Haku gently nudged Uchiha Shinji, who was lying on the ground. "Uchiha Shinji, wake up!"
Uchiha Shinji woke up groggily. "What happened to me?"
Avoiding Uchiha Shinji's gaze, Haku replied, "Maybe you're just too tired. You passed out a moment ago."
"Is that so..." Uchiha Shinji rubbed his stomach and mumbled, "Maybe I'm just hungry!"
Seeing that Uchiha Shinji wasn't questioning further, Haku secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Afterward, the two of them went to Ichiraku Ramen and had a satisfying meal.
Back at the apartment.
Uchiha Shinji closed the door behind him, then pressed his ear against the wall to listen to any movements from the neighboring room. After confirming there was nothing unusual, he finally let his guard down and sighed in relief.
Without a doubt, the mysterious person who appeared at the training ground earlier was his Shadow Clone.
He had invited Haku in this way because he had no other choice.
Being a surviving member of the Uchiha clan meant he would inevitably become a target for those in the shinobi world coveting the secrets of the Sharingan. On top of that, his identity as a Lampbearer would make him a prime target for the force invading the shinobi world.
Therefore, he had to hide his true identity.
Even when recruiting attendants, he couldn't carelessly reveal his real identity.
If the secret of him possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan were to leak, or if his identity as a Lampbearer were exposed, it would bring unimaginable disasters!
Because of this, the people he could recruit were quite limited.
They needed to have sufficient strength and growth potential, but also have something he could hold over them. Otherwise, who would willingly join his team when he acted all mysterious and secretive like this?
That's why he chose Haku, a spy for the Hidden Mist Village who had infiltrated the Hidden Leaf, as his first servant.
Firstly, Haku's talent was exceptional. He was one of the rare few capable of performing one-handed seals at such a young age. With his Ice Release Bloodline Limit, his potential was immense.
Secondly, Haku's identity as a Hidden Mist spy was the only bargaining chip Uchiha Shinji had to offer to invite him into his team.
At this point, Uchiha Shinji didn't have the luxury to be picky. Without leverage, he wouldn't be able to recruit any talented individuals.
Of course, he had hesitated before using this method to coerce Haku.
But if he, the Lampbearer, failed, the shinobi world would be doomed. Under such circumstances, the people he recruited were not so much being used by him as they were saving themselves.
"Ugh... I wonder if Haku can keep the secret."
Right now, Uchiha Shinji was feeling quite unsure, not knowing if his earlier stern threats would be effective.
Still, Haku's concern for his well-being earlier had surprised him.
"Could he really think of me as a friend?"
He shook his head.
Given how distant he had been toward Haku—at least from his own perspective—he doubted Haku truly considered him a friend. Maybe, as Haku had said, he simply didn't want to drag an innocent person into this.
That was why Uchiha Shinji had brought up the Akatsuki organization as a cover.
If things ever went south, and the people he recruited ended up betraying him, the mention of the Akatsuki would mislead others into investigating the wrong direction.
Additionally, with the shinobi world being marked by the mysterious Lampbearer, more and more powerful enemies would invade. Eventually, even the mysterious Lampbearer might come in person.
If Uchiha Shinji and his team were to fight off the invaders under the name of Akatsuki, even if their identities were leaked and the mysterious Lampbearer caught wind of it, they would likely chase after the Akatsuki instead.
After all, Pain also wanted to bring peace to the shinobi world, right?
He should understand.
Just then, Uchiha Shinji heard movement from next door.
He listened closely and realized that Haku seemed to be leaving the apartment.
He frowned. "Going out this late... is he going to report to his superiors?"
Thinking this, he quickly bit his finger and performed a hand sign, summoning Coalball, his summoning cat.
Out of the puff of smoke, Coalball poked his head out. "What's going on? Is the cloak I helped you design not up to standard?"
Uchiha Shinji sighed. "It's not about the cloak... Ugh, I think I've messed up."
Coalball licked his fur. "Then that's not my problem."
"What do you mean it's not your problem? You want your pay, don't you, you lazy cat?" Uchiha Shinji pointed out the window, where Haku was hurrying away. "Follow him. Find out who he's meeting and what they're talking about."
Coalball jumped onto the windowsill. "If they find me, will I get beaten up?"
"No, you won't."
"Oh, then I'll go!"
With that, Coalball pushed open the window.
Just as Coalball's paws were halfway out the window, Uchiha Shinji casually added, "Of course you won't get beaten up. You'll be silenced on the spot!"
Coalball slipped and fell out of the window.
In a forest clearing.
Haku arrived beneath a tree and gently tapped the trunk.
Soon, a shadow appeared on the other side of the tree, and a low voice spoke, "You're late."
Haku replied in a hushed tone, "I couldn't get away earlier."
The shadow asked, "Has the Hidden Leaf become suspicious of you?"
Haku shook his head. "No."
"Good." The shadow paused, then asked, "How's the mission progressing?"
After hesitating for a moment, Haku answered, "I feel that Uchiha Shinji has accepted me. He might already see me as a friend."
"What makes you think that?"
Haku replied earnestly, "He talks to me every day!"
The shadow was silent for a moment, then agreed, "He's an Uchiha. For him to go this far, it seems he really does consider you a friend."
"Mhm!"
Haku nodded.
The shadow then said, "But right now, the village is more interested in Uchiha Sasuke. The higher-ups want you to get closer to him."
Haku responded, "I'm not Sasuke's classmate. I have no reason to get close to him."
The shadow's tone grew colder. "Uchiha Shinji is just an ordinary Uchiha. The true secrets of the Uchiha clan might be hidden within Sasuke. He is the key. You must approach him! This isn't a suggestion; it's an order!"
"I understand."
Haku sounded reluctant.
Sensing Haku's hesitance, the shadow reminded him, "You should know what the Uchiha did to the Hidden Mist!"
Haku argued, "But the Uchiha have already been wiped out. Uchiha Shinji and Sasuke are victims. They're innocent!"
The shadow scoffed. "Innocent? A seven-year-old who can subdue the rampaging Nine-Tails, innocent? You still dare to underestimate the Uchiha? Haven't enough people from the Hidden Mist died because of them?"
"I... I understand."
Haku bowed his head, yielding to the shadow.
The shadow continued, "Get close to Uchiha Sasuke. Investigate whether he still has any contact with Uchiha Itachi. Also, find out if Sasuke has joined a certain organization."
Haku asked, "What organization?"
The shadow's tone grew even graver. "It's a very dangerous organization. We've received intelligence that one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Zabuza Momochi, and Uchiha Itachi have both joined this group."
Pausing for emphasis, the shadow added, "The village now considers this group extremely dangerous. Any information related to it is classified as top priority!"
Haku immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.
Zabuza and Uchiha Itachi were figures at the pinnacle of the shinobi world. The thought of such powerful individuals joining the same organization sent chills down his spine!
After a moment of tension, the shadow finally spoke the name.
"The name of the organization is Akatsuki."
"!?"
Haku was stunned.