Sarutobi Muraki and his team bid farewell to Jiraiya, who remained standing at the edge of the clearing. His eyes followed the four retreating figures until they disappeared down the path.
He shifted his injured foot slightly, wincing as pain shot up his leg. The earlier explosion had done more damage than he'd first thought.
> "I didn't expect a child to be so powerful," Jiraiya muttered to himself, rubbing the back of his head. "The Uchiha Clan… truly a force to be reckoned with. No wonder the old man keeps a wary eye on them. I'll have to be more careful—if I get hurt while going easy on a junior, I'll never live it down."
His tone was half amusement, half respect.
---
Izumi, walking behind Muraki, glanced sideways at Yamamoto Kawa. The boy, normally loud and full of bravado, was uncharacteristically silent. Even Akido Jiro, who usually had a cheerful grin plastered on his face, seemed slightly deflated.
Izumi allowed herself a small, satisfied smirk.
> Hmph. That should shut Kawa up for a while. Always bossing me around, acting like he's above everyone… Well, now that he's seen the gap in our strength, maybe he'll think twice before ordering me around.
Still, her mind quickly shifted back to Jiraiya.
> That man… really strong. Even holding back, he's on a completely different level. I've still got a long way to go before I can face people like him without fear.
The thought reignited a familiar fire in her chest.
> I need to awaken my Mangekyō Sharingan as soon as possible. The sooner I gain that power, the sooner I can stand among the true powerhouses of this world.
But there was a strategy to follow.
> This mission was a test run—show just enough strength to catch the attention of the higher-ups, but not so much that they start asking dangerous questions. If they see me as a promising talent worth investing in, I can get more resources, more training… maybe even a fast track to elite status. Yes… that's worth the effort.
---
When they finally returned to the Village, Muraki wasted no time reporting to the Hokage.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind his desk, smoke curling lazily from his pipe. His wise eyes, however, sharpened as Muraki described Izumi's performance in detail.
"Hmm…" The Hokage nodded slowly. "Konoha has produced another genius. Not bad. Our younger generation grows stronger with each passing year."
Then his expression shifted, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
> "That brat Jiraiya still hasn't come to see me… Tch. Muraki, next time, I'll give your team a more difficult mission. Let them see some blood—let them understand the cruelty of being a Ninja. But you," he pointed his pipe at Muraki, "must protect them. Understood?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I understand."
"Good. You may go."
Muraki bowed and turned to leave.
---
Just as the door closed behind him, a masked figure materialized from the shadows and knelt before the Hokage.
"Report," Hiruzen ordered without looking up.
The ANBU's voice was crisp. "The Uchiha Clan is gathering at the Nanga Shrine. It appears they are holding a full clan meeting—every member has been summoned."
Hiruzen's brows twitched ever so slightly. "I see. Very well. You may go."
The ANBU vanished as silently as he had appeared.
---
Nanga Shrine — Uchiha Clan Territory
Izumi had barely stepped through her front door when the summons came.
> A clan meeting? Now?
She sighed but obeyed. By the time she arrived at the shrine, a steady stream of Uchiha ninja were filing in. The air buzzed with quiet tension—polite greetings mixed with curt nods, the weight of unspoken grievances hanging over the crowd.
Izumi stifled a yawn.
> "I knew I shouldn't have come so early," she muttered under her breath. "Could've gotten a quick nap in…"
She scanned the room, noting that not everyone had arrived yet, then leaned back against a pillar and closed her eyes. Sleep claimed her almost instantly.
The clan member sitting beside her glanced at the small figure dozing peacefully. Her youth and innocence softened his expression, and he made no move to wake her.
---
Uchiha Itachi sat in the same row, separated by several people. His sharp eyes caught the sight of Izumi sleeping. For a brief moment, he considered waking her, but the distance—and perhaps a quiet reluctance—held him back.
When the sliding doors opened and Uchiha Fugaku entered, the murmurs died instantly. The clan head's presence was commanding; arms crossed, face set in its usual stern mask.
The stillness lasted only a second before an angry voice rang out:
"Clan Head! Konoha is becoming more and more exclusive towards us! If this continues, our clan will be the target of everyone's resentment!"
Izumi jolted awake, her body trembling at the sudden outburst. She instinctively patted her chest and looked around, eyes still heavy with sleep. Across the row, Itachi's lips curled into the faintest smile at the sight.
---
More voices rose, each laced with frustration.
"That's right! We were one of the two great clans that founded the Village, yet now we're pushed to the outskirts, cut off from the center of power!"
"All we get is the Police Force—arduous, thankless work! We maintain order, but the people hate us for it!"
"If this keeps up, we're heading for destruction!"
"That's right! They're pushing us too far! We're not afraid of them!"
Itachi's gaze swept the room. The faces around him were twisted with anger, eyes flashing with pride and indignation. He felt a pang of distaste.
> Why can't they be rational? The Village is a whole—we should be willing to make small sacrifices for the greater good. This blind arrogance will only make things worse.
His thoughts turned grim.
> Maybe the Village's leaders are right to keep us at arm's length…
---
Fugaku's voice cut through the commotion.
"I will communicate with the Village. Do not cause trouble. We must solve this rationally."
"But—"
"No buts," Fugaku said firmly. "We are part of Konoha. There is no need for unnecessary conflict."
One of the elders sighed heavily. "Very well. But I hope your talks bear fruit."
The meeting shifted to Police Force matters, Fugaku assigning tasks and issuing reminders. Then, with a final nod, he dismissed the clan.
---
Izumi stretched and wandered toward the exit. The cool evening air greeted her as she stepped outside.
Ahead, she spotted Itachi, walking with his usual calm, almost distant demeanor. A mischievous glint sparked in her eyes.
She dashed forward and called softly, "Itachi!"
"Ah!" Itachi turned, startled from his thoughts. His expression softened when he saw her smiling face.
"It's been a while, Izumi."
"Yeah, long time no see." She extended her hand expectantly. "Hand it over."
He blinked. "Ah… I've been on missions…" He scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.
Izumi pouted. "Seriously? You didn't bring anything back for me? Hmph. Well, I've been busy with missions too, so I guess I'll let it slide."
"How's life as a ninja?" Itachi asked.
Izumi puffed out her chest. "What do you think? I'm a ninja of the Uchiha Clan—of course I'm amazing!"
Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's always the Uchiha Clan with you. Just like the others—always putting the clan before the Village. That arrogance is why we're disliked and ostracized… and why some are thinking about opposing the Village."
His disappointment was plain in his voice. Without waiting for her reply, he said, "I have something else to do. I'll be going."
He turned and walked away, leaving her standing there with a faint frown.
> "What the heck? Just leaves like that… and here I was, ready to tease him," she muttered before heading home.
---
This was her first clan meeting, and though much of it had been political posturing and complaints, Izumi had gleaned one thing: the tension between the Uchiha and the Village was real—and growing.
Whether she liked it or not, she was caught in the middle of it.
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