Truth be told, Lance Shen had absolutely no intention of getting close to Naruto Uzumaki.
Why would he? His "God System" allowed him to copy others' powers from a distance. There was no need to risk suspicion by hovering around the village's most watched child. He wasn't reckless.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in contemplative silence. Summoning Shisui Uchiha hadn't just been a matter of information gathering. He wanted to test the young man's loyalty and through him, send a warning to Lance.
Hiruzen's pipe smoke curled lazily into the air as he exhaled. "Ever since the night of the Nine-Tails attack," he said slowly, "relations between the Uchiha and the village have been... strained."
He sighed again, the weight of leadership pressing on his shoulders.
"Shisui," he continued, "I hope you understand why I do what I do. Every action I take is for the sake of Konoha's peace."
Shisui bowed respectfully. "Lord Hokage, I'll look into the matter personally and remind Lance to be cautious. But… I believe he wouldn't do anything foolish."
Once again, he was forced to take a side. And as always, Shisui chose the village.
When he left the Hokage building, his heart felt heavy. Hiruzen had asked for more than just information he wanted deeper intelligence on the Uchiha clan's internal affairs.
That, more than anything, tore at Shisui's conscience.
He'd become a double agent for one reason only: to bridge the gap between his clan and the village, not to betray his own people.
But the truth was cruel. Both sides viewed him with suspicion.
The village's elders doubted his loyalty, while many Uchiha elders despised him for siding with Konoha's leadership. Even their clan head, Fugaku Uchiha, had grown indecisive and distant.
Caught between duty and bloodline, Shisui felt powerless.
"Forget it," he muttered. "I'll just talk to Lance directly."
When he arrived at the Police Department, his presence was far from welcome.
The moment he pushed open the door, a mountain of a man stepped in his path. Broad shoulders, thick arms like tree trunks, and a scowl that could curdle milk Uchiha Goren, one of the more aggressive officers.
"What do you want here?" Goren demanded coldly.
Shisui met the glare without flinching, though he sighed inwardly. Ever since he'd begun advocating for cooperation with the village, his reputation among the Uchiha had soured. To some, he was no longer a hero, but a traitor.
"I need to speak with Lance," he said evenly. "Are you planning to block the doorway all day?"
"This office doesn't welcome you," Goren snapped, unmoving.
Tension filled the air like a drawn bowstring. The two men locked eyes, neither willing to yield.
Then, from inside the office, a door creaked open.
"Are you two seriously about to fight in the hallway?" Lance leaned casually against the doorframe, amusement flickering in his eyes.
Shisui turned slightly, expression calm. Goren, on the other hand, looked like he'd swallowed something bitter.
"Fine, you win," Goren muttered after a long pause. He shot Shisui one last glare before stepping aside.
Lance strolled forward with an easy smile. "You wanted to see me?"
Shisui nodded. "Let's find somewhere quiet to talk."
"Alright," Lance replied after a brief pause. He wasn't sure what this was about, but curiosity got the better of him.
The two men left the Police Department and made their way toward the outskirts of the Uchiha district.
For a while, neither spoke. The silence was heavy, broken only by the rustle of leaves.
Eventually, Shisui murmured, "Goren's changed a lot lately."
Lance chuckled. "He's improving, believe it or not. I had a long talk with him about thinking before punching."
That earned a small smile from Shisui. "You've got a strange way of mentoring people."
They soon reached a secluded training field hidden deep within the woods. Scattered dummies and broken tree stumps marked the ground clearly, a place used for private training.
"This is where I used to train with Itachi," Shisui said softly, kneeling to tidy a few damaged targets.
Lance nodded, watching him in silence.
"I heard Itachi recently passed his solo Chunin examination," Lance remarked. "Even broke a record, didn't he?"
Shisui's lips twitched. He knew Itachi would be mortified if he heard someone calling him "the young clan heir."
"Yes," Shisui replied. "He's graduated and left his genin team. The clan head will decide his next assignment soon."
The subject of Itachi faded, and the tone shifted. Shisui's expression hardened slightly.
"Lance," he began carefully, "what you're doing is dangerous. The village won't tolerate any Uchiha getting close to Naruto Uzumaki. The ANBU are already tailing you."
Lance's eyes glinted with humor. "I figured as much."
He tapped his chin thoughtfully, voice dripping with mock curiosity. "Tell me something, Shisui. Everyone knows the village has kept the Uchiha under surveillance since the Nine-Tails attack. But when exactly have I ever approached Naruto?"
He smiled faintly. "Does eating breakfast across the street from the Academy count as a threat now?"
Shisui blinked, speechless.
He wanted to roll his eyes but restrained himself. Technically, Lance wasn't wrong. The Hokage hadn't forbidden anyone from visiting that area. Even if Lance walked through the Academy courtyard every morning, no law would stop him though it would certainly give the ANBU heartburn.
Still, the timing, the pattern it all looked suspicious from a political standpoint.
"Even so," Shisui pressed, "you don't have to go there every morning. Lance, what are you really after?"
Lance crossed his arms, tone light but edged. "I like the food. And it's peaceful there. Is that a crime now?"
Shisui sighed, choosing his words carefully. "You know as well as I do that the situation between the clan and the village is fragile. Any small misunderstanding could ignite something bigger. Please, just be careful. The last thing we need is—"
"Are you teaching me how to live my life now?"
The temperature in Lance's voice dropped sharply. His eyes, once calm, now gleamed with quiet irritation.
"I don't need anyone telling me what I can or can't do," he said coldly.
"That's not what I meant," Shisui said quickly. "I'm just—"
Lance cut him off.
"Remember your place, Shisui. You're not my superior. When you become clan head, then we can talk about giving orders."
The words hit hard. Shisui fell silent, shame and frustration warring in his chest.
Lance gave him one last look before turning away. "I've got work to do. Don't waste your breath worrying about me."
As Lance disappeared into the trees, Shisui sank onto a nearby stump, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.
"Guess that went well," he muttered bitterly.
His voice trembled with quiet defeat.
A faint rustle came from the shadows behind him. From the depths of the forest, a familiar figure stepped into view eyes calm, movements silent.
Itachi Uchiha had been there all along, observing everything.
"Big brother Shisui," he said softly, "you did what you could."
Shisui let out a weary sigh, staring at the sky above. "Maybe. But sometimes, Itachi, I wonder if trying to bridge two worlds that hate each other is just… impossible."
Itachi said nothing. The silence between them carried more weight than any words could.
Far away, beyond the trees, Lance walked alone toward the village lights, hands in his pockets, a faint smirk on his lips.
He'd noticed Itachi's chakra signature long before either of them realized.
"Two watchers today," he murmured. "Looks like I'm getting popular."
The system's voice chimed quietly in his mind, emotionless and precise.
"Daily copy available. Would you like to scan target: Uchiha Itachi?"
Lance chuckled under his breath. "Why not? Let's see what today's luck brings."
The faint hum of chakra stirred in the air silent, unseen, and full of promise.