The next day.
Uchiha Sogetsu walked out of the ANBU building with heavy bags under his eyes. He rubbed them sleepily and yawned, showing signs of fatigue.
The night before, at the Uchiha clan residence, there had been a sudden surge of intense chakra, along with clear signs of a fight. This commotion was impossible to miss, especially for the ever-watchful ANBU.
Considering the current tensions, both Hokage and Danzo had their eyes glued to the Uchiha clan's activities. As a result, Sogetsu had been summoned to the ANBU building to write a detailed report about the events of the previous night.
He spent the whole night writing reports. It was exhausting. Before time trvelling, he had to prepare reports; afterward, he had to file reports. It seemed endless.
"Damn it!" he muttered, his face showing clear resentment. He was just about to head home to get some rest when someone blocked his path.
"Owl, Lord Hokage wants you in his office," said Elephant, one of Hokage's personal ANBU guards, his tone as icy as usual.
"Understood, I'm on my way," Sogetsu replied, his expression completely blank—just like a tired employee heading to work early in the morning.
His annoyance was almost palpable. Elephant shivered unexpectedly, giving him a puzzled look. "Oh, and remember to bring this," he said, handing over a mask.
The mask was white, with a black ink drawing of an owl. This likely meant he was required to take on a specific ANBU task.
Sogetsu accepted the mask, put it on without a word, and walked away.
In the Hokage building, Sogetsu reached the office.
*Knock, knock, knock!*
After a brief series of knocks, he opened the door and announced, "Hokage-sama, I am Owl."
"The timing's perfect, Owl." The Third Hokage sat behind his desk, puffing on a cigarette. A large stack of papers lay in front of him.
When Uchiha Sogetsu entered, the Hokage rubbed his temples and said, "I've heard about last night's events from Fugaku. Can you explain how you discovered him?"
Uchiha Sogetsu was not surprised that this had something to do with Black Zetsu. He answered, "Of course, Hokage-sama. It's the Sharingan. I guess I'm more attuned to chakra because I specialize in genjutsu."
"Sharingan, huh?" The Third Hokage leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the desk. The whole situation seemed suspicious, and he couldn't help but wonder who was pulling the strings.
It was a particularly sensitive time, with the campaign for the Hokage position in full swing. More than a few people were acting out, and even Danzo seemed on edge.
"It couldn't have come at a worse time," he muttered, pressing his temples to ease the headache. He opened a drawer and took out two reports. "These are from Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Take a look, then give me your thoughts."
Although he hadn't read the reports yet, Sogetsu had a good idea of their content. Orochimaru might have failed to stop Black Zetsu, but he'd managed to use a sealing technique to take half of Black Zetsu's cells for his own experiments.
Sogetsu wasn't particularly surprised by this outcome. After all, Black Zetsu was a product of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, and he had a few tricks up his sleeve.
Nonetheless, Sogetsu couldn't let the Third Hokage know his true thoughts. Instead, he had to play his role.
Uchiha Sogetsu scanned the reports, pretending to think hard about them. After a moment, he said, "Hokage-sama, I suspect these are spies from other villages trying to seize the Uchiha clan's bloodline limit, or perhaps stir internal strife in Konoha. If they destabilize us, they might launch an attack when we're at our weakest."
His hypothesis was based on future plotlines and the current political turmoil in Konoha. There was no way he'd mention Black Zetsu's true identity; that would spoil the whole plot. It would be foolish to give that away.
Worse, if he exposed Black Zetsu's origins, the Sage of the Six Paths—who had long been in the Pure Land—might step in. That would be a whole new level of complication.
As a Spectator, you may guide the narrative, but never deviate from the script.
"Pah~ Your logic holds merit," the Third Hokage remarked.
Upon hearing this speculation, the Third Hokage nodded in agreement, casually brushing away ash from his cigarette. Exhaling a smoke ring, he continued, "However, there's another matter of concern."
"Another matter?" Uchiha Soyuki was taken aback.
"Yes, that's precisely why I summoned you here."
Reaching into a drawer, the Third Hokage retrieved an ancient scroll and handed it over.
The scroll appeared weathered, covered in dust and showing signs of neglect.
"Warring States. Seal History Scroll?" Uchiha Sogeki read aloud, his confusion growing. "Hokage-sama, is this...?"
"In this scroll lies the history of the Warring States Period, including the history of Konoha. It also records dangerous individuals sealed away by powerful clans of Konoha in Warring State Period," the Third Hokage explained, setting aside his pipe and intertwining his fingers in a pensive gesture. "Initially, it slipped my mind, until the events of last night brought it to the forefront of my thoughts."
"You mean, the individual who surfaced last night might be one of those dangerous figures from the Warring States Period?" Uchiha Sogetsu's astonishment was evident.
He had managed to deceive the Third Hokage and stumbled upon new revelations.
The sealed history of the Warring States Period was absent from the original narrative, and there was no mention of dangerous individuals being sealed.
"According to reports from Jiraiya and Orochimaru, it's highly probable," the Third Hokage asserted gravely.
"Individuals proficient in Yin-based ninjutsu are a rarity in today's shinobi world. While there's a chance they're a defector from another village, I suspect they may also be one of the dangerous figures sealed away by our ancestors."
"What are you suggesting?" Uchiha Sogetsu ventured a guess at the task the Third Hokage intended to assign him. "That I investigate. Check the locations specified in the scroll to verify the integrity of the seals?"
"Yes, only you are suited for this task," the Third Hokage affirmed, nodding once more.
"Though the Warring States Period is long past, those sealed away remain. The individual may have long perished, but it's imperative we investigate for certainty."
"Understood, Hokage-sama," Uchiha Sogeki accepted the assignment eagerly. "I will follow the markings on the scroll and thoroughly inspect the status of the seals."
"This is a S-rank mission."
The Third Hokage picked up his pipe, took a deep drag, and said, "I've sent someone to assist you. They'll meet you at the Konoha Gate."
"Understood, Hokage-sama. I'll set off to meet them," Uchiha Sogetsu replied as he stowed away the scroll containing the seal locations, his expression laced with a hint of irony.
He wondered if it was truly assistance or just surveillance.
But then again, knowing Sarutobi Hiruzen's nature, it seemed reasonable. How could he send just one Uchiha for such an important mission? The world of politics was intricate, and Hiruzen Sarutobi was only scratching the surface.
Uchiha Sogetsu left the office, gripping the scroll tightly in his hand. A faint smile played on his lips as he mused to himself, "Seal History Scrolls from the Warring States period. This could be interesting. How can I make use of this?"
********
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