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Souta leaned against the windowsill, the night air cool against his skin as Konoha sprawled out below. The village was on edge—rumors spreading like wildfire, people throwing suspicious looks over their shoulders. You could practically feel the tension humming through the streets. He smirked to himself, pleased. The Uchiha were slipping, Danzo was fanning the flames, and Minato was too busy being the good guy to notice. Everything was falling into place.
The door creaked behind him, and Pakura's voice broke the quiet. "You're still sitting there smug about it, huh?"
He didn't turn, just tipped his head a little. "What, I can't enjoy a job well done? It's all playing out like I figured."
She stepped in, arms crossed, her eyes catching the flicker of the candlelight. "Yeah, playing out like a disaster. You trying to burn the whole place down or what?"
Souta let out a short laugh, glancing her way. "You're overreacting. It's not even that messy yet."
"Yet," she shot back, her voice flat. She stepped closer, stopping just out of arm's reach, staring him down. "You're messing with dangerous people, Souta. What happens when they figure it out and come for you?"
"They won't." He pushed off the sill, facing her fully, still cocky as ever. "The Uchiha are too busy eyeing Danzo, and he's too busy eyeing them back. I'm just… stirring the pot a little."
Pakura's jaw tightened. "Stirring the pot? You saw the market today—people are about to lose it."
"Yeah," Souta said, walking past her to the table where some leftover food was sitting. He picked up a piece of grilled meat and ate it. "Let them lose it. The more they freak out, the less they think. That's when they mess up."
She watched him chew, looking annoyed but maybe a bit concerned too. "And you? You're not invincible. If this goes wrong—"
"It won't." He swallowed, wiped his hands on his pants, and looked at her. "Not with you backing me up."
Pakura sighed and shook her head. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're still here," he said, smiling a little. She rolled her eyes and headed for the door.
"Get some sleep," she said. "You'll need it for whatever you're planning next."
The door closed behind her, and Souta's smile faded. He sat on the bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. She was right—it was a risk. But the reward was worth it.
By morning, the village felt tense, like it could snap any second. Souta moved through the crowd near the training grounds, hands in his pockets, looking calm even though he was paying attention. On one side, Uchiha shinobi were practicing, their moves sharp and their Sharingan glowing. On the other, the non-Uchiha were training too, but they kept glancing over, uneasy. You could feel the bad vibes between them.
He stopped at a water stall, handed the vendor a coin, and took a sip from the cup while listening. Two Chūnin were standing nearby, talking quietly but not quietly enough.
"They're acting like it's nothing," one said, nodding toward the Uchiha. "Burned bodies show up, and they're just out here like it's normal."
The other guy spat on the ground. "Jerks. Think they're better than us."
Souta's mouth twitched. Perfect timing.
He finished his water and walked toward the Uchiha side, noticing a young guy—maybe seventeen—adjusting his gear. Didn't matter who he was. He'd work.
"Hey," Souta said, keeping his voice relaxed but loud enough to hear. "You guys seem pretty calm with everyone talking about you."
The kid stopped and turned, frowning. "What do you mean?"
Souta shrugged, tossing the cup aside. "Just saying. People are going on about burned bodies and fire jutsu. They're looking at you, and you're just out here."
The kid's eyes narrowed, a little red showing in them. "We didn't do anything. If you've got something to say, say it."
"No, just curious," Souta said, smirking a bit and stepping closer. "Must be annoying—everyone staring and whispering. Hard to ignore that, right?"
The Uchiha's hand moved toward his kunai pouch. "Leave."
Souta put his hands up, still smirking. "Okay, okay, just talking." He turned away, feeling the kid's stare on his back. That'd bother him—guys like that don't let stuff go.
The afternoon sun was hot over Konoha, casting shadows as Souta walked through the village. That Uchiha kid's reaction stuck with him—he'd stirred something up there. But he needed more, something to keep things going without getting caught. He headed for Hiruzen Sarutobi's place, the retired Third Hokage.
Souta relaxed his walk a bit as he got closer. Hiruzen thought of him as a decent guy with a sharp tongue.
He knocked on the wooden frame of the open doorway and leaned in. "Hey, Mr Hiruzen? You home?"