"Genya-kun, what are you planning to do?"
Uchiha Shin's eyes widened in shock as he listened to Genya's words, a hint of disbelief still lingering in his gaze.
A vague sense of foreboding arose.
Genya was about to do something, something that would make Sarutobi Hiruzen regret his actions!
"To receive without giving back is impolite. Didn't they say the Sarutobi clan had already lost some people while carrying out missions for Konoha? Well, let's make sure they lose a few more!" Genya's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he spoke.
On his youthful face, there was an unmistakable killing intent!
Since the Sarutobi clan dared to target him, they couldn't expect him to hold back.
It was time to exact some interest.
"Genya-kun, are you planning to target the Sarutobi clan members?" Uchiha Shin finally realized his intent, a mix of astonishment and concern filling his eyes. The Sarutobi clan was powerful, and taking action against them could bring disaster.
"Isn't this a bit reckless?"
"Uncle Shin, rest assured. I will handle this personally and won't leave any evidence behind!" Genya's gaze shimmered with icy determination. He had truly made up his mind this time.
Besides,
The thrill of battle had become an addiction for him, especially battles against strong opponents.
Only in such fights could he unleash his true potential!
"Genya-kun... yourself? That's absolutely not acceptable!" Uchiha Shin firmly shook his head. Though he loathed the Sarutobi clan and even Sarutobi Hiruzen, he didn't want Genya to risk himself in this manner.
"Uncle Shin, do you doubt my abilities?" Genya looked at Uchiha Shin with a calm expression. "Among the current Jonin, none can match me. If I decide to retreat, no one can stop me. Moreover, if I take action, no one will notice anything unusual or suspect a thing."
"No! You're still too young and can't take such risks!" At this moment, Uchiha Kinya also shook his head. He couldn't allow his son to put himself in danger.
Uchiha Shin nodded in agreement. "Genya-kun, you are the future of the Uchiha clan. You cannot afford to be exposed to danger!"
"Father, they are trying to kill your son. Are we supposed to sit here and wait for them to succeed?" Genya turned to his father, his expression solemn and determined.
"If we keep retreating, they'll just find more ways to harm us. What we need to do is make sure they are too preoccupied to keep targeting us. Only then will we have the right to protect ourselves!"
"Father, if we don't act now, those people will become blades aimed at the Uchiha clan!"
After Genya finished speaking, the entire office fell silent.
Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Kinya didn't say a word, deeply contemplating the meaning behind Genya's statement.
Their actions would be a form of self-preservation.
If the Uchiha clan didn't retaliate, the Sarutobi clan would have even more freedom to hunt down members of the Uchiha clan. This time, Genya made it back safely, but what about next time?
What if others were attacked during an escort mission and Sarutobi Hiruzen sent people to intercept and kill them again?
The thought was unbearable!
At that point, the Uchiha clan would suffer massive losses. Everyone would live in constant fear, and even their merchant association would come to a standstill.
Striking first would be their best move.
If they killed enough Sarutobi clan members to make them afraid of leaving Konoha, that would be the ideal outcome.
In the end...
Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Kinya were moved. For the sake of the Uchiha clan, Genya's decision seemed to be the best choice.
Because they couldn't keep defending against the Sarutobi clan's attacks on their escort mission forever.
"Genya, should I have Shin go with you?" Uchiha Kinya hesitated before speaking. He still felt uneasy about letting his son act alone.
"No need. It's more convenient if I go alone," Genya replied calmly. "Before leaving the village, I'll leave a shadow clone behind. As long as the clone doesn't disperse, it means I'm safe."
The group then discussed the details of the operation.
The fewer people who knew about this, the better.
In the end, Uchiha Shin brought in Uchiha Furin, assigning him the task of investigating the Sarutobi clan's missions and observing who took which task.
Thanks to the Police Force, investigating mission assignments was incredibly easy and didn't raise any suspicions.
Uchiha Furin understood that this was the association leader's way of sending a warning to the Sarutobi clan, so he vowed to handle the task with his utmost effort.
The next two days passed peacefully.
On the third day:
Uchiha Furin arrived at Uchiha Kinya's office. "President, a chunin from the Sarutobi clan is undertaking a mission to escort someone to the Land of Earth. This mission also includes two chunin from the Mitokado clan. It's classified as a B-rank mission!"
"Hmph... A simple escort mission labeled as B-rank? Truly the hallmark of Konoha's beloved Third Hokage," Uchiha Shin commented sarcastically after hearing the details.
"Back in the day, the Uchiha were sent on life-threatening missions with just a B-rank classification. Talk about favoritism!"
Still, this time, let it really become a B-rank mission.
After all, B-rank missions come with risks. It wouldn't be unusual if someone didn't make it back.
"Furin, keep monitoring the situation. I'm aware of it now," Uchiha Shin nodded, signaling Furin to leave.
Once the office was left with only three people, Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Kinya both turned their gazes to Genya, waiting for his response.
"Why are you staring at me like that? It's just three chunin. No big deal," Genya said casually. "I'll head out tonight and be back by early morning tomorrow."
By afternoon, those people wouldn't have gone far anyway.
With Genya's decision, the matter was settled.
As night fell, Uchiha Kinya returned home early, and Uchiha Shin followed suit, heading back to the clan.
As soon as Genya arrived home, he left a shadow clone behind, while his real body, carrying a small bag, climbed over the courtyard wall and slipped away.
With his Dual Pupil activated, he carefully observed his surroundings and easily avoided all surveillance points.
In no time, he left Konoha, heading straight for the Land of Earth.
His speed was remarkable.
After covering a significant distance, he pulled out a monkey mask and a red cloak that completely concealed his body. However, Genya's small stature made him look more like a dwarf ninja from afar.
After sprinting for about an hour and a half, Genya spotted a flickering light in the forest ahead. Moving closer quietly, he saw four people sitting around a campfire, resting.
Using his Dual Pupil, he scanned the surrounding area within a three-kilometer radius and confirmed there were no other teams nearby.
There were no guards.
He moved lightly, jumping from branch to branch, keeping himself hidden as he approached to confirm the identities of the group.
Soon, he spotted several individuals wearing Konoha headbands resting nearby. They appeared quite relaxed. Based on Uchiha Furin's earlier description, he could confirm that one of them was indeed a genius Chūnin from the Sarutobi clan—Sarutobi Aimura!
At just fifteen years old, Aimura had already been promoted to Chūnin. With a few more missions under his belt, he would likely pass the Jōnin exams and officially become a Jōnin.
"Sarutobi Aimura, I think we should assign someone to stand watch," one of the group members suggested uneasily, glancing at the young man. "I'll take the first watch. You all can rest."
"Stand watch? There's no need!" The young man leaned confidently against the campfire, his tone brimming with arrogance. "Within the borders of the Land of Fire, no one would dare make a move against a member of the Sarutobi clan!"
His voice carried an unmistakable air of pride and disdain.
It seemed that during Sarutobi Hiruzen's years as Hokage, the Sarutobi clan had grown increasingly arrogant. Did they truly think of themselves as a ninja clan with a powerful Kekkei Genkai?
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