**Late at Night**
The world of shinobi had no formal curfew, but nightlife was rare in Konoha. By the early hours, the once bustling village streets had given way to silence, broken only by the occasional flicker of sparse streetlights, dotting the roads like stars against the dark sky.
Naruto wandered alone, the gentle moonlight cascading over his figure as the night breeze carried a faint chill. For most, this solitude might have been unnerving, but for him, it was inexplicably comforting.
The true source of this comfort, however, wasn't the tranquility of the night—it was his state of being. Naruto was in **Sage Mode**.
A shadow clone was left behind in his room, feigning sleep, while his real body slipped out, cloaked by the *Transparent Escape Technique*. This wasn't perfect invisibility—chakra signatures could still betray him to sensory ninjas. Yet, Naruto had perfected a skill inspired by another world: sealing his chakra completely, leaving no trace for even the most skilled sensors. It was a technique born of survival in the wild, where he often had to outwit predators and hunters alike.
Walking along Konoha's commercial street, Naruto paused, surveying the darkened residential buildings. A faint glow came from a few windows, reminders of life in an otherwise dormant village. His lips curled into a playful grin, a hint of mischief flashing in his eyes.
---
**Moments Later**
Naruto returned to the quiet street, a sense of satisfaction radiating from him. His latest... *target* had been dealt with.
Instead of heading home, he let his feet guide him through the sleeping village, eventually leading him to Hokage Rock. From his perch atop the carved face of Sarutobi Hiruzen, he gazed down at Konoha. The village bathed in moonlight resembled a canvas dotted with glowing embers—the Hokage Building standing out like a lighthouse amidst the sea of shadows.
A cool breeze swept past, carrying with it the scent of the forest beyond the walls. Naruto stretched out his arms, soaking in the night. Memories of another time surfaced, unbidden: the image of Konoha reduced to rubble by Pain. The sheer devastation and the screams that echoed through his mind stirred something deep within him.
"Kurama," he murmured into the void of his mind, "could a Tailed Beast Ball completely wipe out Konoha?"
Within the sealed space, the Nine-Tails chuckled darkly.
"If you let me out, it could be done," Kurama replied lazily. "But with your current chakra levels? Not even close."
Naruto sighed, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features. "Figures. Guess I'll need something... bigger. Maybe something like that *Great Spiraling Wheel* technique..."
Before he could finish his thought, movement in the village below caught his attention. A shadow slipped out of the Hokage Building, leaping gracefully from streetlight to rooftop, heading toward the outskirts of Konoha.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Interesting..."
The shadow's destination was unmistakable: **the Uchiha clan compound**.
A curious smile spread across Naruto's face as he activated his transformation technique, altering his appearance to something inconspicuous. He reached into his pocket and donned the mask he'd taken from the Anbu earlier.
"Let's see who's out for a midnight stroll."
---
**Meanwhile: Uchiha Shisui**
Uchiha Shisui was unlike most of his clan. Absent was the arrogance that defined the Uchiha name; instead, his demeanor was calm, humble—a rarity among his kin. But tonight, pain clouded his usual composure.
The Uchiha clan's internal strife had reached a breaking point. The radicals, once a minority, were now gaining support from previously conservative members, including many elders. A coup was no longer a distant threat—it was looming on the horizon.
As the meeting concluded, Shisui had wasted no time. He rushed to the Hokage Building to report to Sarutobi Hiruzen, sharing the dire state of the clan and his plan to defuse the tension.
Shisui had a trump card: his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Its unique ability, **Kotoamatsukami**, could rewrite a person's thoughts and will without them even realizing it. Shisui proposed to use this power on Uchiha Fugaku, the clan head, to subtly shift his perspective and suppress the radicals. By influencing Fugaku gradually, suspicion within the clan could be avoided, and harmony restored between the Uchiha and the village—or so Shisui hoped.
But as he leaped through the forest on his return to the clan compound, a sudden sensation stopped him mid-air. His Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life, and he descended swiftly into the shadows of the trees below.
---
**Naruto**
Following from a distance, Naruto halted as the figure ahead dropped from the rooftops into the forest. His instincts flared.
"Did he sense me?" Naruto muttered to himself, a glint of excitement sparking in his eyes.
Adjusting his position, he moved closer, blending seamlessly into the night.
This might just turn out to be more entertaining than he thought.