Uchiha Yunyan

Yunyan had transmigrated into this body. Whether by coincidence or not, the person whose body he had taken over was also named Yunyan, only with an additional surname. His full name was Uchiha Yunyan.

The moment one heard the three words "Uchiha Clan," one knew just how much trouble that bloodline and those eyes would bring in the future.

Yunyan happened to be someone who hated trouble.

Back when he had first transmigrated, he discovered that the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha had already been steadily worsening.

On top of that, there were quite a few crazed, obsessive fanatics within the Uchiha Clan itself, filling the entire clan with a murderous air.

At the time, he was not strong enough, was still rather young, and came from an utterly ordinary, unremarkable background within the clan.

To avoid trouble—and because he could no longer stand being caught up in it—Yunyan seized an opportunity at the right time. He applied to join the Twelve Guardian Ninja, using the position to leave Konoha and stay away from the vortex.

That was right. The Twelve Guardian Ninja were the twelve Konoha ninja sent to protect the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country. Asuma Sarutobi was one of them, and Yunyan was as well.

The fact that he had been able to quietly build up his strength for so many years in a place far from trouble and turmoil, with ample resources and relative stability, showed just how wise Yunyan's choice had been back then.

Even now, Yunyan had sighed to himself more than once over how decisive and fortunate he had been to make that decision.

So, after all these years, how strong was Yunyan?

Well, when Yunyan had left Konoha, he had already basically reached Jonin level.

Now that several years had passed, after quietly developing for so long, his true strength was no longer what it had once been.

Just how strong was he?

Yunyan said that he no longer feared Konoha's troubles at all.

In other words, Konoha's current situation no longer posed any threat to him.

With enough power to absolutely protect himself, Yunyan's mindset had changed as well. He had gone from preserving himself and avoiding trouble to not caring at all now—and was even somewhat eager to give things a try.

No sooner had Yunyan undergone this shift in mentality and had such thoughts than an opportunity came knocking on his door.

That opportunity was a transfer order personally issued by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Naruto, from Konoha.

The order clearly stated that Uchiha Yunyan was to be transferred out of the Twelve Guardian Ninja and recalled to Konoha for other important duties.

To be honest, when Yunyan saw the four words "other important duties" on the order, he felt rather complicated.

In the capital of the Fire Country, at the Twelve Guardian Ninja's base, Yunyan held the transfer order in his hand and read its contents. His expression remained calm despite his complicated feelings.

Standing beside him was the biggest nepotism hire among the Twelve Guardian Ninja, as well as the strongest ninja on the surface—Asuma Sarutobi.

Smoking a cigarette, Asuma Sarutobi caught sight of the contents of the order in Yunyan's hand from the corner of his eye. Besides, Yunyan had not tried to hide it from any of them.

Putting down the order, Yunyan inevitably noticed Asuma Sarutobi beside him. When he spoke, his tone was somewhat impolite.

"Asuma, your old man wants to transfer me back to Konoha. He even says I'm being assigned other important duties."

Asuma Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke. His gaze was distant, his tone unreadable.

"Is that so? Then congratulations. Congratulations on your promotion."

Yunyan did not believe a single word of Asuma Sarutobi's congratulations.

For one thing, everyone knew the Uchiha Clan's current situation in Konoha. From ninja to ordinary villagers, few people were willing to deal with the Uchiha Clan, leaving anyone named Uchiha with terrible social standing. Yunyan of the Twelve Guardian Ninja was much the same.

For another, even if Asuma Sarutobi and Hiruzen Sarutobi had conflicts as father and son, at the end of the day they were both Sarutobis, and they were still father and son.

The Naruto's faction was practically open in its disdain for the Uchiha Clan. How close could Asuma Sarutobi possibly be with Yunyan?

Therefore, whether publicly or privately, Yunyan and Asuma Sarutobi had only a mediocre relationship. At most, they maintained surface-level civility.

Could he expect such a barely passable superficial friend to sincerely congratulate him on a promotion?

Besides, whether this so-called promotion was truly a promotion remained to be seen.

Folding up Konoha's transfer order and placing it in his pocket for safekeeping, Yunyan let out two meaningful, cold chuckles before striding away without the slightest reluctance.

"As a Konoha ninja, of course I must obey the Naruto's orders. I'll pack my things and return to Konoha at once."

