Tick.
Tock.
Just past midnight, Uchiha Yuu logged five rapid entries:
> [Record: ROOT is planning to kill me.]
> [Record: Unclear if this is a solo operation or Danzō’s direct order.]
> [Record: Don’t know what method they’ll use.]
> [Record: Can’t identify the agents or their skill level…]
> [Record: Discovered mention of the Second Hokage’s “screening plan.”]
> [Ding!
Entries saved.
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He pulled all five at once — and every single one circled back to Obito.
“Of course it’s him again.”
But he also pieced together vital facts:
This wasn’t just routine surveillance — they were here to assassinate him.
And this wasn’t their first attempt.
Two low-ranking ROOT Chūnin were assigned to lure him into a mission and strike from the shadows.
And the reason they’d hesitated until now?
He’d never awakened the Sharingan, so he hadn’t been a priority target.
“Not on the list… that means their routine purges only target clansmen who have awakened the Sharingan.
So these two are probably acting on their own?”
Sure enough, the next system journal entry confirmed his suspicion.
The two agents wanted to erase any influence around Obito, and had decided to eliminate him privately — hoping to earn praise from Danzō.
They hadn’t filed any report beforehand.
Their plan was to claim afterward that he’d awakened the Sharingan, turning the hit into an authorized routine purge and collecting their reward.
“Who says ROOT agents have no minds of their own?
These two aren’t just sharp — they’re hungry for credit too.”
The thought of becoming someone else’s medal made Yuu decide to send them a special gift: a one‑way ticket to meet the Sage of Six Paths.
But they had to vanish without a trace, with no suspicion falling on him.
That meant the solution lay in the very mission they’d chosen for him.
Morning
Uchiha Obito came bounding downstairs, and his eyes lit up when he saw food in the fridge.
“I knew you couldn’t bear to starve me, brother!”
Yuu started smiling warmly at his enthusiasm — until he remembered how he’d gotten dragged into this mess entirely because of Obito.
For all he knew, his original self might have died right around this time in the old timeline.
And Obito still hadn’t awakened his Sharingan!
Was this even what passed for a proper younger brother in the Uchiha clan?
The smile faded from Yuu’s face, replaced by a cold, sharp glint.
Obito suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
After a moment’s thought, he quickly slid half his food onto another plate.
“You haven’t eaten yet either, right, brother?”
Yuu had already eaten, but he took the plate anyway — waste not, want not, especially when it came from his brother.
He’d need to keep strengthening his position in Obito’s mind.
Meanwhile, he wondered exactly how those two ROOT agents would strike.
Until he knew their plan, he wasn’t going near the mission board.
The mission board…
That was it.
They’d make their move the moment he signed up for an assignment.
Figure out their method, and he’d find his opening.
“Brother, your face looks scary.
Did the Inuzuka guy pick the cat‑girl servers at the izakaya last night?”
“No… wait — how do you know about those?”
“There really are?
Uncle Tekka told me!
Said they’re super sweet.
Once I get mission pay, I’m gonna go too…”
Obito clapped a hand over his mouth, glancing nervously at Yuu’s perfectly calm expression.
Unbelievable.
I’m facing assassination because of you, and you’re daydreaming about cat‑girls?
Perfect.
Just perfect.
Yuu realized he’d been far too lenient with Obito.
It was time to step up and lay down some proper clan authority.
“Brother, today’s team assignments!
I have to run — save me dinner, okay?”
As Obito scrambled away, Yuu’s thoughts turned to his brother’s new teacher: the legendary Minato Namikaze.
“If Minato survives, Danzō will have to rein himself in.
And Minato, caught between the Third and Danzō, will need loyal allies.
If I can broker peace between the Uchiha and the Fourth Hokage, we might just stand a chance.
But first things first — I need to get through this.”
Yuu spent the whole day inside the clan grounds, training to master his newly awakened Sharingan.
Unless summoned by the Hokage or clan leadership, there was no reason for him to take on extra work.
Short of starving to death, that is.
And those two ROOT agents didn’t have the pull — or the need — to force him out.
So when Obito stumbled home later, worn out, and found no dinner waiting, his heart sank.
“Brother, you have no idea how brutal Minato‑sensei is!
We spent all afternoon chasing him… and I’m not going to the izakaya anymore!
Rin would think I’m irresponsible.
And Kakashi?
He’s the worst — so cold, he acts more like an Uchiha than I do!”
Obito flopped face‑down on the table, then looked up at him with big, pleading eyes.
“Come on,” Yuu sighed.
“We’re going to Ichiraku Ramen.
You can tell me everything on the way.”
Obito stared as if he’d misheard.
“…We’re eating out?”
“Unless you’d rather starve?”
“YES PLEASE!”
Konoha had a curfew — no one out after dark — but enforcement fell to the Uchiha Military Police Force.
As long as no one was drunk and disorderly, fellow clansmen usually looked the other way.
Ichiraku was still busy, everyone hurrying to finish before curfew hit.
The owner smiled at Yuu — and he remembered the missing beef from his last bowl.
Not falling for that this time.
“One large beef ramen please!” Obito called out cheerfully.
“Two plain ramen,” Yuu corrected firmly.
“Too much meat is hard to digest at night.”
“R‑right, coming right up!”
The owner glanced sadly at the extra beef he’d already set aside.
“When are you going on a mission, brother?” Obito asked between bites.
Yuu went on alert.
“Why do you ask?
Did someone put you up to this?”
“No!
You get paid for missions, right?
And if you’re gone, I can mooch off Uncle Tekka!
He looks all grumpy, but he’s a great cook — egg radish soup, meat buns with salted egg yolk, all kinds of stuff!”
Yuu wondered if “great cook” was really the right word, or if it was just poison in disguise.
And how could Obito actually like that food?
Was his sense of taste broken?
But then again, the future “greatest villain” of the shinobi world must have his quirks.
Yuu certainly wouldn’t touch a single bite — it tasted worse than medicine, pure torture.
Just then, the shop door opened.
“Two bowls of ramen, extra beef!
— Huh?
Obito?
Fancy seeing you here.”
Both brothers turned.
A bright‑blond man waved at them, followed by a cool‑looking white‑haired boy in a face mask.