Chapter 37: Ambushed Midway
Over the past few days, the villagers of Konoha felt as though they were hallucinating. The proud and aloof Uchiha clan… had actually started greeting people with smiles.
The streets of Konoha were as lively as ever—vendors peddled their wares, people bustled about, and of course, the Konoha Police Force was a common sight. Traditionally, this entire force was made up of Uchiha clan members, instantly recognizable by their distinctive clan uniform. With their perpetually cold expressions, they always gave off the impression that someone owed them money, making it nearly impossible for them to blend in with the crowd.
But lately, everyone—from merchants to passersby—had noticed a strange change. The Uchiha police had swapped their signature clan garb for the standard Konoha shinobi vests. Even more surprisingly, their stony expressions had softened. They occasionally smiled while patrolling—yes, smiled.
The Uchiha clan had always been known for their good looks. It was just that their pride and icy demeanors had made them hard to approach. But now that they were acting more approachable, they'd quickly drawn the attention of a swarm of fangirls. Some Uchiha even received flowers while on patrol.
At first, many within the Uchiha clan had been confused—and even dissatisfied—when Fugaku issued these new orders. But when they realized the villagers were no longer glaring at them with suspicion, and were instead greeting them with warm smiles on the street, all that resistance melted away.
Humans are social creatures. In the past, the Uchiha had no choice—public opinion had been shaped by Danzo and others deliberately smearing their name. And the prideful Uchiha never stooped to explain themselves, which only deepened the rift.
Now, with the Uchiha taking the initiative to change, the villagers were not only shocked but genuinely pleased. After all, people are visual beings—good-looking men and women with warm attitudes were a welcome sight. In just two or three days, the Uchiha's reputation in Konoha had soared.
This change was met with joy by nearly everyone in Konoha's leadership—everyone except Danzo and his faction. Especially now that the Uchiha had relinquished their exclusive control over the police force, many other clans were reaping the benefits and feeling quite satisfied.
The Third Hokage stood by his office window, deeply gratified. The relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha was finally beginning to mend. And just moments ago, he had received an urgent report: the Hidden Cloud had begun to withdraw its troops. With two pieces of good news at once, Hiruzen was so elated he pulled out his crystal ball, intending to... calm his restless hormones.
Back in the Land of Lightning, Sakura and the others were unaware of the changes taking place in Konoha. After waiting several days, they finally received the formal ceasefire agreement from the Hidden Cloud and began packing up to return.
"Please help keep Shikamaru in line while I'm gone. Maybe even get him to put in a little effort for once!"
Nara Shikaku smiled as he gave his parting instructions. He had to stay behind to handle the aftermath and couldn't return to Konoha with Sakura and the others.
"Uh… that might be a little difficult," Sakura muttered, trying not to sigh. Shikamaru's laziness was legendary—he even took the cashier job at a ramen shop just to avoid physical labor. Changing his nature would be as hard as convincing Black Zetsu to give up resurrecting Kaguya Otsutsuki.
"Also… could you please keep an eye on Ino for me?" Yamanaka Inoichi said, his brow furrowed with worry. "Make sure no strange boys try to get close to her!"
"Uncle Inoichi, Ino's only four years old," Sakura replied, speechless. "What are you even worried about?"
"What if some creep has... questionable tastes?" Inoichi looked truly distressed. He was tempted to pick up Asuma's habit of chain-smoking, but he knew if his daughter caught him, she'd never let it go.
"Haha, Inoichi, you're worrying too much. The village is still very safe," Akimichi Choza chuckled, patting his large belly. "I'm not too concerned about my son. That kid can eat and drink like a champion!"
"Alright, it's getting late—we should head out," Sakura said.
After a few more rounds of goodbyes, Sakura and her team finally set off on their journey home. The moment they were out of sight of Shikaku and the others, everyone dropped their composed demeanor: Shisui immediately pulled out a stash of sweets and began munching, Might Guy brought out two dumbbells and started doing curls, and Kakashi… quietly sat down with his beloved Icha Icha Paradise.
Their journey remained peaceful until noon the next day. At Might Guy's insistence, the group descended to the ground and began walking at a leisurely pace. Unlike before, they were no longer in a rush and were happy to stretch their legs and enjoy the scenery.
"Kakashi! Come, let's have a match of youth and spirit!" Guy shouted as he bounced energetically around Kakashi, dissatisfied with his teammate's lack of enthusiasm.
"No," Kakashi replied flatly, not even looking up as he stayed buried in his book.
"Kakashi! How can you waste your youth on that book? You should be as passionate and full of life as—"
"Someone's coming."
Guy's words were cut off abruptly by Kakashi, whose lazy expression had vanished in an instant. Muscles tense, he shifted into a combat stance, eyes scanning the surroundings.
"There are a lot of them. Stay sharp."
Shisui's Sharingan spun slowly in his eyes as he drew his short sword. He, Kakashi, and Guy quickly formed a protective triangle with Sakura at the center.
"My youth is already burning with passion…" Guy muttered, though his expression was serious. He might be exuberant, but he wasn't stupid—he knew not to take a threat lightly.
From the trees, masked figures in dark cloaks emerged one after another. Though their faces were hidden, the icy coldness in their eyes was unmistakable.
"They're Root operatives," Sakura said, narrowing her eyes. The familiar dead, hollow sensation from their chakra told her everything. Only Root ninjas carried that lifeless aura. And their malice was clearly directed at her. If her guess was right, Danzo had set his sights on her—and the Uchiha were likely the reason.
"Shisui, you're the fastest. When the fighting starts, Guy and I will hold them off—you take Sakura and get out of here," Kakashi said grimly. The sheer number of enemies made one thing clear: Danzo wanted them dead.