"What crime?"
Uchiha Yun's voice was calm, but his eyes were sharp as blades. He gently squeezed Izumi's hand to reassure her, then looked back at the headless corpse that lay in a pool of blood. The mask had rolled off, revealing a pale, expressionless face with eyes wide in death.
"Aren't they invaders from outside the village?" Yun asked, feigning innocence. "At home, I've heard about the Anbu—those directly under Hokage-sama. But this 'Root'... never heard of it."
He gestured toward the body. "These unidentified shinobi ordered me to follow them, refused to disclose their identities... Rule Six of the Ninja Academy teaches us to stay vigilant when approached by strangers."
His tone was as casual as if he were discussing homework.
Looking toward the cloaked figures headed by Shimura Danzo, Yun tilted his head. "Now that I think of it, you're not wearing Konoha forehead protectors either. Old man, who exactly are you?"
*Bang!*
The sound of Danzo's cane hitting the ground echoed ominously as his dead-fish eyes narrowed slightly.
"My identity is not something you are qualified to know." he said with dispassion. "But judging from your actions—killing three Root operatives—you've clearly awakened your Sharingan, haven't you, Uchiha brat?"
Yun scratched his head with exaggerated confusion. "There it is again—another vague answer. And now you want me to come with you? This is Konoha. How did a bunch of unknown masked ninja even make it this far into the village?"
A shinobi standing beside Danzo, clad in dark gear and replacing Aburame Torune's usual position, spoke flatly. "We are Root. A covert faction tasked with training Anbu. The ones you killed were our operatives."
He stepped forward slightly. "If you surrender quietly, Uchiha, we might not need to escalate this."
Yun felt Izumi's hand tighten slightly in his own. He looked down at her and gave a slight smile. "Don't worry. Just because they say something doesn't mean it becomes true."
Then he turned back and spoke louder.
"The Uchiha have always managed our own affairs. We serve the village, but we aren't bound to take orders from ghosts in the shadows. I'm still a student, yet here you are—trying to detain me without revealing your authority or even showing a forehead protector."
He pointed to the still-active barrier surrounding the area.
"Disperse this thing and wait for the Fourth Hokage to arrive. Let him decide what's legitimate and what's not."
Danzo remained impassive, but the corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly.
"I see now. So even a child of the Uchiha doesn't consider himself a citizen of Konoha anymore."
"You can't represent Konoha." Yun snapped. "Only the Fourth Hokage can."
A scoff escaped Danzo's lips. "The Fourth Hokage is too young, too naive. He doesn't understand your clan... how dangerous you all truly are."
His eyes slid toward Izumi, still standing behind Yun.
"Isn't that your sister? As a brother, I doubt you'd want to put her in danger."
Then he stepped forward.
"Uchiha Yun. After your father's death, your mother—Uchiha Hazuki—brought you back to the clan. Your next decision... will affect your entire family."
As if on cue, the Root operatives began silently spreading out, encircling Yun and Izumi.
A heavy silence followed.
The barrier still flickered around them, cutting them off from the rest of the village. For a brief moment, the world shrank to this one, hidden stage—silent, sealed, and brimming with killing intent.
Yun's brow furrowed. He was growing tired of this.
Threats? Again?
The last person who tried to use Izumi as leverage had already paid with her head.
Theoretically, he could flood the field with trees from Deep Forest Bloom, incapacitate everyone below a certain chakra threshold, then flash through them using Flying Thunder God Technique paired with Word of Destiny.
But killing Danzo here, now, in front of Root and under such circumstances… would disrupt his longer plans.
Too many questions would follow. The Third Hokage would inevitably demand an explanation.
As an Uchiha—and a student no less—the risk of being subjected to a Yamanaka's mind probe was dangerously high.
Defection?
Where would he even go? Life on the run? Hiding from every hunter-nin squad while trying to survive outside the Land of Fire?
No. Konoha was still the most comfortable cage. His mother was here. Izumi too.
So…
Yun's eyes glinted coldly.
If the threat was his family—
He looked up at Danzo and said quietly, "Old man… what makes you think you can take me? Or threaten my family?"
Danzo finally opened his eyes fully.
"So, you've made your choice."
"You Uchiha… always so arrogant. That cursed blood flows through you. And with it comes danger. The stronger you become, the greater your threat to Konoha."
He lifted his cane slightly. "What I do today—I do for the sake of the village."
Yun let go of Izumi's hand, stepping forward as he sneered.
"To say something so disgraceful in such a righteous tone… That's definitely your style."
Then he clapped his hands.
*Bang!*
The barrier to the west suddenly cracked, golden chakra flashing violently.
In the next instant, a yellow blur arrived like lightning.
Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Root?"
The voice was quiet but sharp.
The Fourth Hokage—Namikaze Minato—stood in front of Yun. His face was calm, but his aura dominated the battlefield like a sudden gale scattering dry leaves.
Yun silently lowered his hands. The seal for Deep Forest Bloom was still incomplete.
Standing behind Minato were Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, the latter holding a familiar ninja cat.
Izumi's entire body slumped in relief at the sight of them. She sank to the ground, breath ragged, finally allowing herself to tremble.
The little cat she had befriended only days ago meowed gently in Itachi's arms.
Why was it with him?
Yun filed the question away for later.
Danzo didn't even flinch.
"Fourth Hokage. Uchiha Yun killed three Root operatives. He must be taken for interrogation."
His tone lacked all respect, as if speaking to a child. In Danzo's eyes, Minato was merely Hiruzen's successor—a sentimental softie who lacked the strength to make hard decisions.
Minato's gaze swept the battlefield. His eyes paused on the headless corpse, then the two unconscious Root members.
From the wounds alone, it was obvious.
Each had been taken down in a single, flawless blow.
Shisui had spoken of Yun's talent before, but now... even Minato had to admit: Yun's mastery of the Body Flicker Technique was already on par with Elite-Jōnin.
Even on par with Shisui himself.
A prodigy. A weapon.
A problem.
"Uchiha Yun." Minato said calmly, "Do you have an explanation?"
Yun stepped forward and repeated his story, word for word. Calm, concise, and factual.
He ended with, "Are they really something called Root? I've never even heard of Root in class or the Academy. As far as I knew, they were masked intruders."
Shisui took a step forward, his voice respectful but firm.
"Hokage-sama, Uchiha Yun is still a student. Why would Root target a minor without Hokage authorization? As I understand it… Root doesn't have the authority to detain villagers at will."
Minato's eyes sharpened.
Right.
That was the key.
*****
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