A Meeting of Masks
Uchiha Compound Gates
The cool night air wrapped around them as Kotetsu and Izumo stepped out of the Uchiha compound, leaving the dimly lit district behind. The streets here were quieter than the rest of the village, lined with traditional Uchiha-style houses—dark tiled roofs, symmetrical designs, and clan symbols carved into the walls. A few lanterns flickered softly in the distance, their warm glow barely illuminating the empty roads. The air was heavy, not just with the crispness of night but with something unspoken, an uneasy tension that hung over the Uchiha district like a thick fog.
Kotetsu exhaled, glancing around as they made their way back toward the village's entrance. "Man, I never really thought about it before, but the Uchiha district is far from the village gates."
Izumo nodded, his hands tucked into his sleeves as they moved swiftly through the streets. "Yeah. For us, it's not a big deal. We can use chakra to speed up, but for a regular civilian? It'd take them at least thirty minutes to get to the village entrance." He frowned. "It's basically on the outskirts."
Kotetsu hummed in agreement, his mind piecing things together. "Almost like they were isolated on purpose."
Izumo shot him a look but didn't argue. He knew what Kotetsu was getting at. The Nine-Tailed Fox attack was still fresh in everyone's memory, and the village's resentment toward the Uchiha hadn't faded. With their compound placed so far from the village's heart, it was hard not to see the separation as intentional.
As they leapt onto the rooftops, moving faster now that they were in open space, their conversation shifted back to the meeting they'd just left.
"I still don't get it," Izumo muttered. "Fugaku… he doesn't trust the Hokage. How is that possible? Hiruzen's the leader of the village. He's supposed to protect everyone, Uchiha included."
Kotetsu kept his gaze ahead, leaping across the rooftops with ease. "Yeah, that stuck with me too," he admitted. "But… think about everything we've heard. The Uchiha have been getting pushed to the side for years. The village blames them for the Nine-Tails attack, even though there's no proof. And now, someone's trying to frame them for the explosion."
Izumo gritted his teeth. "It just doesn't feel right. What we're doing—digging into this—it doesn't feel like regular shinobi work. It feels like we're spying for Fugaku."
Kotetsu landed on the edge of a rooftop, stopping for a brief moment. He turned to Izumo, his expression serious. "I know," he said. "I feel the same way. But Izumo… if we just ignore this, we're letting innocent people take the fall for something they didn't do."
Izumo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't like it. Not one bit. But Kotetsu was right—if the Uchiha were being set up, then just standing by would make them complicit.
They continued their journey in silence for a while, the village's quiet streets stretching out before them. Soon, the massive gates of Konoha came into view, standing tall like a silent guardian over the village. Their small guard outpost, tucked just outside the entrance, was waiting for them.
As they approached, Izumo finally broke the silence. "I don't like any of this. But I guess we don't have a choice, do we?"
Kotetsu gave him a tired grin. "Not really. Looks like we're in the thick of it now."
The two shinobi slipped back into their usual positions, the weight of their discovery pressing down on them. The night was far from over, and the mysteries surrounding Konoha were only beginning to unravel.
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Uchiha Compound Gates Anbu Pov
The night was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves in the cold breeze. A crescent moon hung overhead, casting long shadows over the rooftops and narrow alleyways of Konoha. Perched on a rooftop overlooking the Uchiha district, three figures blended into the darkness, unseen, unheard—watching.
Kakashi Hatake stood at the center, his White Dog ANBU mask concealing his face, yet his sharp gaze never wavered. To his left crouched a kunoichi with flowing purple hair, Yūgao Uzuki, her feline-shaped ANBU mask glinting faintly under the moonlight. To his right, silent and unmoving, was a young boy no older than thirteen, his raven-black hair shifting slightly in the breeze. His mask was pushed to the side, revealing a single eye gleaming with a fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan—Itachi Uchiha.
The trio had been stationed here for hours, their orders clear: monitor any suspicious activity surrounding the Uchiha compound. With the explosion earlier this week and whispers of possible treachery, tensions in the village were already high. The higher-ups were on edge. Which meant the ANBU were on high alert.
And now, something curious had caught their attention.
From their vantage point, they had watched Kotetsu and Izumo slip out of the Uchiha district, heading back toward the village gates. Two seemingly ordinary Chunin—gate guards, of all things—walking straight out of the compound in the dead of night. The three ANBU exchanged silent glances.
