Explosive Tags Prepared Long Ago!

"The Chūnin Exams are about to begin. I've decided to have you participate."

Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke to Uchiha Shunichi with a solemn expression. Within the Anbu, Uchiha Shunichi was the only Genin.

During wartime, there were many ways for ninjas to rise through the ranks, and they advanced quickly. During peacetime, however, things were more troublesome, requiring them to participate in things like the Chūnin Exams.

Of course, that was not the main point. Becoming a Chunin was unimportant; what mattered was the role Uchiha Shunichi would play in this exam.

"I'll arrange two teammates for you, but the exam isn't your primary task. Your primary task is to protect Naruto. According to reliable intelligence..." Sarutobi Hiruzen gave Uchiha Shunichi a long-winded explanation.

"Mm, I understand." That was Uchiha Shunichi's only response.

His current goal was not to reveal himself, but to pretend to be obedient while waiting for Orochimaru to launch the Konoha Crush Plan. Then he would seek an opportunity to kill Danzo.

As long as Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo died, Konoha would no longer pose much of a threat. It would be somewhat difficult to do such a thing alone. Should he find someone to help?

Sarutobi Hiruzen could never have imagined that the expressionless youth standing before him was currently calculating how to deal with his old partner.

Uchiha Shunichi listened attentively, appearing exceptionally obedient. At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen had no guard up against him either; after all, he had practically watched the boy grow up.

Though those eyes were somewhat intimidating, Sarutobi Hiruzen still trusted his own judgment.

After leaving the Hokage's office, Uchiha Shunichi met his teammates for the Chūnin Exams. They were unfamiliar faces, seemingly nothing more than two minor nobodies.

"You're our new teammate? Your eyes are a little strange..." A boorish man looked at Uchiha Shunichi, venting all of his dissatisfaction through his words.

Their previous teammate had died during a mission, so they were not in a good mood.

Although it was not wartime, ordinary ninjas still faced the possibility of dying on missions.

The gap between ordinary ninjas and genius ninjas in this world was immense. Some Chunin were not even as strong as Genin. Whenever they went out on missions, they narrowly escaped death, and they might die any day.

However... none of that had anything to do with Uchiha Shunichi.

Uchiha Shunichi's calm gaze swept across the two of them. As the six eyes met, the two teammates assigned to him for the exam were placed under Uchiha Shunichi's Genjutsu.

In truth, Uchiha Shunichi was not particularly skilled in Genjutsu. He could only barely use it, but with the amplification of the Mangekyō Sharingan, its power was still formidable.

Especially against Genin-level ninjas like these, it was practically as easy as chopping vegetables.

"Ah!!!" The two Genin screamed in agony, their eyes filled with terror.

Uchiha Shunichi merely intended to teach them a lesson, so the effects of the Genjutsu quickly ended.

"I'll be taking the Chūnin Exams with you. I don't care about your strength, your past, or your names. There is only one thing you need to remember: obey me." Uchiha Shunichi spoke coldly, then turned and left.

The two Genin stared at Uchiha Shunichi's departing back, not daring to entertain even the slightest thought of resistance. The fear of death they had just experienced left them no time to think.

After a long while...

"This new teammate seems really strong..." one of them said hoarsely to his companion, having already forgotten the grief of losing his former teammate.

The other looked at him and said bitterly, "He's not one of us. He should only be here temporarily."

With that, the two exchanged a glance and went to find their Jonin instructor...

Before long, the Chūnin Exams were about to begin.

Because many outsiders had arrived in the village, Uchiha Shunichi had far more work to do on the eve of the exams. Not only did he need to watch over Naruto Uzumaki's safety at all times, but he also had to monitor the participants from other villages.

As a result, Uchiha Shunichi had been very busy lately.

He was clearly just a Genin and was even about to participate in the Chūnin Exams. Yet the work Uchiha Shunichi was doing now was that of a Jonin.

Fortunately, Sarutobi Hiruzen had not been stingy when it came to money. As the wealthiest nation, the Land of Fire, Konoha rarely worried about funding.

Though exhausting, Uchiha Shunichi gained an additional reward. He had found the location of Root. It was only the entrance, and he still did not know what lay inside, but it was a gain nonetheless.

If one day Shimura Danzō hid inside Root and refused to come out, Uchiha Shunichi would have no choice but to kill his way in. Danzo had to die alongside Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Only after those two died would Uchiha Shunichi dare to peacefully do what he wanted in Konoha. If the assassination failed, he would defect to Orochimaru.

Honestly, the odds of failure were rather high.

If he could bring Orochimaru in, they would probably succeed. But Orochimaru might not be willing to help, and Danzo and Orochimaru had dealings with each other.

Since he could not find anyone to help, Uchiha Shunichi began searching for other methods. It would be best if he could find some special ninjutsu.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Shunichi searched through every library in the clan, yet still failed to find any method for using Izanami.

"Shunichi, you seem rather restless lately!"

Uchiha Sasuke looked at the unsettled Uchiha Shunichi and spoke cautiously.

The Chūnin Exams would begin tomorrow, yet Uchiha Sasuke did not care about them in the slightest. What truly worried him was Uchiha Shunichi.

Ever since Uchiha Shunichi spoke to him that day, Uchiha Sasuke had sensed that something was wrong. But no matter how he asked, Uchiha Shunichi would not tell him.

In the end, Uchiha Sasuke could only give up.

"Mm, it's nothing." Uchiha Shunichi brushed him off casually.

Although he knew he would not die, Uchiha Shunichi was still somewhat worried about doing something so uncertain.

After considering it again and again, Uchiha Shunichi finally decided to retrieve the Explosive Tags.

A spy had infiltrated Konoha. However, although this spy had completed his mission, he no longer wished to continue.

Thus, a large batch of Explosive Tags had been buried deep within Konoha—enough to blow up half the village.

Uchiha Shunichi had long since found their exact location. The reason he had never touched them was that he had intended to use them to draw attention when he defected.

However... Uchiha Shunichi had now decided to use them on Shimura Danzō.