Evening sunlight stretched the shadow of the Konoha Police Force building long across the ground. Uchiha Fugaku finished his day's work, rubbing his temples as he headed home.
During the Chūnin Exam period, the Police Force's affairs were already burdensome. Plus yesterday's Orochimaru incident added to it. Even he felt several traces of fatigue.
However, this anticipated tranquility vanished completely upon approaching his home.
From a distance, he saw a group of people gathered at his front door, mostly clan women.
His wife, Uchiha Mikoto, stood surrounded at the center, wearing a gentle yet slightly uncomfortable smile as she handled a barrage of questions from all directions.
His second son Sasuke resembled an irritated kitten, puffing his cheeks, glaring indignantly at these usually kind aunts and grandmothers. He tried squeezing through the crowd to grasp his mother's hand and rescue her, but being small and weak, he simply could not shake the adults' encirclement.
Sasuke anxiously looked left and right. Just then, he spotted Uchiha Fugaku. His eyes immediately brightened as he called out, "Father..."
This shout made all gazes originally focused on Uchiha Mikoto turn uniformly toward Uchiha Fugaku.
The Uchiha clan leader, confident in possessing powerful ocular abilities and capable of calmly facing strong enemies, found a bead of cold sweat involuntarily forming at his temple when confronting these eyes filled with urgency, anticipation, and even traces of anxiety.
"Clan Leader! Is it true the village is opening shinobi academy positions to us?"
"Captain Fugaku, specifically what types of positions? Are there strict requirements regarding shinobi rank and qualifications?"
"I heard they're mainly clerical positions? What about compensation and benefits? How does it compare to the Police Force?"
"Roughly how many openings exist? Do we need advance assessment or preparation?"
"Are there special regulations regarding mission history? If years of experience prove insufficient..."
"..."
Questions came from all directions, instantly overwhelming Fugaku. This was the first time he discovered that besides demanding political uprising, clan members could actually prove so enthusiastic.
Taking advantage of all attention being drawn to her husband, Uchiha Mikoto quietly breathed a sigh of relief. She grabbed Sasuke's hand, lowering her voice. "Let us go home first, Sasuke."
"But Father, he..."
"It is fine. Dad will return home shortly. Mom will take you back to cook dinner first."
Uchiha Fugaku watched his wife lead their son away as though fleeing. He faced increasingly close faces belonging to clan members who ordinarily proved reserved, even somewhat distant.
He instinctively retreated half a step, only to discover his escape route seemed invisibly blocked.
Just several academy positions. Why would so many clan members show interest...
Previously when mentioning clan members entering ANBU, a department with more actual authority and power, clan members still expressed considerable reservations and resistance...
Uchiha Fugaku did not understand. The only thing he clearly knew was that he probably could not extricate himself for quite some time.
Outside Konoha Village, within a certain underground base.
The damp air permeated with faint musty odors and medicinal scents. A figure wearing Root uniform soundlessly appeared, kneeling on one knee before Orochimaru, who was fiddling with instruments.
"Orochimaru-sama."
"Oh? You are... Chi Kyū. You actually survived until now." Orochimaru did not stop his hand movements. "What is it? Does Danzo have instructions?"
The Root ninja named Chi Kyū reported gravely, "Danzo-sama and Root's main forces have currently been placed under soft house arrest within the village execution area by the Third under the pretext of executing urgent missions. Their movements are restricted."
Orochimaru's movements paused slightly. "Tsunade acted truly fast. It seems she was genuinely angered."
Confining Danzo probably was not a decision his teacher Sarutobi Hiruzen actively made. Not even the village's other two advisors.
After all, Danzo currently had not yet managed to do anything. As for possibly colluding with rogue ninja? Given Root's historically unsavory operational style, merely maintaining connections with some rogue ninja fundamentally could not count as any earth-shattering major incident, even if that rogue ninja was him, Orochimaru.
This could only result from Tsunade forcefully pushing based on her candidate Hokage status and determination.
She cared about the western suburbs old estate and that youth more than anticipated, to the extent of forcefully compelling the old man to take action.
"Danzo-sama commands me to convey," Chi Kyū recited orders, "he still possesses one elite squad not listed on this surveillance roster. They have now been mobilized to nearby areas and can follow your commands at any time."
