Naruto: An Informant from the Uchiha

"The Third Hokage… was like a decaying old tree, no longer capable of supporting the prosperity of Konoha!"

Minato recalled what Uzumaki Ku had told him two years ago in that mysterious space: this was the first time in Konoha's history that two Hokage coexisted.

And Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third, had indeed become far too soft.

Recently, even some intel on Orochimaru had seemingly been suppressed or obstructed by Hiruzen's own personal ANBU.

But Minato knew well, Hiruzen wasn't doing this out of a desire for power.

It was more like an old man nearing the end of his days, clinging to the past. The once mighty "Shinobi Hero" had long faded away. Now, like all elders, he indulged too much in nostalgia.

"Phew…"

Minato sighed, straightened up, and forced a smile toward Yun, Shisui, and the others. "You all go back for now. I'll handle this."

As he spoke, he glanced at the medics who had already left, then vanished from the spot.

"Izumi… did you summon the ninja cat to contact Itachi?"

"Huh? I mean…"

"Were you two using ninja cats to go on dates?"

That comment made Izumi's face turn beet red. She glanced shyly at Itachi, nervously tapping her index fingers together. "It wasn't a date… We were just chatting now and then…"

Shisui, unable to bear watching any longer, patted Yun on the shoulder and said, "Come on, don't tease Izumi like that. If Itachi hadn't passed on the message quickly this time…"

Yun smirked and continued, "Yeah, if it weren't for Itachi, we'd be looking at more than one dead and two seriously injured on the ground."

Shisui shook his head. "The Mangekyō Sharingan isn't invincible. You know the cost of using it. Don't waste its power. The Uchiha, me, Itachi, and Izumi, we all need you."

Yun understood what Shisui meant. From his perspective, with the Mangekyō Sharingan and no regard for going blind, it might really be possible to annihilate Root entirely.

But afterward, in Konoha, it would be nearly impossible to destroy all the evidence.

If it came to that, Yun would be forced to defect. Neither he nor the Fourth Hokage would be able to stop it.

Then, Itachi, who had remained silent, looked over and calmly said, "Whether for the Uchiha or the village, Yun, your value is greater than mine. So no matter what, you had to make it in time."

Yun scratched his head. This guy, who in his memory was basically the Uchiha clan's poster child for mental instability, didn't seem so bad after all.

"Got it. I like the peace and calm of this village too. Don't worry."

As night fell, the lights in the Hokage building remained bright.

Inside one of the rooms, five people sat silently, no voices escaped.

"Shisui, all meetings about the Uchiha have always included just us four plus Lord Hiruzen. You…"

Before Kakashi could finish, the Fourth Hokage raised his hand to stop him.

He said calmly, "Shisui trusts Yun. So I trust him too."

Just one sentence, and Kakashi's questioning was shut down. It was also a clear gesture of trust toward Yun and Shisui.

Shisui, now no longer the same as before, added, "Many of my beliefs come from Yun. And now that he has the power to help with the Uchiha issue, it's only right…"

Kakashi was surprised and glanced at Yun. "He doesn't have a forehead protector. He hasn't graduated yet, right?"

Shisui nodded. "Same year as Itachi. But Yun seems to enjoy school life and doesn't want to graduate early."

Yun turned to Kakashi and said, "If you're talking about geniuses, shouldn't that be you? Kakashi Hatake graduated at 5, Chunin at 6, Jonin at 12. I can't compare to that."

Kakashi shrugged with his usual sleepy-eyed look and scratched his white hair. "Kids these days are just getting scarier."

'Scary?'

Yun laughed inwardly. 'Wait till your student ends the war at 17 using Sage of Six Paths power. Then you'll really understand what a 'Konoha Genin' is.'

"Ahem."

Minato, seated in the center, cleared his throat to gather their attention.

"In the past six months, we've picked up some suspicious activity from the police force's surveillance. Shisui, I need you to review it."

Shisui took the intel scroll and frowned after reading the decoded information.

'So… they've noticed?'

Since Yun set the plan in motion, Shisui had spent the past few days visiting nearly every Uchiha Jonin.

That move likely stirred suspicion from both the Seventh and Eighth Elders of the Uchiha clan.

'Uchiha Setsuna… the one imprisoned in maximum-security?'

"This man seems to be from the Second Hokage's era. So, regarding Uchiha Setsuna, I need more intel from you," Minato said.

Shisui put down the scroll. "Uchiha Setsuna was one of the most authoritative hardliners from that time. If the clan's radicals plan to break him out, he'll be a major problem."

Yun paused when he heard the name. he remembered it. A hardliner who had been locked up long ago.

'Would the Seventh Elder allow someone more authoritative than him to return?'

"Has that old man awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"

Shisui shook his head. "Probably not. If he had, Konoha's max-security prison wouldn't be able to hold him."

Then there's no need to worry.

Yun thought for a moment and said to Shisui, "If he doesn't have the Mangekyō, the two of us should be enough."

That reminded Shisui about his newly awakened Mangekyō, but that also meant he'd go blind sooner.

And in his heart, Yun was even more important than himself.

"Shisui, how much time do you need?" Minato asked.

Shisui looked out toward the Uchiha district before answering, "At the clan meeting four days from now, Yun and I will settle the internal issues."

Then, for the first time, A, the Hokage ANBU Commander, spoke: "Do you need support from the ANBU?"

Yun waved him off. "No need. With enough power, we might not even need to fight. And with the Uchiha's pride, ANBU involvement might make things worse."

Minato considered this, then turned to Yun. "Veteran ninjas from the battlefield are never weak. If Uchiha Setsuna is really rescued, you both need to be extremely cautious."

They both nodded.

Minato then moved on to coordinate with Kakashi's Jonin Squad and A's ANBU, his two major accomplishments over the past two years. And more were to come.

BOOM!!!

Suddenly, a thunderous explosion rocked all of Konoha. The Hokage building itself trembled slightly.

The destruction of Root had begun.

Yun frowned as he looked back at Minato and the others. 'So… It's come to this? You really had to...?'

Now that the family had been threatened, neither Danzo nor Root would escape this night unscathed!

And from what the Clone "Ku" relayed to him, Yun could feel a rising bloodlust in his heart.