After the induction meeting, the newly joined security team members dispersed, heading home with the ninjutsu scrolls the vice-captain had handed out. Their spirits were high.
When Douhuan returned to his office, he found Fugaku already there, seated in his chair with a dark, brooding expression.
"Douhuan…" Fugaku began, his voice a low rumble.
"Elder Fugaku, I'll be bringing in more money this time when I go," Douhuan interjected, already anticipating the question. He knew the six thousand ryō transportation subsidy he'd promised was no small sum. That, combined with his regular salary, meant the funds he'd secured from the Yamanaka clan were quickly running out.
Fugaku's dark expression didn't change, but a flicker of curiosity crossed his face. "Which clan this time? The Transfer family? The Mito clan?"
Douhuan let out a soft laugh. "The Ninja clan? What wealth do they really have? Why not think bigger, Elder Fugaku? Who are the richest people in the entire shinobi world?"
Fugaku's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Douhuan to be so audacious, so reckless. The young man's ambitions seemed to extend beyond the village itself, as if he intended to overturn the very order of the shinobi world. Compared to this, even an armed rebellion within the village felt like a childish squabble.
He saw the smile on Douhuan's face and was about to protest. Yet, as he considered the astonishing clarity of Douhuan's recent actions, and the future the young man was forging for the Uchiha clan—a future that would eclipse their past glories—he swallowed his concerns. He offered only a quiet warning.
"Be cautious."
"I will be," Douhuan assured him. "In the meantime, Elder Fugaku, I'll leave the Security Department in your care while I'm away."
"I understand," Fugaku said with a nod, rising from his seat.
"One more thing," Douhuan added. "Have someone prepare ten million ryō in cash for me. I'll need it for this mission."
"Ten million?" Fugaku frowned. "That much? What exactly are you planning?"
"It's not for the mission itself. The mission isn't what's important. What matters is that the shinobi participating feel the Uchiha clan's gratitude."
After a long pause, Fugaku nodded slowly. "Very well. I'll have it sent to you shortly."
Soon after Fugaku left, a courier arrived with a heavy satchel. Douhuan sealed the funds into a scroll, packed his other things, and headed for the door.
At the gate of the Security Department, he was met by an unexpected sight: Uchiha Shisui. The young prodigy was waiting silently, as if he had been expecting him all along.
"Shall we talk?" Douhuan raised an eyebrow, gesturing for him to fall in step.
Shisui simply nodded, and the two walked toward the clan's territory. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the streets. For a while, neither spoke, their silence punctuated only by the laughter of children running past them, returning home from the academy.
Moved by the peaceful scene, Shisui finally broke the silence. "Douhuan, what is your true purpose?"
Douhuan bought two skewers of glutinous rice dumplings from a roadside stall. He handed one to Shisui before taking a bite of his own. "Isn't that what you're really here to ask?"
"You said all those things just to mislead me, didn't you?" Shisui pressed. "Everything you do, it's to bring the clan and the village closer, so we can live in peace together."
Douhuan chewed his dumpling thoughtfully. "Is that so? Perhaps what I said back then was true."
"Douhuan, don't lie to me anymore," Shisui said, his voice firm. "You were right before. I was arrogant. The power of Beelzebub is too dangerous in my hands. If I lose control, both the clan and the village will be ruined."
Douhuan looked at his cousin and sighed inwardly. Shisui was so earnest—almost endearingly naive.
"By the way," Douhuan asked, a casual shift in his tone, "why were you at the Security Department today? You've been on the roster for years, but ever since you joined the Anbu, I can't recall you ever showing up."
"It was Hokage-sama," Shisui admitted. "He asked me to watch the clan, to keep an eye on any… unstable elements."
Douhuan chuckled softly. "Finally remembering the spy assignment the clan gave you? And by 'unstable elements,' you mean me, don't you?"
Shisui shook his head. "No. Hokage-sama believes in you, Douhuan. He believes you carry the Will of Fire in your heart."
Douhuan suppressed a smile. "Is that so? In any case, I should thank you. Without your support earlier, I doubt I could have made it through."
"It's my duty," Shisui said sincerely. "After all, you're working for harmony between the clan and the village."
"Since you've returned, give your best to the Security Department," Douhuan said, patting Shisui's shoulder.
They parted ways at an intersection. Returning home, Douhuan pulled a scroll from his study. It was filled with the names and addresses of Fire Nation nobles and wealthy merchants with close ties to the Shimura clan—information his interrogation department had recently obtained.
He marked several key locations, tucked the scroll away, and meticulously checked his ninja tools.
The night passed swiftly. By dawn, Douhuan was already at the clan gate, where Uchiha Inahori and Uchiha Zaito waited. Together, the three made their way toward the village entrance.
The rest of the mission group had already gathered. Though not large in number, they were divided into small clusters.
Two civilians with no shinobi background huddled together nervously. Nearby, members of the Utane and Mitomon clans mingled. Gekkou Hayate chatted with his lover Uzuki Yugao and an Inuzuka clansman while stroking a sleek black hound.
A pair of Hyūga, recruited for the mission, stood apart, their posture calm yet dignified.
At the center of it all, the mission's leader—Kakashi Hatake—sat beneath the eaves of a still-closed shop, quietly flipping through a small book.
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