After finalizing an a pn with the Hōzuki , Masashi and Shisui spent a peaceful day in Kiri.

  They ate dango when it was time, rested when needed.

  Uheir time in Kusa, Masashi didn't dare to casually e food or water from Kiri—who knew what strange coight be lurking here?

  The bes of being profit in fuinjutsu became evident: he carried plenty of bottled water and soldier pills.

  When it came to safety, these expenses were entirely justifiable.

  To avoid wasting time, he practiced chakra trol in his room, keeping his skills sharp.

  Work was work, but training couldn't be ed.

  Hikari, as usual, was an excellent audience—she never interrupted him, watg quietly without saying a word.

  While Masashi served his energy, the Hōzuki was busy making the rounds, visiting allies and rallying support.

  The ANBU from the Mizukage Building, predictably, dispatched operatives to monitor the Hōzuki 's movements.

  The leader of this operation was her than the maing uhe alias Tobi.

  Thanks to his self-developed jutsu, Obito now had more free time than ever, no loied down to the office slogging through paperwork. All he o do eriodically reinforce the genjutsu cast on Yagura.

  Yagura diligently followed his hypnotic suggestions: with the Yuki elimihe Hōzuki was .

  Ohe major s were eradicated, Kiri would have only one voice: the Mizukage's.

  The Mizukage trolled Kiri, and he trolled the Mizukage.

  Without these troublemaking s stirring up dissent, Obito could turn his attention to Ame, where things were currently being handled by Bck Zetsu—though he wasirely fident isu's petence.

  Bck Zetsu didn't seem all that smart, after all.

  Moreover, as the embodiment of Madara's will, Zetsu's loyalties would ruly align with his own.

  Then there was Ame itself. Hanzo of the Samander roving to be an obstacle and o be dealt with. It was high time Nagato ushed further into hating the great nations, to eliminate Hanzo and seize trol of Ame.

  Nagato was being increasingly adept at wielding the Rinnegan. In Obito's eyes, the time was ripe for taking Ame.

  From there, Ame could serve as a base to grow Akatsuki. Using its strategic location, they could incite military flict across the ti, further deepening the hostility and division among the great ninja vilges.

  With Kiri's resources at his disposal, Obito would simply bide his time, lettis py out until the moment came to uhe two sides of his pn and bring his ultimate vision to fruition.

  Now that was true ambition!

  Ever since Masashi and Shisui entered Kiri, he had kept a close eye on them.

  When he saw them teaming up with the Hōzuki , he was thrilled, nearly bursting into maniacal ughter.

  At st, they had fallen into his hands! This time, he was determio utterly humiliate them!

  Even though he was itg for a, Obito methodically directed Kiri's ANBU to keep a tight wat the Hōzuki 's movements.

  That night, a squad of ANBU appeared outside the guesthouse where Masashi and Shisui were staying.

  Standing atop a fortress overlooking the guesthouse, Obito led his men, peering down at the se below.

  Finally, the time had e to face Masashi again.

  And this time, the once-renowned prodigy, Shisui, art of the equation.

  Obito's entire body trembled with excitement.

  "007, step forward," his tone was sharp and anding.

  Although his subordinates didn't uand why their leader was so exhirated, they wisely kept silent.

  This man—proo sudden violence—was terrifyingly ruthless.

  An ANBU member respectfully stepped forward.

  Obito retrieved a letter from his cloak, holding it between two fingers before handing it back without even looking.

  "Deliver this to Masashi. Inform him that he is expected to attend the signing ceremony as scheduled."

  "Yes," The ANBU member accepted the letter with both hands before vanishing into the streets below.

  Obito watched the se unfold, a smug smile on his face.

  Kiri's ANBU had been thhly tamed under his rule.

  Madara truly was a genius. The genjutsu he developed was not only incredibly fast-ag and highly peing but also devastatingly effective against tailed beast chakra. This was how Obito had mao trol Yagura, a perfect jinchūriki, in one fell swoop.

  However, his owsu, developed on top of Madara's, was nothing to scoff at either.

  While Madara's genjutsu was formidable, it could still be detected and tered by powerful Sharingan or Byakugan users. Obito's version, however, was subtler, with Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan being the sole credible threat.

  Given Shisui's profi genjutsu, his Mangekyō abilities were undoubtedly tered around illusions.

  Obito had already devised a strategy to ensure Shisui would never get a ce to use them.

