Hatake Tatsuya in Naruto

"Has Fugaku been acting strangely lately?"

The following day, Tsunade received a report from the newly appointed Anbu team leader, Uchiha Itachi.

"Yes, yesterday..." Itachi nodded, recounting to Tsunade and her advisors how he had spent hours monitoring the police department the previous day, only to find no trace of his father.

Tsunade pinched her chin thoughtfully, frowning. "So, it sounds like he's planning something in secret?"

"Does it really matter what he's planning?" Nawaki chimed in, casually flipping through a list of Uchiha combatants. "Right now, there are 215 genin from the Uchiha clan, 102 chūnin, and notably, 33 jōnin and 20 elite jōnin."

Nawaki set down the file, looking up calmly. "These numbers aren't enough to stir up any real trouble."

Minato, who had been confirmed as the Fifth Hokage, nodded. "I agree. Fugaku knows this well. I fought alongside him during the Third Shinobi World War, and I have some insight into his character."

He paused, choosing his words carefully. "It doesn't necessarily mean...rebellion. There might be other reasons."

Though for Konoha—now brimming with talent—the Uchiha were no longer an irreplaceable force, Minato's tone suggested he still hoped for a peaceful resolution.

Minato understood that Uchiha as a clan was being manipulated, and unfairly trapped by Obito's actions. He couldn't help but feel sympathetic toward them.

"But without capturing Uchiha Obito, any claims are just speculation. People won't believe that a dead man was behind something as catastrophic as the Nine-Tails attack eight years ago," he said, frustration evident in his voice.

Across from him, Uchiha Shisui shook his head, his expression grim. "It's infuriating. We know who's responsible, yet it does nothing to change the perception or situation."

Everyone present wore similar expressions of bitterness. Shisui was right—without Obito, there was no way to clear the Uchiha's name. Even if Obito were captured, his affiliation with Uchiha might still worsen the villagers' views on the clan.

"Anyway, Minato," Tsunade interjected, standing up. "Next month, the Hokage hat will be yours. As Hokage, you have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario."

"...Yes, Lady Tsunade," Minato replied, his tone shifting to one of seriousness. While he'd been thrilled to achieve his lifelong goal of becoming Hokage, he now felt the full weight of the responsibility that came with it.

"I'll keep an eye on my father," Itachi spoke up, bowing his head slightly.

"But don't watch him too closely," Tsunade cautioned. "The relationship between the village and the Uchiha is like a powder keg—it only takes one spark to ignite it."

"Understood," Itachi replied.

...

...

"Nothing unusual?"

Over the next few days, events unfolded in ways that Itachi hadn't anticipated. Despite days of surveillance, he found no strange behavior from his father. Fugaku was leaving for work and returning on time, with no more instances of claiming to go to the police department but actually disappearing elsewhere.

Today, too, Fugaku had stuck to his routine, moving predictably between home and the police department. His life seemed like a simple, straight line from one point to the next.

"Could that night have just been a coincidence?" Itachi began to question his judgment, wondering if he'd misread the situation.

...

...

"Impressive perception. By distributing more chakra to a Shadow Clone, you can achieve a flow indistinguishable from the original's—ordinary Sharingan would struggle to detect it's a clone."

At the Uchiha Nanga Shrine on Konoha's southern outskirts, Obito smirked as he addressed Uchiha Fugaku.

"So, how does it feel to be spied on by your son?"

"Enough talk. What's the status with the Cloud Shinobi?" Fugaku asked, his expression dark. It was clear that he wasn't in a good mood—who would be, with their son monitoring them?

"Third Raikage's been fixated on revenge for his son day and night. But considering Hatake Tatsuya's strength and Konoha's defenses, he's been hesitant to make a move."

Obito grinned slyly. "Once he heard that Uchiha might strike Konoha from within, he couldn't resist the idea."

"I'm not trying to destroy Konoha," Fugaku replied coolly. "I just want Minato removed from power."

Obito chuckled, clearly unimpressed by Fugaku's supposed restraint. "Whatever you say. The plan is set for the day of Minato's inauguration next month. Third Raikage will sneak into Konoha, create chaos, and you'll lead Uchiha from the inside."

"Konoha's barrier can sense any unfamiliar chakra immediately—there's no way the Raikage can slip past undetected," Fugaku stated grimly.

"Heh, don't you know about Cloud Village's secret Heavenly Transport Technique?" Obito replied, his tone mocking as Fugaku's face tensed with realization.

The Heavenly Transport Technique, a space-time ninjutsu used by the Cloud Shinobi, is designed to transmit materials across vast distances. According to legend, it can instantly deliver supplies from the logistics base to the front lines, thousands of miles away. However, due to the stress of the time-space rift, it causes severe physical tearing, which is why it has never been used for live teleportation.

"Only the Third Raikage, the [Strongest Raikage], can withstand the side effects of the Heavenly Transport Technique," Obito explained, shrugging his shoulders. "At that time, the Third Raikage will lead the charge, flanked by two Cloud Shinobi Jinchūriki and hundreds of elite forces. With all these factors in play, I honestly can't see how the coup could fail."

"Alright, enough talk. I'm leaving now," Obito said, his body fading once again. Within seconds, he had vanished entirely.

When Obito reappeared, he was already outside Konoha's barrier.

"You are becoming more and more like Madara. Obito, you're deceiving your clan," White Zetsu remarked as he sprouted from the ground, a grin stretching across his face.

"Even with this force, it won't be enough to defeat Konoha. And the real threat is Hatake Tatsuya. If you want to take him down, you'll need the power of the Ten-Tails," Black Zetsu added, his voice low and serious. "This coup is bound to fail."

"Hmph! The goal isn't to kill Hatake Tatsuya but to weaken Konoha," Obito responded coldly.

Black and White Zetsu exchanged silent glances, both understanding the same thing. Obito was completely consumed by the frustration and desperation of his lover being snatched away.

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