"Forget it."
Quan shrunk his neck, hurried away, and closed the door behind him.
Although she had worked diligently, Naihe was still far from reaching the standard set by Yan, especially in the art of genjutsu. Her progress was slow, and while she trained tirelessly, it was obvious that illusion was not her strong suit.
Fortunately, Quan was not someone who gave up easily. If she were, she would've been crushed by the pressure long ago, spiraling into defeat and self-doubt.
The matter regarding the rectification of the Police Department remained unresolved. The elders refused to yield, and Fugaku lacked the political strength to force their hand. The stalemate dragged on, tension brewing between the Uchiha and the village administration.
At the same time, the incident regarding Danzo's attempted assassination of the Daimyo escalated into a national scandal.
Villages across the continent criticized Konoha harshly, and the daimyos of various nations began to voice their concerns publicly, demanding that the Third Hokage provide a reasonable explanation.
This wasn't a matter to be brushed aside. No matter what conflicts arose—even if war reached the Hidden Leaf's gates—attacking the Daimyo was strictly forbidden. That was the line no one dared cross.
And yet Danzo had taken a step over that line.
This reckless act sent shockwaves through the political sphere. If a high-ranking Konoha elder could go so far, what was stopping other villages from doing the same? What if they followed Danzo's precedent and began targeting their own daimyos?
The Daimyo of the Land of Wind was particularly shaken. His relationship with Sunagakure was infamously strained. If Suna were pushed too far, what would stop them from retaliating against him?
In a panic, the Wind Daimyo began rallying support from other countries, attempting to isolate and pressure Konoha.
Meanwhile, a travel-worn team from Anbu returned to Konoha and immediately reported to the Third Hokage.
Ever since his return from the Daimyo's mansion, Hiruzen had been deeply unsettled. How did the Daimyo obtain such detailed intelligence? The report not only mentioned Root—Konoha's most secretive black-ops division—but also contained specific, classified details. Only the history of Root was absent.
It was clear: the information had been leaked from within the village.
Among the Five Great Nations, most Hidden Villages had special units—Root, for Konoha; the Hunter-nin Corps for Kirigakure—so the existence of such forces was no secret. However, the inner workings, command structure, and operations were top secret.
Yet this report revealed explicit details about Root's structure, confirming an internal traitor.
Hiruzen immediately assigned a team of Anbu to investigate, and put Kakashi Hatake—a trusted elite—in charge.
"Lord Hokage."
In his office, Kakashi knelt with one knee on the ground, respectfully delivering his findings.
"After interrogating personnel from the Daimyo's mansion, we traced the source of the leak back to a branch of the Bounty Club. The intelligence was sold multiple times there, making it difficult to track down the specific buyer."
"The Bounty Club?" Hiruzen's brows furrowed deeply.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. The seller's identity was thoroughly disguised. The branch is located near the Fire Nation border—isolated, infrequently visited, and hesitant to offend customers."
Kakashi kept his head bowed. It wasn't for lack of effort—the mole was simply too meticulous.
Selling information in a remote area like that? It was a strategic move. Without the ability to travel back in time, there was no way Kakashi could uncover the seller's identity.
"Lord Hokage, my team believes the seller is someone from within the village, likely someone with high-level clearance."
Kakashi's tone was grim.
Most shinobi didn't even know Root existed—let alone have access to classified details. The spy had to be a high-ranking insider.
Hiruzen's expression darkened. "It can't be them..."
But even as he denied it aloud, suspicion already crept into his heart.
The most likely culprits? His oldest comrades.
Danzo could be ruled out—surely he wouldn't be so foolish as to expose his own organization. That left the two advisory elders—Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane—and a few others, such as Akimichi Torifu, who preferred a quiet life, and Hiruzen's own son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, who held a key role in Anbu.
Danzo was unlikely, unless he'd completely lost his mind.
The two elders? What possible reason could they have?
Shinnosuke? The very thought made Hiruzen's blood run cold. Could his own son...?
If Yan knew the Third Hokage was even considering this, he'd laugh himself into a coma.
The others had no motive to betray Konoha. Torifu, for instance, had little interest in politics.
Still, paranoia gnawed at Hiruzen.
The person responsible for this betrayal intended to plunge the village—and perhaps the entire Fire Nation—into chaos.
"Kakashi," Hiruzen said, lighting a cigarette. His habit had worsened with stress. "You cannot rest yet. I need you to lead a covert team and infiltrate the Daimyo's estate."
Kakashi looked up in disbelief. "Hokage-sama... you mean...?"
Hiruzen nodded solemnly. The message was clear—Kakashi's unit would be a secret failsafe. While Shisui Uchiha served as the Daimyo's visible protector, Kakashi's presence would serve as a hidden shield. A second layer of defense in case someone tried to silence the Daimyo permanently.
This wasn't paranoia—it was preparation.
If someone truly planned to assassinate the Daimyo, the Fire Nation would fall into turmoil.
"Kakashi," Hiruzen said, exhaling smoke, "the one who sold this information wants to see our country burn. They don't just want to weaken Konoha—they want war. The Daimyo cannot die."
He paused, then added with heavy emphasis, "Uchiha Shisui is the light. I need you to guard the shadows."
As for the Daimyo's personal bodyguards? Hiruzen had no faith in them. They were too reliant on status, blind to true danger.
"This subordinate understands. I swear on my life—I will protect the Daimyo," Kakashi said with resolve.
"Good. Go."
Hiruzen waved him off. As Kakashi left, the aging Hokage sighed deeply. He had no energy left to deal with the Uchiha.
Right now, only one thing mattered: stabilizing the Fire Nation.
Shortly afterward, Hiruzen summoned additional Anbu captains and instructed them to place Danzo and his subordinates under 24/7 surveillance. Danzo was not to leave Konoha under any circumstance, nor were Root agents.
A werewolf hunt had begun in the Hidden Leaf.
The Third Hokage looked like a man who trusted no one—and he didn't.
Most Anbu previously assigned to monitor the Uchiha had been reassigned. As for the squad tailing Yan—they were gone.
Sitting at a humble breakfast shop, watching academy students hustle by with schoolbags, Yan cracked a smile. The air was clearer now—no surveillance, no pressure.
The food tasted better than ever.
Captain Yan was in a good mood.
Quan noticed the subtle lift at the corner of Yan's lips. It was rare, but unmistakable—Yan was enjoying himself.
"Copy."
As Sasuke passed the school gates, Yan silently granted him today's replication attempt.
The reward was impressive—a critical bonus and a portion of Indra's chakra.
"Hahaha! Idiots! You're all idiots!"
Just as Yan was about to merge the chakra, a loud and mischievous laugh rang out, accompanied by indignant shouts.
A blond-haired boy burst into the breakfast shop with a bag in hand.
Uzumaki Naruto.
Yan was sure of it. Since arriving in this world, this was the first time he had seen Naruto in the flesh...