Chapter 107: Something Feels Off

Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Something Feels Off

Under Danzo’s arrangements, the Root ninja who had killed Uchiha Yui soon appeared inside the Uchiha clan grounds.

His appearance immediately caused an uproar.

If Clan Head Fugaku hadn’t personally stepped in, the Root ninja probably would’ve been killed by the furious Uchiha before he could even make it to the Uchiha residence.

After bringing him into a secret room, Fugaku kept only Shisui behind and ordered all the other clansmen out.

Once everyone had left, Fugaku folded his arms across his chest and asked coldly,

"What are you here for?"

The Root ninja didn’t hesitate. He immediately gave Fugaku and Shisui a detailed account of everything that had happened at the time.

Finally, he added,

"I was worried that whoever was behind it would kill me to silence me, so I didn’t stay behind to explain myself."

Hearing this, Fugaku and Shisui immediately fell into deep thought.

If this Root ninja wasn’t lying, then things had just become far more complicated.

It meant that aside from certain members of the village’s upper echelon, there was another force lurking in the shadows and targeting the Uchiha clan.

After pondering for a moment, Fugaku asked,

"So you’re saying that both you and Yui were being controlled?"

The Root ninja nodded.

Fugaku continued,

"Then can you tell what kind of technique it was? Some kind of genjutsu, perhaps? Or a secret technique similar to the Shadow Clone Technique?"

The Root ninja shook his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell."

Fugaku frowned, a trace of killing intent flashing through his eyes. Clearly, he didn’t believe the Root ninja’s words.

At that moment, Shisui suddenly activated his Sharingan. The three tomoe spun rapidly as he stared at the Root ninja and asked in a deep voice,

"Was everything you just told us the truth?"

Without even realizing it, the Root ninja had already fallen under Shisui’s genjutsu. His expression became slightly vacant as he answered,

"Everything I said was true."

Shisui nodded toward Fugaku.

"He wasn’t lying!"

Fugaku asked,

"What do you think?"

Shisui answered almost without hesitation,

"Someone is trying to provoke a conflict between our Uchiha clan and the village. Clan Head, we absolutely cannot fall for it!"

Fugaku waved his hand.

"Escort him out."

"Yes!"

Outside the residence.

After learning that the man who had killed his beloved had come to the clan grounds, Uchiha Shinichi was extremely excited.

As far as he was concerned, now that the culprit had willingly stepped into Uchiha territory, his revenge was as good as done.

Creak...

At that moment, the doors of the residence slowly swung open.

Uchiha Shinichi, who had been waiting outside for some time, stared fixedly at the Root ninja following behind Shisui. His Sharingan activated unconsciously.

Seeing Shinichi waiting outside, Shisui’s expression dimmed. Full of apology, he said,

"Shinichi, things aren’t what you think they are. Whatever you do, don’t act rashly."

Shinichi froze upon hearing this.

As though realizing something, anger surged within him and he roared,

"What the hell do you mean by that?!"

Shisui nodded slightly.

"The Clan Head ordered me to escort him out."

"How is that possible?!"

Shinichi staggered several steps backward in shock, muttering,

"Could it be... Could it be that even the Clan Head has given in?"

Seeing Shinichi’s emotions becoming increasingly unstable, Shisui worried that he might do something drastic. He activated his Sharingan and cast a genjutsu on him.

In an instant, the furious and bewildered Shinichi lost consciousness.

Shisui stepped forward and caught him before he fell, then slowly helped him over to the side.

"Get some sleep."

Watching Shisui subdue Shinichi, the Root ninja could only feel somewhat helpless.

He knew perfectly well that the Uchiha clan wasn’t easy to deal with. His status as a member of Root wasn’t necessarily enough to protect him here.

"Let’s go."

After settling Shinichi down, Shisui urged the Root ninja onward.

Quite a few Uchiha clansmen had already gathered around them.

Shisui knew perfectly well that every extra minute the Root ninja remained inside the clan grounds was another minute in which something could go wrong.

But before he and the Root ninja had taken more than a few steps, Uchiha Shinichi’s cold, indifferent voice suddenly came from behind them.

"So Yui just died for nothing?"

Shisui was startled and immediately spun around.

Although Shisui hadn’t put much effort into the genjutsu just now, it was still a genjutsu cast with his Mangekyo Sharingan.

Under normal circumstances, with the ocular power of Shinichi’s three-tomoe Sharingan, he should have remained unconscious for at least ten minutes before there was even a chance of him waking up.

Yet unexpectedly, Shinichi had regained consciousness in just a minute or two.

More importantly, unlike the shock and fury that had covered his face before, the cold indifference now showing in Shinichi’s expression sent an inexplicable chill through Shisui’s heart.

It felt as though something terrible was about to happen.

Shisui explained,

"Shinichi, I’ll explain everything to you afterward. This matter is nowhere near as simple as you think!"

Shinichi replied,

"I know what you want to explain. But what does any of that matter?

"I saw him kill Yui with my own eyes. These Sharingan of mine won’t lie to me.

"He has to die.

"No matter what conspiracy is behind all of this, he... has... to... die!"

Toward the end, Shinichi spoke almost one word at a time, making his determination unmistakably clear.

Shisui shook his head.

"I’m sorry. I can’t let you kill him."

Shinichi slowly reached into the ninja pouch at his waist and pulled out two kunai, one in each hand.

As he settled into a combat stance, he said coldly,

"Then you’re my enemy."

Just then, Clan Head Fugaku walked out of the residence and shouted,

"Enough!"

Upon seeing the Clan Head, a slight ripple finally appeared in Shinichi’s otherwise cold expression. Looking at Fugaku with expectation, he asked,

"Clan Head, you’ll avenge Yui, won’t you?"

Fugaku replied calmly,

"He isn’t the culprit."

Shinichi immediately argued,

"But he’s the one who killed Yui! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Fugaku looked at Shinichi and knew that there was no way he could convince him with just a few words. He turned to the clansmen beside him and ordered,

"Take him to the detention room. Let him cool his head."

"Yes!"

Several Uchiha jonin serving in the Konoha Military Police Force moved at once, quickly restraining Shinichi before dragging the devastated young man away.

Shisui didn’t dare delay any longer. He hurriedly escorted the Root ninja out of the Uchiha clan grounds.

Outside the Uchiha clan grounds.

Danzo stood there leaning on his cane, accompanied by a group of Root ninjas, all of them watching the entrance to the Uchiha compound like hawks.

When he saw his subordinate emerge safely with Shisui, his brows furrowed slightly.

He seemed somewhat disappointed by the outcome...

...

Meanwhile, Hyuga Kagami had secretly slipped back into the village.

As he quietly made his way toward his home, he wondered to himself,

"Huh? What’s going on? Why does it feel like... something about the atmosphere in the village is off?"

As a member of the Anbu directly under the Hokage, Kagami naturally knew the village’s internal and external security arrangements like the back of his hand.

But this time, as he secretly slipped back into the village, he was surprised to discover that security both inside and outside Konoha had clearly been tightened...