Clang!
The shuriken shattered a roof tile.
The small sealing talisman hidden underneath was instantly exposed.
The shadow on the roof visibly hesitated.
He hadn't expected Shin-getsu to discover the Eavesdropping Talisman.
Even less had he expected his opponent to attack the listening post right away instead of attacking him.
That instant of hesitation was all Shin-getsu needed.
He had already formed the Hand Seals.
Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger.
His movements were still a little clumsy, but his chakra flow was exceptionally steady.
This was the most basic and most iconic ninjutsu of the Uchiha Clan.
"Fire Style."
"Great Fireball Technique!"
Boom!
Blazing flames spewed from Shin-getsu's mouth.
The enormous fireball lit up the backyard and hurtled straight toward the shadow on the roof.
The shadow immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge.
But as soon as he evaded it, his expression changed.
The fireball hadn't actually been aimed at the spot where he'd been standing.
It was aimed at the crossbeam beneath the eaves.
Bang!
The flames blew the crossbeam apart.
The third wire, which had been set there in advance, snapped instantly.
The severed wire pulled down a wooden rack on the other side of the backyard.
Crash!
The metal plates, bells, and Kunai hanging from the rack all came tumbling down, making a tremendous racket.
The commotion startled the entire inner district of the clan grounds.
"Something's happening!"
"Over by Shin-getsu!"
"Move!"
The voices of a Police Force patrol immediately rang out in the distance.
The shadow on the roof's expression changed completely.
Only then did he realize that he hadn't come to test this kid.
He'd walked straight into the kid's trap.
From the moment he'd approached this house, Shin-getsu had never planned to capture him head-on.
He'd wanted to make a scene.
Once the Uchiha patrol arrived, even if he managed to escape, he'd leave behind more clues.
Without the slightest hesitation, the shadow turned to flee.
But how could Shin-getsu let him go so easily?
He flicked his hand, sending a Kunai whistling through the air.
There was no Explosive Tag on it.
Nor was it poisoned.
It looked completely harmless.
The shadow casually swung his blade to deflect it.
Clang!
The Kunai was knocked away.
But the next moment, the shadow felt a slight numbness in his arm.
He glanced down and saw a tiny sachet of powder wrapped around the Kunai's handle.
When the blade had struck and broken it, the powder had scattered through the air and stuck to his wrist.
It wasn't lethal.
It wasn't even a particularly potent poison.
But it would leave a distinctive scent.
It was powder used within the Uchiha Clan to help Ninken track their targets.
Tekka had given it to Shin-getsu.
It had originally been meant to teach him how the Police Force tracked people.
He hadn't expected to use it so soon.
The shadow's heart sank.
This kid!
He's downright vicious!
He didn't dare linger and fled using the Body Flicker Technique.
Shin-getsu didn't pursue him.
With his current strength, chasing after the man would be tantamount to suicide.
He stood in the backyard, his face slightly pale.
That Great Fireball had used up a considerable amount of his chakra.
After all, his body still hadn't recovered.
But the result had been excellent.
Several figures soon dropped into the courtyard.
Leading them was Uchiha Tekka.
"Shin-getsu!"
"What happened?"
Shin-getsu deactivated his Sharingan and pointed to the roof.
"Someone broke in."
Tekka's expression darkened at once.
"Did you see who it was?"
Shin-getsu shook his head.
"No."
"But I marked him with a scent."
Tekka's eyes lit up.
"What kind?"
"The Tracking Powder you gave me."
Tekka froze for a moment, then grinned, revealing a cold smile.
"Good work, kid."
"Quick thinking."
He immediately turned and said to the Police Force members behind him, "Notify the Inuzuka—"
He stopped halfway through.
No. The Inuzuka weren't Uchiha.
This involved Root, so they couldn't let the news spread carelessly.
Tekka immediately changed his mind.
"Get Inabi over here."
"He knows tracking techniques."
"Also, seal off the western side of the clan grounds."
"Don't let that guy get away too easily."
"Yes, sir!"
The Police Force members immediately scattered.
Tekka looked at Shin-getsu, his expression a mix of surprise and anger.
