Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

Uchiha Clan Territory

"Lady Uzumaki Mito."

The Uchiha clan leader stood today with unusual humility, bowing respectfully. After all, the person before him was none other than Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the First Hokage and the current head of the Senju clan in Konoha.

How long had it been since the Senju and Uchiha had formally met like this after the passing of the First Hokage?

"Hehe, I believe I don't need to explain the purpose of my visit today, do I?"

Mito smiled calmly. Both sides were clever enough to understand what was being discussed without further elaboration.

"Rest assured, Lady Mito! The Uchiha clan, as one of Konoha's founding clans alongside the Senju, is naturally willing to face anything together!"

The Uchiha clan leader's face flushed with excitement. How many years had it been? Finally, under his leadership, the Uchiha clan was once again on the verge of returning to the center of power.

Mito nodded in satisfaction upon hearing his words.

"Rest assured, the future bond between the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and the Uchiha will be like the bond of the past—like Kagami's."

The Uchiha clan leader's eyes widened slightly. This was a promise. If the Uchiha drew attention and diverted the fire for now, they would secure a place in the higher ranks in the future.

Taking the fall? That was nothing.

After all, the entire shinobi world knew one thing: the Uchiha were renowned for their strength!

"As for Mikoto, I would like to meet this young lady myself."

Always cautious, Mito wanted to ensure everything was in order. However, the Uchiha leader appeared slightly embarrassed, waving his hand as he reassured her,

"Lady Mito, please rest assured about Mikoto!"

But faced with Mito's amused yet knowing gaze, the Uchiha leader felt awkward. It seemed she had already guessed his earlier plan with Elder Setsuna—to use Uchiha Shirou to woo Tsunade. Naturally, they had prepared adequately on that front.

"Shirou is a good child. I trust him, just as Tobirama once trusted Kagami," Mito said serenely. Though she trusted Uchiha Shirou's loyalty to the village—his solo infiltration mission had already proven that—it would be a lie to say she had no reservations about the Uchiha as a whole, given their history of coups.

As for his rumored attempts to charm her granddaughter Tsunade? Mito chuckled. From what she saw, it seemed more like Tsunade had the boy wrapped around her finger.

Mito trusted Shirou, who was even more devoted to the village than Kagami had been. He could serve as a check on the Uchiha's activities. However, she still wanted to meet Mikoto to ensure there were no unstable factors.

"I will call Mikoto here immediately," the clan leader said, suppressing his excitement. If Mito trusted them, it meant the Uchiha were truly on the path to resurgence.

Just as both sides smiled, satisfied with their respective gains, a signal flare suddenly burst into the skies over Konoha.

Through the window, the Uchiha clan leader froze in shock, and even the usually composed Mito showed a rare expression of surprise.

"Who did this?!"

Moments later, the clan leader's face twisted in anger. That was the signal flare from the Konoha Police Force.

Damn it!

Why now, of all times? And so blatantly in the open?

"Clan leader! Emergency!"

An Uchiha clansman burst into the room, oblivious to who else was present, shouting in fury,

"An enemy spy bypassed our patrols and abducted a shinobi from the village!"

"What did you say?!"

The clan leader's eyes widened in disbelief. Wasn't this operation supposed to be a covert one? How had it blown up like this?

The messenger, oblivious to the context, continued indignantly,

"It was Shirou-sama who discovered it! He alerted the Police Force, and Captain Fugaku had already led ten elite squads in pursuit. Every available member of the force is mobilized to recover our honor!"

What the hell?!

The clan leader's eyes almost popped out of his head. Even the shrewd Mito seemed momentarily stunned, struggling to process the situation.

When Mito finally pieced it together, the clan leader panicked, thinking their plans were about to fall apart. But to his surprise, she waved it off with a laugh,

"Good, good! Tsunade wasn't wrong about him. Truly impressive. I must meet this Mikoto."

Mito, wise with age, recognized it as a brilliant counter-strategy—a bold and open maneuver that left no room for subterfuge.

...

At sunset, as the sky turned orange, countless shinobi in Konoha looked up, stunned by the relentless signal flares lighting up the sky like fireworks.

"What's going on?"

"What happened with the Police Force?"

"Word is a spy infiltrated the village and abducted someone important. The entire Police Force is out in full force to save face!"

Indeed, dozens of blood-eyed Uchiha surged out of the village in an unprecedented show of force, their anger palpable.

The Konoha Police Force was responsible for maintaining order and catching spies. For an enemy spy to bypass them and kidnap someone from under their noses was a slap in the face! The Uchiha would never let that slide.

In the dense forest, Uchiha Shirou, leading a squad of thirty elite Uchiha, shouted furiously,

"Follow the red hair! It's the trail!"

Among the group, Fugaku's face darkened as he pieced together the target's identity. If it was who he thought it was… this could jeopardize their newfound alliance with the Senju.

"All units! Don't hold back! Chase them down!"

And so, the hunt began.