[52] Naka Shrine

Nightfall, outside the Naka Shrine on the outskirts of Konoha.

A shadowy figure descended silently, carefully observing the surroundings.

"Compared to this afternoon, there are far fewer Uchiha ninja here, but the place is still guarded by a few Uchiha Jonin." Tengen mused thoughtfully.

During the day, the Uchiha had held a meeting with numerous Uchiha ninja present, making it impossible for Tengen to act.

Though months had passed since the Root incident, Konoha's ninja had heightened their vigilance significantly.

If Tengen were to face Uchiha ninja now, he might not even reach the signal's location before Hiruzen, Minato, Jiraiya, and others arrived.

That would be a disaster.

The risk of Tengen being discovered was high, and if caught, his only option would be to defect. While defection wasn't a big deal for Tengen, becoming a Missing-nin for no reason wasn't his goal.

Take Orochimaru, for example. With Konoha's vast resources for his research, he had no initial desire to become a Missing-nin. It was only after Hiruzen uncovered his secrets that he was forced to flee.

So, Tengen had refrained from acting during the day, waiting until some Uchiha clansmen left before approaching.

Fortunately, the ultra-high-definition signal hadn't vanished, allowing Tengen to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Now's the time to move." Tengen decided, but as he prepared to advance, his gaze sharpened. A direct assault would still be risky.

"And is Fugaku not here?" Tengen took a deep breath, forming hand signs. His appearance began to shift.

In an instant, a figure identical to Fugaku stood in his place.

Tengen had used the Transformation Jutsu to disguise himself as Fugaku.

But he knew this ruse could still be exposed. Fugaku had just left, so returning in the dead of night would raise questions.

As Patriarch, Fugaku wielded significant authority, but controlling the entire Uchiha was no easy task. His word was not absolute.

In contrast, Konoha's other prominent clan, the Hyuga, operated differently. Beyond the main family, the branch family bore the Caged Bird seal, ensuring the main family's dominance. The branch family's fate was never their own.

Setting these thoughts aside, Tengen, now transformed into Fugaku, steadied himself. His eyes turned blood-red, three tomoe spinning within.

Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

The Uchiha's kekkei genkai wasn't something one could simply mimic, as its oppressive aura was unmistakable.

"Fugaku has the Three-Tomoe Sharingan as well." Tengen chuckled softly. "Let's give it a try."

With that, Tengen strode toward the Naka Shrine's entrance, his blood-red eyes with their spinning tomoe radiating an intimidating presence. The Uchiha guards at the gate immediately noticed him.

"Who's there?" The guards barked.

"It's me." Tengen said impatiently. "I have business inside."

His Three-Tomoe Sharingan swept over the guards, sending a shiver down their spines, a primal fear welling up in their hearts.

"Patriarch, please." The guards said hastily.

They could sense the Sharingan's power, and this Three-Tomoe Sharingan was at an advanced stage, the mark of their Patriarch's strength.

"Hm." Tengen nodded curtly and stepped into the Naka Shrine.

"Did something happen? The Patriarch seems in a foul mood."

"Don't worry about it. Just guard the entrance. The Patriarch's business is beyond us."

"But something's definitely up. His Sharingan was still active."

"Yeah, those eyes were terrifying."

Tengen ignored their murmurs and proceeded deeper into the Naka Shrine.

Inside, he sensed the presence of Uchiha Jonin.

As he entered, Tengen confirmed the signal's source wasn't above ground but likely in the Uchiha's mysterious basement.

"Phew." Tengen exhaled, his red eyes locking onto a Uchiha clansman, a Jonin, by the look of him.

The Jonin would likely know about the secretive basement.

Tengen also knew that accessing the basement required a specific technique, one only an Uchiha could perform. The alternative was to force his way in.

That, however, was impractical. The basement's entrance was heavily reinforced, and such an attack would draw the attention of Konoha's other ninja.

Not to mention the Uchiha Jonin stationed in the main hall.

"Open the basement." Tengen said slowly.

"This…" The Uchiha clansman hesitated.

"What?" Tengen's Sharingan fixed on the ninja.

"Understood, Patriarch." The Uchiha clansman led Tengen to a specific spot, formed hand signs, and a stone slab slowly slid open, revealing the basement below.

"I'll go in first." Tengen said. "Wait outside."

"Yes, Patriarch." The Uchiha replied.

In the mysterious basement.

Tengen descended to the chamber, his eyes settling on a stone tablet.

"This is it. The ultra-high-definition video is being received." Tengen's smile spread as he felt the system actively downloading the video.

"An ultra-high-definition video. I wonder what it'll be." Tengen speculated.

While its contents were unknown, one thing was certain: it would be something valuable.

"The tablet left by the Sage of the Six Paths." Tengen noted, reading parts of it with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan. He gave a bored smile, already familiar with its secrets.

As Tengen continued receiving the signal, the real Fugaku was steadily approaching the Naka Shrine.

A crisis loomed on the horizon.

***

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