Chapter 11: Uchiha Block the Path
In the brightly lit room, just as Li Yao lost consciousness, an ANBU ninja suddenly appeared—it was Baku, the ANBU squad captain.
He approached Li Yao's back, quickly formed several hand seals, then extended his hand and tapped the back of Li Yao's exposed neck.
"Four Symbols Sealing."
Dark sealing runes spread out like spiderwebs from the point of contact, quickly crawling over Li Yao's entire body.
Once the seal was complete, Baku raised his hand. The black sealing runes sank into Li Yao's skin like ink and disappeared.
At that moment, Insect entered the room.
"Captain," Insect greeted Baku.
"Mm," Baku nodded.
Insect immediately pulled out a sealing scroll, formed a seal, and with a puff of smoke, summoned a rope and a burlap sack.
Sealing scrolls were truly handy—anything could be sealed into them. They were the ninja world's equivalent of storage bags, essential gear for killing and covert ops.
Most ANBU carried at least four or five sealing scrolls, each packed with deadly equipment.
Insect expertly tied Li Yao up tightly like a twisted doughnut and then slipped the sack over him. Secured, he slung him over his shoulder and followed Baku out.
Outside the house, the Third Hokage stood alone on a rooftop across the street, while his ANBU guard squad remained hidden in the surrounding area.
Baku used the Body Flicker Technique to appear before the Third Hokage and respectfully reported, "Hokage-sama, the target has been sealed and secured."
"Good work." The Third nodded with a gentle smile, then turned his head toward Karasu, approaching from nearby. "Well? Did you detect any chakra fluctuations?"
Karasu shook his head. "None."
To prevent the target from possibly escaping via the Spirit Transformation Technique, the Third had ordered his guard squad to establish a chakra-sensing barrier around the building before the operation.
Since the barrier hadn't detected any movement, it meant the soul was still inside Kimura Yō's body and hadn't fled.
This confirmed the Third's understanding—that once someone performed soul possession, they couldn't use the Spirit Transformation Technique again during the adaptation phase.
"Excellent."
The Third nodded with satisfaction, his smile growing even warmer. He then said, "Take the target to Interrogation Room Three. I'll follow behind, unnoticed."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Baku turned and left, gesturing for Insect to carry the target. The other two squad members spread out to guard the sides, staying alert as they moved swiftly across rooftops toward the ANBU base.
The Third Hokage and his guards followed silently behind.
It was nighttime in Konoha. Shadows blanketed the village, broken only by scattered lamplight.
Konoha had no curfew at night.
Still, few people roamed the streets this late—mostly older men heading to or from the local izakaya for drinks.
These civilians couldn't perceive the movement of ANBU across the rooftops.
But there were a few individuals who could.
"Halt."
A cold, low voice echoed from the darkness.
Baku stopped immediately, left hand reaching for a kunai at his waist while his right hand moved to grip the hilt of the sword strapped to his back, body lowering into a combat stance.
His eyes locked onto two pairs of crimson eyes glowing ominously in the night.
He was fully ready to fight.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
At the same time, the other two squad members appeared beside Baku, flanking Insect who was carrying the sack.
Like their captain, each placed one hand on their sword hilt and the other into their tool pouch for a kunai—prepared to engage at any moment.
But that was all—just readiness. None had actually drawn their blades.
Because standing before them were members of the Uchiha Clan—not enemies.
Then again, the Uchiha weren't exactly allies either. Caution was still warranted.
Baku kept a calm expression as he stared at the two Uchiha from the Police Force and spoke in a low voice, "ANBU on official mission. Civilians, step aside."
Heh.
The two Konoha flak-jacketed Uchiha men sneered.
On the left, Uchiha Luffy—with tall spiked hair and a long braid trailing down to his waist—stood on the rooftop with arms crossed, casting a condescending gaze downward.
With a sardonic smile, he said, "You say you're ANBU, and we're supposed to take your word for it? Got anything to prove it?"
Uchiha Ace chimed in mockingly, "Yeah, how do we know you're not enemies—"
"Cough, cough, cough—"
Luffy suddenly coughed hard, cutting off his cousin's words, then shot him a helpless look.
They both knew the four before them were clearly ANBU.
A little mockery was fine, but openly suggesting they were enemy shinobi? That was as good as insulting the entire Uchiha Police Force—implying they were too blind to detect enemy infiltration.
Some lines shouldn't be crossed. Words had consequences.
Ace realized his blunder too, but instead of feeling guilty, he grew annoyed and glared at the ANBU squad.
That's when he noticed the sack Insect was carrying. His eyes lit up—it was a person, a child no less.
Ace asked sharply, "Who's in the bag?"
Baku frowned. "No comment."
Ace chuckled darkly, showing no respect for the Hokage's direct subordinates. "If you won't submit to inspection, you must have something to hide. That makes you a threat to Konoha."
Hearing such unreasonable words, Baku was unfazed. This was a mission directly ordered by the Hokage.
In Konoha—no, in the entire ninja world—only the Hokage had the authority to inspect ANBU.
No one else had that right.
Still, Baku held back his anger and repeated firmly, "As I said—ANBU on official mission. Stand down."
The final "stand down" fell like a hammer—it was their last warning.
Baku and the other three unleashed their killing intent. If the Uchiha refused to move, they would be classified as obstructing an ANBU mission—and could be executed on the spot.
That was a right granted to them by the Hokage!
Heh.
A cold chuckle echoed again—someone clearly didn't care about ANBU authority.
Uchiha Luffy stood tall and defiant, arms still crossed, unmoved by the squad's intimidation.
With a sneer, he said, "We are the guardians and inspectors of Konoha, granted the authority by Second Hokage Tobirama himself to eliminate all threats to the village—preemptively if necessary."
"Suspicious ANBU fall under our jurisdiction just the same."
"Refuse inspection, and even if you're ANBU—or the Hokage himself—it doesn't matter."
With that, Uchiha Luffy finally uncrossed his arms and prepared to clash with the ANBU.
Shing, shing, shing!
The moment words failed, the three ANBU drew their swords simultaneously—ready to strike.
But then—a calm, weighty voice dropped from the sky like a mountain.
"Is that so?"
"Even I don't count?"
No one saw when the Third Hokage appeared, but by the time he spoke, he had already landed in front of Baku and the squad. His powerful, composed gaze locked directly onto Luffy and Ace.
In that instant—
The two Uchiha brothers felt as if the air around them had turned to steel, pinning them in place, making it hard to breathe.
Cold sweat instantly coated their faces and backs, dripping down uncontrollably.
(END CHAPTER)
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