Undercover

Uchiha Shisui?

Another tragic character.

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

At long last, noon arrived. Just as he was about to grab a quick bite at Ichiraku Ramen, Izumi Orange blocked his way.

Byakuya gave her a cold look. "What do you want, Teacher Izumi?"

"Do you have a moment, Byakuya? Ah, I mean, I'll only take a little of your time. I'll leave as soon as I've said what I need to." She tried to keep her smile sweet and charming.

But the air around Izumi reeked of fake sweetness.

"What is it?"

"Here?"

"If it's not important, Teacher Izumi, I still need to get something to eat."

Byakuya had yet to recover from the chakra he'd expended using the Flying Thunder God Technique. He badly needed to eat a big meal and replenish his energy.

Izumi looked pitiful, lowering her head. "All right. Since you don't like me, Byakuya, I'll just say a few words and go."

She seemed to be waiting for a response.

A gust of wind swept past her. She hurriedly used Body Flicker to grab Byakuya's arm. "Don't go, Byakuya. Things aren't always what they seem. Root only values you because, with manpower stretched thin, you're a useful tool."

Byakuya shot back, "Who are you really?"

"Me? Didn't I tell you? I'm here on Lord Hokage's orders to keep an eye on Hiroya at the Ninja Academy. You should trust me without question. I'm the only one who can save you!"

"Don't try to fool me with that lie."

He broke free of Izumi's grasp and walked away without another word. He couldn't be bothered to play along.

Izumi stood where she was, first looking frustrated, then gradually calming down.

She went to a corner in the northwest of the Ninja Academy, where several maintenance workers were cleaning.

"Have you planted those dozen or so Explosive Tags?" Izumi asked coldly.

"Yeah. We almost got caught, but luckily we were quick."

"The same problem as before. We're running low on Explosive Tags."

"You still haven't gotten the warehouse key?" one of them asked impatiently.

Izumi sighed helplessly. "Senkaku Byakuya is very wary. He doesn't trust me."

Another person said, "Why not just set them off as things stand? We can hurry back to Kumogakure."

Izumi glared at him. "Our mission is to sow as much chaos as possible behind Konoha's lines and shake the morale of its ninjas at the front. With this few Explosive Tags, we won't kill many people."

"Listen, everyone. I still have one more Explosive Tag. We'll blow open the warehouse doors, take all the Explosive Tags inside, and give our lives for Kumogakure!"

"Great idea!" said an elderly Cloud ninja, lazily sunning himself against the wall. "You all talk about giving your lives for Kumogakure, but when it comes down to it, are you too scared to go through with it?"

"I have a child! A wife! I don't want to die—I want to go home! Besides, Lord Raikage never ordered us to give our lives for Kumogakure."

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

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

"I've been undercover in Konoha for six years. I've endured more hardship than most people can imagine. I'll complete the mission the village gave me to the best of my ability!"

Izumi gave a sinister grin. "Evil Konoha should have been punished by the heavens long ago!"

The group whispered among themselves.

Wearing a Black Trench Coat and Shuten-dōji Mask, Byakuya stood silently on the rooftop, watching them.

When Izumi came to see him, he'd noticed a trace of agitation in her eyes.

Once again, he had his Fate Grid to thank for repeatedly enhancing his senses. He'd picked up on it immediately.

He'd deliberately left in front of Izumi, then returned to the warehouse, put on his Black Trench Coat and mask, and confirmed the intelligence, leaving a shadow clone behind to keep watch.

His real body had come to Hiroya's office.

After hearing the story, Hiroya asked in shock, "Byakuya, this is beyond our authority to handle. Should we report it to Lord Danzō or Lord Hokage?"

Byakuya stayed calm and considered the situation. "There's no need to rush. They don't seem to agree among themselves. And we can't alert them. We need to secretly remove the Explosive Tags planted at the Ninja Academy, or we might force them into a desperate corner."

"Should I report this to Lord Danzō first?"

"Either is fine." Byakuya sounded utterly calm.

"All right. I'll go myself."

Hiroya rushed out of the Ninja Academy in a near panic. Who would have imagined that Cloud ninjas had planted an unknown number of Explosive Tags inside the Konoha Ninja Academy?

At the Root Organization's underground base, Danzō heard what had happened from Hiroya.

Shimura Danzō turned to Yakushi Nonō. "Izumi was too sloppy. She let herself get exposed in front of Shuten-dōji."

"Yes. It's my fault."

"Have Shuten-dōji meet with Izumi and set off the fireworks. The village has been gloomy lately. The civilians deserve a chance to enjoy a magnificent fireworks display."

He was speaking to Hiroya.

Hiroya gaped. "L-Lord Danzō, there are Explosive Tags in the Ninja Academy."

"What do you know?! Izumi defected from Kumogakure and joined my side long ago. There are no Explosive Tags. Only fireworks."

"Yes, sir." Hiroya's stomach churned, and his mind was a mess.

Since Lord Danzō had given the order, he could only carry it out.

Danzō took a report from his desk, containing the results of an investigation into Senkaku Byakuya. It included precise assessments of his personality, catchphrases, unconscious habits, attitude toward the village's great clans and the Hokage, and loyalty to the Root Organization.

Izumi had written the report.

Yakushi Nonō lowered her head. "Lord Danzō, Izumi had a very unfortunate childhood. Please spare her."

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

"This subordinate was mistaken."

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

"Yes."

"Does Izumi have the strength of a Special Jōnin?"

"Yes. She excels at reconnaissance and medical ninjutsu."

Hiroya hurried back to the Ninja Academy and told Senkaku Byakuya what Danzō had said.

"Root's tendrils really do reach all across Konoha."

After all that, Izumi had turned out to be part of the Root Organization.

Then why had she lied to approach him? Was she trying to find out what he was like for Root?

Byakuya put his doubts aside and left Hiroya's office.

He could just ask her to her face.

He went to the roof of the Ninja Academy and located the Cloud ninja spies.

He leaped down.

Storm Release: Body Flicker Technique.

The moment Byakuya appeared, he swung his Ninja Sword at the elderly Cloud ninja sunning himself. His instincts told him that the old man was the most dangerous of them all. Experience counted for a lot.

Lightning flashed.

His Ninja Sword sliced through the old Cloud ninja's neck.

"Storm Release: Torrent Lightning!"

"We've been exposed! Fight him!"

"Set off the Explosive Tags! We can't worry about anything else!"

Izumi stared blankly at the Shuten-dōji Mask and sighed inwardly. She'd still hoped to uncover the other Cloud ninja spies in Konoha, but that was probably out of reach now.