The forest clearing near Konoha's main camp echoed with rhythmic gusts of wind, each burst of air following the next like the steady beat of a drum.
Uchiha Yuan stood rooted in place, his posture perfectly balanced. His fists extended forward in slow, deliberate punches—each strike sharp and precise, yet measured, his body trembling slightly with every motion.
Sweat streamed down his face, dripping onto the ground in steady drops. A faint mist rose behind him, formed by the heat radiating from his body.
Unlike before, Yuan's straight-punch thrusts were no longer lightning-fast. Though his movements flowed smoothly, every strike carried an unusual slowness—as if every punch compressed immense power.
At the same time, his body seemed to breathe on its own. Each muscle fiber absorbed the chakra dispersed within his flesh, drawing it inward with rhythmic precision.
Then—
*Whish! Whish! Whish!*
Several kunai whistled through the air from the treeline, each affixed with explosive tags.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
A wall of earth erupted from the ground in front of him just as the kunai struck.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
The deafening explosions tore through the clearing, flames and smoke billowing upward—but not a single spark reached Yuan.
As the dust cleared, a shadow flickered in front of him. A Cloud shinobi appeared in a blur, blade raised high for a killing strike.
*Clang!*
Steel clashed against steel.
Moonlight Ryūka had appeared in front of Yuan, sword drawn, intercepting the strike with a shower of sparks.
Almost simultaneously, five more figures emerged from the trees, attacking from all directions—some with thrown weapons, others forming hand seals midair.
"Super Push!"
"Mind-Body Disturbance Technique!"
A massive wave of force burst outward, shattering the incoming jutsu mid-flight. The next moment, the attacking Cloud nin suddenly turned on one another, their movements thrown into chaos.
Yamanaka Mokuno and Akimichi Kai landed beside Yuan as a dozen Konoha shinobi appeared in flashes of motion, joining the fray.
Within moments, the ambushers were overwhelmed. The last Cloud assassin fell, pierced clean through the chest by a Konoha blade.
As silence returned, Ryūka's face darkened.
"Damn it. That's the seventh Cloud assassination squad this month! Looks like they're determined to take Lord Yuan's head."
Yamanaka Mokuno frowned. "What puzzles me is how they even reached us. Between the front lines and this rear camp, there are multiple sentry posts and patrol routes, both overt and hidden. Yet not one group of assassins was discovered on their way here. I find that… suspicious."
Ryūka's expression hardened. "Mokuno, are you suggesting there's a leak?"
Mokuno gave a cold smile. "It's very likely. To keep sending assassination teams, the Cloud must know Lord Yuan's current condition. They clearly learned that he's still recovering—so they're trying to finish the job."
Akimichi Kai scratched his head. "Mokuno… could it be Captain Shimura?"
Ryūka's face tensed, but he said nothing.
"There's a strong chance," Mokuno said grimly. "Only someone of high rank could access the patrol routes and sentry placements. And among the high-ranking officers, the one most openly hostile toward Lord Yuan is Captain Shimura of the First Division."
The group fell silent.
Mokuno had only voiced a possibility, but everyone knew the truth. The Cloud assassins' repeated infiltrations couldn't be coincidence. Shimura Ichizō's name hovered unspoken on every tongue—but there was no proof.
After a moment, Ryūka said quietly, "Maybe we should report this to Lord Jiraiya. Even if Shimura isn't behind it, the fact that Cloud shinobi reached this far back means the sentry network failed somewhere. Someone must be held accountable."
Before he could continue, Yuan finally spoke.
"Captain Ryūka, there's no need to trouble Lord Jiraiya. We all know what's really going on—even without proof."
His voice was calm, but his eyes were cold.
"And even if evidence surfaced, do you really think Jiraiya-sama would punish Shimura Ichizō? To some in Konoha, having me assassinated would be the most convenient outcome. After all… I'm an Uchiha."
Ryūka's eyes widened. "That's—!"
But the defiant words died in his throat as Yuan gave him a faint, knowing smile.
The others averted their gazes, the silence thick with unspoken truths.
Everyone knew about the village's growing distrust of the Uchiha—but hearing Yuan voice it so openly felt like tearing away the last veil of pretense.
Yuan gave a small laugh. "Still, thank you all. Without your protection these past days, I'd have fallen to one of those assassination squads long ago."
Mokuno studied Yuan's sweat-soaked hair. "Lord Yuan, your wounds have only just healed. You shouldn't be training so hard—it'll strain your body further."
Yuan wiped his brow, smiling lightly. "Don't worry. The medics check me every day. My body can handle this level of training."
The group escorted him back to camp.
Inside, the air was filled with groans of pain. Bandaged shinobi limped between tents, some supported by comrades, others receiving treatment from medical-nin.
The camp served as the final rear base—a refuge for the wounded pulled back from the front lines at the border between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost.
As they passed through the rows of medical tents, Mokuno murmured, "There are fewer and fewer wounded arriving from the front lately. I heard from some of the survivors that the Cloud forces haven't launched any major offensives for days. Even skirmishes are getting rare."
Ryūka nodded. "Guess the Fourth Raikage's injuries hit them hard. That's all thanks to Lord Yuan."
Akimichi Kai grinned. "Then… maybe the war's finally ending?"
Mokuno shook his head. "Maybe. I've also heard Iwagakure has begun withdrawing from the Land of Grass. They're abandoning their defensive lines."
Kai's smile broadened. "That's great news! Finally, peace!"
But Yuan's voice was cool. "Not necessarily. The Stone's retreat doesn't mean the Cloud will do the same. Those hotheaded brawlers won't bow out so easily."
Mokuno nodded thoughtfully. "True. The Cloud aren't the type to accept defeat quietly. Still, if the Stone's out, we'll only have one front left to deal with. The village can focus its strength and send us more reinforcements."
Kai rubbed his chin. "With the fighting dying down, maybe the village will finally start discussing a new Hokage. Can't let the retired Third keep running everything forever."
Ryūka considered it. "That's possible. My guess—it'll be Lord Orochimaru. He's got both the power and the prestige."
But Yuan only smiled faintly and shook his head.
"No. Orochimaru… will never be the Fifth Hokage."
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