Just as the Akatsuki was about to step into Hanzo's trap, the Cloud envoy finally arrived in Konoha.
Gazing at the crowds lining the streets to welcome them and the imposing village gates, the three figures hidden at the rear of the procession couldn't help but marvel.
Having been asleep for so long, they had never seen anything like this. Their observations in the small town in the Land of Rice Fields had been surprising enough, but compared to the colossal Hidden Leaf Village, that town seemed like a desolate backwater.
Entering the village intensified this feeling. Watching the peaceful scenes unfold before them, the three fell into silence.
"Mon-san, isn't this the dream we once pursued?" the woman, whose temperament was usually so volatile, sighed wistfully.
Hearing her words, the man who had yet to act nodded subconsciously. But realizing his slip, he glanced at Mon-san. Seeing no change in his expression, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"It appears so," Mon-san confirmed the woman's observation, but then his tone shifted. "However, you know as well as I do the changes this ninja world has undergone over the years. War has never ceased. This peace before us is merely temporary. One day, war will destroy all of this. That is why I say 'his' philosophy was fundamentally flawed."
"Only power can make all things possible. Never forget the original intention of the organization's founding, nor why you exist."
"Yes," the other two responded solemnly to Mon-san's words.
Watching the massive envoy procession approach the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi whispered to Minato, "Have you found them? Which three are they?"
Minato shook his head silently, indicating he didn't know yet. But he quickly added, "Kyosuke can sense the marker within the procession. We should have a definitive answer tonight."
"Sigh." A flicker of sorrow passed through Hiruzen's eyes. Looking at the village that had only recently found peace, he couldn't bear the thought of it suffering harm again.
But things rarely go as one wishes. As the strongest village in the ninja world, Konoha faced constant challenges. It was unavoidable. Hiruzen and the others had no choice but to bear the cost of this peace.
"Lord A, the Hokage and his advisors are waiting for us ahead," Darui whispered to the towering figure beside him.
The Cloud envoy was ostensibly here for a cultural exchange, led by the future Fourth Raikage, A (Ay).
However, with the Third Raikage still alive and kicking, it would be a long time before A ascended to the position.
The Cloud's true objective, just like in the original timeline, was the Hyuga clan's Byakugan. But this time, believing their strength had surpassed Konoha's, they also sought to use this incident to reignite the war.
A was here to ensure the team could safely retreat from Konoha after succeeding. Furthermore, the Third Raikage had personally led troops into the Land of Fire, ready to receive the retreating envoy.
And that wasn't all. The entire Cloud military had begun mobilizing. If Konoha dared to attack A over the Hyuga matter, the Third Raikage would march his army south, straight for the prosperous Leaf Village.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, A led his people into the guesthouse. Soon, it was late at night.
"Are you ready?" A asked several subordinates who carried no identification.
"Rest assured, Lord A. We are prepared. This mission will not fail."
"Good. Move out."
Meanwhile, having knocked out everyone else in their room, Mon-san and his two companions easily evaded surveillance and headed toward the Uchiha compound.
"Mon-san, I noticed some people from the Cloud envoy leaving just now. Their intentions likely aren't pure either," the woman said, recalling the scene she had accidentally witnessed, her tone heavy with mockery.
She remembered the conversation from earlier in the day. As Mon-san had said, without the power to deter enemies, this peace was nothing more than a fragile illusion, ready to shatter at the slightest touch.
"That is a good thing. With the Cloud's actions as cover, our operation will proceed even more smoothly."
After a brief exchange, the three used the cover of night to speed toward their pre-determined destination.
Arriving outside the Uchiha compound and seeing the sparse patrol units, the other man in the trio couldn't help but say indignantly, "The great Uchiha clan has fallen to this? Look at these people. treating night patrol so casually. In the old days, I would have taught them a lesson they'd never forget."
"Alright, alright. You said it yourself—in the old days. This isn't that era anymore," the woman laughed, comforting her companion. "Besides, it's because of this laxity that we can infiltrate so easily, isn't it?"
"...Sigh. Let me grab one and ask about the situation," the man sighed silently, then moved with incredible speed to knock out and drag away a patrolling Uchiha.
In a secluded alley, the three looked at the unconscious patrolman. The woman crouched down and used a bit of chakra to stimulate him, waking him up.
Before he could understand what was happening, a pair of crimson eyes appeared before him.
"Man... Mangeky..." He struggled to speak, but a wave of dizziness washed over him, plunging him into the man's genjutsu.
"Speak. Where is Uchiha Kyosuke?" the man from the trio interrogated.
"Lord Kyosuke is currently working alone in the council hall," the patrolman truthfully revealed what he knew.
"Very good." Having obtained the information, the man manipulated the genjutsu to put the patrolman into a deep sleep. Without external intervention, he wouldn't wake up for days.
This was the man's punishment for the patrolman's negligence.
Deactivating the crimson glow in his eyes, the man exchanged a look with his companions, and they quietly moved toward the council hall.
There, their target was working alone. They wouldn't let such a rare opportunity slip by.
"I will use my puppets to control his movements. You two rush him and finish him off completely," Mon-san ordered calmly.
"Understood."
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