Neiki received the news that the Uchiha clan had finally decided to initiate their rebellion from the compiled surveillance data.
"At 19:20, Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Tetsu armed themselves and went together to the Konoha Public Training Ground."
A very ordinary report, right?
What could two Uchiha going to a public training ground possibly prove?
On its own, nothing. But cross-referenced with previous data, it was quite telling:
Two Uchiha known to be habitual drunkards were suddenly "training hard" again, which meant they felt pressure from somewhere. The Konoha Public Training Ground was far inferior to the Uchiha's private facilities, so the fact they were using it suggested the internal grounds were already overcrowded.
They were sharpening their blades for a single strike.
There were plenty of other corroborating details: the Konoha Police Force quietly changing shifts ahead of schedule; a sudden surge in Uchiha patients at Konoha Hospital. For Neiki, who'd already anticipated an imminent rebellion, these subtle changes were enough to pin down the exact starting time.
The Uchiha were far from stupid. They weren't about to openly leak their plans. But Uchiha were also highly emotional; they could not fully mask their genuine tension and excitement… and that had finally brought things to this point.
These tiny, seemingly insignificant clues from their daily lives didn't feel abnormal to them at all. They never realised Konoha's surveillance network had been woven this tightly around them.
Hinata continued mechanically shuttling recorded data from the various monitoring teams. When she noticed Neiki suddenly stop working, she checked the clock.
"Isn't it not time for a shift change yet?" she asked.
"It's already over," Neiki said.
"What?"
"Oh… well, I've got something to do today, so I'm heading out early." With that, Neiki simply turned and left.
"Captain, if they catch you cutting out early, they'll dock your pay!" Hinata called after him, but his only response was to raise a hand over his shoulder as he walked away.
"Don't just brush off money like that…" Hinata sighed. After confirming no one else was around, she formed a hand seal, created a shadow clone, and had it transform into Neiki. The clone sat down at his desk and pretended to work.
Neiki had no intention of reporting his deduction to Danzo. With Itachi serving as a double agent inside the Uchiha clan, their plans were already an open book to Konoha's top leadership. There was no need for him to show off.
At the entrance to the Hyuga branch-family compound:
"Have any Uchiha been by here recently?" Neiki asked the chunin on gate duty. This post had been set up after the recent wave of branch-family murders to strengthen the compound's security.
"Yes. They asked when our clan meeting was scheduled," the guard said.
As expected, such an obvious piece of bait couldn't escape the Uchiha's notice.
The Hyuga clan meeting was set for four days from now. That meant the Uchiha rebellion would happen four days from now as well.
According to the "original story," Itachi would launch the massacre the night before the uprising—in other words, three days from now.
With that, all the information lined up.
Back home, Neiki cooked dinner for the two kids.
"What a feast," Neji said, staring at the table full of dishes. "Is today some kind of holiday?"
He'd noticed that Neiki seemed unusually energized, very different from his usual cool demeanor. Did something good happen?
Neji studied him quietly.
Well, his brother was the right age, good-looking, strong, about to be promoted to jōnin, with a bright future despite being an orphan, and he also had such an excellent little brother…
Which girl wouldn't be moved by that?
Whack!
Neiki rapped Neji on the head with his chopsticks.
"What was that for?" Neji yelped.
"Your eyes look weird," Neiki said. That was all the reason he needed.
After placing the last dish on the table, Neiki added, "This is enough food for three days."
That made sense. Neji realised what that meant. "So you're going out on a mission again?"
Hanabi didn't care about the big meal; she was just upset that Neiki would be away for a while. She looked up at him with reluctant, pleading eyes.
"I'll take you with me next time," Neiki said casually.
Neji laughed, understanding it as one of his brother's standard "next time" promises used to placate children.
"You have to get stronger if you want to go with him, understand?" Neji reminded Hanabi. He'd been teaching her Gentle Fist at home recently and had been shocked by her talent.
The younger Hyuga girl was, frankly, a little more talented than he was.
"Got it!" Hanabi shouted.
…
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage stared at the information Itachi had delivered, his expression complicated.
He thought back to the argument he'd had with Danzo and the others that day.
How long has it been since then?
Looking back now, his stubborn insistence felt like a cruel joke. In the end, ambition and hatred had devoured the entire Uchiha clan. The restraint he'd hoped for had never come. The clan had betrayed his trust and taken that final step.
Lighting his pipe, the Third Hokage walked to the window and looked off into the distance toward the Uchiha compound. Countless lights were burning there, flickering in the dark like sparks falling on dry grass, ready to set all of Konoha ablaze.
…
In Root headquarters, Danzo stared at Uchiha Itachi with a cruel smile.
"Is what you say true?"
"The intel is accurate," Itachi replied. "The Uchiha will start their rebellion in four days, during the Hyuga clan meeting."
"An excellent choice of timing," Danzo remarked. The Hyuga's Byakugan was a major threat to any surprise attack.
He gave Itachi a sideways glance. "A pity. Fugaku still lacks a brain."
For his son to leak the plan like this meant that no matter how perfect the timing, it was still just marching the clan toward their deaths. What kind of 'leader' was this Uchiha patriarch?
Itachi didn't answer. He only lowered his head slightly. The lamplight on the wall cast half his face into cold shadow, the other half into pale, emotionless light.
Danzo narrowed his eyes. Looking at Itachi, he couldn't help thinking of Neiki—the one who was supposed to be in charge of monitoring the Uchiha for him.
And yet, with the Uchiha's rebellion already decided, Neiki hadn't sent him any report.
Slow, dull, and not nearly as useful as this Uchiha traitor.
Useless.
"So, the terms this time are simple," Danzo said, turning away. His cane tapped rhythmically against the floor. "If you annihilate the Uchiha and remove this threat to Konoha, I will spare your younger brother, Sasuke."
"…Agreed," Itachi said, letting his entire face sink into the darkness.
If you Enjoyed Reading
Visit my p@treon for more chapters
Advance 80+ Chapters Available
patreon.com/Sagamaster789
If you really Enjoyed Reading. Give Power Stones and Reviews !