Chapter 40: Resolved
"Release."
Having identified the core mechanism, Shisui instantly dispelled Tonbo's illusion with precision. However, as he looked at Tonbo, the last trace of disdain vanished from his eyes. This man's Genjutsu was far more terrifying than he had imagined.
Not only was his ability to break illusions top-tier, but the illusions he cast were sophisticated and incredibly difficult to unravel. If the opponent had attacked while Shisui was busy dispelling the technique, he likely wouldn't have escaped unscathed.
"Do we need to continue?" Tonbo asked, spreading his hands.
Shisui's eyes focused. His Mangekyo (which had flickered briefly) receded back into the three-tomoe Sharingan as he stared intently at Tonbo. Just as he was hesitating over whether to press the attack, a figure appeared.
"Alright, that's enough. This battle ends here. He is no spy."
The three members of the Police Force looked over and were instantly startled. "Lord Hokage!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't address them directly at first. Instead, he said, "Tonbo is a squad leader under Inoichi in the Analysis Team. He is a trustworthy comrade; there is no need for drawn blades."
"Lord Hokage, you're a bit late. I almost couldn't hold back!" Tonbo complained.
Hiruzen gave an awkward cough. "There has been a mountain of paperwork lately. I came as soon as I received your message, but my old bones aren't what they used to be!"
In reality, he had been observing the fight from the shadows, wanting to see the performance of these two future pillars of Konoha. His eyes swept over Tonbo. He hadn't expected Tonbo to hold his own against Shisui, even briefly taking the upper hand. It seemed the prefix "Special" in Tonbo's Jonin rank was ready to be dropped. Furthermore, an illusion capable of snaring an Uchiha was a feat comparable to the Genjutsu level of the Second Hokage.
The three Uchiha looked at the two men chatting and exchanged confused glances. When had Tonbo sent a message?
Shisui spoke up, "Lord Hokage, since he is a fellow ninja, we shall continue our patrol."
"Mmm. Go on. Just remember to submit a written report of the incident to me," Hiruzen said. He needed a full account of why they had come to blows in the first place.
Swoosh!
The three Uchiha vanished instantly. The "Fat-and-Thin" duo looked particularly sour; they felt humiliated by the disregard shown to them by a commoner ninja.
Once they were gone, Hiruzen looked toward the sky. "Let her down. It's not good to leave her up there in the wind."
"Yes, sir."
Tonbo manipulated the giant eagle to bring Ayame down. Once he helped her off, the eagle shrank back into a small figurine.
"A truly useful Secret Technique. You're improving faster and faster. I vaguely remember our first meeting—you were quite intimidated by me! Now you have this kind of strength," Hiruzen praised.
It was that very technique—a tiny messenger bird—that had alerted him. It seemed Tonbo didn't just have deep attainments in Mind Reading; he had reached Jonin-level proficiency in multiple fields.
"Ah, haha... it's all thanks to Minister Inoichi's guidance," Tonbo scratched his head.
"Lord Hokage," Ayame bowed politely. She breathed a sigh of relief. Tonbo-kun really was the best.
"So this is your wife. It's a pity I was so busy with village affairs that I couldn't attend your wedding," Hiruzen said regretfully.
Tonbo hugged Ayame and laughed. "Konoha's business comes first. My wedding was no big deal, but for the next happy occasion, you must come, Lord Hokage!"
"I certainly will." Hiruzen's expression then turned serious. "Now, small talk aside, tell me why you clashed with the Police Force."
The Uchiha issue was escalating daily, and Hiruzen feared someone was intentionally stirring the pot. Even with his spies, he couldn't afford to be careless.
"That... it was just a misunderstanding caused by me testing a new ninjutsu. I'll be more careful next time."
"Tell me about this new jutsu. Perhaps I can offer some guidance."
"Really? That would be fantastic."
Tonbo then recounted the events, explaining the details of the barrier technique and the subsequent conflict with the Uchiha.
"A Barrier Technique?" Hiruzen was surprised. Hadn't Tonbo always focused on Mind Reading and Genjutsu? Why the sudden shift to barriers?
He acknowledged Tonbo's Genjutsu talent, but barrier techniques were notoriously difficult to master. According to intel, Tonbo lived a very disciplined life: completing missions and researching illusions or secret techniques in his spare time. While Anbu reports mentioned him reading books on sealing and barriers, Hiruzen hadn't believed he had the energy left to actually master them.
"Yes. More than 3 years ago, the Nine-Tails incident made me realize that against such a behemoth, even a slight aftershock can harm countless civilians," Tonbo said honestly. "So, I started thinking about how to prevent that. I settled on barrier techniques. Today, I finally finished a small-scale version and tested it, which caused the misunderstanding."
Tonbo spoke truthfully. He hadn't originally intended to reveal this technique, knowing Hiruzen's personality often led to intel leaking to a certain "Shadow of the Village" (Danzo). That would bring unwanted complications to his life. But since things had reached this point, there was no use hiding it.
Under the gaze of Hiruzen and Ayame, he demonstrated the technique again. Training Ground 98 vanished once more.
"An incredible barrier! But... surely this isn't enough to protect all of Konoha?" Hiruzen mused, fascinated by the concept.
"Of course, this is only the small-scale version. A large-scale one has too many variables. I'm currently using this as a base to slowly develop something that could eventually cover the entire village."
"Excellent. You truly have inherited the Will of Fire; your vision is grand indeed!" Hiruzen was very pleased. If Tonbo could one day complete a village-wide barrier, Konoha's security would skyrocket.
"Since you're working so hard, I must support you. From now on, once a week, I will send a team from the Barrier Corps to study and assist you. You must complete this development."
Hiruzen left Tonbo no room for refusal, clearly recognizing the strategic value of the technique.
"Yes, sir," Tonbo replied helplessly. Doesn't this just mean more overtime? If he had known, he would have picked a much more remote place to experiment. But one does not refuse the Hokage.
Hiruzen nodded and vanished.
"Are you okay, honey?" Ayame asked, dusting off his clothes.
"I'm fine. It just means I have to work overtime one day a week now. I'm sorry about that."
"It's okay! As long as you're safe. Besides, working extra for the sake of Konoha is something to be proud of!" Ayame said with a smile.
"That's my wife. Come on, let's go get a big dinner!"
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!