RADG: Chapter 93: Double Agent Itachi

Inside the ninja academy classroom.

The new students had been assigned to their classes and were now waiting for the teacher to arrive.

Karin, Hinata, and Ino naturally gathered together.

Although Hinata was shy, she had known Karin for a long time. Yami would often take Karin to visit the Hyūga household, so the two had become fairly close.

Ino was cheerful and outgoing. She had taken the initiative to approach them, hoping to learn more about Yami. The three girls got along well.

“Karin, are you Yami’s little sister?” Ino asked curiously.

Hearing the question, Naruto, who had been listening nearby, jumped in.

“No, I’m Yami-sama’s subordinate,” Karin replied.

“Huh? But aren’t we just kids in the academy?” Naruto tilted his head.

“So what? Even if I’m a kid, I can still help Yami-sama,” Karin said proudly. Though her current ninjutsu and abilities were still immature, she could be bitten!

As long as Yami needed her, it didn’t matter how many bites she had to take.

Ino didn’t understand what she meant, but she smiled and continued, “That’s really sweet. It’s so nice that Yami personally brought you to school.”

“That’s right. I’ve lived with Yami-sama for a long time. He treats me really well.”

Hinata, who had been quiet, gently raised her hand. “Lord Yami is a good person... and really strong.”

“Huh, even you know Yami, Hinata? Why do you also call him 'Lord'? You’re the Hyūga clan’s heiress.”

“Because Lord Yami has helped the Hyūga clan a lot,” Hinata explained softly. “My father said we should show respect.”

“Can you tell me more about that?”

The girls were chatting enthusiastically. Naruto, thinking of himself as a man, didn’t join in.

His attention shifted to a black-haired boy nearby. Seeing that many girls were sneaking glances at him made Naruto feel uncomfortable.

Uzumaki Naruto walked over and sat down beside the boy, despite receiving annoyed looks from several girls.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“Uchiha Sasuke,” Sasuke replied with a slight frown.

“I just saw Yami onee-chan talking to you. Is he your brother too?”

“No!” Sasuke raised his voice. “I only have one brother. When I grow up, I’ll defeat that guy and avenge my brother!”

“You?” Naruto burst out laughing, nearly falling backward. “Yami onee-chan is super strong. No way your brother can beat him. And you can’t either!”

“Only I, the future Hokage, can beat him!”

“Tch, such a bragger.”

Sasuke already didn’t like Naruto. Now, he disliked him even more.

“You’re the one bragging!”

“You’re the one bragging!”

The two boys bumped heads, glaring at each other. Several girls shouted at Naruto to get away from Sasuke.

At that moment, Iruka walked into the room carrying a folder.

Seeing the students busy with their own conversations, not paying him any attention, Iruka could only smile bitterly.

This was supposed to be a key class, but it didn’t seem like it would be easy to manage.

Elsewhere, deep in the forest housing the Third Anbu Division, a guest had arrived.

Uchiha Itachi walked calmly through the woods, presenting his introduction letter at the entrance.

He had already noticed the presence of hidden observers. Quite a few, in fact.

These were all members of the Third Division. They were still wary of him, a so-called genius with no actual battlefield record.

Especially given the Uchiha clan’s reputation, no one would respect him just for his last name.

Some even tried to test him.

Dozens of kunai and shuriken brushed past him, but Itachi’s expression didn’t change. He made no attempt to dodge.

This caused some of them to quietly reevaluate him.

Eventually, Uchiha Itachi entered the Third Unit’s headquarters, bringing with him the documents issued by the Hokage.

“I am Uchiha Itachi, the new Anbu joining today. Please take care of me.”

The Anbu members, busy with their own work, turned to glance at him, but no one responded.

Finally, Hatake Kakashi walked over.

“Oh, it’s you. The captain already informed us. Use the locker furthest inside. Your equipment’s in there.”

“Wait there for the captain after you’ve changed.”

“Yes.”

Uchiha Itachi bowed politely and headed into the locker room.

Ten minutes later, the masked Uchiha reemerged and stood silently. Kakashi went back to his work, ignoring him.

Creak—

The door reopened. Yami walked in, dragging a human-shaped object behind him. The previously indifferent Anbu members immediately perked up and gathered to greet him.

Though Yami had kept a low profile in the village over the past two and a half years, that didn’t mean he had stopped working.

Many of Anbu’s most difficult missions had been handled by him personally. His reputation was solid.

Among Anbu from other villages, the moment they heard the name "Konoha Shinigami" or saw the unique Flying Thunder God kunai, they either fled on sight or never left again.

So the Anbu held deep respect for Yami.

“Captain.”

“Captain Yami.”

“Captain, did you help Kabuto improve again?” one of the team members asked with a smirk, looking at the figure Yami dragged in with sympathy.

The humanoid object was Yamato, Konoha’s only known wielder of Wood Release.

But within the Third Unit, everyone called him Kabuto. Even Yamato himself had resigned to the name.

“Ibiki, take him for treatment.”

Yami casually tossed Yamato to a man with a scarred face. Morino Ibiki caught him wordlessly and took him to the medics.

Kakashi sighed quietly.

Scenes like this had happened many times. Under the pretense of helping teammates improve, Yami had sparred with everyone in the unit. Only Yamato always ended up in this miserable state.

Aside from not dying, everything else about his condition was worse than death.

Still, Yami meant well, so there was nothing to argue. Seeing that Yamato wasn’t critically injured, Kakashi chose to ignore it.

“Uchiha Itachi. As expected, we meet again so soon.”

