter privately, exhausting every avenue before resorting to a report. They understood all too well the village's stance toward them.

Given the circumstances, searching further was futile. Reporting the incident was the best course of action.

Despite having braced herself, Mikoto still found it hard to accept.

If Obito had died on a mission or the battlefield, the clan could reconcile with such an outcome.

But for an Uchiha to disappear on their own turf was nothing short of a slap in the face.

Coupled with the leadership's stance, the Uchiha were forced to keep the incident under wraps, searching tirelessly in hopes of finding Obito—or at least his body.

Unfortunately, they hadn't found even the slightest trace, despite exhausting all possible methods.

That was why Mikoto had come to Takuya.

But there was little he could do for them.

Whether searching within the village or pursuing leads outside, Takuya lacked the resources to dedicate to such a task.

Asking Tsunade for help was also out of the question—she was already overwhelmed and couldn't spare energy for this.

As for confronting Madara Uchiha? Takuya had no interest in stepping into that quagmire.

The storylines of this world had already deviated significantly from the original. That Madara would have Black Zetsu abduct Obito ahead of schedule wasn't surprising at all.

"The village side of things… leave that to me. As long as the Uchiha don't stir up trouble, Tsunade won't target your clan.

"When you return, tell Fugaku to keep the hawks in your clan under control. If they stay calm, Tsunade can gradually dismantle the remnants of the previous leadership's policies."

Takuya's expression turned serious.

"Remember, total calm is required. I trust Fugaku will understand what I mean, and I believe he's capable of ensuring it."

Fugaku might not have been the most competent clan leader—he lacked authority internally and was too soft externally.

But Takuya valued one thing about him: when he was ruthless, he could be utterly decisive.