Under the moonlight, the village looked peaceful and serene.
Figures darted through the village one after another.
"Hm?"
Several figures stopped, eyeing the people before them with solemn expressions.
"So you finally showed up?"
"We've been waiting for you for a long time."
A man wearing a Konoha Forehead Protector and a Military Police Force uniform stepped forward.
In the moonlight, a pair of sinister, crimson eyes appeared in the figures' line of sight.
"Uchiha... Uchiha Ryuxi!"
Seeing Uchiha Ryuxi, the man stared at him in shock.
What time was it? Why weren't these guys at home asleep? What were they doing waiting here for them?
"Shangteng Ma, formerly a Kusagakure ninja. Wanted for murdering his older brother, he's been on the run for two years and seven months."
"Mai, formerly a Sunagakure ninja. While being hunted for stealing and selling the village's important metal resources, she killed three Sunagakure Chunin and gravely wounded a jonin. She's been on the run for one year and nine months."
"Toichiro, a rogue ninja. During his time on the run, he committed crimes in seven villages and countries, including Ling Village, the Land of Hot Water, and Lake Village. He's been on the run for nine months."
Uchiha Ryuxi calmly recited all the information about the three people before him.
Shangteng Ma was horrified.
They'd only managed to sneak into Konoha because of that lord, and they'd been working for him all along.
Normally, they were indistinguishable from ordinary villagers.
How had Uchiha Ryuxi learned their identities?
"Shing, shing, shing..."
In an instant, all three drew their Kunai and warily watched Uchiha Ryuxi.
"You've probably forgotten something, haven't you?"
"Here, you've already lost the ability to fight back."
As Uchiha Ryuxi spoke, the buildings around them transformed.
The houses became strange rocks, the streets turned into swamps, and the trees became thorny vines.
"Genjutsu?"
"Release!"
Shangteng Ma and the other two immediately tried to dispel the genjutsu.
But the scenery around them remained unchanged.
Countless thorny vines closed in around them, while the swamp steadily swallowed them up.
"With your meager strength, you think you can break my genjutsu?"
"Dark Swamp: Burial!"
Uchiha Ryuxi clasped his hands together. In an instant, everything around them rushed toward the three and engulfed them.
Soon, all three had passed out.
"Qitian, take them to the Military Police Force prison and lock them up. Remember to seal their chakra with a scroll."
After giving the order, Uchiha Ryuxi left with the others.
Just then, Roy and Uchiha Natsume also arrived on the street.
"Those Anbu are still keeping an eye on us."
"But even with unrest breaking out in the village, not one of them has lifted a finger. Honestly..."
Uchiha Ryuxi lowered his voice, sounding displeased.
If those guys had stepped in, the Uchiha wouldn't have had to send even Roy out on a mission.
After all, Roy's personal strength was still too weak.
"The Anbu exist to protect the Hokage."
"They wouldn't interfere in something like this."
"That's why the village needs our Military Police Force."
Roy smiled as he spoke.
The name alone made it clear: ordinary people didn't even know the Anbu existed.
The Military Police Force, on the other hand, were the village's law enforcers in plain sight.
For the Uchiha right now, it was crucial to strengthen the public's trust in and reliance on the Military Police Force.
"Boom!"
Just then, an explosion rang out in the distance.
The powerful chakra surge immediately caught their attention.
"Come on, Captain Natsume. It's our turn to step in."
With that, Roy raced toward the source of the explosion.
The sound had woken the villagers, too.
"Are those people from the Military Police Force? Who are they fighting?"
"Thank you, officers of the Military Police Force. If not for you, I might have been killed."
"Where did all these ninjas attacking the village come from? Why are there so many?"
"Are the Military Police Force protecting us?"
Before long, ordinary villagers in every part of the village noticed the Uchiha battling a group of unknown ninjas.
Most of them looked stunned.
That was because over eighty percent of those under attack were people who hated the Uchiha.
They were the ones who had lost family and close friends during the Nine-Tails Incident.
They were also the ones who, not long ago, had worried that the Uchiha would abuse their authority to retaliate against them.
In that moment, their attitude toward the Uchiha began to change.
Meanwhile, Roy and Natsume also reached the battlefield.
"Nishiki, what's the situation?"
Natsume quickly asked Uchiha Nishiki, who was providing support nearby.
"Captain Natsume!"
"Jin and the others are fighting him. We've confirmed his identity."
"Katru, an A-rank missing-nin from Kumogakure. He's as strong as a jonin."
"His Lightning Style is the main problem. Both his speed and his attacks are extremely powerful, so we can't take him down quickly."
Seeing Natsume arrive, Nishiki immediately shared the situation.
"Katru?"
"Haha, I never thought that guy would become a missing-nin."
After saying that, Uchiha Natsume charged straight into the fight.
The two of them had fought on the battlefield before.
But it had been late in the war, so neither had fought to the death.
He hadn't expected they'd meet again here.
"Ding. Random mission issued: Assist Uchiha Natsume in capturing Katru."
Just as Roy was about to watch the fight, the system prompt rang in his ears.
"Hm?"
Though puzzled, Roy rushed forward at once.
"Roy?"
"Get back! There's something strange about this guy!"
Seeing Roy charge over, Uchiha Natsume called out in concern.
Katru's body was wrapped in blue-white lightning, and his eyes looked strange.
He also gave off an eerie aura.
It was as if... he'd gained some kind of ominous power.
"Cursed Seal?"
Looking at the Cursed Seal spreading from Katru's neck, Roy immediately thought of that man.
Snake Master?
Had he not left Konoha yet?
Or was it... Danzo?
With that thought, Roy walked straight toward Katru.
"Roy..."
"Trust me."
Before Natsume could finish, Roy cut him off.
Seeing how determined Roy looked, Uchiha Natsume said nothing more.
"Is the Uchiha really so short on fighters that they've got a green kid joining a battle like this?"
Katru looked at Roy with disdain.
He figured that as long as he defeated Uchiha Natsume, he'd be able to escape.
This operation had already failed.
The Uchiha had mobilized almost their entire clan and set up posts all over the village.
There was little point in pressing on.
Before you continue