Naruto: I Am Itachi Uchiha!

"Are those shinobi from the Land of Wind who infiltrated Konoha?" Itachi Uchiha murmured, crouched on a sturdy tree branch, his piercing gaze fixed on the figures below. He nodded toward the group of men in white headwraps, his voice low but intense.

Next to him, Shisui Uchiha observed the situation with calm precision. "The intel checks out—fifteen of them in total. Three chunin, twelve genin. Judging by their setup, they're clearly preparing for an extended mission."

"What should we do? Kill them?" Itachi's hand instinctively moved to the kunai holstered in his ninja pouch. The gleam in his eyes betrayed his readiness for swift action as he mimed slicing his neck with a chilling motion.

"Don't be reckless, Itachi." Shisui grabbed Itachi's wrist, halting his movements. His voice, firm yet measured, carried an undercurrent of warning. "We need to proceed carefully. First, Kuroyuki from ANBU should approach them and issue a formal warning. He'll demand they leave the Land of Fire immediately. If they refuse, only then do we escalate."

Itachi sighed, slipping the kunai back into his pouch. "Fine," he muttered before adding under his breath, "So much for swift resolutions. If this were up to the han's, we'd have dealt with intruders decisively."

Shisui blinked. "What are you mumbling about now?"

"Nothing important," Itachi replied, shrugging nonchalantly. "Just thinking we could solve this without dragging it out."

Shisui narrowed his eyes. "You'd better not let that impatience of yours get the better of you. With Konoha still recovering from the Nine-Tails' attack and the Fourth Hokage's death, any misstep could have disastrous consequences."

Shisui's tone shifted as he launched into an impromptu lecture. "Do you even understand the stakes? The Yellow Flash—Minato Namikaze—was Konoha's deterrent during the Third Great Ninja War. His absence might embolden Sunagakure into testing our strength. One wrong move could lead to war, and if we're not careful, this could even ignite a Fourth Ninja World War. Are you prepared to carry the weight of that on your conscience?"

Itachi raised a brow, feigning boredom. "Alright, Shisui, I get it. You don't need to give me a history lesson. I was joking, okay? You act like I'm not aware of the consequences."

Shisui gave him a hard look. "Just remember, wars don't happen overnight. They're sparked by carelessness. And knowing you, I'd rather not take chances with your so-called 'jokes.'"

Itachi kicked his legs idly from the tree branch. "Fine, I'll play along. But let's be honest—those Sand shinobi probably won't listen, and we'll end up fighting them anyway. There are more players at work here than just Konoha and Sunagakure. The other hidden villages are watching closely. You know how it is—nobody can ever keep things simple."

Shisui's expression darkened. Itachi's sharp analysis unsettled him, mostly because he hadn't considered half of what his younger peer had just laid out. Wiping sweat from his brow, he muttered, "Alright, Itachi, you win. Let's just stick to the plan for now."

With a lazy stretch, Itachi leapt gracefully from the tree and headed toward their rendezvous point. Shisui followed, fuming silently. "How does someone so insufferable manage to be right all the time?" he muttered under his breath, slashing at tree branches along the way to vent his frustration.

---

In a concealed clearing, ANBU operatives gathered around Kuroyuki, who unfurled a detailed map across a flat rock. His long silver hair shimmered in the moonlight as his sharp eyes surveyed the group.

"Everyone's here. Let's begin," he said, his voice steady yet commanding. He pointed to several marked locations on the map. "Nearby, there are multiple encampments from other hidden villages. Their focus seems to be monitoring how Sunagakure and Konoha interact during this... delicate situation."

Shimada Genji, a chunin with a nervous energy, nodded in agreement. "That matches what I've observed too."

Shisui's gaze shifted to Itachi, his earlier doubts surfacing. Itachi had already hinted at the complexity of the situation, and now it felt like they were stepping into a trap.

"What's the next move?" Shisui asked, his voice tinged with concern. "What if negotiations fail?"

Kuroyuki met his gaze, his expression unwavering. "Failure is not an option," he replied. "We'll give them the chance to leave peacefully. If they refuse, Itachi and Genji will return to Konoha to request reinforcements. But we cannot afford to show weakness."

Itachi remained silent, his sharp eyes darting between Kuroyuki and Shimada Genji. A fleeting smirk crossed his face as he thought, Shisui's too smart for his own good. If he keeps showing off his intellect, someone like Danzo is bound to take notice.

He leaned back against a tree, folding his arms. Better to keep my own cards close for now and just let Shisui play the role of the hero for now.

"Understood!" Genji replied, his voice cracking slightly. Despite his nerves, he seemed eager to prove himself.

Kuroyuki nodded. "Good. If reinforcements are needed, make it quick. Konoha will respond within a day. We'll hold the line here until then."

As the group discussed finer details, Itachi observed in silence. His calculating gaze lingered on Kuroyuki, intrigued by his composure and decisiveness. Meanwhile, Shisui couldn't shake the growing unease settling in his chest. They were walking a fine line, and any misstep could have catastrophic consequences.

---

The tension in the air was palpable as the team finalized their strategy. Each of them knew the stakes. The Land of Fire was no stranger to conflict, and the looming threat of war was enough to weigh heavily on even the most seasoned ninja. But for Itachi and Shisui, the mission had become more than a test of skill—it was a delicate balancing act between diplomacy and disaster.

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