By evening, only a smear of dim yellow sunlight remained on the horizon.
As the sky grew darker, the students who had finished their day of training on the field packed up their ninja tools and left the academy in small groups.
Unlike the other students, Sasuke was in no hurry to leave. The strange atmosphere in the clan district lately made him unwilling to return too early. His father's failure to obtain the position of Hokage also made him even more eager to grow stronger, so that in the future contest for the Sixth Hokage, he could reclaim the glory that belonged to the Uchiha.
Just then, Jiraiya appeared before Sasuke with Naruto and Fū.
Sasuke quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Jiraiya-sensei."
Jiraiya ruffled Sasuke's hair and said with a smile, "Come with me!"
Sasuke glanced at Naruto and Fū, then asked curiously, "Where are we going?"
"Mount Myoboku!"
With that, Jiraiya led the three children away from the Ninja Academy.
Protecting Sasuke was the condition Uchiha Izumi had set for agreeing to become a double agent for the village. She knew Sasuke was Itachi's most beloved younger brother, so Jiraiya temporarily decided to send Sasuke to Mount Myoboku with Naruto and Fū, allowing Sasuke, the current contractor of Mount Myoboku, to stay far away from the Uchiha Clan's rebellion and the village's troubles.
Within the Uchiha Clan district.
Compared to usual, the streets of the clan district were exceptionally deserted. The shops on both sides had tacitly closed early, leaving only a few scattered Uchiha clan members moving through the streets.
Yet the clan head's residence was filled with fully armed Uchiha clan members. There were so many of them that it seemed every Uchiha who had awakened their eyes had gathered there.
The Uchiha Clan's