Cautious Eyes: An Uchiha's Path

It wasn't a big deal for Uchiha Kai to share certain information with Aya Hyuga—he could even tell Kenta Imai if he wanted. In fact, that idea had already crossed his mind. As collaborators, it was natural to understand each other's capabilities.

More importantly, Kai trusted them. That was rare.

Aya and Kenta knew the weight of secrets. They understood what could be said, and what could never be spoken—even if tortured. In this world, trust wasn't born from friendship. It came from shared goals, or mutual stakes in the same dangerous game.

Kai didn't believe for a moment that the Hyuga clan—especially someone like Hyuga Hiashi—would fail to notice a new figure moving within the shadows of Anbu.

Kai had long been aware of the Fourth Hokage's growing isolation. Ever since the Nine-Tails attack, power had slipped from Minato Namikaze's fingers. The old guard, especially the elders of the Sarutobi faction, watched his every move. For the major clans, choosing a side was becoming increasingly urgent.

Hiashi wouldn't commit openly to Minato—he was too cautious for that—but perhaps he would offer a quiet gesture of goodwill. Supporting Aya might be just that.

The Hyuga patriarch, Kai suspected, was watching the game board closely. Waiting to see which Hokage would outlast the other—the Fourth, or the ghosts of the Third.

Unlike the Uchiha, the Hyuga faced no immediate crisis. Their power remained intact. Hiashi could afford to sit back and wait.

But even Hiashi wouldn't have expected Minato to make such a bold move.

Once Kai grasped the situation, he didn't waste time speculating. He had other matters to handle—such as meeting the Fourth Hokage. A formal meeting, not a midnight whisper in the woods.

In a private room deep within the Hyuga compound, tension crackled in the air.

"Absolutely not!"

The speaker, a gray-haired elder in his sixties, slammed his palm on the table. Around him, other elders nodded in grim agreement.

Hyuga Hiashi remained calm. He'd expected resistance. This wasn't the first time the clan elders had opposed him.

In the Hyuga clan, the Council of Elders existed to limit the authority of the clan head. It was a common structure in powerful clans—just as the village had the elders to counterbalance the Hokage.

Hiashi understood their role. But this time, he would not back down.

He knew their real concern: Aya Hyuga. Or more precisely, the fallout from her last confrontation with the clan.

"She may be of the branch family," Hiashi said evenly, "but Aya has earned the right to choose her path."

"Then tell that to the branch family, not to us," one elder snapped. "We know you want to curry favor with the Fourth Hokage. But choosing a branch member like Aya is reckless. If you must extend a hand, do it through a main family member."

"But Uchiha Kai, the current Head of the Konoha Military Police, has expressed his intent to recruit Aya," Hiashi countered. "They were comrades on the battlefield. He trusts her. And the Fourth has clearly approved of this shift in the Uchiha's posture."

The elder sneered. "Even so, that doesn't mean we hand over a branch member who defies the clan's core tenets. The branch exists to serve and protect the main family—even at the cost of their lives. Aya Hyuga has strayed too far."

Hiashi's brow furrowed. He hated the division between main and branch. In his eyes, the Hyuga should be one—united, not shackled by outdated dogma.

He thought of his younger brother, Hizashi. Once they had been close. But ever since they learned the meaning of the cursed seal—the "caged bird"—the rift between them had only grown.

"She carries our blood," Hiashi said coldly. "She has served the clan with distinction for years on the front lines. She's more capable than many of our so-called prodigies."

The room went silent.

Hiashi continued: "Hyuga Sora may have potential, but potential without discipline is meaningless. Aya survived the war. She's earned her place."

One elder's face darkened. "You dishonor your own nephew—"

"I speak of merit," Hiashi snapped. "And I've already made my decision. If the Head of the Police and the Hokage both endorse Aya, then we will follow through."

"She's still a branch member—"

"We are Konoha shinobi before we are Hyuga," Hiashi cut in. "If you have concerns, direct them toward strengthening your descendants, not undermining mine."

At the Hokage's office, Minato Namikaze looked up from his paperwork, surprised.

"Minister Kai? This is unexpected."

Though his voice was light, Minato was wary. He understood that every meeting in this office carried weight. Even more so when Anbu were stationed—openly or otherwise—in the shadows.

Kai stepped forward calmly, his face unreadable. "Fourth Hokage-sama."

Minato smiled in greeting. "It's been a while. We were teammates once, but I see the Security Department's keeping you busy."

"I'm just doing my duty," Kai replied, bowing respectfully.

Outwardly, they played their roles well—commander and subordinate, superior and respectful junior. But both knew better. They had fought together in war, and Kei was no ordinary subordinate.

Minato was all warmth. Kai was all restraint. Their performance was flawless.

"I'd like to request something," Kai said finally. "Hyuga Aya was my comrade during the war. Her Byakugan would be an asset to the Security Department."

Minato blinked. "You want her transferred?"

"The Police Force could use her skills. And she's already worked with me before."

Minato paused. He knew the Uchiha were quietly recruiting from smaller clans to bolster their influence in the Security Department. But approaching the Hyuga? That was new.

Uchiha Jun had reportedly tried to do something similar, but with limited success. The Hyuga, like the Uchiha, guarded their bloodline jealously.

Minato rubbed the back of his head. "That's a tough one… I support your proposal, but I can't guarantee the Hyuga will go along with it."

"I only ask for your support, Hokage-sama." Kai gave a rare, polite smile. "I believe Patriarch Hiashi is waiting for my visit."

Minato hesitated. "Do you want me to send a formal letter? Or assign someone to accompany you?"

"That won't be necessary. I appreciate the thought." Kai bowed again. "I'll handle this personally."

As Kai turned and left, Minato's smile faded.

Once the door shut behind the Uchiha, Minato exhaled slowly. His blue eyes narrowed.

The Anbu agents stationed in the office hadn't moved once.

They had been there the whole time. Watching. Listening.

Even when the Head of the Military Police meets the Hokage... they don't leave.

Minato knew what that meant.

The Fourth Hokage was no longer fully trusted.

He picked up the next report on his desk, but his mind was elsewhere.

So it begins.