I Am Uzumaki Menma

The night was as dark as ink, gradually enveloping Konoha.

While most of the village had already fallen asleep, only a few dim streetlights dotted the darkness like solitary stars.

But beneath the Hokage Rock, inside the Anbu's base, the scene was entirely different.

The exterior of the Anbu's base was pitch black as usual, but the interior was brightly lit. The air was thick with a stifling silence, broken only by the faint hum of electronic equipment and the occasional low murmur of reports.

Itachi, who was only eight years old, wore the dark grey uniform unique to the Anbu, and carried a standard ninjato on his back. His eyes were as calm as water, yet with a hint of depth that was inconsistent with his age. Led by a Ninja wearing a white cat mask, he slowly walked upstairs.

"From today onward, you are a member of Anbu, Itachi." Kakashi said from behind his white cat mask, his left eye glancing briefly at the young Uchiha following him.

"Yes, Kakashi-senpai. I look forward to your guidance!" Itachi replied in a composed tone, laced with respect.

The two soon arrived at a surveillance room filled with rows of monitors. Each screen displayed densely packed grids of live surveillance footage capturing real-time activity from various parts of Konoha Village.

Two Anbu's members were on duty, monitoring the screens. Hearing movement, they turned and greeted Kakashi, who had come to take over the shift.

"What is this...?" Itachi's heart trembled slightly as he looked at the familiar scenes on the countless monitors.

Right in the center of the screens was the main gate of the Uchiha Clan's compound, alongside the entrance to the Military Police Force's headquarters. The other screens mostly showed surveillance footage of the Uchiha Clan's compound.

'So... the village has been monitoring the Uchiha clan all along?' Itachi's breathing grew slightly uneven.

"This will be your primary workplace for the foreseeable future," Kakashi said after exchanging shifts with the two Anbu's members, turning his gaze to Itachi.

His silver spiky hair gleamed faintly in the dim light, his masked face revealing no expression. His tone was matter-of-fact, though with a barely detectable hint of complexity.

"This is the Hokage's trust in you." Kakashi continued, "Your mission is to monitor the Uchiha Clan's compound and keep track of the movements of the Uchiha Clan's members."

'Trust?' A bitter feeling welled up deep within Itachi's heart.

This so-called 'trust' was nothing more than a manifestation of the village leadership's growing unease and suspicion toward the Uchiha Clan.

Having an Uchiha Clan's member monitor the Uchiha Clan's compound… while framed as trust, was it not also a form of intimidation?

Kakashi seemed oblivious to the turmoil in Itachi's heart. He pointed to several specific screens displaying footage of the Uchiha Clan's compound's entrances, training grounds, and even the residences of key clan members.

"During the Nine-Tails Rampage, as you know, the Nine-Tails had a Sharingan pattern in its eyes." Kakashi's voice lowered slightly, his tone grave, "Though there's no direct evidence, after that night, the village's suspicions toward the Uchiha Clan grew."

"A few months ago, Uchiha Shisui led a mission to investigate the rebellion in Hoshigakure and encountered a mysterious Uchiha Clan's Ninja. He was severely beaten and even lost one of his Sharingan. This only deepened the village's distrust of the Uchiha Clan to unprecedented levels."

'The Nine-Tails Rampage and the mysterious Uchiha Clan's Ninja from the Land of Stars.'

Itachi, who had personally experienced the Nine-Tails Rampage, had a gloomy expression.

He was also well aware of what had happened to his close friend Shisui, 'That mysterious Uchiha in Hoshigakure was so powerful that even Shisui had been no match for her!'

Kakashi's words were like a heavy stone, crashing into the still waters of Itachi's heart and sending ripples through his mind.

He understood that Kakashi was speaking the truth, and it was only because he had joined the Anbu and earned the Hokage's trust that he was being entrusted with this mission.

The Nine-Tails Rampage, combined with the appearance of a mysterious Uchiha outside the village… these two events were like sharp thorns embedded deep in the hearts of the village's leadership, breeding an ineradicable wariness toward the Uchiha Clan.

"So, from now on, the Anbu will monitor the Uchiha Clan in all directions." Kakashi's eyes became sharp.

Kakashi's gaze sharpened as he turned to face Itachi directly. Though his face was hidden behind the white cat mask, Itachi could feel the weight of his stare.

Your duty here is to report any abnormalities, any suspicious activity, to us immediately. Remember, your loyalty now lies first and foremost with the village."

Itachi's hands clenched involuntarily.

'The village… and the clan…'

He recalled his father's instructions when he had been sent to join the Anbu… to gather intelligence on the Anbu's movements and the village's leadership's plans, then relay it back to the clan.

And now, the Hokage expected him to monitor the Uchiha Clan for the sake of the village.

A sharp, tearing pain twisted inside Uchiha Itachi's chest, as if his heart were being carved apart.

"Understood!" Itachi took a deep breath and calmed the turmoil in his heart.

He knew this was not the time to show hesitation. For the future of his clan, for the peace of the village, to prevent something far worse from happening… he had to endure this pain. Between family and duty, he had to play his role perfectly.

Silently, he walked to an empty surveillance station, his fingers gliding deftly over the mouse as he pulled up one monitoring feed after another.

Images flooded the screens… Uchiha Clan's members training tirelessly in the compound's grounds, children laughing and playing in the streets, elders and women strolling leisurely through the district.

Every familiar face, every detail, seemed magnified under the Anbu's relentless scrutiny.

Beside him, Kakashi took a seat, watching as Itachi activated his Two-Tomoe Sharingan. A fleeting thought of his own deceased comrade from Uchiha Clan crossed his mind.

Meanwhile, Itachi's eyes flickered rapidly between screens, his Sharingan capturing even the subtlest movements and expressions. He forced himself to remain detached, suppressing personal emotions as he observed everything with cold precision.

However, when his gaze locked onto a particular feed near the compound's main gate, his pupils contracted sharply, his heartbeat spiking.

There stood a familiar figure… Uchiha Izumi.

She was walking slowly toward the gate, her steps unsteady, almost hesitant. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her usually bright eyes were clouded with exhaustion. Her face was paler than usual, her weariness impossible to hide.

Izumi paused at the entrance, tilting her head up slightly as if gathering her bearings.

She rubbed her temples lightly, as though trying to shake off fatigue… but her body betrayed her exhaustion.

Kakashi's voice snapped Itachi out of his thoughts: "Did you notice something?"