Yami looked at the masked Uchiha and smiled. “Old Man Hiruzen really looks out for me, sending me such a capable helper.”

“Captain Yami flatters me,” Uchiha Itachi replied calmly and respectfully.

He understood how to act according to hierarchy.

“Come with me.”

Yami brought him to the basement and unlocked a room with a key.

“This is…”

The moment they stepped inside, Itachi’s pupils shrank.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

The room was massive—hundreds of square meters.

One entire wall was filled with screens, each showing a different angle or location.

And all of them were familiar to Itachi.

The gate of the Uchiha compound. The weapons store on the commercial street. All directions around the police headquarters.

He had known the Uchiha were being watched. But he had never imagined the surveillance was this thorough.

With these cameras, it was possible to monitor 80% of the Uchiha’s movements.

Yami suddenly asked, “Uchiha Itachi, what is the mission of the Third Division? Can you repeat it for me?”

Snapping out of it, Itachi replied quietly, “To ensure the safety of the village and prevent infiltration by spies.”

“Very accurate.”

Yami nodded. “Looks like you’ve done your homework.”

“Then tell me—why do you think there are so many surveillance points around the Uchiha?”

After a two-second pause, Itachi spoke his honest thoughts. “Because... the Uchiha are considered an unstable factor, potentially threatening the village.”

“You’re quite self-aware. If all Uchiha were like you and Shisui, things would be a lot easier.”

Yami sighed. His loyalty touched Itachi.

There had always been friction between them, but it was always for the good of the village.

Yami was right. If only more Uchiha were this reasonable, he and Shisui wouldn’t have to shoulder so much alone.

“Captain Yami, what is my mission?”

Itachi had already prepared himself mentally. Still, he wanted to hear it from Yami directly.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Yami pointed at the screens.

“There’s only so much machines can do. Anbu can’t just march into the Uchiha compound. But your presence changes that.”

“I, no... the Third Hokage and the elders need you to monitor the Uchiha clan at all times and report regularly.”

Itachi’s heart sank.

The worst-case scenario had come true.

Before joining Anbu, his father, Uchiha Fugaku, had instructed him to act as a spy for the clan—gathering intel on Anbu and the village leadership.

Now, by accepting Yami’s assignment, he had officially become a double agent.

But he had no choice, no way to refuse.

“I understand,” Itachi said, lowering his head. “I’ll report regularly. But please assign me regular missions, or my father will become suspicious.”

“Very good. The Hokage didn’t misjudge you. I, Shimura Yami, see the Will of Fire in you.”

Yami patted him on the shoulder like a senior. “And as for those regular missions, they’ve already been arranged.”

Opening the door, he led Itachi out of the surveillance room.

“You’ll be assigned to Kakashi’s team. One of his members is currently out of commission and can’t go on missions, so you’ll fill in.”

Thinking of the humanoid that had been dragged out earlier, Itachi silently nodded.

He probably did need time to recover.

“All right, go report to Kakashi. And tell him to come see me in my office before he leaves.”

Yami returned to the captain’s office after giving instructions.

Inside, Kurenai was sorting through the paperwork that should have been his responsibility. She had been handling clerical work for years and had grown increasingly composed and capable.

She already had the air of a future queen.

If she changed into office attire, it wouldn’t feel out of place at all.

“Don’t bother with that. Get off early today and go home to celebrate Karin’s first day. Aunt Misa’s made a big meal, and Yugao is helping too.”

At Yami’s words, Kurenai finally put down her pen and stretched, showing off her graceful figure.

“What about all this paperwork?”

“Obviously, I’ll leave it to you tomorrow,” Yami said confidently.

Kurenai gave him a playful glare.

“You’re such a slacker.” Still, she didn’t press the issue. She packed up the documents and got ready to leave.

Seeing Yami still seated and drinking milk, she raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you leaving?”

“You go ahead. I still need to assign Kakashi a mission.”

Kurenai didn’t question it and left Anbu.

Not long after, Kakashi arrived.

“Hatake Kakashi.”

“Yes!”

Whenever Yami called his full name, Kakashi knew it was serious and immediately focused.

“This mission must be kept secret. Complete it tonight and report back tomorrow.”

Yami handed him a scroll solemnly.

Then he vanished with a Flying Thunder God.

Kakashi furrowed his brow.

It had to be something major. Otherwise, Yami wouldn’t be so serious.

He slowly opened the scroll. Upon reading it, his single eye widened slightly.

“…Go to the bookstore to buy a book?”

Half an hour later, Kakashi dragged his dead-fish eyes to Konoha’s Bookstore.

“Boss, one copy of Icha Icha Paradise.”

The bookstore owner gave him a knowing look. “Good taste, Kakashi. This one’s been selling like hotcakes lately.”

As a regular customer, Kakashi was well-known here. The boss spoke to him casually.

Kakashi’s eyes were filled with despair.

Icha Icha Paradise... Just hearing the name, he knew it couldn’t be anything good.

Weren’t Jiraiya-sama’s previous books all pretty serious? Why the sudden shift in genre?

At the same time, he was mentally cursing Yami.

All that suspense and secrecy... and it was just to buy an adult book. He’d been so tense earlier for nothing.

After paying, he returned home with the book, planning to give it to Yami the next day and be done with it.

After a simple dinner, Kakashi lay in bed, bored.

His eyes landed on the Icha Icha Paradise sitting on his desk.

“…Well, I’ve got nothing better to do. I might as well... skim it.”

“Maybe I misunderstood?”

After hesitating and struggling for a while, Kakashi finally reached for the book.

(To be continued.)