"Cough, cough, cough…"
Yun turned to Tokuma, who was still coughing.
"You alright?" he asked.
Tokuma stood up and nodded. "I'm fine, but it seems they mistook us for ordinary genin."
He glanced toward the caravan in the distance. "Sensei, did you take out the other two as well?"
Yun shook his head slightly. "No. The other two enemies were taken care of by Hana and Izumi themselves. I didn't lift a finger."
Without paying attention to Tokuma's stunned look, Yun walked straight back toward the caravan.
Moments ago, the caravan had been in chaos, but now the old man He Yan had calmed everyone down.
The moment he saw Yun, he hurried to speak before Yun could question him.
"I truly have no idea why ninja would target us! We're just ordinary traveling merchants!"
He rubbed his hands anxiously. "This mission turned out to be far more dangerous than expected. I'm willing to increase your payment, and I'll write to Lord Hokage myself to have this mission's rank raised!"
Yun looked at the old man and couldn't help but think, 'Sometimes that saying about old people being cunning is spot on.'
He hadn't said a word yet, but the old man had already spun the whole thing cleanly to his favor.
And offering higher pay and rank was proof enough that the old man genuinely hadn't known this attack would happen.
But "just a simple traveling merchant"? Heh…
The old man clearly knew that the Stone of Gelel would attract attention. What he didn't know was that the three ninja earlier had been acting on their own, meaning there likely wouldn't be follow-up trouble.
If the guards were just ordinary Konoha shinobi, he'd probably return to the village and reissue the mission.
But knowing Yun's reputation, the old man wouldn't let go of such protection.
"You want us to continue this mission, then?" Yun asked, scratching his head. "I don't really mind, but my students, this is their first mission outside the village. You'll need their consent."
The old man immediately looked to Izumi and Hana, then to Tokuma, who had just returned. His fiery gaze made the three young ninja shiver.
...
Earlier, the enemy's Earth Release technique had only destroyed Yun's clone, leaving the carriage untouched, a sign of how precise their chakra control was.
Now Yun was lying again atop the carriage as the caravan resumed its journey.
"Sensei," Tokuma said from below.
With eyes closed in rest, Yun asked, "Worried?"
Tokuma shook his head. "Not exactly. With you here, none of us, not me, nor Izumi and Hana, ever worry for our lives."
He paused. "…But am I just too weak?"
There had been three attackers. After the fight split, Izumi and Hana finished theirs quickly.
Meanwhile, Tokuma's battle had dragged on…
"Ha…" Yun yawned, sat up, rubbed his eyes, and said, "Because of that fight? But your opponent was their leader, much stronger than the others."
He glanced back at the two girls resting behind the caravan.
"Izumi's power isn't something you can really compare to," Yun continued. "The Byakugan and Sharingan are worlds apart. To awaken the Byakugan's full power takes endless training."
"To awaken the Sharingan… takes pain. Sometimes that pain breaks an Uchiha's mind completely."
"The cost is different, so the power you gain is too. Izumi's double-tomoe Sharingan, you've heard how she awakened it, right?"
Tokuma nodded.
"Then you also know illusion-based training won't help her anymore," Yun said. "Once you've awakened the Sharingan and endured that trauma, illusions won't trigger it again. The eye itself creates illusions."
"As for you, your Byakugan and Gentle Fist, when paired together, can sever an opponent's chakra flow. With a 359° view and fast enough reaction, you could be untouchable within your field."
Tokuma froze for a moment. "Sensei… do you have a way to train me?"
Yun smiled. "Do you know why I didn't help the moment I sensed those enemies? I wanted to see what you were missing in real combat."
"Tokuma, the Byakugan is the foundation of Gentle Fist. You haven't mastered Air Palm yet. What you need is anticipation, to read your enemy's intent before they act. Everything within your sight can be read if you react fast enough."
'Anticipation…' Tokuma thought.
But the Byakugan doesn't predict, that still depends on his own reaction speed.
"When we get back to the village," he asked, "can you give me special training?"
Yun nodded. "Don't worry. I've got plans for all three of you."
The rest of the trip went smoothly. Just as the genjutsu-acquired intel had suggested, the three enemies had likely been acting alone.
From what Yun recalled of the original timeline, the caravan faced no problems even until Naruto was fourteen, it seemed this attack was now behind them.
Three days later, after escorting the caravan safely to its destination, Yun and his students headed back.
The mission was reclassified as B-rank, and the Hokage was informed accordingly.
Meanwhile, in Konoha…
After Ku destroyed Root, the surviving remnants were taken over by Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
Together with the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and their dead comrade Danzo, they all inherited Tobirama's political ideals.
Their distrust of the Uchiha clan had never lessened.
And as the years passed, with the Uchiha free from the burden of the Police Force, they'd gained more and more allies.
This, the elders would never allow.
"Are you certain this report is true?!" Homura barked, glaring at the masked Root operative before him. His hand clenched tight around the document.
The man, codename "U", bowed his head. "While Lord Danzo still lived, Root kept records of the Uchiha clan's Mangekyō Sharingan, and experiments with the First Hokage's cells."
"The Mangekyō's power causes blindness with overuse. Uchiha Itachi's records confirm this."
He paused. "By that logic, Uchiha Yun's eyes should've gone nearly blind by now… but they haven't."
Koharu frowned deeply. "Indeed. Judging by his performance, his vision hasn't deteriorated at all. Unless…"
Homura nodded. "Unless Uchiha Yun also experimented with the First Hokage's cells."
Koharu's expression hardened. "Those experiments were banned long ago! To think an Uchiha would dare touch the First's power, unforgivable!"
"Where is this 'Shin' mentioned in the report?" she demanded.
