Chapter Eleven: An Unusual Visitor

Time slipped by swiftly; it had already been a week since the chaos wrought by the Nine-Tails. As days passed, the village of Konoha gradually regained its calm. The ascension of the Third Hokage caused a brief stir, but it quickly faded away.

Uchiha Ri had conducted several more investigations, but regardless of the methods employed, the culprit who killed the Root members remained elusive. Ultimately, the matter was left unresolved, sealed away within the archives.

Surprisingly, Danzo, after leaving the Police Force, no longer troubled the Uchiha. This caught Ri somewhat off guard, for he had prepared several countermeasures, ready to respond with legal reasoning and appeals to justice. In retrospect, it was likely that the Third Hokage had warned Danzo—after all, given the events of that night, even the Third could hardly object further.

However, the decision to relocate the clan’s territory was unavoidable. Fortunately, Ri’s single remark—“We’ll need more compensation”—won the Uchiha a larger reparation, which significantly reduced the opposition within the clan to the move. While dissent had not vanished entirely, at least there was no overt or vehement resistance.

At this moment, Uchiha Ri was hastily packing his belongings, with Yao assisting by his side. Noticing her reluctant and preoccupied expression, Ri forced a faint smile and said, “Don’t worry, we’ll return here someday.” Truthfully, if it were possible, he would rather not leave. Having lived here since birth, this place was home, filled with countless memories. Yet his personal wishes could never outweigh the will of the village.

Yao nodded slightly, though her mood remained somber. Seeing this, Ri took out a scroll to change the subject. “This is a new defense plan I’ve drafted for the Police Force. If you have time, help me review it.” He often discussed work with her, and Yao was quite familiar with the Police Force’s operations; involving her could help catch any oversights.

As expected, the prospect of something to do quickly drew her attention away from her sadness. She snatched the scroll with a look that seemed to say, “At least you know who to turn to,” and replied, “I’ll look it over carefully and give you my suggestions. Remember to consult me on these things in the future!”

“Yes, yes…” Not daring to be perfunctory, Ri responded earnestly, and in short order finished tidying up his belongings. Together, the two hefted their bundles and joined the rest of their clan, setting out toward their new home.

The relocation of a ninja clan numbering in the thousands formed a snaking procession along the streets, like a dragon winding its way through the village.

The mood was heavy. Even those forcing smiles could not lighten the atmosphere. After all, no one could be happy about being driven from their ancestral land, especially when shadowy figures were seen keeping watch from the street corners during the move.

Though the Uchiha were proud and outwardly cold, they were not ignorant of the world, nor lacking in intelligence. They had been assigned to the village’s most remote corner, surrounded by other ninja clans. These clans, though individually weaker, formed a web as intricate as a spider’s, effectively severing any escape route for the Uchiha. This was what stung the most: they were being treated as criminals.

This forced relocation had created a rift between the Uchiha and the village. For now, the combination of monetary compensation and Fugaku’s authority kept tempers in check, but it was only a matter of time before conflict erupted. When that day came, the consequences would be dire.

Ri observed all this, shaking his head inwardly. He thought no more of it. Under the constant supervision of the ANBU, it took nearly the entire day for the Uchiha to move into their new quarters.

After cleaning his new house and arranging his furniture and luggage, night had fallen. “Yao, I’m going out for a walk. Be careful while you’re home alone,” Ri called to her as she studied the defense plan. He intended to find a secluded place to train.

Each awakening of the Sharingan brought a comprehensive increase in power—from one tomoe, to two, to three, and then to the Mangekyo. The gains grew ever more dramatic, but such power could not be mastered overnight; it required focused training.

Ri, having recently awakened the Mangekyo, was still in the midst of rapid growth, exploring and expanding his abilities. This period of adjustment varied from person to person, but it was necessary to traverse it in order to unleash the true power of the Mangekyo.

Yao, sitting on the sofa with the scroll in hand, waved vaguely and replied, “I know. You be careful too.” “Good. If anything happens, go straight to the clan head,” Ri reminded her, sensing her nonchalance. The unknown murderer still gnawed at his mind, making him uneasy. In his eyes, Yao, though talented and strong, was still a gentle girl—unsuited to the violence and bloodshed of ninja life. Sharing work matters with her was mostly to reassure her and give her something to do.

However, their new home was very close to Fugaku’s residence, so he felt there was little danger. The clan head’s Mangekyo alone would deter even the most cunning intruder.

With that, Ri said no more. He slipped out of the house, avoided the nearby clansmen, and made his way into a dense grove to begin his training.

The spot was not especially hidden, and in the present climate, it was quite possible the Uchiha compound was under surveillance, so Ri limited himself to basic practice. As an Uchiha, this meant fire-style techniques. Every Uchiha excelled in their use. Besides fire-style, there was also “Shuriken Manipulation Technique,” which used transparent elastic threads to control shuriken or kunai. Coupled with the dynamic perception of the Sharingan, even the simplest thrown attack could be turned into something far deadlier, nearly impossible to guard against.

Now, the tangled trees around him became perfect targets for his practice. With a flick of both wrists, a dozen kunai shot out, striking precisely at predetermined targets, then swiftly changed course to hit the next set. Had there been an observer in the woods, they would have witnessed a deadly and spectacular dance of kunai.

As usual, Ri flung the kunai in all directions. At first, nothing seemed different from his prior exercises. But just as the blades were about to strike their targets, everything changed. In an instant, all the kunai redirected, converging on a single tree behind him, sealing off every avenue of escape.

Clang, clang, clang—metal rang out as someone in the tree fended off the kunai with their weapon. In truth, Ri had noticed the intruder the moment they entered the grove. He simply continued his practice to lull the newcomer into complacency.

Seeing the ambush fail, Ri’s expression did not change; the visitor was simply too remarkable. He refrained from further attacks, straightened his rumpled clothes, and smiled as he spoke: “Watching from the shadows is rather dull. Why not come out and say hello, Orochimaru…”

“Sensei!”