Undercover

Uchiha Shisui?

Another tragic character.

Perhaps because a new batch of students had arrived at the Ninja Academy, every teacher was in need of ninja tools, and Senkaku Byakuya had been run off his feet all morning.

By the time he finally reached noon and intended to head to Ichiraku Ramen for a quick bite, Izumi Orange blocked his path.

Byakuya didn't give her a pleasant look: "Teacher Izumi, what can I do for you?"

"Does student Byakuya have a moment? Ah, it's like this, I'll only take a little of your time, I'll leave as soon as I'm done speaking." She tried her best to keep her smile looking cute.

But the "green tea" stench radiating from Izumi Orange was thick enough to be suffocating.

"What is it?"

"Shall we talk here?"

"If Teacher Izumi has nothing important to say, I still need to go eat."

Up to this point, Byakuya had overdrawn his chakra using the Flying Thunder God, and his body had yet to return to its peak; he desperately needed a big meal to replenish his energy through food.

Izumi Orange acted pitifully, lowering her head as she said: "Fine, since student Byakuya doesn't like me, I will just say a few words and leave."

She seemed to be waiting for Byakuya's reaction.

She only felt a gust of wind sweep past her, and she hurriedly turned to grab Byakuya's arm: "Don't go, student Byakuya. Some things are not as simple as they appear on the surface. The reason Root values you is simply because, at a time when they are stretched thin for manpower, you are a convenient tool."

Byakuya countered: "What exactly is your identity?"

"Me? Didn't I tell you? I am acting under the orders of the Hokage to monitor Hiroya at the Ninja Academy. You should trust me unconditionally; only I can save you!"

"There is no need to use such lies to deceive me."

He shook off Izumi Orange and walked away directly, too lazy to play along with her charade.

Izumi Orange stood where she was, her expression first one of unwillingness, then settling into calmness.

She went to the northwest corner of the Ninja Academy, where several logistics staff members were cleaning.

"Have those dozen or so Explosive Tags been buried?" Izumi Orange asked coldly.

"Yes, we were almost discovered, but fortunately, we were quick and nimble."

"The old problem remains: the number of Explosive Tags is not enough."

"You still haven't managed to get the warehouse key?" one person asked impatiently.

Izumi Orange sighed, helpless: "Senkaku Byakuya is highly vigilant; he doesn't trust me."

Another person said: "Why don't we just detonate them as they are now? Let's just hurry back to Kumogakure."

Izumi Orange glared fiercely at the man: "Our mission is to create as much chaos as possible in the rear of Konoha to shake the morale of the Konoha ninja on the front lines. With just this many Explosive Tags, we won't kill many people."

"Listen to me, I still have one Explosive Tag here. We'll blow open the warehouse door, empty out the Explosive Tags inside, and we can all die for Kumogakure together!"

"Good idea!" An elderly Cloud Ninja, who had been leaning against the wall lazily soaking up the sun, retorted: "Don't tell me that while you talk about dying for Kumogakure, when it comes time to actually do it, none of you will have the guts?"

"I have children! A wife! I don't want to die, I want to go back to the village! Besides, the mission the Raikage gave us didn't require us to die for Kumogakure."

Izumi Orange gritted her teeth: "Give me two more days."

"Senkaku Byakuya is already wary of you. You won't succeed. If you try to force him to join us, you'll only expose our tracks."

She said: "I have been undercover in Konoha for six years. In these six years, I have suffered hardships unimaginable to ordinary people. I must complete the mission the village gave me to the best of my ability!"

Izumi Orange sneered: "Evil Konoha should have been punished by heaven long ago!"

The group whispered among themselves.

Byakuya, wearing his black trench coat and the Shuten-dōji Mask, stood silently on the roof, watching them.

When Izumi Orange had come to find him, he had seen a hint of agitation in her eyes.

Once again, thanks to his Fate Grid having improved his sensory abilities several times over, he had captured it precisely.

He had deliberately left in front of Izumi Orange, then returned to the warehouse to put on his black trench coat and mask. After confirming the intelligence, he left a shadow clone behind to continue monitoring.

His main body had come to Hiroya's office.

After hearing this, Hiroya asked in shock: "Byakuya, this matter is beyond our scope of handling. Should we report it to Lord Danzō, or the Hokage?"

Byakuya was unflustered, saying calmly: "No need to be too anxious. It seems their internal opinions are not unified, and we cannot startle the snake. We need to dismantle the Explosive Tags buried in the academy without them knowing, so as not to force them into a corner."

"Then shall I go report to Lord Danzō first?"

"Either way is fine." Byakuya's tone was exceptionally steady.

"Right, I'll go myself."

Hiroya left the Ninja Academy in a near-panic; who could have imagined that Kumogakure ninja had buried an unknown number of Explosive Tags within the Konoha Ninja Academy?

He arrived at the underground base of Root.

He learned of this from Hiroya.

Shimura Danzō turned his head to look at Yakushi Nonō: "Izumi Orange is too sloppy; she showed her hand in front of Shuten-dōji."

"Yes, it is this subordinate's fault."

"Have Shuten-dōji meet with Izumi Orange and set off the fireworks. The village has been too lifeless lately; it is time for the civilians to enjoy some magnificent, colorful fireworks."

This sentence was directed at Hiroya.

Hiroya was dumbfounded. "Danzo-sama, there are Explosive Tags inside the Ninja Academy."

"What would you know?! Izumi Orange defected from Kumogakure to my side long ago. There are no Explosive Tags, only fireworks."

"This subordinate obeys." Hiroya's heart was in his throat, his mind a complete mess.

Since Danzo-sama had given the order, he had no choice but to execute it.

Danzo took the investigative report on Senkaku Byakuya out of his drawer, which included precise assessments of his personality, catchphrases, unconscious habits, attitudes toward the village's noble clans and the Hokage, and his loyalty to Root.

This report had been written by Izumi Orange.

Yakushi Nonō lowered her head. "Danzo-sama, Izumi Orange has a very pitiful background. I beg you to spare her."

"When did I ever say I was going to kill her?"

"This subordinate knows her error."

Danzo read through the report page by page. "For the next mission, have Shuten-dōji partner with her."

"Yes."

"Izumi Orange has the strength of a Special Jōnin, correct?"

"Yes, she is excellent in reconnaissance and medical ninjutsu."

Hiroya hurried back to the Ninja Academy without delay to relay Danzo's words to Senkaku Byakuya.

The roots of Root truly do spread throughout Konoha.

After all that trouble, he hadn't expected Izumi Orange to be a member of Root.

Then why had she used lies to approach him? Could it be to help "Root" get a clear measure of him?

Byakuya suppressed his doubts and turned to walk out of Hiroya's office.

He would simply ask her to her face.

He arrived on the roof of the Ninja Academy and locked onto the few Cloud Ninja who were undercover.

He leaped down.

Storm Release: Body Flicker Technique.

The moment Byakuya appeared, his Ninja Sword slashed toward the elderly Cloud Ninja who had been sunbathing. Intuition told him that ginger is spicier when old; this old Cloud Ninja posed a greater threat than the others.

Lightning flashed.

The Ninja Sword severed the old Cloud Ninja's neck.

"Storm Release: Torrential Lightning Flash."

"Damn it, we've been exposed! Fight him to the death!"

"Quick, detonate the Explosive Tags!! We have no other choice!"

Izumi Orange stared blankly at that Shuten-dōji Mask and sighed inwardly. She had hoped to dig out the other Cloud Ninja moles in Konoha, but it seemed that would no longer be possible.