"Hahaha, brother, don't be angry. It was just that Honō was too anxious at the time and ended up knocking you out." Uchiha Retsu looked at Uchiha Gorou inside the cell as he spoke, then poured him a cup of sake.
Uchiha Honō raised his own cup and said, "I was in a rush back then, used too much strength. Don't take it to heart, brother. Come, let me toast to you."
Uchiha Kairen chimed in, "Gorou, you've done a great deed this time. I've already submitted the report—this time you'll definitely be promoted to squad leader. From now on, we'll be colleagues. Come on, eat."
Uchiha Gorou looked at the three squad captains in front of him—one pouring him wine, one apologizing, and one crediting him for merit. The resentment he had been holding in his heart went down with the drink.
Everyone drank happily. At last, Uchiha Kairen said, "We'll have to trouble you for another three days. I've already spread the word that we caught an Iwagakure spy—and at the same time, captured a Kumogakure spy who'd been imprisoned by that Iwa spy. Heh, you understand what that means. Your 'comrades' will come to rescue you, because you carry important intel."
Uchiha Gorou cursed in his heart: These three bastards—does it ever end? Claiming it's all for my credit? I see you're picking out a grave for me instead!
Seeing Gorou remain silent, Uchiha Honō tried to reassure him. "This time's different from last time. You'll be under our heavy protection, and your chakra won't be sealed. If anyone approaches you except for Uchiha Cha, who brings your meals, you can attack directly. Protect yourself first."
Uchiha Retsu slapped his thigh and said, "If this plan works, you'll be a hero of the clan! Our patrol unit can finally hold our heads high and proudly ask others, 'You know Uchiha Gorou, right? He's the ace of the Uchiha—the greatest contributor in cracking the spy case!'" He especially emphasized the words greatest contributor.
A whole herd of grass mud horses galloped through Uchiha Gorou's heart. Are you sure I'm the Uchiha's ace, and not its ghost, big brother?
Finally, he nodded and said, "Just three days! Not a day more, or I'm done!"
......
"Word's come in—one of ours was captured. Though it's strange—during a raid on an Iwagakure spy, they apparently found a 'comrade' imprisoned in a hidden room," said a man wearing a straw hat, speaking toward a well.
There was no sound from the well. The man finished speaking, turned, and left.
The Uchiha clan had already handed the prisoners over to Konoha, and the Police Force had returned to normal.
The straw-hatted man came back to the well again and said, "The Uchiha handed over the Iwa spy, but said nothing about a Kumo one. The Police Force is back to full strength. That Uchiha Kairen you told me to watch—he's always in Uchiha Honō's district, day or night. I think something's up."
A slip of paper was tossed from the well. On it was a single word: "Investigate". The straw-hatted man swallowed the paper, took a swig of sake, and staggered off.
"The girl at the third table from the left seems to have taken a liking to you," Uchiha Retsu teased Uchiha Kairen.
"I think she likes Gorou instead," Uchiha Kairen replied.
Uchiha Honō chuckled. "So, she's about to take the bait? Want me to spice it up a little?"
Uchiha Kairen shook his head. "Not only no—we have to act like nothing happened. Treat Gorou like a real secret. The more we look like we're trying to protect something, the easier it is to expose it."
Uchiha Retsu said, "I wonder how they'll try to snatch him. If they come directly, they're insane."
"We'll find out soon enough…"
......
"How many times has it been now! Can't you keep your damn word for once? Three days, then three more—I've been lying here so long my limbs are about to atrophy! How about you just hang me up instead—at least then my feet could touch the ground!" Uchiha Gorou was tied to a bed, clearly on the verge of breaking down.
Uchiha Retsu said, "I'm telling you, this time for real—they've all come probing already. Just lie back and relax. Close your eyes—when you open them again, it'll all be over, truly!"
Uchiha Honō covered his face, at a loss for words. It had been over ten days; even he couldn't take it anymore.
Uchiha Kairen was too embarrassed to even show up.
Two days later, boom!—a loud crash. Everyone turned their heads. The Uchiha patrol squads didn't hesitate; most ignored everything else and rushed straight toward a civilian house, surrounding it. Afterwards, they acted like nothing had happened, casually wandering about as if all was normal.
Night fell. The entire village was quiet.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!"
All the torches around the house flared to life, illuminating the circle of Uchiha. Uchiha Kairen said, "Beauty, I've been waiting for you a long time."
The moment his words fell, they struck.
Sounds of fighting erupted from inside the house—and within moments, it was over both inside and out.
Uchiha Ankoku walked out of the house carrying someone in her hand. Behind her, Uchiha Gorou dragged two corpses, his face stiff with exhaustion, and even a bit choked up…
The "clean-up operation" led by Uchiha Kairen had come to an end. The three squads had cooperated flawlessly, completing the mission with great success. Spirits were high, and soon they found an open space to hold a feast.
At the banquet, Uchiha Kairen solemnly introduced Uchiha Gorou to everyone, calling him a lone hero—how he had gone deep into enemy territory, endured hardship while secretly imprisoned, refused multiple times to be swapped out, and only returned to the Uchiha family once the mission concluded.
"This is the kind of spirit every Uchiha should learn from! This is the pride of our clan!"
Uchiha Gorou, dizzy from all the praise, waved his hands awkwardly. "No, no, it's not that great, really. Don't say that, hahaha… it wasn't that amazing, hahaha!"
Before everyone, Uchiha Ankoku even announced an appointment: because of his outstanding performance in this mission, Uchiha Gorou was promoted to Squad Captain. Once new members were reassigned, he would immediately form his own team.
Face flushed red, Uchiha Gorou declared loudly, "For the Uchiha, I'll gladly die!"
The next day, the report on the clean-up operation landed on the Hokage's desk. The Third Hokage puffed on his pipe, reading it with great interest. Before long, the three Elders arrived.
The Third set down the report and said to his old teammates, "Take a look at this—this so-called 'clean-up operation.'"
Koharu and Homura quickly skimmed it. Danzō didn't bother reading; he just stared at the Third, trying to read his expression.
"Danzō," Homura said, "you've rested long enough. If you stay idle, spies will have roots everywhere in Konoha—it's already full of holes."
Koharu added, "Even the Uchiha brats are getting enthusiastic about doing ANBU work. Who knows what they're planning? The one to watch is that Uchiha Gorou—so young, yet so shrewd. Not a simple one."
The Third Hokage took a drag from his pipe and said to Danzō, "Tell your Root members to return to their original squads. Konoha is no one's private garden."
Danzō left the office, muttering under his breath, "Uchiha… hmph."