"You just moved in, and they're already bold enough to come after you?"
Shin-getsu replied calmly, "It means someone's getting desperate."
Tekka knew exactly who Shin-getsu meant.
He ground his teeth. "That old bastard, Danzo!"
Shin-getsu didn't respond.
They couldn't accuse him outright yet.
But everyone knew the truth in their hearts.
Who else but Root would come to test him so soon?
And who else would be interested in his blood sample?
Before long, Uchiha Inabi arrived.
He crouched down and examined the traces of powder Shin-getsu had left behind, then inspected the roof tiles and footprints.
After a moment, he said gravely, "The intruder's very skilled."
"He deliberately avoided leaving most traces."
"But the Tracking Powder worked."
"The trail heads northwest, toward the clan grounds' edge."
Tekka sneered.
"Northwest?"
"That's near the village's old drainage channel."
"He sure picked a convenient route."
He turned to Shin-getsu.
"Stay here. Don't move."
"I'll take some people and go after him."
Shin-getsu shook his head.
"Don't pursue him too far."
Tekka frowned.
Shin-getsu continued, "If he dared come here, he must have prepared an escape route."
"Chase him too far, and he might turn the tables on you."
"You only need to follow his route out of the Uchiha Clan Grounds and leave behind evidence."
Tekka's expression turned serious.
He immediately understood what Shin-getsu meant.
They might not be able to catch the intruder.
But proving that someone had broken into the Uchiha Clan Grounds again would be enough.
Especially now that the Hokage Building had just agreed to investigate.
Root had immediately come to test them again.
That was like handing the Uchiha Clan another piece of leverage.
Tekka drew a deep breath.
"You're right."
"Inabi, take two teams."
"Don't go too deep. Just follow the trail."
"Mark the route."
Inabi nodded.
"Understood."
Several Police Force members quickly left.
Tekka stayed behind, looking at the mess in the backyard before turning his gaze to Shin-getsu.
"Did you know they'd come?"
Shin-getsu walked over to the well and picked up the wire, half of it charred.
"I didn't know."
"I just had to be prepared."
"After last night, I don't believe the place I live can ever be completely safe."
Tekka fell silent.
A nine-year-old had moved into a new house and, instead of resting, had started setting traps in the backyard.
It sounded absurd.
And yet those traps had saved him for the second time.
Tekka suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.
These were Uchiha children.
They should have been protected within their clan.
Yet they had been forced to live like veteran shinobi on the battlefield, even setting up defenses in advance just to have somewhere to sleep.
Tekka clenched his fists.
"I'll report this to the clan head."
Shin-getsu nodded.
"Check the third roof tile while you're at it."
"There are traces of an Eavesdropping Talisman there."
Tekka immediately looked up.
"An Eavesdropping Talisman?"
He leaped onto the roof and quickly found the tile Shin-getsu had shattered, along with the scraps of paper talisman.
The moment he saw the fragments, Tekka's face darkened completely.
"Good."
"Very good."
"They'd only just agreed to investigate, and now they've sent someone to spy on us again tonight."
"Do they really think we Uchiha are blind?"
Shin-getsu stood in the courtyard, his gaze calm.
At that moment, the System Prompt sounded.
[The host saw through Root's probe and successfully left a trail to track in return.] [Root's original surveillance plan has been thwarted.] [The Uchiha Police Force has gained a new lead in its investigation.] [Causality Points gained: 1000.] [Current Causality Points: 1300.]
Shin-getsu's thoughts stirred.
A thousand points.
Not bad.
Though he was still far from the Three-Tomoe, this was a very good start.
More importantly, this time he hadn't merely defended himself.
He'd turned the tables and made Root leave a trace.
As long as Tekka and Inabi traced the route, even if they couldn't find the Root Base, they could prove that someone had been using the village's hidden passages to enter and leave the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
That would put even more pressure on the Hokage Building.
Shin-getsu looked up into the depths of the night.
"Danzo."
"The more anxious you get, the more openings you leave."
"This time, you were the one who reached out first."
"So don't blame me for following that hand and pulling your roots out one by one."
Before you continue