Leaving the Village and Root's Assassination

Although she grumbled inwardly.

In front of Uchiha Hikari, however, Uzuki Yugao did not dare argue. "If it's a civilian, the restrictions aren't that strict, but it still needs to be registered... I'll let the captain know. But have you decided where you're going?"

Silence.

More than ten seconds later, Uzuki Yugao once again chose to follow her heart. "All right, as long as you're happy."

Uzuki Yugao waited a while longer. Seeing that Uchiha Hikari had no intention of revealing any further information, she got up and took her leave.

After she left, Uchiha Hikari shut the doors and windows, urged Naruto to go to bed, then washed up herself and prepared to rest up for tomorrow's journey.

Late at night.

Outside Konoha, at the Root Base.

The lights flickered in the dim room.

A bandage-wrapped man sat at a desk, listening to his subordinate's report.

"...You're saying that female Uchiha purchased a large batch of ninja tools and may be leaving Konoha soon?"

"Judging from the current situation, that is highly likely."

The Root ninja in a gray-white mask answered truthfully. "An hour and a half ago, Uzuki Yugao left the Jinchuriki's home and went to see Sarutobi Shinnosuke. She was most likely reporting that the female Uchiha intended to leave the village. It will probably happen within the next day or two."

"Mm..."

Danzo nodded. After looking through the investigation materials on the desk once more, he closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before speaking in a low voice. "Kinoe, execute Plan B."

"Add another three or four people to the originally assigned personnel. You will choose them. The target is that female Uchiha's eyes. As for the woman herself... engage with full force, dead or alive! No matter what happens, ensure that the plan is carried out successfully!"

"Yes."

The gray-white-masked ninja immediately nodded in acknowledgment, then rose and left.

Inside the room.

Danzo sat at his desk, staring at a candle before him. The faint flame flickered, stretching his shadow long.

"The old monkey has gone senile. He can't even think through such a simple matter. Since that is the case... I can only make the decision for you. A pair of Mangekyō Sharingan like those must never be controlled by the Uchiha."

"Everything I do is for Konoha!"

Early the next morning.

Just after six thirty, Uchiha Hikari climbed out of bed, brushed her teeth and washed up, tied back her long hair, and changed into traveling clothes.

As she made her final check of her backpack, rustling sounds came from Naruto's side. Then she saw the little blondie standing in the bedroom doorway, clutching the frame with both hands and gazing at her eagerly.

"You're awake?"

Uchiha Hikari glanced at him. "I told you most of what you need to watch out for yesterday. Meat and seafood are on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. I bought enough for a week. Chaozu and noodles are in the middle, while vegetables and fruit are on the top shelf. They spoil easily, so eat those as soon as possible..."

"There's loose change on the table. I hid the bankbook inside the cabinet. You probably won't need it, but don't lose it. That's everything your father owned."

"While I'm gone, if anything happens in the village, write it down first. When I come back, I'll settle the score with them."

Uchiha Hikari roughly finished giving her instructions, then waved. "I'm off."

Under Naruto's somewhat reluctant gaze, Uchiha Hikari left the house.

At this hour, there were not many people on the streets, and only a few shops had opened. However, Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki, the eternal background duo, were already standing guard at Konoha's gates. They appeared to have received notice already. When they saw Uchiha Hikari approaching, they let her pass without a word.

After leaving the village, Uchiha Hikari glanced behind her from the corner of her eye.

Just as expected, someone was following her.

The presence felt like Uzuki Yugao's.

From Konoha's perspective, her sudden departure from the village was indeed rather abrupt. It was only natural that Sarutobi Hiruzen would be curious about her destination. Uchiha Hikari had prepared for this long ago. After strolling forward for a while, she gathered Chakra beneath her feet and darted into the forest beside the road.

It was not easy to shake pursuers on a flat, open road.

But things were different in the dim, deep forest.

Following the plan she had worked out beforehand, Uchiha Hikari first widened the distance between them, created several false trails along the way, and traveled deep into the woods for quite some time before stopping beside a stream and splashing a handful of water onto her face.

Judging by the thick layer of fallen leaves around her, this should have been a place rarely visited by people.

But...

"Hah..."

Uchiha Hikari slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she abruptly turned around and looked into the depths of the forest behind her.

The Sharingan activated!

Her crimson eyes reflected two figures crouched on tree trunks. If not for the Sharingan's exceptional visual ability, Uchiha Hikari might not have noticed them at all and would have mistaken them for part of the trees.

"Like chewing gum... Don't you people have any sense of tact? Do you really have to cling on so stubbornly?"

The next moment.

Uchiha Hikari suddenly sprang up. Her figure flickered from where she stood and vanished into the nearby bushes.

"?"

A hundred meters away.

The two masked watchers froze for a moment, breaking free of their camouflage. Their eyes widened as they nervously scanned their surroundings. Suddenly, one of them raised his head and gave a low warning. "Above us!!"

The wind howled!

The black-haired girl's figure swept through the canopy like a nimble cat. Concealed by the dense crowns of the trees, she dropped down from above the two ninja.

The instant their eyes met, one of the watchers swung his kunai. Uchiha Hikari kicked off the nearby tree trunk, launching herself like a cannonball. She first sent one man flying with a sharp roundhouse kick, then swiftly caught the wrist of the other ninja as he thrust his weapon at her and, using the momentum of her dive, drove an elbow into his stomach.

Bang!

The masked ninja staggered back two steps, stepped into empty air, and fell downward.

Uchiha Hikari leaped after him, delivering a palm strike in midair that put the ninja into an infant-like sleep before he reached the ground.

Thud!

After landing lightly, Uchiha Hikari straightened up again, narrowed her eyes, and looked toward the other side of the forest.

"You've been hiding for so long. Aren't you coming out yet?"

"..."

Her clear voice echoed through the woods.

Soon after.

A series of rustling sounds rang out through the forest.

More than a dozen figures emerged around Uchiha Hikari from several directions—front, back, left, and right—springing up like bamboo shoots after the rain. Every one of them wore a mask, standing atop nearby trees, boulders, and clearings in the woods, their emotionless gazes fixed directly on her.