Night had fallen, and a furtive figure made its way toward the Hokage's building. Every step, every sway of their movement practically screamed, I'm up to no good.
Yet, hidden nearby, Shunichi Uchiha and the others made no move. Not a twitch. Even the Anbu officially assigned to guard the Hokage acted as if they hadn't seen a thing.
After a short commotion, Naruto Uzumaki successfully escaped, clutching a forbidden jutsu scroll nearly as large as himself.
"Follow him!" Tenzō whispered, leading the way after Naruto.
Shunichi didn't respond, silently trailing Tenzō while keeping a discreet watch on Naruto's movements.
Naruto, evidently proud of his 'successful' escape, had gone deep into a secluded forest clearing. He immediately opened the scroll, preparing to practice his jutsu.
Shunichi followed along Tenzō's side without a single action.
Before they arrived, Tenzō had given him strict instructions: Tonight, you follow my orders. Do nothing else.
Naturally, Shunichi had no intention of acting on Naruto now. Opportunities to strike the boy were plentiful enough in everyday circumstances.
"Stay hidden!" Tenzō's warning came just as dozens of shadow clones suddenly materialized around Naruto.
However, the clones were too caught up in their own excitement to notice anything unusual.
In truth, there was no way for them to notice. Apart from Shunichi, all the ninjas monitoring Naruto were jonin-level. Tenzō's reminder was only out of concern for Shunichi's inexperience.
"Captain, no need to worry. Now that I've joined this squad, you should be aware of my abilities." Shunichi's voice came from behind Tenzō, startling the seasoned Anbu.
"Don't do anything foolish—focus on the mission!" Tenzō wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.
Just now… he'd felt certain that death was imminent.
With Shunichi hidden right behind him, if he were an enemy, Tenzō would have been badly wounded—or even killed—by now.
"I see you've been paying attention. Iruka-sensei seems to have found this place. Quite the show…" Shunichi's voice carried a note of sarcasm.
Tenzō said nothing, his focus entirely on the scene ahead. Any misstep now, and disaster could strike.
Shunichi's gaze was cold and detached as he watched Naruto, who seemed like a clown being toyed with by the world. Unprovoked, Shunichi felt a surge of disgust at the sight.
He didn't notice Yūgao Uzuki observing him closely from the side, studying his expression as if the mask he wore didn't exist at all.
"Stay close, don't get noticed! If Naruto's life is in danger, intervene immediately! Kyō, hold back until I give the order!" Tenzō commanded upon seeing Mizuki chasing Naruto.
Shunichi casually acknowledged the order and remained at Tenzō's side.
Tonight's performance wasn't just a test for Naruto as a jinchūriki—it was also meant to use Mizuki to reveal the truth about the Nine-Tails to him.
If Naruto passed, he would be a true Konoha shinobi. If not…
Of course, the night was also a test for Shunichi himself. He couldn't yet know who might target him.
He glanced at Tenzō under the mask, but could read nothing.
The difference between chunin and lower-level ninja wasn't so significant. Even though Mizuki was a teacher at the Ninja Academy, failing to subdue Naruto despite full preparation raised questions.
It made Shunichi briefly wonder if Mizuki was perhaps a pawn of the Third Hokage.
Had Shunichi not known that Mizuki would eventually die due to Orochimaru's defective cursed seal, he might have seriously doubted Mizuki's connections with the Third Hokage.
After the distant ruckus ended, Naruto, in a burst of anger, triggered a fraction of the Nine-Tails' power. The forest became littered with his shadow clones.
Shadow clones were formidable in combat. Though any damage would make them vanish, their power remained unchanged until they disappeared.
Thus, Mizuki, the chunin, was effortlessly overwhelmed by hundreds of Naruto clones.
In this world, talent often outweighed effort.
"Let's go. Tonight's mission is complete." Seeing the other ninjas arrive, Tenzō departed with Shunichi.
Gekkō Hayate and Yūgao Uzuki remained behind, continuing to monitor Naruto—not merely watching, but protecting him from anyone else, strictly forbidding any interaction.
Only now did Shunichi realize that the number of ninja watching Naruto wasn't as vast as he'd imagined; only a jonin was truly necessary.
"What's your take on tonight's mission?" Tenzō asked while they walked.
"Nothing in particular. I just think Naruto looks like a clown." Shunichi glanced at Tenzō and spoke plainly.
Tenzō halted briefly at this, saying, "This is what the village requires. You should understand."
"I understand, but it still feels… unpleasant."
Tenzō nodded silently and continued. Once they reached the Anbu equipment room, he explained:
"Feeling uncomfortable is normal. Our missions are like this—difficult but essential. You should understand."
Shunichi nodded. "I do. Someone has to do this work."
Tenzō changed the subject.
"Your performance tonight was excellent. You can rest tomorrow. The day after, we resume missions. By the way, visit the Hokage tomorrow. He has something for you."
"I understand," Shunichi replied calmly.
Tenzō then went on to introduce Shunichi to the daily routines and minor tasks of the Anbu. By the time he finished, dawn had broken.