Uchiha Block the Way

In the brightly lit room, Li Yao had just passed out when an Anbu ninja suddenly appeared. It was Baku, the captain of an Anbu squad.

He stepped behind Li Yao, swiftly formed several hand seals, then reached out and tapped the exposed back of Li Yao's neck.

"Four Symbols Sealing."

Black Sealing Technique markings spread from the spot Baku had touched on the back of Li Yao's neck like spiderwebs and creeping vines, rapidly crawling over his entire body.

Once the sealing was complete, Baku raised his hand. The black sealing markings seeped into Li Yao's body like ink and vanished.

At that moment, Mushi walked in as well.

"Captain." Mushi looked at Baku.

"Mm." Baku nodded.

Mushi immediately took out a Sealing Scroll and opened it with hand seals. Amid a puff of white smoke, a rope and a burlap sack appeared.

Sealing Scrolls were useful things. They could seal almost anything inside, practically the storage bags of the Naruto world and essential equipment for murder and arson.

Anbu ninjas generally carried four or five Sealing Scrolls each, all filled with equipment for murder and arson.

Mushi skillfully tied Li Yao up with the rope like a twisted bundle, slipped the sack over him, secured it, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and left with Baku.

Outside, the Third Hokage and his Anbu guard squad were concealed nearby. He stood alone atop the building across from them.

Baku used the Body Flicker Jutsu to arrive before the Third Hokage and respectfully reported, "Lord Hokage, the target has been sealed and captured."

"You've worked hard." The Third Hokage nodded with a gentle smile, then turned toward Kari, who was approaching from nearby. "How was it? Did you detect any Chakra fluctuations?"

Kari shook his head. "No."

To prevent the target from escaping through the Spirit Transformation Technique, the Third Hokage had ordered the guards to set up a defensive barrier capable of sensing Chakra around the house as soon as he arrived at Li Yao's location.

There had been no disturbance in the Sensory Barrier.

That meant the target's soul was still inside Kimura Yao's body and had not left.

This matched the Third Hokage's understanding that once Soul Possession had been performed, the Spirit Transformation Technique could not be used again during the adjustment period.

"Very good."

The Third Hokage nodded in satisfaction, his smile growing warmer. He turned and said, "Take the target to Interrogation Room 3. I'll follow behind you in secret."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Baku turned and left, signaling Mushi to carry the target and follow him.

The other two squad members spread out on either side, remaining vigilant. The group raced across the rooftops toward the Anbu headquarters.

The Third Hokage and his guard squad followed behind them.

At this hour, darkness shrouded Konoha, with only scattered lights remaining.

Konoha had no nighttime curfew.

Still, few people wandered the streets at night.

Only some ordinary middle-aged men heading to izakayas for drinks remained out and about.

Those people could not sense the Anbu passing over the rooftops.

But some special people could sense the Anbu's presence.

"Stop."

A cold, low voice suddenly rang out from all around them.

Baku stopped at the sound. His left hand swiftly reached into the Ninja Tools pouch at his waist for a Kunai, while his right hand gripped the hilt of the blade on his back in a reverse hold. He lowered his body slightly.

His eyes fixed on the two pairs of crimson eyes that had suddenly appeared on the rooftop ahead, gleaming in the darkness.

In that instant, Baku's body was fully prepared for battle.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

At the same time, the squad members stationed on either side appeared behind Baku in an instant, protecting Mushi, who carried the target, between them.

Like their captain, each held the hilt of a blade behind his back with one hand while reaching into his Ninja Tools pouch for a Kunai with the other, ready to fight at any moment.

But they were only preparing for battle. No one drew a ninja blade or Kunai.

Because the Uchiha Clan ninjas blocking their path were not enemies.

Of course, the Uchiha Clan were no saints either. Proper vigilance was still necessary.

Baku stared calmly at the two Uchiha Clan Military Police Force ninjas blocking the way and said in a low voice, "Anbu are carrying out a mission. Uninvolved personnel, move aside."

Heh!

The two Uchiha Clan men opposite him, dressed in Konoha jonin vests, gave Baku's words disdainful sneers.

Uchiha Luffy, whose hair stood high and who wore a long braid reaching his lower back, stood on the rooftop with his arms folded and his eyes lowered. With a meaningful smile, he said, "You say you're Anbu ninjas, so you're Anbu ninjas? What proof do you have?"

Uchiha Ace chimed in, "That's right. What evidence do you have that you're Anbu ninjas and not enemy—"

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Uchiha Luffy suddenly coughed several times, cutting off his cousin Uchiha Ace. He then gave his cousin a somewhat speechless look.

They both knew perfectly well whether the four people opposite them were Anbu ninjas.

A few sarcastic remarks were one thing, but actually bringing up enemy-country ninjas would mean accusing the Uchiha Clan's Military Police Force of being useless—unable to notice even enemy ninjas entering Konoha. What right would they have to guard and monitor Konoha then?

Some things could not be said carelessly. Words carried responsibility.

Uchiha Ace clearly realized that he had nearly talked himself into a corner, but rather than blame himself, he glared at Baku and the others in embarrassed irritation.

Then the sack Mushi carried caught Uchiha Ace's eye. His eyes lit up, and he immediately judged that there was a person inside—a child, at that.

Uchiha Ace immediately asked, "Who's in the bag?"

Baku frowned and replied in a low voice, "No comment."

Uchiha Ace chuckled, paying no heed whatsoever to the Anbu ninjas directly under the Hokage's command. He said coldly, "Refusing inspection means you're suspicious individuals harboring intentions harmful to Konoha."

Hearing such unreasonable nonsense, how could Baku possibly accept an inspection? This was a mission the Hokage had specifically emphasized.

Besides, in Konoha... no, in the entire Shinobi World, only the Hokage had the authority to inspect the Anbu.

No one else could. They did not have that right.

Still, Baku suppressed his anger and stressed once more, "I said, Anbu are carrying out a mission. Uninvolved personnel... stand down."

The final words, "stand down," were an ultimatum.

Baku and his three companions released resolute killing intent together. If they refused to move aside, they would be obstructing an Anbu mission, and the squad had the right to kill without mercy.

It was authority granted to them by the Hokage!

Heh heh!

Another cold laugh rang out. Clearly, someone had no fear of the Anbu's authority.

Facing the Anbu squad's surge of pressure, Uchiha Luffy remained completely unfazed. His arms were still folded as he looked down at them.

Uchiha Luffy sneered. "Monitoring Konoha, defending Konoha, acting first and reporting later, and eliminating all enemies harmful to Konoha—those are the rights granted to our Uchiha Clan Military Police Force by Second Hokage Tobirama."

"Suspicious Anbu are likewise within the Uchiha Clan Military Police Force's jurisdiction."

"If you refuse inspection, then even if you are Anbu, even if it is the Hokage himself, it will not do."

With that, Uchiha Luffy finally lowered his arms, preparing to have some fun with the Anbu squad before him.

Shing! Shing! Shing!

When words failed, Baku and the other two simultaneously drew their ninja blades, ready to strike.

Then a calm voice descended like a mountain slowly pressing down upon them.

"Is that so?"

"Not even me?"

No one could tell when the Third Hokage had appeared. By the time his voice fell, he had already landed slowly in front of Baku and the others, his calm yet powerful gaze settling on Uchiha Luffy and Uchiha Ace.

In an instant!

The two brothers felt as if the surrounding air had solidified into steel, crushing them tightly within it. They could neither move nor breathe.

Cold sweat instantly covered their faces and backs, dripping down in beads.