Papering Things Over...

Uchiha Shunichi had been busy lately, and bored...

Honestly, when you knew that the person you were monitoring harbored ill intentions but would not make a move for the time being, surveillance inevitably turned into a boring exercise in staring blankly.

Especially since Uchiha Shunichi's assignment was at night. Generally speaking, everyone slept at night, even ninjas.

Finally, several nights later, Uchiha Shunichi witnessed a meeting between Baki of the Sand Shinobi and Yakushi Kabuto.

Honestly, Uchiha Shunichi had not intended to interfere.

They could plot all they wanted. After all, Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan was exactly the kind of spectacle Uchiha Shunichi liked to see.

But for some reason, that unlucky fellow Gekko Hayate had actually followed Yakushi Kabuto, only to expose himself in the end.

What happened to your Transparent Release? And the strength of a Special Jonin?

Don't tell me you collapsed from exhaustion because you worked during the day and went on missions at night!

Watching Gekko Hayate, who was nearly powerless to resist Baki, Uchiha Shunichi was utterly baffled.

To be honest, Uchiha Shunichi did not have much goodwill toward Konoha. Even so, he could not simply stand by and watch that unlucky Gekko Hayate die before his eyes.

Casually tossing out a smoke bomb, Uchiha Shunichi grabbed Gekko Hayate and ran.

Though he had successfully saved him, Gekko Hayate had a huge hole pierced through his body, blood flowing without stop...

"Hey, you're my senior at least. Your strength shouldn't be this poor, should it?" Uchiha Shunichi said to Gekko Hayate in disbelief.

"Void? Don't worry about me. Go! Report to Lord Hokage—the Sand Shinobi..." Gekko Hayate forced out a few words before passing out completely.

Uchiha Shunichi sighed helplessly and took out a Signal Flare from his robes. He had only just pulled the fuse when Baki stopped him before it could launch.

"End this quickly, so we don't invite trouble." Baki was clearly a seasoned Jonin. He did not waste words with Uchiha Shunichi and immediately called Yakushi Kabuto to attack together.

With dead weight beside him, Uchiha Shunichi could not fully display his strength. Nor did he want to use his true power, so he formed seals with one hand.

"Fire Release: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

After only a few hand seals, an enormous blaze lit up Konoha's silent night.

Though the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu posed no real threat to Baki or Yakushi Kabuto, it successfully exposed them.

After all, this was Konoha. Even if they had chosen a secluded place to meet, how could such an enormous fireball appearing in the sky fail to draw the Anbu's attention?

Baki once again coordinated with Yakushi Kabuto, attempting to instantly kill Uchiha Shunichi. Yet his complete lack of defense did not draw an attack from Uchiha Shunichi.

Nor did his joint assault with Yakushi Kabuto manage to harm Uchiha Shunichi.

Seeing this, Baki exchanged a glance with Yakushi Kabuto. The two made an immediate decision and fled separately.

Uchiha Shunichi did not stop them. He merely used a cotton swab to collect a little of Baki's blood from the ground.

The reason Baki had been able to defeat Gekko Hayate so swiftly was mainly because he had traded injury for his life. If Uchiha Shunichi had not appeared in time, Gekko Hayate would never have survived!

Battles between ninjas could sometimes drag on for a long time, but they could also end with incredible speed.

Ninjutsu was not simply better because it was more powerful, because most ninjas could not withstand even a mere C-rank Ninjutsu.

Of course, that was assuming the Ninjutsu hit. And that the ninja struck did not possess some special ability.

"You're pretty lucky that you ran into me. You won't be so lucky next time." Uchiha Shunichi muttered to himself as he stopped Gekko Hayate's bleeding.

There was no longer any need for Uchiha Shunichi to keep fleeing with dead weight in tow. No matter what, this was Konoha. No one would dare...

Before the thought could fade from Uchiha Shunichi's mind, a wave of sand as tall as a house suddenly appeared before him...

The Konoha Crush Plan was starting now? The thought had only just crossed Uchiha Shunichi's mind before he was swallowed by yellow sand.

Beneath the sand, a shelter formed from five Earth-Style Ramparts seemed on the verge of collapse. Yet Uchiha Shunichi did not worry about that at all, continuing to tend to Gekko Hayate's wounds.

Before long, the wounds had been treated. Though they had not been fully healed, Gekko Hayate's life was no longer in danger for the moment.

Next...

Before Uchiha Shunichi could decide what to do, a burst of noisy commotion reached his ears. It sounded rather lively outside.

"Shunichi, change out of your Anbu uniform immediately, then come out." Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice sounded beside Uchiha Shunichi's ear.

This was the Yamanaka clan's voice transmission.

Hearing this, Uchiha Shunichi obediently removed his mask, took off his clothes, and dispelled the Earth-Style Rampart Jutsu.

"Shunichi, what happened?" The moment Uchiha Shunichi emerged, he heard Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice.

Uchiha Shunichi looked up and found that not only had many Anbu appeared around them, but Sand Shinobi were among them as well, seemingly here to watch a show.

"Not long ago, I was pursued by Sand Shinobi. The Anbu protecting me was seriously wounded!" Uchiha Shunichi repeated every word transmitted into his ear.

Uchiha Shunichi did not quite understand what Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to do, but since someone was telling him what to say, he simply said it.

"Our Sand Shinobi have never so much as stepped outside the inn. Konoha should not make baseless accusations." Baki, who had clearly been pursuing Uchiha Shunichi just moments ago, now looked as though he had suffered some enormous injustice.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood where he was, watching silently without saying a word. Even with irrefutable evidence, he seemingly did not wish to start a war.

That was right. Sarutobi Hiruzen knew very well what had happened tonight, since he was the one who had ordered Uchiha Shunichi and Gekko Hayate to monitor the Sand Shinobi.

But under the present circumstances, there were only two ways to handle this. The first was to paper things over and wait for further developments.

As for the second, it meant tearing away all pretenses and going to war with the Sand Shinobi.

After considering it, Sarutobi Hiruzen decisively chose the first option.

"Many doubts remain regarding this incident. I hope the Sand Shinobi can investigate it together with us..."

Uchiha Shunichi watched Sarutobi Hiruzen lie through his teeth with an indifferent expression, but his heart was filled with contempt.

He had long known about Sarutobi Hiruzen's cowardly nature.

The Cloud Shinobi incident from several years ago was almost no different from what was happening now.

For the sake of so-called peace, Sarutobi Hiruzen had actually made Hizashi Hyuga of the Hyuga clan commit suicide, then sent his corpse to the Cloud Shinobi as an apology.