As Shijo came face to face with the formidable matriarch of the Uchiha clan, Inoka's voice echoed telepathically in his mind.
In the background, Inoka maintained his disguise as Hokage Suzaku's placid bodyguard. But his thoughts raced, processing this critical development. Lady Mirai would not be easily swayed - she had led her people for years, weathering turmoil and tragedy alike with steady resolve. Outmaneuvering her would require utmost care. Severing the mental link, Inoka waited with quiet discipline beside Lord Suzaku. Though appearing relaxed superficially, his mind churned through potential conversational gambits and subtle manipulations if needed. Shijo's handling of this confrontation would set the stage for their entire espionage operation...failure was not an option. The future stability of the Leaf now hung precariously in the balance.
Ayame's enhanced sensory perception through the Mind's Eye of the Kagura allowed her to swiftly detect fresh disturbances amongst the Uchiha ranks occurring simultaneously across the village. As Ayame relayed each event, Hokage Suzaku absorbed the details with a contemplative calmness at odds with the chaos seemingly unfolding around them. At Ayame's first alarmed report of Mugen placed forcibly under genjutsu, Suzaku raised a hand to still any preemptive response.
"Peace. We shall presume Mujin has adequate internal reasons for now. Unless killing follows, it is an Uchiha affair."
When later informed of Ichijo's abrupt return with an unknown foreign shinobi bearing similarities to the injured Gyoken, Suzaku merely nodded. At his side, Inoka allowed himself a quiet chuckle.
"You seem destined to greet each living Uchiha before noon today, my Lord."
Though appearing relaxed, Inoka's senses remained in overdrive telepathically scanning, assessing and cataloguing each disturbance amongst the Uchiha leadership. He was already constructing profiles of the players involved and theorizing on how potential unrest could be exploited for the Leaf's benefit...or detriment, should the Uchiha splinter further. Keeping such a vast network of operatives coherent required tracking many threads at once without losing perspective of the overarching tapestry. For now, they could only watch, gather intelligence, and subtly influence events when able. But soon critical opportunities could emerge to guide the Uchiha fate to align with Leaf prosperity...at any cost.
Hokage Suzaku sat at his desk, veiled in coiling smoke, pondering deeply. Though normally quick to react decisively when threats emerged, the rapid chain of unexplained events involving the insular Uchiha gave him pause. The sheer lack of hard intelligence was vexing. While Ayame and Inoka's tracking skills proved invaluable, observation alone did not provide context for these clandestine meetings and disputes erupting across his domain.
"There's nothing interesting or a festival going on the Leaf, why would a shinobi of the Stone be a threat? Could the Stone be in trouble" He exhaled frustratedly, smoke pluming.
"We are operating deaf currently. Our ears in the Uchiha's shadow councils are conveniently being blocked." Spearing Ayame and Inoka with a piercing glare, he concluded
"That situation cannot stand. We must learn the truth swiftly, then act to steer outcomes accordingly, as always."
The Hokage understood that heavy-handed interventions often backfired when handling the proud Uchiha clan. But the lack of facts meant he could not rule out potential threats to village stability. One way or another, the veil of secrecy must be lifted soon - even if Inoka or his agents had to extract the truth through more...aggressive means.
Location: The Hokage's Office
Posting Order: Suzaku/Inoka/Ayame -> New Comers
Post Time Limit (PTI): 3 Days
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