Papering Things Over...

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

Honestly, when you knew the person you were watching harbored ill intentions but would not make a move for the time being, surveillance inevitably turned into a boring bout of staring into space.

Especially since Uchiha Shunichi's assignment was at night. Generally speaking, people 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.

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

But for some reason, that unlucky bastard Gekko Hayate had followed behind Yakushi Kabuto and ultimately exposed himself.

Where was your Transparent Release? Where was the strength of a Special Jonin?

Could it be that you worked during the day and went on missions at night until you collapsed from exhaustion?

Watching Gekko Hayate, who was practically unable to resist under Baki's attacks, Uchiha Shunichi was completely dumbfounded.

To be honest, Uchiha Shunichi held no favorable feelings toward Konoha. Even so, he could not simply stand by and watch that unlucky bastard Gekko Hayate die before his eyes.

He casually tossed out a smoke bomb, grabbed Gekko Hayate, and ran.

Although he had successfully rescued him, Gekko Hayate had a massive wound punched through his body, blood pouring from it...

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

"Void? Don't worry about me. Go! Report to Lord Hokage, the Sand Shinobi..." Gekko Hayate barely managed a few words before passing out cold.

Uchiha Shunichi sighed and pulled a signal flare from his robes. He had just tugged the ignition cord, but before it could launch, Baki stopped him.

"End this quickly, lest complications arise." Baki was clearly a seasoned Jonin. Without wasting words on Uchiha Shunichi, he immediately called Yakushi Kabuto to attack together.

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

"Fire Release: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

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

Although the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu posed little threat to Baki and Yakushi Kabuto, it successfully exposed them.

This was Konoha, after all. Even if the place where the two had met was remote, how could such a massive fireball appearing in the sky fail to draw the Anbu's attention?

Baki joined forces with Yakushi Kabuto again, attempting to kill Uchiha Shunichi in an instant. Yet his complete lack of defense did not draw an attack from Uchiha Shunichi.

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

Seeing this, Baki exchanged a look with Yakushi Kabuto. The two made their decision at once and fled in separate directions.

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

Just now, Baki had been able to defeat Gekko Hayate instantly mainly by trading injury for life. If Uchiha Shunichi had not arrived in time, Gekko Hayate definitely would not have survived!

Battles between ninjas could sometimes drag on for a long time, yet at other times end with incredible speed.

Ninjutsu was not necessarily better just because it was more powerful. After all, the vast majority of ninjas could not withstand even a single C-rank jutsu.

Of course, that was assuming the ninjutsu hit. And that the ninja it hit did not possess special abilities.

"You're lucky I happened to run into you. You won't be so lucky next time," Uchiha Shunichi muttered to himself as he stopped Gekko Hayate's bleeding.

Uchiha Shunichi no longer needed to keep running with such a burden. This was Konoha, after all. No one would dare...

Before the thought could fade, a wave of sand as tall as a house appeared before him...

The Konoha Crush Plan was starting now? The thought had just flashed through Uchiha Shunichi's mind when he was swallowed by the yellow sand.

Beneath the yellow sand, a shelter formed by five Earth-Style Ramparts looked as though it might collapse at any moment. Yet Uchiha Shunichi paid it no mind and continued treating Gekko Hayate's wounds.

Before long, the wounds had been treated. Although he had not fully recovered, Gekko Hayate was no longer in mortal danger for the time being.

Next...

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

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

This was a transmission from the Yamanaka clan.

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

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

Uchiha Shunichi looked up and found that not only were there many more Anbu around, but the 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!" Following the transmitted words in his ear, Uchiha Shunichi recited them word for word.

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 stepped outside the inn. Konoha's people should not make baseless accusations." Baki, who had clearly been pursuing Uchiha Shunichi just moments ago, now suddenly looked as though he had suffered an enormous injustice.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood there quietly, watching without saying a word. He... seemed unwilling to start a war even with conclusive evidence.

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

But there were only two ways to handle the current situation. The first was to paper things over and wait for further developments.

As for the second, it was to tear off all pretenses and go to war with the Sand Shinobi.

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

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

Uchiha Shunichi watched Sarutobi Hiruzen lie through his teeth, his face indifferent while his heart brimmed with contempt.

He had long understood Sarutobi Hiruzen's cowardly nature.

What had happened with the Cloud Shinobi 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.