Tonight, Uchiha Cannot Stay Silent

After the system's voice faded, only flickering Kakkō remained in front of Uchiha Gen's eyes.

Leave valid evidence.

These few words seemed simple, but doing them in reality was not so easy.

Rescuing one or two civilians could only prove that he acted on his own. Once the Night of the Nine-Tails ended, the higher-ups could simply use a single line-"The Uchiha acted without authorization and disobeyed orders"-to turn the rescue into incriminating evidence.

He needed more clansmen to participate, and he also needed Konoha Ninja and civilians to see it with their own eyes.

It would be best to leave behind a record that could not be easily erased.

"Gen, what are you daydreaming about?"

Uchiha Ryo's voice pulled him back to reality.

The woman who had just been rescued hugged her child tightly, hiding behind the crowd in lingering fear. A few clansmen were putting out the fire on a beam, but more people still stood in place, their gazes shifting back and forth between the outer district and the Konoha Military Police Force jonin.

Someone wanted to save people.

Yet no one was willing to be the first to disobey orders.

Uchiha Gen walked quickly up to the jonin in charge of transmitting orders.

"Sir, the order is not to approach the Nine-Tails, correct?"

The jonin frowned as he looked at him. "What are you trying to say?"

"The Nine-Tails is currently located in the center of the village, and we are not going to the core battlefield." Uchiha Gen pointed toward the southern district. "However, the fire is already approaching the Clan District, and civilians are fleeing this way. If we don't clear the streets and guide the evacuation, once the crowd and the fire rush in together, order within the Clan District will collapse all the same."

The surrounding murmurs gradually died down.

The jonin said in a deep voice, "The orders from above are to stand guard."

"That's why we are staying on the outskirts."

Uchiha Gen met his gaze without backing down.

"We won't pursue the Nine-Tails, we won't enter the central district, and we will only establish a rescue line on the outskirts of the Uchiha Clan Compound. This is both maintaining order and executing the duties of the Konoha Military Police Force."

The jonin's gaze shifted.

This reasoning bypassed the most dangerous place.

They were not actively charging toward the Nine-Tails, but rather protecting the Uchiha area while taking in nearby fleeing villagers. Even if someone pursued the matter afterward, it would be difficult to directly classify this action as insubordination.

Yet he still did not relent.

"Who can guarantee that you won't use this opportunity to approach the Nine-Tails?"

"I can."

A deep voice came from ahead.

The crowd quickly quieted down.

Uchiha Fugaku turned around, his gaze falling on Uchiha Gen. The firelight reflected against his tense profile, making it impossible to read his emotions.

"You'll only operate on the outskirts?"

"Yes."

"No approaching the Nine-Tails, and no conflicts with the forces responsible for suppression?"

"Yes."

Fugaku stared at him for two breaths.

Uchiha Gen could sense that the breathing of many people around them had grown lighter.

"I'll give you five people."

Fugaku finally spoke.

"Clear the southern passageway and send the fleeing villagers to the open space on the east side of the Clan District. If you spot the Nine-Tails approaching, fall back immediately."

"Understood!"

Uchiha Gen answered without a hint of hesitation.

Uchiha Ryo, who stood beside him, was stunned for a moment before breaking into a grin. "Count me in."

"I'll go too."

"And me."

Two reserve-team teenagers stepped out from the crowd.

One was named Uchiha Toru, who excelled in Fire Release; the other was Uchiha Makoto, who usually spoke very little and often carried steel wire and Explosive Tags. The remaining two were adult chunin from the Konoha Military Police Force, responsible for monitoring them and bringing everyone back if the situation spun out of control.

The moment the six of them rushed out of the Clan District, a wave of heat pressed against them.

The southern commercial street was already in complete chaos.

Collapsed shops blocked most of the road, and shattered wood and roof tiles covered the ground. A dozen civilians were huddled in a street corner, not daring to cross the burning houses ahead. An elderly person was pinned beneath a toppled shelf, and beside them, a teenager was moving wooden boards with bare hands, his fingernails already oozing blood.

"Ryo, Toru, save them!"

"Makoto, use the steel wire to secure the wall on the left!"

Uchiha Gen scanned the surroundings quickly, pointing toward the other end of the street.

"You two seniors go to the roof to keep watch. Do not just stare at the Nine-Tails; watch out for abnormal shinobi!"

A Chunin asked instinctively, "Abnormal shinobi?"

"It is easiest for people to take advantage of the chaos in a situation like this."

Uchiha Gen did not mention the Masked Man.

He had no evidence right now, and saying too much would only make him look suspicious.

The group split up immediately to take action.

Uchiha Ryo and Uchiha Toru lifted a shelf, and Uchiha Gen bent down to drag the old man out. Uchiha Makoto flicked out steel wire, entangling a wooden pillar that was about to collapse, temporarily fixing the entire tilting wall in place.

"Do not crowd!"

Uchiha Gen stood at the front of the crowd, revealing the Gunbai family crest on his collar.

Several civilians saw the symbol, and their expressions froze noticeably.

That was not gratitude.

It was hesitation, and even a trace of instinctive vigilance.

Uchiha Gen's heart sank.

The Nine-Tails had only just appeared, yet the seeds of suspicion had already been planted.

He offered no explanation, simply pointing toward the intersection behind him.

