(Third Person POV)
"Reports, boss."
The voice came from Shinji, who placed the file on Kiyotaka's desk with practiced precision.
Kiyotaka opened the file, scanning the documents with a cool, detached gaze.
The past few months, especially since the sabotage of a rival gang's supply lines, had been remarkably productive. Not only was the gang thriving, things had also been going really well information wise for the Henge'd doppelganger of Akari.
Using criminal gangs to build an information network had proven successful.
Reading through the reports, Kiyotaka's lips shifted upwards.
"Good work, Shinji."
The calm praise, paired with the rare curve of a smile on the dangerous man's face, made Shinji wonder if he was safe. Kiyotaka never praised anyone. Not unless the work was very good. Or something else was in motion.
Kiyotaka leaned back in his office chair, the worn leather creaking softly under his weight. Maps dotted the walls of the room they were in, marked with territories, alliances, and points of interest. Strings connected various locations, a visual representation of the flow of information he now commanded.
Shinji stood patiently by the desk, his posture betraying a mixture of pride and apprehension. He had been instrumental in consolidating their intelligence gathering, outside of his intellect, his network of whispers and observations stretching further into the Land of Fire's underbelly had been helpful.
The file contained a detailed breakdown of recent activities and information gathered. The Red Knives, initially hesitant, were now a reliable source of information regarding merchant movements and potential vulnerabilities in other gangs.
The remnants of the Hoshino gang, absorbed after their leader's downfall, were proving useful for more... direct tasks. Their desperation for continued survival made them pliable, willing to undertake assignments that others would not cross fully into. They were blunt yet useful pawns.
But it was the information regarding Danzo and ROOT that truly held Kiyotaka's attention. Toru's contacts, though sometimes shadowy and difficult to cultivate, had bore fruit. People in unusual Anbu masks had been sighted with increased surveillance around key figures –particularly the Uchiha–painted a clear picture to Kiyotaka.
The male Henge'd Kage Bunshin of Akari carried the same past-life knowledge as the girl. After all, he was just a Shadow Clone of the original, thus he immediately recognized the warning signs of a genocide brewing.
One report noted growing interest in the Hyūga's main branch. Officially, the Kumo incident had brought the Uchiha and Hyūga closer—along with the rest of the village. Unofficially? Danzo was likely seething.
The final section of the report detailed unusual activity within the Land of Fire's borders. Increased bandit activity along trade routes, coupled with rumours of rogue ninja sightings, suggested a potential destabilization orchestrated by external forces. He knew that by this time, the Akatsuki needed money before they could move. That was from Past Life knowledge.
Kiyotaka closed the file, the soft thud echoing in the quiet room. The information was valuable, painting a complex and potentially volatile landscape. His network was proving its worth, providing him with insights that few in the village possessed. He was operating in the shadows, a silent observer and manipulator, his influence growing with each passing day.
He steepled his fingers, his hazel eyes narrowing with thought. If he was honest, he had long since known that things would end up here.
Her Phase 2 would end soon, and Phase 3 would begin fully. The final phase.
"Anything else to report?" Kiyotaka asked, his gaze unwavering.
"There is nothing else to report on." Shinji spoke.
Kiyotaka nodded, looking at a four player chessboard he had made and began arranging the pieces on it.
Red—the Uchiha—were mobilizing, but cornered by black: ROOT, moving in the shadows. White watched, waiting, always observing: his pieces. Green—Konoha—remained blissfully ignorant, supporting the red without realizing the game's stakes.
A silent war in motion.
Only Kiyotaka knew what the board truly represented. And only he played all four sides.
Shinji bowed slightly and left the room, the door clicking shut behind him.
Kiyotaka's fingers hovered over the red queen—the symbolic 'her,' though in this game, 'he' would be more accurate—and tapped the piece before setting it aside. Removed from play. Not yet, but soon. Itachi's timeline loomed ever closer, a blade poised above the clan's neck. And like any good shinobi, Danzo would sharpen the knife until it gleamed.
In fact, he remembered from the Itachi Shinden Light Novels: Book of Bright Light and Book of Dark Night that around this time, Shisui's life would be in danger. Now of course he could get himself involved. But... for her plans some of Canon must stay in place.
Besides, the Uchiha coup d'état would lead to the start of the Fourth Great War when Konoha inevitably won. And he did not want that...
She wouldn't want to get the few she cared about involved in a war they are woefully unprepared for.
And because he and Akari were one in the same he felt just as much care as she did about protecting them.
So he better do a damn good job at it.