  First, he would use Kamui to remove Shisui from the battlefield, leaving him free to toy with Masashi.

  Obito couldn't wait to see the expression on Masashi's face when he, g mastery isu, lost to him.

  Rumors? What a joke. These spineless Kiri fools would be silenced as long as he dispyed overwhelming power. They wouldn't dare make a peep.

  As fura, he would execute the Hōzuki d their allies on the spot.

  Defying the Mizukage was a crime punishable by death.

  "Masashi, you've truly disappointed me this time!"

  Too weak. Too inpetent.

  Konoha's ideals only bred weakness, leaving one blind to their own frailty.

  Despair, oher hand, was the key tth.

  In this battle, Obito would eliminate Kiri's stabilizing s in one fell swoop, severing any ties between the vilge and Konoha.

  Kiri was his to trol, and no one else could have it unless he allowed it.

  Obito's gaze locked onto the ANBU operative entering the guesthouse. He smirked as the subordinate unceremoniously barged in.

  The Hōzuki was doomed, and this guesthouse would soon belong to the Mizukage. With full fiden their immi victory, the ANBU had no reservations about antagonizing the Hōzuki.

  Moments ter, the ANBU returheir previous arrogance gone, repced with respectful humility as they reported back to Obito.

  "The letter has been delivered."

  "And?" Obito kept his tone calm. "What is Masashi doing?"

  "He's in his room with Hikari. Acc to our iigation, ever since he took that woman, he hasn't been leaving his quarters. She's been serving him diligently the eime."

  "Disgusting," Obito sneered in pt. "The Hōzuki deserves to die if they're allying with scum like him."

  He waved a hand dismissively, exuding authority.

  "Leave oo keep watch here. The rest, return to base."

  "Yes!" the ANBU responded in unison.

  Obito turo leave, i on reinf Yagura's genjutsu one more time.

  As per his orders, a handful of ANBU stayed behind to monitor the area.

  They took up positions in various spots for surveilnce.

  One operative assigo watch a window had an agonizing night. The room's curtaiightly drawn, but the light iayed on all night, casting silhouettes of two figures stantly entwining in all sorts of movements.

  Watg this, the ANBU couldn't help but feel envious, knowing Hikari's famed beauty.

  These Konoha ninjas were seriously creative—he hadn't even thought of some of those moves! He resolved to help the captain teach these Konoha intruders a lesson the day.

  After all, the guesthouse would soon belong to the Mizukage, and the women inside would need new "protectors." He could only hope Hikari would choose him.

  The ANBU spent the night alternatiween monit and daydreaming. By the time dawn broke, he was bleary-eyed, exhausted from watg the seemingly endless "activity" in the room.

  "Damn it, they went at it till almost m! Is this guy even pnning to attend the signing today?"

  Just as he fumed, someoapped him on the shoulder from behind—a signal from his team to switch shifts.

  Relieved, he turned casually, muttering, "Don't worry. That guy's sleeping like a log. o be so cautious—"

  He froze, staring into a pair of Sharingan.

  In an instant, his sciousness slipped away.

  ---

  Fixing his gaze on the ANBU member, Masashi was utterly irritated. If he weren't trying to avoid unnecessary trouble, he would've already beaten this guy up.

  What kind of idiot is this?

  Last night, after Obito left, Masashi had to prepare some things in his room. So he used a genjutsu on the guy outside.

  The result?

  While he was busy all night, that guy stared at the room with aremely perverted gaze the eime, wriggling around like a lunatic.

  What the hell is wrong with you!?

  I just made you see what your subscious desires, so what oh did you see!?

  The signing time was at 3 PM, so he could've caught up on some sleep. But that thing outside had irritated him to the point where he couldn't take it anymore. He was left with no choice but to teleport out again. This time, he didn't bother with illusions—he directly erased the guy's memory and put him to sleep.

  This dude was seriously ing.

  He raised his foot, but fearing he might actally kick the guy to death, Masashi withdrew it and muttered, "sider yourself lucky this time," before telep back to his room.

  ---

  Inside, Hikari was staring bnkly at a pile of explosive tags on the ground.

  Last night had been an eye-opener for her.

  Back when she was handling her 's business, she'd dealt with explosive tags before and had reviewed the produ process tless times.

  But she was sure that no one could make them the way Masashi did.

  This speed... It was like when she used to stamp dots back at the office!

  The Uchiha was this insane?

