Konoha looked peaceful under the afternoon sun.
The scars left by the Nine-Tails attack felt distant now, buried beneath fresh paint, new roofs, and the steady rhythm of daily life. To most people, the village had already moved on.
Inside a detached three-story wooden house, Uchiha Yoru sat across from Sarutobi Hiromasa.
Hiromasa was middle-aged, stiff-backed, and severe. The kind of man who had survived decades of politics by never appearing to bend.
Between them lay three property deeds.
"I don't understand this," Hiromasa said flatly. "Why bring these to me?"
Yoru's expression was calm, measured.
"Umino Ki was detained by the Military Police for public disorder," he said. "While intoxicated, he let slip details that prompted a deeper investigation. We confirmed he leaked village intelligence in the past."
Hiromasa's eyes narrowed.
"That leak," Yoru continued, "was the reason your Grass Country mission failed."
The words landed cleanly. Too cleanly.
"Umino Ki confessed," Yoru went on. "He regrets his actions. His family is gone, but he has a nephew. The boy is innocent."
Yoru inclined his head slightly.
"Out of remorse, Ki hopes his former captain will accept this as atonement."
Shisui knelt silently behind Yoru, head lowered. His face was hidden, and for good reason. He didn't trust himself to look up.
Hiromasa didn't respond immediately.
Years of experience told him exactly what this was. He hesitated only long enough to calculate the cost.
"At whose request is this being done?" he asked. "The Uchiha… or Orochimaru?"
Yoru smiled faintly.
"Uchiha. Hyūga. Sarutobi." His voice was mild. "We all belong to the same village."
The implication was clear.
Hiromasa fell silent.
No one believed Orochimaru would fall. Not yet. His influence was too great. His reputation too strong. Even the Sarutobi clan knew that.
And if Orochimaru remained standing, those aligned with him mattered.
"I see," Hiromasa said at last.
His expression softened into something resembling sorrow.
"So it was Ki after all," he murmured. "That leak… it cost so many lives."
Yoru watched him accept the story.
Shisui felt sick.
The Grass Country mission had been Hiromasa's stain. Seventy-three dead. The truth had vanished with them long ago. Everyone in this room knew Ki was only a convenient name.
Hiromasa reached for the deeds.
"These will go toward compensating the families," he said quietly.
Whether that would ever happen was irrelevant.
The documents changed hands.
Tea was poured. Smiles were exchanged. The conversation drifted, light and polite.
Hiromasa studied Yoru carefully.
No wonder Orochimaru trusts him, he thought.
Eventually, he spoke again. "And Orochimaru-sama's expectations?"
Yoru sighed, as though weary.
"You know how he is," he said. "Research consumes resources."
Hiromasa understood.
Money wasn't the only thing being traded today. Reputation mattered more.
After a long pause, he nodded once.
"I understand."
The deal was sealed.
Before leaving, Yoru stood and bowed politely. "Thank you for your time."
"Be careful on your way out," Hiromasa said quietly.
Yoru smiled. "I'm accompanied by Shisui of the Body Flicker."
No one would notice them arrive. No one would see them leave.
After they were gone, Hiromasa sat alone for a long time.
"Rest easy, Umino Ki," he murmured at last. "Your nephew won't be forgotten."
Whether that promise would be kept was another matter entirely.