Root Headquarters.
A ninja wearing a Cat Mask knelt on one knee. "Greetings, Lord Danzo."
Shimura Danzō sat in his seat, looking down at the ninja below him as he said coldly,
"Aburame Ryosuke, your assessment mission is to bring Uchiha Tunan back.
"If necessary, you may kill him and dig out his Sharingan.
"But that will lower your assessment rating.
"Only by passing the assessment can you officially become a member of Root.
"But if you fail, you know the consequences."
"Yes, Lord Danzo." Aburame Ryosuke answered before turning and walking out.
After Aburame Ryosuke left, Shimura Danzō tapped his fingers against the armrest.
Another Root ninja emerged from the shadows and knelt on one knee before Shimura Danzō.
"Shihei, watch from afar. If the Anbu or the Uchiha Clan are alerted, immediately activate the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
"If word of this gets out, it will be troublesome."
"Yes."
The moon before winter was clear and cold, pouring icy silver light over Konoha.
Uchiha Tunan was already fast asleep.
Outside the silent Uchiha Clan Compound, groups of two or three patrolmen wandered about, chatting idly as they kept watch.
The war had only just ended, and the ninjas throughout Konoha inevitably had a trace of slackness in them.
"Have you heard about Uchiha Tunan?"
"Which matter are you talking about?"
"Of course, the matter of him passing the graduation exam early.
"I remember he's only six, right? He won't even be seven for another few months.
"And now he's about to become a Genin. He's really impressive."
"Hmph, his talent was bestowed upon him by the Uchiha Clan.
"Yet he keeps his distance from his clansmen and cozies up to Konoha's higher-ups."
"Actually, I don't think we can blame him entirely. After all, no one could bear the things that happened to him."
"Those matters had nothing to do with the Uchiha Clan."
"You don't know this, but my information is top secret. The two of you absolutely cannot spread it around."
"I heard that because Yanbu and Nanako lacked strength themselves, they were extremely harsh on Tunan from childhood.
"This caused Tunan to never receive a father's or mother's love.
"Later, Tunan finally grew close to Tianxiong, only for Tianxiong to be killed by Zhewu of their own clan.
"Naturally, he would develop resentment toward the Uchiha Clan."
"That's not right. When Yanbu and Nanako were buried, I saw that kid looking quite heartbroken. It nearly made me cry too."
"No matter what, they were still his biological parents. Being a little strict would only make him seek concern elsewhere; it doesn't mean he would hate his parents."
"When you put it that way, it does seem to make sense."
"By the way, where did you hear this top-secret information?"
"The day before yesterday at noon, my mother mentioned it while we were eating. She said it was inside information she got from a friend among Konoha's higher-ups."
"The day before yesterday... wasn't your mother buying vegetables with my mother that morning?"
"Smack."
"What was that?"
"Nothing. A bug just flew past."
Above the three of them, an Insect Swarm slipped into the Uchiha Clan Compound beneath the cover of night.
The Uchiha Clan Compound was divided into inner and outer districts.
The inner district resembled a small town, with convenient commerce and expensive housing.
The outer district was more like the countryside, with vast fields and narrow roads.
Small courtyards were scattered throughout it, and most of the Uchiha Clan's civilians and lower- to mid-ranking ninjas lived there.
Uchiha Tunan's courtyard was also there, near the edge of the compound.
It was not that Tunan's parents could not afford a house in the center of the clan compound.
It was simply that Yanbu was rather proud. If he bought a house, he wanted the best location.
But he had never saved enough money, which was why it had been delayed.
A large black Insect Swarm used the dense trees lining the road as cover and stealthily made its way near Uchiha Tunan's home.
Finally, atop a lush, leafy tree, the Insect Swarm gathered together.
Aburame Ryosuke, wearing a Cat Mask, crouched slightly and surveyed his surroundings.
According to the intelligence, that brat's home should be over there.
At last, Aburame Ryosuke shifted his gaze to a small courtyard near the edge of the clan compound.
The next instant, Aburame Ryosuke used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished without a trace.