"The Uchiha Konoha Military Police Force has already cleared out an evacuation zone. The elderly, children, and wounded go first, and the others follow behind. Do not break away from the formation!"

Uchiha is willing to let us into the Clan District?

A man holding a bundle could not help asking.

"The open space on the east side belongs to the outer perimeter defense zone, and it is open to all villagers tonight."

Uchiha Gen looked back at the two Military Police Force Chunin.

"Senior, please send someone to escort them. Once you reach the evacuation zone, register the headcount, injuries, and rescue locations completely."

That Chunin was stunned for a moment. "Register?"

"The neighborhood is still burning, so we must tally the casualties afterward." Uchiha Gen spoke at a fast pace. "If you make a clear note of it now, you will not miss any missing persons later on."

This reason was flawless.

The Chunin nodded, leading the civilians to evacuate toward the Clan District.

Uchiha Ryo leaned in close to Gen, speaking in a low voice, "Did you deliberately have him register?"

"Who was saved, where they were rescued, and who escorted them back-all of it must be written down."

"Do you really think someone will use tonight's events to make things difficult for us in the future?"

Uchiha Gen glanced at him.

"Not in the future."

The roar of the Nine-Tails came from the distance, the terrifying chakra causing the roof tiles to vibrate.

"From the very moment the Nine-Tails appeared, people were already starting to suspect us."

Uchiha Ryo's expression changed slightly.

"But what does the Nine-Tails have to do with us?"

"Whether it does or not is not up to us to decide." Uchiha Gen lowered his voice. "If everyone only saw the Uchiha staying in the Clan District tonight, and tomorrow someone claims the Nine-Tails was controlled by the Sharingan, who do you suppose they will believe?"

Uchiha Ryo opened his mouth.

Uchiha Gen did not wait for him to answer.

An explosion suddenly rang out from deep within the street.

Flames surged out of a window, and a figure tumbled down from the second floor, crashing heavily onto the eaves before rolling into the center of the street.

The person wore a Konoha Chunin flak jacket, his left arm covered in blood, and his Forehead Protector cracked open as well. He struggled to stand up, but only managed to support half his body.

"Save him!"

Uchiha Gen rushed forward first.

The building overhead emitted a tooth-aching snapping sound.

A burning signboard fell diagonally, blocking the path ahead.

The area around Uchiha Gen's eyes grew hot once again, and his One-Tomoe Sharingan activated abruptly. The trajectory of scattered sparks, the tilting direction of the wooden boards, and the ninja's hand movements all became clearer than before.

"Right!"

He changed direction abruptly, slipping through the gap just before the signboard crashed down.

Boom!

The signboard smashed to pieces behind him.

Uchiha Ryo followed closely, and the two of them flanked and supported the injured Chunin from left to right. Uchiha Toru kicked aside a piece of timber that had been burned brittle; Uchiha Makoto used steel wire to drag away the wreckage, forcefully clearing a path.

"Leave me."

The injured Chunin panted heavily, his hand tightly grabbing Uchiha Gen's sleeve.

"Behind... there are still people."

"What kind of person?"

"A ninja wearing a mask."

Uchiha Gen paused in his steps.

The injured Chunin's pupils were somewhat unfocused, but his voice was extremely urgent.

"I saw him standing near the Nine-Tails, and his body suddenly disappeared... No, it wasn't the Body Flicker Technique. Attacks passed right through his body, and space looked like it was being twisted..."

Uchiha Ryo and the other clansmen changed expression at the same time.

Uchiha Gen immediately asked, "Who else saw?"

"My captain... he went after him."

The injured Chunin coughed up a mouthful of blood, his fingers tightening their grip.

"That person's eyes..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly lost his strength, his entire body sliding downward.

Uchiha Gen supported his body and reached out to probe the side of his neck.

There was still a pulse.

"Send him back to the evacuation zone, and find a medical ninja!"

Uchiha Makoto hesitated and said, "What about the people inside there?"

"Toru and the two seniors will continue clearing the path. Ryo, come in with me."

"Just the two of us?"

"The building could collapse at any time, and too many people will only get in the way."

Uchiha Gen handed the injured Chunin over to the others, his gaze sweeping over the other person's damaged flak jacket and blood-stained Forehead Protector.

This was the first Konoha Ninja they had rescued.

And also the first person to have seen the Masked Man with his own eyes.

As long as he survived, the truth of the Night of the Nine-Tails would no longer be limited to unilateral defenses by the Uchiha.

Uchiha Gen was just about to charge toward the burning building when a cold system prompt suddenly sounded in his mind.

[The Uchiha rescue operation has been witnessed by twenty-seven civilians and three Konoha Ninjas.]
[The outer evacuation zone has been established, and the first batch of rescue records has been formed.]
[Mission progress: eight percent.]
[Stage reward has been issued: slight enhancement of Sharingan pupil power.]

A warm surge of power poured into his eyes.

The soreness originally caused by continuously activating the Sharingan rapidly eased, and the sights amidst the flames and dense smoke also grew a fraction clearer.

Uchiha Gen felt no joy.

Eight percent was far from enough.

He raised his head to look at the tottering building.

Deep within the thick smoke, someone appeared to be dragging an injured body and struggling to move.

At the same time, an extremely faint spatial fluctuation swept past from the end of the street.

That masked person had not left yet.

And the witness he had just rescued had already been seen by the other party.