"What exactly are they doing here?" Yūgao whispered, her tone suspicious but measured.
Kakashi's lone visible eye narrowed. "That's what I'd like to know."
Itachi remained quiet, his Sharingan tracking the pair's movements with precision. His mind worked quickly, analyzing possibilities. Kotetsu and Izumo were not Uchiha. They had no known ties to the clan. And yet, here they were, exiting the compound under the cover of darkness.
After a long pause, Yūgao spoke again. "Could they be gathering information? Spying for someone?"
Kakashi exhaled, his voice low. "Doubtful. They're not known for being involved in intelligence work. At least, not officially." His gaze flickered back to the gate guards. "But they're acting strange. Even if they were assigned here for something, we'd know about it."
Yūgao considered that for a moment before glancing at Itachi. "What do you think?"
Itachi, still watching the two figures moving farther away, finally spoke. "They don't appear to be hostile," he murmured. "But their presence in the compound is… unusual." His voice was even, calm, but beneath it was something else. A sliver of doubt.
Everything about the situation unsettled him. The explosion, the rumors, and now this.
Could it be a coincidence? Or was there more to it?
Kakashi crossed his arms. "Hokage-sama gave strict orders to keep an eye on the Uchiha. If something is happening inside the clan, we need to know about it." He glanced at the departing figures again. "For now, we report this back. We keep watching."
Yūgao nodded in agreement, but Itachi remained still, his gaze locked on the two distant figures. Something about this night felt different. As if the pieces were shifting into place for something far bigger than any of them realized.
He couldn't shake the feeling.
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Hokage Tower
The Hokage Tower stood tall against the midnight sky, its dimly lit windows casting a faint glow over the village. Inside, the office of Hiruzen Sarutobi was quiet, save for the soft scratching of a brush against parchment. The Third Hokage, weary but ever-vigilant, sat behind his desk, reviewing reports from the day's chaos. The explosion had sent ripples through Konoha, and tensions were mounting.
A sudden knock at the door broke the silence. Hiruzen exhaled slowly, already sensing who it was. "Enter."
The door opened, and three masked figures stepped inside. Kakashi Hatake, Yūgao Uzuki, and Itachi Uchiha moved in unison, their presence a silent testament to their purpose. They kneeled before him, heads bowed slightly in respect.
Hiruzen set his brush aside and regarded them carefully. "Report."
Kakashi spoke first, his voice calm but firm. "During our surveillance of the Uchiha compound, we observed two individuals leaving under the cover of night. Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki."
Hiruzen's brow furrowed slightly. "Kotetsu and Izumo? The Chunin assigned to gate duty?"
"Yes, sir," Yūgao confirmed. "They spent an extended period inside the compound before heading back to their post. It is unclear why they were there or what their business with the Uchiha was."
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his mind working through the possibilities. Kotetsu and Izumo were not part of any intelligence or internal affairs units, which made their presence in the Uchiha district unusual. He turned his gaze toward Itachi, who had remained silent.
"Itachi," Hiruzen addressed him directly, "you know your clan better than anyone. Do you believe they were meeting with someone for a specific reason?"
Itachi lifted his head slightly, his expression unreadable behind his ANBU mask. "I do not know for certain, Lord Hokage," he said smoothly. "However, given the rising tension between the village and my clan, their visit is suspicious. If my father has begun reaching out to shinobi outside the Uchiha, it could indicate an attempt to gain outside support."
Hiruzen exhaled through his nose, troubled by the implication. If the Uchiha were trying to secure allies within the village, it could mean they were preparing for a confrontation—or at the very least, losing faith in Konoha's leadership.
Kakashi, watching the Hokage carefully, finally asked, "Should we bring them in for questioning?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "No. Not yet. If we act now, it could push the Uchiha into further distrust. We will continue to observe them from the shadows. If Kotetsu and Izumo are involved in something deeper, they may reveal more in time."
Yūgao nodded. "Understood. We will keep watch and report anything else we find."
Hiruzen took a slow breath, glancing at the village through the window behind him. The darkness outside felt heavier than usual, as if something unseen was moving beneath the surface, waiting to emerge.
"Dismissed," he finally said.
The three ANBU bowed before vanishing in a blur of movement, leaving Hiruzen alone in the dimly lit room. He stared at the papers on his desk, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
For the first time in a long while, he felt something unsettling.
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