By then, Yunyan had reached the doorway. He turned around and swept his gaze over Asuma Sarutobi and the other Twelve Guardian Ninja before casually bidding them farewell.

"Everyone, although there were some twists and turns while working with you these past few years, things went fairly smoothly overall.

"No matter what, it's time for me to say goodbye to all of you."

With that, Yunyan turned around again and pulled open the door before him.

Unexpectedly, before he could even take a step outside, Asuma Sarutobi called out to stop him from behind.

"Yunyan, aren't you going to say farewell to the Feudal Lord?"

Yunyan stopped, still holding the door open. Yet he did not turn back, merely facing away from them.

"Of course. The Feudal Lord has taken great care of me over the years. Now that I'm leaving the capital and returning to Konoha, naturally I should inform him."

Asuma Sarutobi stared at Yunyan's back, his expression slightly cold.

"The Feudal Lord handles countless affairs every day. I think it would be better if you did not disturb him.

"As for your respect and gratitude toward the Feudal Lord, I'll convey them on your behalf later."

Yunyan still did not turn around. His tone seemed to grow a little colder as well.

"Heh. How could something like this be conveyed by you? I naturally have to bid him farewell in person."

The moment his words fell, Yunyan stopped being polite. He walked out directly and shut the door.

Inside the room, the Twelve Guardian Ninja looked at one another. Asuma Sarutobi, who vaguely stood at their head, took another drag from his cigarette. Amid the swirling smoke, no one could make out his expression.

But why, at the very end, had Asuma Sarutobi tried to stop Yunyan from meeting the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country to say goodbye?

Naturally, it was because Yunyan's relationship with the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country had been far too "good" over the past few years.

Yes, that "good" needed quotation marks.

At least in the eyes of outsiders, no one knew how it had happened, but this sole Uchiha clansman among the Twelve Guardian Ninja had gradually won the Feudal Lord's favor. As time went on, he had even gained the Feudal Lord's trust and affection.

Trust and affection indeed. Over the past few years, the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country had placed immense trust in Yunyan. Whenever there was something beneficial or an important task, the Feudal Lord would almost always assign it to Yunyan.

Over time, Yunyan, this "subject," had attained the level of being favored and trusted at the Feudal Lord's side.

Of course, in the eyes of Asuma Sarutobi and the other Twelve Guardian Ninja, Yunyan was nothing more than a treacherous villain who had used some unknown method to deceive the ruler!

Whether he was a treacherous villain or a favored subject, both identities needed quotation marks.

Because Yunyan's true relationship with the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country... was actually like this:

After leaving the Twelve Guardian Ninja's base and packing his personal belongings, Yunyan went directly to see the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country.

Unlike outsiders, for whom meeting the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country was harder than climbing to the heavens, Yunyan was directly led by an attendant into the Feudal Lord's bedchamber. After a brief announcement, the Feudal Lord gladly received him.

Just like that, Yunyan met the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country with extraordinary ease and complete naturalness—and in the private setting of the Feudal Lord's bedchamber, no less.

And that was not all. After Yunyan exchanged a few words with the Feudal Lord, the Feudal Lord waved his sleeve and dismissed the maids, attendants, and everyone else in the bedchamber, allowing Yunyan to be alone with him.

The accompanying maids and attendants were already used to it. They obediently withdrew, leaving the space to Yunyan and the Feudal Lord so the two could speak freely in private.

Even the maids and attendants standing guard outside the bedchamber would occasionally hear the Feudal Lord's hearty laughter from within. Clearly, the two were having a pleasant conversation, and clearly, this ninja remained as favored by the Feudal Lord as ever.

But in truth, the situation inside the bedchamber was vastly different from what those maids and close attendants outside imagined.

The Feudal Lord of the Fire Country, who looked effeminate, spoke effeminately, and even had an effeminate manner of conducting himself and dealing with others, was kneeling at the central seat of honor within the bedchamber.

He was not speaking with Yunyan, much less having a pleasant conversation with him. Instead, he sat in his own place with vacant eyes and a stiff body, like an emotionless puppet on strings.

And Yunyan?

He sat at the lower seat very close to the Feudal Lord of the Fire Country. He was utterly lacking in decorum, wholly unceremonious, and could even be called deeply disrespectful as he sat cross-legged, casually eating the fruit and pastries from the table before him.

It was also worth mentioning that the scarlet Three Tomoe in his eyes had been slowly spinning the entire time.