The Bloody Mist Village's tradition of stubborn defiance

The moon hung high overhead.

Shinji sat in the courtyard, his mind at peace.

Inside, Shizune had prepared a table full of delicious dishes. Propping her chin on her hand, she stared blankly at the lone figure outside.

"Lady Tsunade, do you think... he really isn't worrying about finding a girl he likes?"

Tsunade couldn't be bothered to answer. Finally losing patience, she reached out a hand...

Smack!

As if she had activated the Byakugan and grown eyes in the back of her head, Shizune swatted Tsunade's hand away with perfect accuracy. "Lady Tsunade, no sneaking food!"

"Hey! Shizune, haven't you got something backward here?!"

Tsunade looked furious. "I'm the one closest to you! What does that rotten brat matter?!"

Shizune looked helplessly at Tsunade. "Just be patient a little longer. It's been most of the day already. He should be almost done..."

Whoosh!

Tsunade sprang to her feet and charged toward the door.

"Ah! Lady Tsunade..."

"Shinji Uchiha!"

At that same moment, Shinji's eyes snapped open, wild delight spreading from the corners of his eyes to his lips. "Found it!"

Politely declining Shizune's hospitality, Shinji returned to the Konoha Military Police Force.

When he pushed the door open, Mei Terumi shuddered where she lay slumped over the desk.

She hurriedly stood and looked at Shinji. "You..."

Then she glanced outside. "It's already dark!"

Shinji sized up the remarkably unfazed woman, his face thunderous. "I told you to consider my proposal, and you spent the time sleeping here?"

"Do you really think I won't kill you?!"

Mei Terumi scoffed. "If you were going to kill me, I would have died this afternoon. No one in Konoha would kill me. No... there is one possibility, but while chatting with your clansmen, I happened to learn that you beat Shimura Danzō