"Danzo-sama's only requirement: swiftly and cleanly eliminate that Uchiha ANBU squad executing missions outside."
Orochimaru finally set down what he held, chuckling lightly. "Even at such times, still obsessing over such petty elimination operations, pinning hopes on this to cause Tsunade trouble."
"Precisely because of such narrow-minded temperament, Danzo can only hide underground, never able to occupy the Hokage's position."
"You!" Chi Kyū suddenly raised his head. Fury burst from his eyes behind the mask.
However, when his gaze touched those inhuman pupils, a chill instantly shot up his spine. All fury extinguished. He lowered his head, no longer daring any disrespectful displays.
"Heh..." Orochimaru slowly bent down, approaching Chi Kyū, tone languid. "Release useless wailing on behalf of your trapped master. This is where it ends."
"As for that squad..." He straightened, tone recovering usual indifference. "I will accept them for now. Tell Danzo to rest assured staying in his cage watching the show."
Eastern Land of Fire, regions near the coastline.
Shuji's figure shuttled through forest trees at high speed, so fast only faint afterimages remained in the air. After leaving Konoha, he rushed toward the predetermined location without pause.
Executing long-term missions monitoring Kirigakure's front comprised two squads total: one was Uchiha Shisui's own squad, one was the newly joined Uchiha ANBU squad.
Shuji had simply reviewed intelligence regarding this mission. Since this year, Kirigakure abnormally frequently dispatched reconnaissance squads and ANBU crossing the sea to shore, infiltrating Land of Fire territory for activities.
Though similar actions occurred last year, Konoha's internal situation proved more complex then. Now that Konoha's situation had initially stabilized, Kirigakure instead intensified such ambiguous, obviously provocative action intensity, truly making Konoha's upper echelon feel puzzled and vigilant.
Of course, mainly Konoha's upper echelon felt puzzled. Shuji inwardly held some vague speculation about this.
In the original plot, Fourth Mizukage Yagura was confirmed to have long been under Uchiha Obito's control. However, this control's specific timing never had a clear point.
Explanations existed of Uchiha Itachi entering the Akatsuki organization, then using Amaterasu to severely wound Yagura before Obito seized the opportunity for control. Also footage existed of Uchiha Obito bringing Konan and Tendō, finding Yagura.
Aside from Yagura's ultimate control being confirmed, the specific timeline remained consistently chaotic.
If saying Kirigakure's recent abnormal movements, besides being Yagura himself directing probing actions.
Another major possibility was: after last year's Hidden Cloud delegation incident, Uchiha Obito lurking in shadows might already have strengthened or advanced control over Yagura, beginning to continuously create trouble for Konoha.
Exactly which situation remained currently indeterminable. However, one thing could be confirmed: Kirigakure's action scale still seemed within controllable range.
Even next year, according to original plot timing, Uchiha Shisui should already have concluded this front's long-term mission, returning to the village for debriefing.
Therefore, rushing all the way here, Shuji maintained necessary vigilance while guarding against possible interception, almost advancing at full speed.
The situation seemed smoother than anticipated. Perhaps because he acted swiftly enough. Until reaching Wave Country's coastal region, Shuji never encountered any enemies.
According to coordinates marked on the scroll, Shuji located the concealed camp where that team was scheduled to rest.
However, currently the camp stood completely empty.
The central campfire had long completely extinguished, leaving only cold pale ashes and a charred piece of wood.
Around the camp's trees and ground surfaces, multiple blade scratches, kunai and shuriken impact points, plus subtle chakra fluctuations remaining after ninjutsu deployment remained. Clearly, combat had occurred here not long ago.
Shuji carefully examined the scene. He found no bodies, nor saw large amounts of sprayed or coagulated bloodstains.
No obvious traces of personnel dying on site or suffering heavy injuries... counted as good fortune amid misfortune.
Were they discovered by Kirigakure shinobi regarding the camp's location? To actually allow opponents to locate such a concealed rest point...
Shuji raised his vigilance, pursuing along subtle traces left by combat.
Author's recommendation: "I'm a Pure Trainer, What's With This Villain System?" A more daily Pokémon story. (He already bent over, I could only push)
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild