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"Kushina, Mikoto, they're getting away!"
Shin pointed at the remaining five bandits, who were fleeing in panic after their leader's death.
Kushina reacted first. Without using any Jutsu, she threw two Shuriken, killing two bandits instantly.
Mikoto, her initial shock subsiding, activated her Sharingan and unleashed a Fireball Jutsu, incinerating another bandit. She then threw a Kunai, taking out the fourth.
Mikoto might look gentle, but she was a fierce fighter when necessary.
Shin finished off the last bandit with a Kunai.
"Congratulations, Master. Mission complete. Reward: One Common Replication Card."
"Looks like you've taken care of the bandits." Kato Dan arrived, having witnessed the last bandit's death.
Tsunade frowned at him. "I thought you were waiting at the bottom of the mountain. Why are you here?"
Dan hadn't followed them up the mountain.
"I was a bit worried, so I came to check. It seems the bandits have been dealt with. Your students are quite impressive, Tsunade-san."
Dan said with a smile.
"Dan-san, where are the three Genin you brought with you?"
Shin's sharp gaze made Dan feel exposed.
"They didn't come with me. I left them waiting at the bottom," Dan replied, his smile stiffening.
"Dan-san, are you familiar with the Uzumaki Clan's secret technique, the Mind's Eye of Kagura? It can sense Chakra within a radius of several dozen kilometers and pinpoint their location."
Dan's smile faltered, then vanished completely.
"Everyone's Chakra is unique. I memorized the Chakra signatures of the three Genin you brought with you. But I can't sense them. Care to explain, Dan-san?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed.
She knew about the Mind's Eye of Kagura. Her grandmother, Mito, had told her about it. It was a powerful sensory technique, comparable to the Byakugan.
She believed Shin. If he couldn't sense those Genin, there were only two possibilities: they had left, or they were dead.
They couldn't have left; even she couldn't cover that much distance in such a short time. That left only one possibility: they were dead.
"Kato Dan, explain yourself." Tsunade was ready to apprehend him.
"Tsunade-san, you're not going to believe this brat, are you?" Dan said, frowning.
"I believe Shin. He's more trustworthy than you."
Tsunade channeled Chakra to her fist, creating a gust of wind. Dan gulped, his heart pounding.
He knew how strong Tsunade's punches were. She could kill him with a single blow.
"Also, I sensed five unfamiliar Chakra signatures at the bottom of the mountain. Judging by their strength, they're at least Jōnin level, maybe even elite."
Shin stared at Dan. Those five Shinobi were definitely connected to him.
"Looks like I've been found out."
Dan dropped the act. There was no point pretending anymore.
His previously gentle expression turned cold. He took out a signal flare and launched it into the air.
"Tsunade, don't attack yet," Shin stopped her.
"Hey, brat, what are you doing? This guy is clearly up to something. We need to apprehend him..."
"Relax, I'm ready for whatever he throws at us. But first, I have some questions for him."
Shin interrupted Tsunade, his eyes fixed on Dan.
"Dan-san, we have no quarrel. Why do you dislike me so much?"
This was what Shin wanted to know. He hadn't done anything to provoke Dan.
"I'll tell you now that I've been exposed. It's Lord Danzō's order. He wants me to bring you back."
Dan glared at Shin.
"Danzō? You're working for Danzō?" Shin was surprised.
"That bastard Danzō!"
Tsunade clenched her fists in anger. Kushina and Mikoto didn't know who Danzō was, but they understood that Dan was the enemy. They prepared for battle.
"I can't believe it. But why would Danzō target me?"
Shin was baffled. He had been keeping a low profile. Why was Danzō interested in him?
Was he simply too dazzling to ignore? Shin couldn't help but feel a bit narcissistic.
"I don't know Lord Danzō's reasons. My mission is to bring you back and eliminate Tsunade."
Dan looked at Tsunade.
His mission was twofold: capture Shin and kill Tsunade.
"That bastard wants me dead?" Tsunade was furious. She wanted to pulverize Dan and then tear Danzō apart.
Just then, Dan's reinforcements arrived: five masked ninja, dressed similarly to Anbu. They were probably Root Members.
Shin's eyes narrowed as he noticed the only red-haired ninja among them.
"Uzumaki Hikaru, is that you?"
Among the Uzumaki survivors who came to Konoha, besides Shin and Kushina, there were Akiko, Kai, and Hikaru, the only adult.
Shin hadn't expected him to join Root and become Danzō's lackey.
He suddenly understood why Danzō had targeted him.
Shin's lineage was a secret. He had both Uzumaki and Uchiha blood. Kushina didn't know the full details, and neither did Akiko or Kai. They were too young.
But Hikaru knew. If he had told Danzō, it would explain his interest in Shin.
He probably wanted to capture Shin for research. After all, who knew what kind of power a combination of Uzumaki and Uchiha blood could produce? Danzō would be intrigued.
As for killing Tsunade, that was also understandable. It would weaken both the Senju Clan and the Sandaime Hokage. Two birds with one stone.
"Shin, you said that's Uzumaki Hikaru?" Kushina asked, moving closer to Shin.
Shin nodded. His senses couldn't be wrong. He could sense the Uzumaki's Sage Body.
The Uzumaki's Chakra, due to their Sage Body, was different from others. A sensitive sensor could detect it.
Shin, with his Mind's Eye of Kagura, was practically the best sensor there was. He hadn't been able to sense Hikaru from a distance, but now that they were close, there was no mistaking it.
"Betrayed by my own clan. How unpleasant." Shin's eyes glowed red, his three-tomoe Sharingan fixated on Hikaru, killing intent radiating from him.
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