Naruto: My Progress in Konoha.

Over the next few days, Uchiha Haruki paid close attention to changes around the camp—and sure enough, problems began to surface.

First, the number of shinobi in the main headquarters was steadily increasing. Many of them looked absolutely exhausted, as if they had rushed back from a long journey.

Combined with the group Haruki had encountered earlier, he had every reason to believe these people were being pulled back from forward outposts.

Second, communication in and out of the base was now heavily restricted. Anyone or anything entering or leaving had to pass through multiple layers of inspection.

Even the training grounds were now off-limits.

On top of that, the entire camp was enveloped in a sensory barrier that remained active around the clock. The slightest disturbance could bring patrol squads running within seconds.

With all these measures in place, Haruki would bet his life that something major was brewing.

Forget it, he thought, shaking his head. No point worrying. Back to training.

Since the training ground was now off-limits, he decided to focus all of his chakra into practicing the Reflection Technique.

With this new routine, he was earning over thirty proficiency points per day—equivalent to six points of progress for his Sharingan.

Watching the numbers steadily climb, Haruki felt no boredom. Instead, he felt grounded and focused.

Just like that, three more days went by.

That afternoon.

Central Headquarters – Inside a Tent

More than a dozen Konoha jōnin sat silently on both sides of a long table.

A moment later, the flap of the tent opened and a pale, slender man entered. Without a word, he took the seat at the head of the table.

The others immediately stood in unison.

"Lord Orochimaru!"

"Hm." Orochimaru gave a slight nod, motioning for them to sit down.

Without wasting time, he asked, "Is everyone in position?"

One of the jōnin stood up immediately. "Reporting, sir! As of one hour ago, 90% of the designated personnel have arrived. The rest are expected to return by tonight."

"Good," Orochimaru replied simply, then turned to another jōnin. "What about the information lockdown?"

The jōnin visibly tensed under his gaze but answered quickly, "So far, there are no signs of intelligence leaks, however—"

"However what?" Orochimaru interjected.

"—Sunagakure and Iwagakure seem to have noticed something. Our outer patrols have intercepted several infiltration attempts over the last few days."

"I see…" Orochimaru muttered thoughtfully. "That's to be expected. After all, we've pulled a significant number of troops from the front lines. Anyone with half a brain would notice something's off. As long as the real plan hasn't leaked, it's fine."

"Understood, sir. I assure you, no sensitive intel has been compromised."

Orochimaru nodded. He trusted this subordinate's competence. If he gave such a firm answer, then the situation was likely under control.

After a moment of thought, he turned to the corner of the tent and asked, "What about your side?"

Everyone turned to follow his gaze—and only then did they realize a figure had been standing there all along, completely shrouded in a black cloak.

This wasn't an ordinary shinobi.

It was someone from Root, Danzo's covert faction—technically separate from the standard ANBU. Root operatives were even more emotionless, even more ruthless. They were trained to be tools of war, sacrificing anything, even their own lives, to complete a mission.

Orochimaru had personally requested these operatives from Danzo—because they were critical to his retaliation plan.

Yes, retaliation.

Revenge for the surprise attack Iwagakure and Sunagakure had launched just over a month ago.

The full-scale offensive that had taken place recently was only a prelude. The real operation was about to begin.

But going up against two major villages simultaneously? With only the forces stationed here in the Land of Rain, Konoha was spread too thin.

After careful consideration, Orochimaru decided to focus his vengeance on Iwagakure, the greater of the two threats.

That said, Sunagakure couldn't be ignored either. Last time, the two had briefly formed an alliance. There was no telling whether they'd do so again.

Even if they didn't, Konoha's base would be left exposed during the operation. If Sunagakure launched an attack then, it would be disastrous.

So Orochimaru needed to stir up enough trouble to distract Sunagakure, forcing them to shift their focus.

That was what the Root operatives were here for.

Now, the cloaked figure stepped forward and responded, "Everything is ready. Once the operation begins, key personnel from Sunagakure's forces in the Land of Rain will be assassinated."

Yes—assassination.

Simple and brutal.

Orochimaru's plan was straightforward: have Root assassinate one or two high-ranking figures. That alone would throw Sunagakure's command structure into disarray.

By the time they reestablished order, Konoha's mission would already be complete—and there would be no opportunity left to exploit.

Would the assassinations succeed?

If this were a job for the regular ANBU, Orochimaru might have had doubts.

But with Root?

He was confident.

With their efficiency and willingness to die for the mission, even a 50–60% success rate was enough.

He didn't expect them to take out every target—that was unrealistic. Sunagakure might be the weakest of the five great villages, but it was still one of the Five. Taking out key leaders was no small feat.

But even partial success was enough to ensure the larger operation could proceed without interference.

Once he confirmed that all preparations were in place, Orochimaru gave the final order.

"Begin final preparations. The mission starts tomorrow night at seven sharp."

"Yes, sir!" the jōnin responded in unison.

With a wave of his hand, Orochimaru dismissed them.

One by one, they exited the tent until it was completely silent.

Orochimaru rubbed his temples. For the first time, a hint of weariness crossed his face.

Truth be told, he didn't enjoy dealing with all these administrative burdens. Compared to all this political maneuvering, he much preferred studying jutsu and exploring the secrets of immortality.

But as the Third Hokage's student, it was both his duty and responsibility to ease his teacher's burdens—just as Jiraiya had taken on the Sand front, it was Orochimaru's task to hold the line in the Land of Rain.

"If only there were no wars…"

The thought came unbidden, bringing memories of his fallen parents, comrades, and students.

He let out a quiet sigh.

A strange frustration welled up in his chest. For a moment, he wanted to throw everything aside and return to the work he truly cared about.

But he couldn't.

He closed his eyes and emptied his mind, trying to find calm.

Silence returned to the tent—broken only by the soft sound of his breathing.