Naruto: Aizen's Shadow in Konoha

"As long as I can get my hands on the core secrets of Cloud Shinobi Village, I can finally rid myself of the exclusion I face in Konoha! Once I complete this mission, my reputation will be untouchable, even Hiruzen won't be able to do anything against me!" Zashi thought, his mind racing with excitement.

Just as Zashi was indulging in his thoughts, a voice suddenly interrupted him.

"Captain!"

A dark-skinned, thin, middle-aged man dressed in Cloud Shinobi attire appeared before Zashi, his face familiar yet changed by the passage of time.

"Wood Worm!" Zashi exclaimed with excitement, stepping forward to embrace the man.

"It's been so many years! Until now, we only communicated through coded messages. This is the first time we've spoken face-to-face since I sent you to Cloud Shinobi Village all those years ago," Zashi said, a trace of sentiment in his voice.

"Indeed. I've only seen you through the intelligence photos all this time," Wood Worm responded, his voice carrying the weight of two decades spent undercover.

After exchanging pleasantries, they quickly moved on to the heart of the matter.

"Tell me, now that you're a top executive in Cloud Shinobi Village, what are the most confidential secrets you have access to?" Zashi asked, his tone serious.

"I've just entered the upper echelons, so my knowledge of the secrets is still limited." Wood Worm said, his expression slightly strained.

Zashi frowned, but before he could speak, Wood Worm continued, "But I do know where the most vital secrets are kept!"

"Oh? Where is that?" Zashi's eyes lit up with anticipation.

"There's a hidden vault on a cliff to the west of Cloud Shinobi Village. The exact location is..." Wood Worm explained in detail, noting the exact position.

"In this vault, there is a scroll that is of utmost importance. It not only contains the secret techniques of Cloud Shinobi Village but also holds detailed information on almost all of their Jōnin, including their strengths and weaknesses. This scroll is Cloud Shinobi's greatest secret."

Zashi's eyes burned with greed as he listened. If he could get his hands on that scroll, Konoha would have every strategic advantage over Cloud Shinobi, and his contribution would make him a legend within the village.

"Are you certain we can steal this information?" Zashi asked, his voice thick with urgency.

Wood Worm hesitated for a moment, then answered, "Not completely. Only the Third Raikage has the authority to access the room where the scroll is kept. Even the highest-ranking officials in Cloud Shinobi are subject to immediate alarms if they attempt to enter without clearance."

Zashi wasn't surprised. Such crucial information wouldn't be so easily accessible. 

"It seems our only option is to infiltrate and take it by force," Mitarashi Zashi murmured to himself. He knew stealth wasn't enough; force would be necessary.

"Go back and maintain your position for now. When the time is right, I'll call for you. We'll execute the plan together," Zashi said with a smile.

Wood Worm nodded before vanishing into the night.

Watching his subordinate disappear, Zashi pondered for a while before making a firm decision.

Returning to the Anbu outpost, Zashi ordered his trusted subordinate, Tanaka, "Tell Sakumo to create a bit of chaos. We need Cloud Shinobi's attention elsewhere. In ten days, prepare to meet me for the operation!"

Ten days later, deep in the night at Konoha...

"Hm? Anbu surveillance seems unusually light today. Could it be that Mitarashi Zashi is up to something big?" Hiruzen paused from his paperwork, his brow furrowed in thought.

Meanwhile, near the Konoha Medical Department...

"It's so boring, Minato. This village patrol is the dullest thing ever!" Akimichi Chōza, disguised as an Anbu ninja, complained to Minato from atop a tree.

"There's no other choice. For the village's safety, someone has to do the hard work. Don't worry, I'll treat you to some barbecue when we're done," Minato replied with a warm smile, trying to comfort him.

"What's that?" 

Suddenly, Aburame Shibi, who was nearby, let out a small sound of surprise.

"What's wrong, Shibi?" Minato asked curiously.

"Look!" Aburame Shibi said, pointing with a slightly extended finger.

They all turned to see Aizen, holding a stack of documents, walking slowly down a corridor outside one of the Medical Department buildings, appearing to have a lot of work ahead of him.

"It's so late, Captain Aizen is really diligent," Akimichi Chōza commented with admiration.

"Well, considering that Aizen practically runs the entire Medical Department, it makes sense he'd have to work harder," Minato, who knew more about the inner workings, explained.

However...

Watching Aizen, Minato couldn't shake a vague feeling of unease. Something about Aizen didn't sit right with him, though he couldn't quite place why.

Meanwhile, near Cloud Shinobi Village, thousands of miles away...

"Captain Zashi, our Konoha contacts have sent word. No one in the Hokage faction is acting suspiciously. Hiruzen and Aizen, in particular, are still hard at work in the Hokage Office and Medical Department respectively. Everything seems normal!"

An intelligence ninja, wearing a peculiar metal device on his head, reported the news to Zashi.

Zashi nodded in acknowledgment.

Since leaving the village, Anbu ninjas stationed in Konoha had been reporting updates on the Hokage faction's movements to him. However, given the vast distance, they could only communicate across thousands of miles using special equipment.

There were few in the entire ninja world as talented and resourceful as Aizen, after all.

After a while, the figure of Hatake Sakumo appeared in the tent.

"Zashi, what's the current situation?" Hatake Sakumo asked.

"Everything is proceeding smoothly. The key to our success in the upcoming mission will depend on you, Sakumo!" Zashi said confidently, offering a slight grin as he jested with Sakumo.

"Don't worry. I won't fail."

Hatake Sakumo's voice was calm and steady, yet it conveyed an overwhelming sense of reassurance. It was as if, with this man present, no obstacle could stand in their way.

Just as Zashi was about to say more to Sakumo, the intelligence ninja quickly stepped forward.

"Captain Zashi, we've received news from Wood Worm. Several Cloud Shinobi elites, including the Third Raikage, have been successfully drawn away by the commotion caused by Sakumo-sama before!"

The intelligence officer reported this with barely-contained excitement.