Because he didn't want to see Yuugao's heartbroken face.
Nightfall.
The ANBU headquarters.
Dressed in his full ANBU uniform, Shimizu Uchiha was just about to change and head home when he suddenly heard someone call out to him. He turned to see a young woman with violet hair approaching.
"Hello, I'm the ANBU operative assigned for this mission's handover."
It was Uzuki Yuugao. She wore a cat mask and a form-fitting ANBU combat suit, armored at the wrists, her pale, slender arms exposed. The crimson ANBU insignia was inked on her skin just below the armor.
Beneath that tight outfit, her figure was tall and graceful, long legs and a composed, capable air that reflected her shinobi discipline.
"I see."
Shimizu removed his mask, revealing those deep, dark eyes that seemed to pierce through shadows as he looked at Yuugao.
"!"
Under her mask, Yuugao's brown eyes widened slightly.
Shimizu-senpai!
The one I'm supposed to report to… is actually Shimizu-senpai?!
"Shimizu-senpai, I don't know if you remember me—I'm Uzuki Yuugao."
She removed her mask, revealing a fair, delicate face—clean and unadorned, almost ethereal. Her violet bangs framed her cheeks, adding a soft, alluring charm to her composure.
"Of course I remember. I even helped you win a balloon once, didn't I?"
Shimizu's lips curved into a warm smile, closing the distance between them.
"Yes, outside Yakiniku Q."
Seeing that he hadn't forgotten made Yuugao's heart lighten, and she smiled unconsciously.
Shimizu-senpai really is a good person, she thought to herself.
"You're the one replacing Kurihara Miko, joining us as our new teammate?"
Kurihara Miko was the third operative—besides Shimizu and Kakashi—assigned to monitor Nohara Rin.
"That's right."
Yuugao nodded.
Kurihara Miko-senpai had been reassigned to another mission, one involving spies from an enemy nation. Yuugao, newly recruited into the ANBU for her stealth skills, was filling the vacancy.
"Alright. I'll show you how to conduct surveillance properly."
Shimizu replaced his mask.
Yuugao followed his lead, masking up as well.
Their figures darted silently over the rooftops until they reached a hidden vantage point.
"There. That's Nohara Rin."
Shimizu pointed toward a window where Rin was cooking dinner inside.
From their position in the opposite building, Rin's silhouette appeared small and distant.
"Understood."
Yuugao nodded seriously.
She had received surveillance training before, but this—being personally guided by Shimizu—felt completely different.
Shimizu calmly went over several crucial points.
Yuugao listened intently, focused on every word.
"That's enough for now."
Shimizu said softly—and then activated his Sharingan.
"Shimizu-senpai, you—"
Before she could finish, Yuugao's expression went blank. Her body stiffened, eyes losing focus.
"From now on, whenever ANBU gives you a mission order, you'll come to me immediately and repeat it word for word."
"Yes."
Yuugao's voice was flat, emotionless.
She had joined ANBU mainly for her stealth ability—her other skills weren't exceptional.
With Shimizu's powerful ocular strength, controlling her was effortless.
"If Rin ever visits my home, that's normal. If you notice anything unusual, you will forget it. Treat it as if it's nothing out of the ordinary."
Shimizu implanted a series of subtle mental commands into her.
The Sharingan's influence would last about two months before needing renewal.
"Yes."
Yuugao's tone carried no trace of self—she was like an emotionless puppet now.
"Continue the watch."
Shimizu gave his order, then vanished in a flicker, appearing on the street below.
Every time he controlled someone, it drained his ocular power—and maintaining that control required periodic reinforcement.
That was the great flaw in using Sharingan genjutsu to manipulate others: it consumed chakra rapidly and demanded constant proximity.
In the original timeline, Obito could control the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, because he possessed Mangekyō-level ocular power.
Moreover, due to the infusion of Hashirama's cells, Obito's Mangekyō carried no side effects and could continue to grow stronger with use until it reached its limit.
Whenever his chakra ran low, Obito could use Kamui to instantly travel and replenish the genjutsu before it broke.
But for an Uchiha without such speed or regeneration, maintaining control over long distances was risky. If they couldn't reach the target in time to refresh their chakra, the illusion would collapse.
—
Hokage Building.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned as he read the intelligence reports from Kirigakure.
The Hidden Mist had demanded the return of the Three-Tails.
Hiruzen, in response, had proposed a peace treaty—but the Mist's answer was deliberately vague.
That alone was enough to make Hiruzen abandon any thought of returning the beast.
Handing the Three-Tails back now would be like releasing a tiger back into the wild.
"Hiruzen, we can't return it."
Homura Mitokado spoke firmly.
At the moment, only he and Koharu Utatane were in the Hokage's office.
