Uchiha Tunan, after returning to the town, casually ate at a small breakfast shop before heading back to his hotel to rest.
The next few days were eerily calm.
Tunan remained in his hotel, using his summoned pigeons to monitor the border for any approaching Konoha personnel. Days passed, but there was still no movement.
By now, Uchiha Tunan started to feel something was off.
With the strength of Hatake Sakumo, he should have returned by now, no matter the situation.
Could it be that Sakumo and his team went to check on the town where the two Root operatives were stationed—only to find it abandoned? That would mean there was no one left to send up a flare to signal Konoha.
A plausible scenario.
But Uchiha Tunan had no intention of investigating.
What if he ran into them? How would he explain his "coincidental" presence? Claiming to have a premonition about the missing shinobi would be too suspicious.
Then, on the tenth night, a streak of red light cut across the sky.
A signal flare.
Tunan quickly got up, moving to the window.
The flare exploded mid-air above the town like a firework.
"So, it's a tracking-type flare."
Muttering to himself, Uchiha Tunan swiftly jumped out of the window and ran toward the source of the signal.
Since Kamiya Kazuki and Yoshida Taro had deliberately placed him in the town furthest from the mission site—hoping to delay his interference—it took him nearly five hours of running to arrive at the location, just as dawn broke.
Another garrisoned town.
At its entrance, Kakashi stood waiting.
Seeing Uchiha Tunan approach, Kakashi gave a small wave.
Tunan slowed his pace, pretending to be out of breath. "How did the mission go?"
"Failed," Kakashi replied indifferently, shrugging.
Uchiha Tunan frowned. "What happened? Lord White Fang personally led the mission—how could it fail?"
Glancing around to make sure no one else was listening, Kakashi lowered his voice.
"Sakumo-san was poisoned by Sunagakure's forces. To save him, he traded the hostage for the antidote."
Tunan's eyes flickered with understanding.
"So that's how it is... After all, that man is the commander of Root. He's far more valuable to Konoha than the hostage. As long as Sunagakure safely delivers the hostage to their employer, Konoha only loses a commission. Not a major issue."
Kakashi smirked under his mask. "At least he felt guilty about it. He said he'd personally make up for the lost mission fee once we're back in the village."
"That's the White Fang for you."
Kakashi pointed toward a tea shop down the street.
"Minato-sensei is already inside. Go meet them. I still have to wait for the other two."
Uchiha Tunan smiled. "Thanks for your hard work. Why don't I wait instead? Your father's mission just failed—shouldn't you go comfort him?"
Kakashi rolled his eyes. "It was just an S-rank mission. Nothing to comfort."
Tunan pushed Kakashi lightly. "Come on. You and I are the same rank—just go already."
Unable to argue, Kakashi sighed. "Fine."
Hours passed.
By noon, the two Root operatives had still not arrived.
Hatake Sakumo, Yūhi Ryoma, Namikaze Minato, and Kakashi gathered at the town's entrance.
Sakumo's expression darkened. "They should have been here by now. If they encountered an enemy, they would have used the flare. We should split into two teams and search for them."
Yūhi Ryoma immediately rejected the idea.
"No. If they haven't arrived by now and haven't sent a distress signal, they're likely dead."
Minato scratched his head. "Still, we should at least check. What if they're still alive?"
Ryoma's face remained impassive.
"They were briefed beforehand. Whether they were delayed or attacked, failing to send the flare is a serious violation. Even if they survived, they would be executed for disobedience upon returning. That is Root's protocol."
Sakumo let out a quiet sigh. "Then we won't wait. Let's return to Konoha."
---
Hokage's Office
Inside the Hokage building, Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair, exhaling a plume of smoke as he observed the four shinobi before him.
"White Fang, you did the right thing," he said, setting down his pipe. "Ryoma is not only your comrade but also the commander of Root. His survival is far more important to Konoha than an S-rank mission. Get some rest. I know the operation must have been exhausting."
The group nodded before leaving.
As soon as they were gone, Sarutobi sighed. His eyes lingered on the mission board, particularly on the large reward they had forfeited.
"I should've sent White Fang alone…"
---
Root Headquarters
In the depths of the Root base, Danzo sat silently, his single visible eye staring coldly at Yūhi Ryoma, who knelt before him.
His voice was frigid.
"Do you have any idea how much effort I spent to secure this mission? And yet, this is what I get in return. The hostage was lost to Sunagakure because of you. The boy's Sharingan remains out of our grasp. And Kazuki and Taro are missing."
Yūhi Ryoma kept his head bowed, his tone devoid of emotion.
"Lord Danzo, the failure was my responsibility. As for Kazuki and Taro… I suspect they made a mistake during the operation. It's possible that Namikaze Minato became suspicious of them."
Danzo's eye darkened. "You're suggesting they were killed by Minato?"
"There's another possibility," Ryoma added.
"It could have been the Uchiha boy."
Danzo's fingers tightened against the armrest.
"That's a possibility… Any Uchiha who awakens the Three Tomoe Sharingan is already at least at the level of an elite Jōnin. That child is young, but he's in his golden growth phase.
"Last time, he was able to take down Ryosuke using traps. He might have truly been capable of eliminating two Jōnin on his own.
"But…" Danzo narrowed his eyes. "I specifically ordered them to watch out for his genjutsu. Even if they engaged him, they should have had countermeasures in place."
Danzo's fingers tapped rhythmically against his chair. After a long silence, he waved Ryoma away.
"Leave. I'll deal with this later."
"Understood."
As Ryoma departed, Danzo leaned back, muttering to himself.
"Orochimaru's experiments have stalled completely… I need to find another way to obtain a new Sharingan.
"But none of the Three Tomoe Uchiha are leaving the village right now…
"Tch. Cursed bloodline."
---
While those who returned to Konoha assumed things would go back to normal, a single message from the Land of Rivers sent the village into turmoil.
That same day, Hiruzen Sarutobi stormed into Root's base.
Danzo and the Hokage stood face to face.
Danzo's voice was calm, almost indifferent.
"Hiruzen. To what do I owe this sudden visit?"
The Third Hokage threw a scroll at Danzo's feet, his expression grim.
"Read it yourself. Root needs to explain this to Konoha."
Danzo frowned as he unrolled the parchment.
His eyes widened.
"This… how could this happen?"