The scuttling on the orphanage rooftop from the close of Chapter 21 wasn't just a single scout. My Three-Tomoe Sharingan, now fully active, picked out two distinct chakra signatures, moving with a practiced, predatory stealth. Two of them. They weren't just probing; this felt like an advance party. My heart pounded with a cold, clear resolve. This was it. The direct threat to my temporary home.
I moved with silent precision, a wraith in the moonlit darkness. My Shunshin no Jutsu, boosted by the Evolution System's upgrades, allowed me to cover ground faster than they could react. I approached from their blind spots, one ninja moving towards the orphanage's western edge, the other heading for the main entrance. They were attempting a coordinated infiltration.
My target was the one heading west. I dropped silently behind him, my presence utterly concealed by my perfected stealth and the Sharingan's ability to track their every micro-movement. He paused, clearly sensing something, his head tilting. This was a more seasoned rogue than the last scout.
I lunged, not with lethal intent, but with calculated precision. My Taijutsu was a fluid blur, striking pressure points and joint locks that put him down before he could even draw a kunai. The Three-Tomoe Sharingan showed me the exact moment his muscles tensed, allowing me to intercept his reactions. He collapsed, unconscious, a faint groan escaping him.
My attention immediately snapped to the second rogue. He was already at the orphanage's main door, attempting to pick the lock with a delicate chakra pulse. I had to move faster.
"Katon: Haisekishō!"
A dense, superheated cloud of ash erupted from my mouth, not at full power, but enough to blanket the main door and the area around the second rogue. He cried out, startled, stumbling back, his hands flying to his face as the hot, gritty ash stung his eyes and choked his breath. He was momentarily incapacitated.
I didn't give him a chance to recover. My Shunshin flared again, closing the distance instantly. I followed up the disorientation with a rapid series of Taijutsu strikes. Unlike the first, this rogue was more agile, desperately trying to defend himself even through the ash. But with my Three-Tomoe Sharingan analyzing his every flailing movement, predicting his desperate blocks, I quickly overpowered him, delivering a precise blow to his solar plexus that knocked the wind out of him, then followed with a final strike to the neck, rendering him unconscious.
Two down. Clean. Silent. And without anyone inside the orphanage even stirring. My chakra reserves, though deeper now, felt strained from the consecutive uses of high-level techniques and constant Sharingan activation. I had pushed my limits, but I had prevailed.
Rogue Network Interdiction: Progress 3/3 (Neutralized two rogue operatives attempting infiltration of a key target).Mission Objective Complete: Rogue Network Interdiction. You have been awarded 70 EP. Current EP: 95.You have acquired a Major Strategic Intel Boost and a Major Infiltration Boost.
The System's notification resonated deeply. I had done it. I had confirmed Mizuki's network, and now, I had begun to dismantle it. The Strategic Intel and Infiltration boosts felt incredibly valuable.
I quickly searched both rogues. They were similarly equipped, but on the leader (the one I took down second), I found a small, crude metal pendant. It was shaped like a serpent, but with a unique, angular twist at its head, almost like a stylized sword. This was likely a symbol of their faction, or even its leader. I carefully removed it, a tangible piece of evidence. I also found a small, rolled-up communication scroll—encrypted, but the Three-Tomoe Sharingan already gave me a faint sense of its underlying chakra signature, one I knew was connected to Mizuki's energy. I quickly memorized the general chakra pattern of this communication.
I then followed my usual protocol: subtly adjusting their positions to be found by Konoha patrols, ensuring no direct link to me. I returned the map I had memorized earlier to the scout's pocket (from Chapter 20).
By morning, the village was alight with whispers again. Two "unknown rogue ninja" found unconscious on an orphanage rooftop, caught attempting to infiltrate. Konoha's security, already heightened, went into overdrive. ANBU were everywhere.
Maito Gai-sensei, his youthful fire burning with a grim resolve, addressed Team 11 that morning. "My youthful students! Last night, a threat attempted to breach our defenses. But thanks to the vigilance of Konoha's shinobi, they were apprehended!" He looked at me, his gaze sharp. "Namekaze, your earlier reports about unusual activity near the wall and the symbols were crucial. The Hokage's office extends its thanks for your youthful diligence!"
I offered a humble bow, feigning modesty. The indirect path was working. Konoha was using my intel, bolstering its defenses against the very threat I was secretly fighting.
Our D-rank missions continued, now with an added layer of urgency. We performed perimeter checks, assisted ANBU in sweeping secluded forest areas, and helped reinforce village defenses. Gai-sensei's training adapted to the heightened security, focusing more on stealth, detection, and rapid response. My Three-Tomoe Sharingan proved invaluable, allowing me to spot minute details that others missed, reinforcing my reputation as "keen-eyed."
My "Observation: Team 7 Dynamics" mission had reached its final observation point. During a rare, combined training exercise between our teams, I watched as Kakashi-sensei finally began to push Team 7 beyond D-ranks, albeit subtly. He set up a complex survival drill, pushing Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to work together under pressure. They bickered, they stumbled, but they adapted. Naruto's sheer persistence, Sasuke's raw talent, and Sakura's sharp analytical mind coalesced. I saw moments of true, synchronized combat, where their disparate skills complemented each other almost perfectly.
Observation Progress: 3/3 (Team 7 Dynamics - Cohesive Unit Formation & Interdependence).Mission Objective Complete: Observation: Team 7 Dynamics. You have been awarded 20 EP. Current EP: 115.You have acquired a Major Teamwork Boost and a Major Tactical Analysis Boost.
The System's insights were profound. Team 7 was indeed forming, a powerful, if volatile, unit. My role in safeguarding Sasuke would have to work with this bond, not against it.
With 115 EP and the Three-Tomoe Sharingan at my disposal, I had to consider my next move. The Chunin Exams were now officially announced, just a few weeks away. It was an inevitable crucible, a stage for power and hidden agendas. The rogue network was still out there, its core leadership unknown. I held the serpent pendant and the chakra signature of their communication. My next step had to be decisive. I needed to infiltrate deeper, to find the head of this serpent. The Exams, with their influx of ninja and controlled chaos, might be the perfect cover for a deeper hunt. My evolution was far from over; it was just beginning to truly accelerate.
End of chapter 22