— Itachi's POV —
The library of the Hokage tower smelled faintly of ink and dust. Moonlight painted the floorboards silver as Itachi folded a map of the multiversal trade routes across his desk. The system had already transferred resources earmarked for the mission—equipment, sealing tags, translated data caches—and the numbers were comforting. Konoha would not be exposed by lack of logistics.
He did not need a dozen generals. He needed one mind who could handle battlefield chaos, diplomacy, encryption, medical science, and surprise. One who had learned his craft in the shadows and stayed sane when the world bent toward madness.
He thought of Kabuto.
In this altered reality, Kabuto's trajectory had never spiraled into the abyss. Because Orochimaru had never left the village—because of choices Itachi had made earlier—the young medical-nin had remained, guided and tempered under Konoha's watch. The result was a man whose intelligence had ripened into a weapon rather than a sickness. He had become a brilliant physician, a master of information, and a spy who could wear a hundred faces.
Itachi summoned him.
Kabuto arrived with that habitual calm, hair slightly flatter than the old memories told, eyes glittering with a scientist's hunger. He bowed, then allowed himself to meet Itachi's gaze.
"You wanted me, Hokage-sama?" he asked.
Itachi's expression was unreadable. "You are to assume command of our operations in the Marvel world. You will be General of the expeditionary forces—coordinate with Kakashi, integrate with S.H.I.E.L.D., and establish a secure, scalable foothold. Your mandate is intelligence and resource acquisition. You are authorized to requisition system-purchased equipment and request personnel as necessary."
Kabuto's pupils narrowed with interest. "A theater outside of Konoha… a new ecology of power. Fascinating. What are my priorities?"
Itachi listed them simply, each word carved of strategy and restraint:
"1. Reinforce Kakashi's base in New York.2. Build a medical-research cell to analyze alien energy signatures and technology.3. Create trade protocols with S.H.I.E.L.D. to funnel resources to Konoha without destabilizing local structures.4. Avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Use precise force only when required.5. Report directly and continuously to me."
Kabuto's mouth twitched—the ghost of a smile. "Efficient. I will prepare a liaison team immediately. Who will accompany me?"
Itachi thought through the roster like a chess player arranging pieces.
"Yamato," he said. "Field control and biological containment. His wood release will help stabilize any alien ecosystems and anchor our barriers.""Sakura," he continued. "Head of the research cell—medical analysis and field surgery. She will work with you to reverse-engineer medical tech and integrate it into our systems.""Sai," he added. "Infiltration, nonverbal intel gathering, and liaison with Coulson's field operatives. His art will be useful for covert documentation.""And an ANBU reinforcement squad—two teams—under Kakashi's direct command. Keep Shisui in reserve; the village requires his presence."
Kabuto absorbed the list with the appetite of a scientist handed a new experiment. He inclined his head. "Perfect. With Yamato's suppression, Sakura's research, and Sai's infiltration, we'll be able to establish both a defensible base and a research pipeline. I will also prepare encrypted conduits for any data we trade to ensure Konoha's advantage."
Itachi's hand brushed the system window, summoning the portal coordinates and the shipment manifests. He authorized a cache of equipment to be sent: chakra dampers adjusted for their tech environment, modified sealing scrolls adaptable to non-chakra energies, translated databanks on Marvel metallurgy, and a small portable lab for Sakura.
"You will have access to the system's purchased resources for two months' operational needs," Itachi said. "After that, we review performance and resource flow. If S.H.I.E.L.D. proves trustworthy and Kakashi's progress is steady, we will scale up."
Kabuto's eyes shone, not with madness but with purpose. "I will not fail you. I will build the command structure and ensure the operation yields both data and security."
Itachi nodded once. "Discretion is paramount. Ours is not conquest—yet. It is preparation. Remember why you fight: for Konoha."
Kabuto bowed, then straightened. "Understood."
Within the hour, the small deployment was assembled beneath the crimson shadow of the Hokage monument. Yamato moved like a tree in winter—quiet, rooted, and ready to spring. Sakura checked medical kits with clinical precision. Sai stood by with a blank expression that never quite concealed his curiosity. Two ANBU squads readied themselves, armor humming with chakra-suppression seals.
As the portal spiral opened, electric and clean, Itachi stepped forward for a moment and fixed each of them with a final look that contained both command and a rare, private benediction.
"Bring us knowledge," he said. "Bring us safety. Return alive."
Kabuto's voice was steady. "We will bring all three."
They stepped through the portal together—an organized, quiet tide of Konoha's best.
As the gate sealed and the office fell silent, Itachi watched the place where they'd vanished. The map of worlds glowed at his fingertips. The clock of impending Ōtsutsuki arrival ticked in the far reaches of his mind.
For now, reinforcements were on their way. The Marvel world would be probed deeper, and Konoha's coffers would begin to fill with technologies and knowledge. The chessboard widened. Moves had been made.
And Itachi sat, patient as always, already thinking five turns ahead.