Un bowed. "After Root's fall and Orochimaru's defection, Shin disappeared. Before that, he volunteered as one of Orochimaru's test subjects."
Orochimaru.
Hiruzen's former student.
A traitor of Konoha.
Homura and Koharu exchanged looks, both understanding instantly.
Even if he was Hiruzen's pupil, they couldn't let such dangerous power slip away.
Power must remain in their hands, that was the only way to protect the village.
"Leave us," Homura ordered.
Un hesitated briefly. "My lords, the remaining Root members are loyal to you. We will serve as you command!"
Homura's gaze turned cold and sharp, just like Danzo's.
"I said… leave."
Under that crushing authority, Un backed away and left.
"Should we tell Hiruzen?" Koharu asked nervously.
Homura stared at the document, his voice low.
"No. Not yet."
"But without his approval, we-"
Homura snorted. "Do you honestly think Hiruzen still has any real power left? Half his own ANBU barely trust him anymore."
"With his indecisive nature, if he learns an Uchiha might possess the First's cells, he'll probably choose to 'observe' rather than act."
"You understand the danger. Sharingan and Wood Release, combined in one person. Especially an Uchiha!"
Koharu went silent, fully understanding.
Even the Nine-Tails, the mightiest of the Tailed Beasts, had been like a pet in Hashirama's hands.
Under Wood Release, it was helpless.
If an Uchiha ever mastered such power…Konoha could be wiped out in an instant.
"Then what's your plan, Homura?"
He turned toward the Uchiha district in the distance… then shifted his gaze toward the lone Hatake household.
"For dealing with power, we've done this before."
"Politics," he said, holding up the document, "is about balance. When one side grows too strong, that balance must be restored."
"Konoha's only a few decades old. The terror of the Warring States era still lives in the memories of the old."
"That's why no one, not even the Hyuga, will ever allow another Uchiha Madara to rise."
Koharu nodded slowly. "I see… a single overpowering force disrupts balance. And if Yun stands apart from his clan…"
"Then he'll be easier to deal with," Homura finished.
"Will he resist?" she asked.
Homura shook his head confidently. "Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi will stop him. They're not fools. A coup now would doom the clan."
"The other villages, Kumo, Iwa, Kiri, and Suna, they're all watching. None want another Madara."
Silence filled the room.
Finally, Koharu said quietly, "So… as long as he's really done these experiments-"
"No." Homura interrupted. "Speculation isn't proof. To make it real… we'll help him finish it."
Koharu's eyes widened. "You mean… build him a laboratory?"
Homura nodded. "Exactly. Without evidence, his reputation protects him. So we'll create the proof ourselves."
She hesitated, but at the word "Uchiha," her doubts faded.
The room fell silent once more.
Back in Konoha's streets…
A drunk was shouting and smashing things in a barbecue shop.
Moments later, a three-man patrol from the Police Force arrived, their Uchiha captain and two subordinates from allied clans.
"String Light Formation"
The drunk was instantly immobilized by the barrier technique.
The Uchiha captain calmly questioned him, documenting every detail.
Even as the man shouted insults, the captain remained composed, citing the laws he had violated and the punishment that followed.
The crowd murmured in approval as the report was posted on the shop door.
"Wow, I heard the Police Force's changed, but this really proves it."
"Of course! Uchiha Yun's a hero of the village, they wouldn't tarnish his name."
"Now every clan serves in the Force, not just Uchiha. Today just happened to be an Uchiha captain."
"Lord Shisui's leadership really turned things around."
"That drunk's lucky. Years ago, they'd have beaten him before hauling him in!"
"Honestly? He deserved it though, haha!"
Among the crowd stood Koharu Utatane, quietly observing.
'Has the Uchiha clan… really changed?' she wondered.
Her wrinkled face softened for a moment, but the memory of her teacher's words echoed again:
"The cursed eyes of the Uchiha."
'Eyes that awaken only through witnessing pain and death, how many of them could stay sane?'
She thought of Kagami Uchiha, one of the few who had truly cared for the village above the clan.
But those like him… were long gone.
Straightening herself, Koharu turned to leave.
'Whatever the case, the Uchiha needed to be put in their place.'
At the Fire Country's border.
Due to the small size of the Grass Country, Yun and his students had already crossed back into the Fire Country by nightfall.
Discussing their post-mission training, Yun spoke:
"Tokuma, your Byakugan gives you a 359-degree view. That's your greatest advantage. What you lack is prediction, the ability to foresee the next move. You must train your reaction speed and your ability to read subtle signs."
Tokuma frowned. "But how can I predict an enemy's next move?"
Yun stood, drew a kunai, and slowly moved his wrist before suddenly throwing it.
Thwack!, it embedded into a nearby tree.
"See?"
Tokuma blinked, confused.
Yun explained, "Even though I only used my wrist's strength, my shoulder still moved first, a subtle precursor motion. If you can spot those tiny signs, you'll always know what comes next."
He demonstrated again, and this time Tokuma noticed it.
"The shoulder! Even if you use only your wrist, your shoulder tenses first!"
He frowned again. "But to notice every small movement like that… that's terrifying."
Yun chuckled. "Might Guy's working on something similar. Since he only uses taijutsu and his genjutsu resistance is low, he's developing a style where he predicts my moves through lower body movement alone."
"If he perfects it, he won't even need to look into my eyes when fighting me."
All three students stared in shock.
That sounded impossible.
But Yun's gaze told Tokuma otherwise, and Tokuma clenched his fists.
"I understand. That's the path I'll train toward."
Yun nodded. "And not just taijutsu, I'll have Kakashi help you with ninjutsu recognition. He's copied over a thousand jutsu… though I'm not sure if he's got enough chakra to show them all."