Shimura Danzō was away on a mission, leaving one of Konoha's senior seats empty.
"We can consider returning it after the war, but not now. Unless Kirigakure offers something in return—something substantial."
Nara Enchō, the current head of the Nara Clan, nodded in agreement.
"Oh? Enchō, do you have a specific plan?"
Hiruzen looked toward him.
Konoha's council wasn't limited to the Hokage's advisors—many organization leaders and Fire Country officials also participated. Among them, Nara Enchō was often the one Hiruzen consulted most.
He had the calm, strategic mind of a military tactician.
"The Mist forces have advanced too far into the Land of Fire. We need to push them back."
He paused briefly, then continued:
"If they release our hostages, we'll return the Three-Tails. That would create a delicate balance. But the hostage must be someone from the upper ranks of Kirigakure—a person of real importance."
"Not ideal," Hiruzen muttered, drawing from his pipe.
A single life couldn't compare to the power of a Tailed Beast, even if that life belonged to a high-ranking family.
"What if we add a seal?" Enchō continued smoothly. "We could bind the Three-Tails with a special fūinjutsu—one that can't be undone until the war officially ends. That way, we regain leverage. When peace talks begin, Konoha will hold the upper hand."
He spoke confidently, articulating his reasoning with practiced calm.
"What do you think, Shimizu?"
Hiruzen turned his gaze toward the two shadows hidden behind him—Kakashi Hatake and Shimizu Uchiha.
As ANBU operatives, it was their duty to guard the Hokage. They rotated in shifts, and today was theirs.
A moment later, both appeared inside the office.
Shimizu glanced at Nara Enchō, noting the man's square yellow hat and brownish robe.
In the anime, Enchō hadn't appeared during Shippuden, only making his debut much later in Boruto, as a frail old man.
Shimizu remembered how, during a dinner event, Temari attended alone, leaving Shikamaru at home—and Enchō had scolded his grandson harshly, calling him weak and unmotivated.
"Lord Hokage, I think Lord Nara's plan is excellent—but it could go further."
"Oh?"
Both Hiruzen and Enchō looked at him in surprise.
Even Kakashi turned to glance sideways, silently mouthing: What are you getting at? This is in front of the Hokage!
"Go on," Hiruzen said, curiosity piqued.
"We could pursue a political marriage."
The office fell silent for a full heartbeat.
Even Kakashi's visible eye widened.
Did he just say… a marriage alliance?
"Marriage…" Hiruzen frowned slightly.
Clan marriages were nothing new. The Senju and Uzumaki Clans had done so generations ago—Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki's union symbolized their long-standing alliance.
But a marriage between different villages? That was almost unheard of.
"Yes, Lord Hokage. If we must keep a hostage from the Mist, why not turn that hostage into an opportunity for alliance?
War breeds hatred that can't be erased overnight—but through marriage, we could remind both sides' leaders of the value of peace."
"Such a union could send a powerful message—that peace is the shared wish of both villages. It could serve as a fitting curtain call to this war."
Shimizu spoke calmly, his tone steady but filled with quiet conviction.
In the original history, the Fifth Kazekage's sister, Temari, had married Shikamaru Nara. Even Choji Akimichi had wed Karui from Kumogakure.
Since the founding of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, inter-village marriages—though rare—had gradually become more accepted symbols of reconciliation.
For the hostage from Kirigakure, this could be a way to truly integrate them into Konoha—turning a political pawn into a bridge between two lands.
Many clans resisted intermarriage to preserve the purity of their bloodlines, but for symbolic purposes, the choice didn't need to involve someone tied to kekkei genkai or bloodline limits.
What mattered was the gesture—the symbol of unity.
After the dark clouds of war, the world longed to see light again—to understand peace, to feel it, to believe in it.
A marriage could plant that seed of hope in every heart.
At the end of war, peace would bloom.
And once one such union took place, others would follow more easily.
Hiruzen smoked silently, lost in thought.
There were difficulties, of course—issues of trust, conflicting interests, cultural divides.
Even so, while a marriage couldn't replace military strength or political leverage, it could soften tensions and change the course of diplomacy.
Finally, he exhaled a cloud of smoke and said quietly:
"…It's worth a try."
He summoned an ANBU operative and issued an order to relay this new proposal to Kirigakure.
When the ANBU left, Hiruzen set his pipe down.
Shimizu's idea was bold—unorthodox—but it showed creativity and vision beyond traditional limits.
Perhaps it was time for Konoha to experiment.
Forge distant alliances, strike nearby foes.
Kirigakure was across the sea; integrating one of their own into Konoha through marriage might not only foster goodwill but also attract new talent—showing the world that Konoha's strength lay not only in its power…
…but in its capacity for understanding.
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