The moment Aburame Ryosuke appeared, the sleeping Uchiha Tunan suddenly woke up, the Three Tomoe in his eyes spinning rapidly.
Was that Anbu or Root?
If it was Anbu, that was fine. Hiruzen Sarutobi probably had something he wanted from me.
But if it was Root...
Uchiha Tunan recalled the Sharingan soaking in test tubes.
At this hour of the night, the visitor was most likely hostile.
The next moment, pigeons hidden throughout Konoha opened their Sharingan at the same time.
With the aid of the Byakugan, they swept across several key locations like searchlights.
No one was in the Hokage Building!
It was not Hiruzen Sarutobi looking for him.
There was no time to think further.
Because Aburame Ryosuke had already appeared at Uchiha Tunan's door.
Aburame Ryosuke reached out and slowly pushed the door open.
Suddenly, a black shadow struck. A fierce gust of wind lashed Aburame Ryosuke's face, bringing a tearing pain.
"Clang!"
At the critical moment, Aburame Ryosuke raised his kunai with a backhanded motion and blocked the other party's kunai.
Just as Aburame Ryosuke was about to release Kikaichū to subdue Uchiha Tunan,
Uchiha Tunan's expression froze. He took several steps back, placed both hands on his knees, and said apologetically,
"Sorry, Anbu-sama. I thought you were a spy from an enemy village."
He mistook me for Anbu? It seems this brat has dealt with Anbu often in the past.
That works too. It saves me some trouble.
Aburame Ryosuke's thoughts raced as he said in a deep voice,
"Uchiha Tunan, Lord Hokage wishes to see you."
"Then sorry for the trouble, Anbu-sama." Uchiha Tunan put away his kunai and let his hands hang naturally at his sides, seemingly completely unguarded.
Aburame Ryosuke approached cautiously and placed a hand on Uchiha Tunan.
On the surface, he was preparing to use the Body Flicker Technique to take Uchiha Tunan away, but secretly, he was directing Kikaichū to infiltrate Uchiha Tunan's body.
This mission was going far too smoothly.
However, the Kikaichū within Aburame Ryosuke suddenly emitted an unusual Chakra fluctuation, warning him.
Something's wrong!
This is genjutsu!
The experienced Aburame Ryosuke realized it in an instant and broke free from the genjutsu in the very next moment.
He was still standing at the doorway, while Uchiha Tunan's hand was less than an inch away from touching his body.
"Got you." Uchiha Tunan's eyes were cold. The moment his palm touched Aburame Ryosuke, he unleashed a ninjutsu.
Lightning Release, Earth Run!
Against the Aburame Clan, Fire Release and Lightning Release were the most effective.
Uchiha Tunan planned to use Lightning Release to paralyze him, then finish him in one wave with Fire Release.
"Bang!"
The instant Uchiha Tunan unleashed Earth Run, Aburame Ryosuke vanished, and a substitution log fell to the ground.
Aburame Ryosuke's real body had already appeared on a branch of the scorched, leafless tree in the courtyard.
"Whoosh—"
The sound of something cutting through the air rang out from all around.
That brat is fast.
Aburame Ryosuke's eyes narrowed. He used the Insect Transformation Secret Technique, turning into an Insect Swarm that rapidly flew into the sky.
Four Fuma Shuriken howled through the spot where Aburame Ryosuke had been from four directions, cutting through the tree branches before continuing onward and embedding themselves in the walls and houses around the courtyard.
Such a formidable brat.
Aburame Ryosuke landed on the roof and looked down at Uchiha Tunan, who had somehow appeared in the courtyard.
Those four Fuma Shuriken had nearly sealed off all of his escape routes. If he had not possessed the Insect Transformation Secret Technique, he would likely have fallen for the other party's trap.
After that brief exchange, Aburame Ryosuke had completely begun to take Uchiha Tunan seriously, treating him as an opponent of equal standing.
He immediately formed several hand seals in rapid succession.
Secret Technique, Insect Swarm.
A massive wave of Kikaichū poured from Aburame Ryosuke's body, gathering into a black gale as it rushed toward Uchiha Tunan below.
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