I'm Just an Ordinary Jonin

Calling a deer a horse—an outright, shameless lie.

For some reason, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura both thought of that idiom.

Faced with the Uchiha's blatant attempt to frame them, the two trembled uncontrollably, gripped by anger and fear.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's decades-long balancing act had been stripped bare in the face of the Uchiha's overwhelming force.

"You... you..." Utatane Koharu stared at the shoddily made scroll before her, gasping for breath.

"Haah... haah."

Mitokado Homura also stared wide-eyed at the "evidence" before him, unable to believe it.

He had lived a long time and weathered countless brutal political struggles.

But he had never seen anyone as shameless as the Uchiha, who couldn't even be bothered to put on an act.

When Danzo's Root had cracked down on dissenters, they had at least taken the trouble to forge evidence properly, saving face for the higher-ups and the great clans.

The Uchiha's attitude was simply: if we say you're a spy, then you're a spy.

They didn't even bother pretending in front of them. They just pulled out the evidence and fabricated it right before their eyes.

What? You don't like it?

If you don't like it, then suck it up.

The Uchiha had endured this for long enough. Now they could finally ride roughshod over these Konoha parasites and give them a thorough beating.

Under the Uchiha captain's icy gaze, Homura closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

"Good, good, good."

He gritted his teeth and said "good" three times. "The Military Police Force... patrolled at night and swiftly eliminated the 'Sand Ninja spies' lurking by my side, protecting Koharu and me. This is a great service. I... will remember it."

"Homura? Have you gone mad?" Utatane Koharu stared at him in disbelief.

Mitokado Homura simply closed his eyes in pain. He knew that tonight, they had completely lost the initiative and been forced off the playing field.

Their only hope was that Jiraiya might be able to turn the tables after finding Tsunade.

There was also a slim chance that Root could change things.

"Good." The Uchiha captain continued, "Since spies from Sunagakure have infiltrated the two advisers' inner circle, from this moment on, we'll be responsible for your personal safety."

"To prevent Sand Ninja or Orochimaru's remaining followers from trying to assassinate you again, Clan Head Fugaku has specifically instructed us to provide 'round-the-clock, close protection' at both your residences."

"Wait. I'll personally escort the two advisers home."

"And I hope you won't leave your residences without us accompanying you. Konoha is simply too dangerous right now."

Hearing this, Utatane Koharu cursed inwardly: Aren't you the real danger when you're around me?

But the other side had all the power, and she had already accepted reality. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Thank you so much."

At her words, the Uchiha's lips curled into a smile.

He patted Utatane Koharu on the shoulder. "Thank you both for your cooperation, advisers."

Utatane Koharu said, "You're welcome. May I ask your name?"

"Uchiha Inabi."

Just then, Jiraiya, who had only just left Naruto's home, happened to pass by.

He looked at the bloody scene on the ground and asked with a furrowed brow, "What happened here?"

When Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu saw Jiraiya, they looked as if they'd just seen their own father.

They were about to speak when Uchiha Inabi beside them cut in first.

"It's like this, Lord Jiraiya. After a thorough, diligent, and meticulous investigation, we discovered that the guards serving the two advisers had been turned by Sunagakure and were actually Sand Ninja spies."

"So, to protect the two advisers, we resorted to some extreme measures."

Jiraiya's eyes swept over the bodies scattered across the ground before settling on the Sunagakure scroll, soaked in blood and still faintly carrying the scent of fresh ink.

With his experience, how could he fail to see through the trick?

This clumsy attempt to frame them wasn't even a fraction as skillful as Sarutobi Hiruzen's political maneuvering had once been.

But Jiraiya only sighed inwardly. Far from looking angry, he seemed deeply weary.

With the old man dead and Danzo in hiding, the Uchiha—whom these two advisers had spent decades oppressing—had finally toppled the lofty platform from which they used to bark orders.

Karma came full circle. He was truly tired, and he had seen enough of the filth that flowed beneath the so-called Will of Fire.

"Since it was a misunderstanding, just clean things up. The Military Police Force was out on a night operation, too. You've had a rough night." Jiraiya waved his hand, not even bothering to expose the gaping holes in Uchiha Inabi's story.

Uchiha Inabi raised an eyebrow and glanced at Jiraiya in surprise, then bowed slightly. "Thank you for your understanding, Lord Jiraiya. I'll take the two advisers back to their residences and 'protect' them now."

Jiraiya nodded. "Do as you like. You don't need to report to me. After all, I'm just an ordinary Jonin."

He was already disheartened and had little interest in their infighting.

As Jiraiya saw it, the Uchiha were one of Konoha's founding clans.

It didn't matter if the Uchiha wanted to take power.

"Wait! Jiraiya!"

Seeing Jiraiya turn to leave, Utatane Koharu lunged for him like a drowning person grabbing the last piece of driftwood.

She rushed forward, nearly stepping on one of her guards' corpses, and clutched Jiraiya's clothes with both hands. "You can't leave! Do you have any idea what they're planning?! This is a rebellion! They're putting us under house arrest!"

"Uchiha Fugaku's gone mad, Uchiha Yan's gone mad, the entire Uchiha clan has gone mad! They dared to kill our guards tonight. Tomorrow, they'll put a blade to your throat!"

"You're Sarutobi Hiruzen's student, one of the renowned Konoha Sannin of the Shinobi World! You have to stay and take charge! You have to take over Anbu!"

Jiraiya stared at Utatane Koharu, whose behavior had become utterly undignified, his brow furrowed.

He tugged hard, pulling his sleeve free.

"Adviser, I, Jiraiya, am just an ordinary Jonin. I have no authority to take charge of Konoha."

"And I'm certainly not qualified to take over Anbu. Until Tsunade returns, leave everything in Konoha to you advisers and the Konoha Military Police Force."

Jiraiya's words poured over Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura like a bucket of ice water, leaving them chilled to the bone.

Not only did he have no intention of getting involved, he was plainly telling the Uchiha: however you and the higher-ups fight, it has nothing to do with me. Just don't drag me into it.