The night was as dark as ink. In the backyard of the Shoufu Pavilion Inn on the edge of Hot Water Village, the lights in the independent courtyard had been extinguished. It was silent, yet permeated with a sense of tension.
Uchiha Shao Yu, like a shadow blending into the night, noiselessly vaulted over the courtyard wall and landed without a sound.
Uchiha Renka, who had been on guard in the shadows, immediately appeared and whispered,
"Lord Shōba, you've returned."
"Mhm."
Shao Yu nodded, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard.
Tekka Uchiha, Chikage, Rei, Mei, and the others had already gathered at the doorway of the main room. Everyone had changed back into dark attire suitable for movement, their Ninja tool pouches were full, and their expressions were solemn.
The youngest, Shisui, had also been woken up. He was fully dressed, carrying a small backpack, with a trace of sleepiness still on his face, but his eyes struggled to remain alert as he followed closely beside Uchiha Rei.
"Are you packed?" Shao Yu asked.
Uchiha Renka, who was responsible for coordinating the preparations, immediately replied.
"Yes, Lord Shōba. All luggage has been organized, supplies have been distributed, and the inn fees have been settled. No obvious traces have been left. We can depart at any time."
Uchiha Mikka also took a step forward and said in a heavy voice,
"Lord Shao Yu, the surrounding situation has been re-confirmed; there are no abnormalities for now. However, the people we encountered while purchasing supplies might draw attention. This place is indeed not suitable for a long stay."
He didn't ask much about what Uchiha Shao Yu had just gone to do. As a qualified subordinate, he didn't need to know so much about what the boss was up to.
"Very well."
Uchiha Shao Yu didn't waste any words and gave the order directly.
"Depart. Follow the planned route, leave the Land of Hot Springs overnight, and enter the territory of the Land of Lightning."
"Renka, Mikka, you two continue to be responsible for the front and rear guard. Tekka, Chikage, watch the flanks and erase our tracks. Rei, look after Shisui. Everyone, maintain maximum vigilance and accelerate our pace."
"Yes!" Everyone responded in a low voice, without the slightest delay.
Twelve figures, like well-trained leopards, leaped out of the inn courtyard one by one and quickly vanished into the deeper darkness and mountain forests outside the small town.
Their speed was faster than when they arrived, and their direction was clear.
Barely half an hour after Uchiha Shao Yu and his group left Hot Water Village...
On another hidden mountain path leading to the Land of Hot Springs, nine figures were flying along at an astonishing speed.
They were all dressed in uniform, deep-gray tight-fitting clothes without any markings, wearing animal masks. Their aura was cold and murderous, and they moved with tacit cooperation and silence.
The leader, though also wearing a mask, had a slightly hunched figure, but his movement speed was not slow at all; he even vaguely led the rhythm of the entire team. It was none other than Danzo Shimura!
The eight people behind him were the only eight remaining Jonin of Root that he had personally brought out this time!
To ensure he could catch up with and take down Uchiha Shao Yu, as well as those eleven pairs of precious Sharingan, Danzo had truly staked the sharpest assets he had on hand.
The current Root was not yet the Root of the future; it didn't have so many Bloodline Limit Ninjas acquired from various clans. His future right-hand men, Fu Yamanaka and Torune Aburame, were not under his command yet.
Currently, Danzo felt the helplessness of having no one available. Although Root's power was great, compared to the Anbu, the gap in talent was too large.
In his view, facing Uchiha rogue Ninjas of that level, sending ordinary Root members or even Chunin would just be sending them to their deaths or slowing down the pace.
According to Danzo's own intelligence network, Uchiha Shao Yu was a possessor of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Besides Uchiha Shao Yu, there were two other Jonin with Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and the rest were Chunin with Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
He alone was enough to deal with the three Jonin. As for the other Chunin, wouldn't his subordinates be able to handle them with ease?
While it was said that Uchiha Ninjas were almost invincible within the same rank—a Chunin could fight two or even three other Chunin—the gap between a Jonin and a Chunin was not something a Sharingan could bridge.
Danzo had sufficient confidence in the power gap between the two sides; he had invested a lot of resources into these Root Ninjas.
Now, he wanted to catch up with those Uchihas at the fastest possible speed.
"Speed up!"
Danzo's voice came through the mask, carrying an irrepressible urgency and coldness.
"According to intelligence from Root's checkpoints at the border of the Land of Hot Springs, a small team of travelers with suspected Ninja characteristics entered the border yesterday evening, heading towards the area of Hot Water Village! We must not let them cross the Land of Hot Springs!"
"Yes!"
The eight Root Jonin responded in unison, and their speed increased again.
They were like tireless machines, their Chakra being efficiently used for travel and stealth.
Danzo's single eye flickered with a terrifying cold light behind the mask, his heart set on the determination to succeed.
Uchiha Shao Yu... that damned brat!
Not only did he take away precious Sharingan, but he also slapped Danzo's face, causing Hiruzen to cut his funding and destroying his prestige!
If this child wasn't eliminated, Danzo would find no peace in sleep or food! Moreover, those Sharingan... must be obtained!
And those Uchihas who followed him in defecting—their eyes would all be precious resources for Root to grow and realize his great ideals!
As long as he killed these Uchihas, when he returned to the Village, he would say the battle was too intense and the Sharingan of these people were destroyed. Even if the Uchiha Clan guessed something, they wouldn't be able to do anything to him.
Furthermore, with these dozen or so Sharingan, he could use Izanagi many more times. In that case, maybe even Hiruzen wouldn't be his match. Once he killed Hiruzen, he would be the Hokage... Jie jie jie jie... "Inately evil Uchiha brat... This time, let's see where you can run!" Danzo's heart turned fierce, and his pace quickened slightly.
He could almost see himself personally capturing Uchiha Shao Yu, gouging out those Three-Tomoe Sharingan, catching all the other defectors in one net, arming Root with their eyes, and then, with this achievement and power, turning back to show that indecisive fellow Hiruzen Sarutobi what's what!
No, better not arm Root yet. Arm himself first; his own strength was what mattered most. As for Root, he'd have Hiruzen sign warrants to conscript Bloodline Limit Ninjas into Root... Nine ghost-like figures sliced through the air in the deep night, pouncing straight toward the town of Hot Water Village.
They were on almost the same timeline as Uchiha Shao Yu's group, who had just left.
However, their speed was a bit faster than Uchiha Shao Yu's group. After all, they were all Jonin, whereas Uchiha Shao Yu's team still had many Chunin who slowed them down.
Furthermore, Uchiha Shao Yu and his group still needed to rest, while Danzo and these Root Ninjas were ruthless individuals who could go for days and nights without sleep, eating only Soldier Pill.
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808