  Was this the rumored power of the Uchiha , said to be invincible?

  Explosive tags weren't even pre-made—he just brought the materials and crafted them on the spot?

  "Hikari, help me tidy these up. I'm going to take a shower," Masashi said, then headed into the bathroom.

  The sound of running water soon echoed from inside.

  She quietly began colleg the explosive tags one by one. Around her, stacks of explosive tags were anized, along with scrolls inscribed with plex sealing formus.

  After a while, Masashi emerged from the bathroom, wearing a bathrobe.

  His hair was messy and still damp.

  By then, Hikari had already ed up all the explosive tags. Seeing his still-wet hair, she stepped forward, took the towel from his hand, and began drying it for him.

  Masashi initially wao tell her it wasn't necessary, but then he figured she probably felt insecure about not tributing anything.

  He decided to just let her be.

  This was on. Since she was from the Yuki , she naturally uood that in the ninja world, everything was about mutual exge.

  Kindness existed but always had its limits.

  Being rescued without having to pay anything back would surely make her uneasy.

  After letting her dry his hair and fix his hairstyle, Masashi walked over to the fruits of his ht bor.

  Hikari had anized everythiifully—stacked ly and pleasing to the eye.

  He quickly formed hand seals and sealed all the explosive tags into a scroll.

  The quantity robably a bit excessive, but it didn't matter. Obito had White Zetsu cells—these wouldn't kill him.

  Besides, Masashi's Tandem Paper Bombs had been modified; he didn't o use them all at once.

  After seg the sealing scroll and pg it into one of the scroll pouches on his bat vest, Masashi hat all six scroll pouches were now full.

  Mission aplished.

  "Done. Sleep time!" Masashi cpped his hands in satisfa.

  "I'll stand guard for you."

  "No need. If something happens, I react faster than you anyway." Masashi patted her arm. "You've had a long night too. Go rest."

  He pced two pillows on the bed and poio the side against the wall. "You sleep inside; I'll sleep outside. I respond if anything happens."

  Hikari nodded. She was already used to doing whatever Masashi told her.

  Moving lightly, she climbed onto the bed, afraid to wrihe sheets too much. She obediently y on the farthest side.

  "I told you to sleep inside, not stick to the wall…" Masashi sighed. "I'm not that fat."

  Hikari adjusted her position to look a bit more natural.

  Masashi climbed into the bed as well, not g about the details. He had already set up a sensing barrier, so he simply closed his eyes and fell asleep.

  After years of honing his physical aal energy, he had excellent trol over his body. Staying up all night wasn't too damaging for him, nor was he affected by a biological clock. He just needed enough hours of sleep.

  Exactly six hours ter, his eyes opened right on time.

  The sensing barrier hadn't been triggered, so he slept very well.

  Beside him was the sound of steady breathing.

  He turned his head slightly—Hikari was deeply asleep, her bck hair spreading out like a cloud. Her shoulders and arms were exposed outside the b.

  Even in sleep, her brows held a trace of worry. But her lips were slightly upturned, suggesting a good dream. Her cherry-red lips glistened with a bit of drool.

  Masashi firmed that it wasn't his drool.

  Holy, no dreams would've bee; that would mean she was sleeping deeply.

  He got out of bed quietly and pulled a b over her shoulders.

  Then he began ging into his Konoha ninja uniform.

  The standard Konoha ninja attire was designed for venience, flexibility, versatility, and durability—refihrough tless life-or-death battles.

  For example, the six scroll pouches on the bat vest were the maximum practiumber; any more would hinder movement.

  The thigh-mouool pouch ositioned based on personal height.

  Since advang in fuinjutsu, Masashi no longer used the tool pouch.

  The Uchiha's shurikenjutsu required a high quantity of projectiles, with many teiques needing rge volleys at ohe standard pouch couldn't hold enough.

  Now, he often bihis skill with the Flying Thunder God, so he needed even more.

  After tying his leg s and putting on his gloves, Masashi was ready. He left the room, set up a sealing formu on the door, and headed for the exit.

  Outside the guesthouse, Shisui was already waiting.

  "Masashi-nii."

  Shisui him, indig he was ready as well.

  Masashi had been busy all night, and so had Shisui. As members of the same , they wouldn't let Obito down.

  "Let's go. We're meeting the Mizukage," Masashi said with a smile.

  The two of them began walking toward the Mizukage Building.

  There, Yagura had already prepared the stage for them.