Hearing Uchiha Tonan's blunt confession of greed, the leader's expression instantly darkened like a storm cloud breaking loose. With a roar that echoed through the dimly lit room, he bellowed, "Attack!"
The traffickers raised their weapons—kunai, tanto blades, and rusty tachi—charging toward Tonan. Yet Tonan remained seated calmly in his chair, eyes cold and unreadable. With smooth, deliberate motions, he swayed his body, narrowly dodging each incoming strike like a leaf dancing in the wind.
Two burly men lunged simultaneously, thrusting their tachi straight for his chest from opposite sides, hoping to trap him. But at the critical moment, Tonan leaned forward with a subtle smirk. The swords sliced the air behind him.
Then, with unnerving calm, Tonan reached out and grabbed their wrists. The grip was firm but gentle, like a master controlling his tools.
Puchi!
In an instant, the two assailants' blades collided—each piercing the other's arm. Both men staggered backward, clutching their wounds before collapsing to the ground in agonized silence.
The room froze. No one dared move. Tonan tapped the table casually, voice dripping with icy menace: "Do you still want to keep fighting?"
Before anyone could answer, the leader, who had been lurking in the shadows, completed a series of swift hand signs and shouted, "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu—Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive sphere of roaring flame, surrounded by swirling heat waves, surged toward Tonan with destructive intent.
Tonan's eyes narrowed disdainfully. "Using childish jutsu to challenge a seasoned shinobi…" he muttered, raising a single hand and performing a quick sign. A fierce column of wind burst forth from his palm.
The fireball crashed into the wind column and was violently split into two streams, each shooting off in opposite directions. The wind force slammed into the leader's chest, sending him crashing through the wall like a ragdoll.
Slowly rising, Tonan cast a cold gaze over the trembling group. "I suggest you all come to your senses. Confess your crimes. After you're locked away in prison, you'll have a chance to change and start anew."
Puchi.
Suddenly, Tonan's expression shifted to shock. He looked down in disbelief to see a blade protruding from his chest—blood trickling down the sword's edge. The next moment, his body slumped forward onto the table. The room fell deathly silent.
"Humph! A Konoha brat dares to challenge me!" the leader sneered behind Tonan's fallen form. The leader's smirk widened—revealing that just before being slammed by the wind column, he'd used the substitution jutsu to switch places.
Relief washed over the traffickers, and one asked nervously, "Boss, what's the plan now?"
Glancing coldly at Tonan's 'body,' the leader commanded, "Clean up this mess. Pack up the merchandise and wait here for me."
Without another word, he turned and strode out.
He wandered through the dim village streets before arriving at an abandoned house. There, he lifted a loose floorboard and pulled out a scroll.
"So this is where you hide your stash…"
Suddenly, a calm voice echoed from the shadows. The leader's blood ran cold. Instinctively, he drew his sword and whirled around. "Who's there?!"
To his horror, his surroundings shattered and warped like fragile glass. When the world righted itself, he was still inside the same room—but now it was filled with the North City Guard's shinobi. His comrades were bound and gagged.
Tonan himself sat by a window, feeding a white pigeon. The leader's breath caught—he realized he was trapped in a genjutsu.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he desperately begged, "My lord, please spare me! I know you want money. Name your price—anything you want!"
His companions echoed the pleas, their voices trembling with fear.
"I'm new to this. We won't ever cross you again."
Tonan's eyes narrowed sharply. A silent finger flick sent a compressed air bullet blasting into the leader's forehead, the impact exploding his skull like a firework. The room fell into nauseated silence—pleas instantly ceased.
At that moment, Yoshiwara Ao stepped beside Tonan and whispered, "Tonan-sama, the children are still in the basement."
Tonan reached out and gently nudged the white pigeon. The bird understood immediately, fluttering through the open window.
"Send reinforcements to escort them safely to my residence. Nothing moves until I return."
"Yes, Tonan-sama."
"Let's move out. Leave a small detail to guard here; the rest will follow me to the next site."
The next day, outside the Capital City Gate, Tonan led the North City Guard and captured traffickers into the city.
"Clear the way! Step aside!"
Curious onlookers gathered, murmuring and pointing.
"What's all this about? So many guards…"
Among the crowd, planted agents disguised as North City Guard members dispersed, weaving stories for the curious masses.
"Darn it! I missed yesterday's operation while off duty!"
An elderly woman's eyes gleamed at this juicy tidbit. She hurriedly pulled a 'guard' aside, whispering eagerly, "Are you with the North City Guard? What's going on?"
Nearby, others perked up, straining to catch the gossip.
"That's Captain Uchiha Tonan up front. Recently, we uncovered several trafficking dens hidden in secret. After verifying the intel, Tonan-sama led the Guards to wipe out every last one last night. The people being escorted now? All traffickers."
The woman clapped her hands joyfully. "This young man, Tonan-sama, truly did a noble deed."
The 'guard' leaned in, voice dropping conspiratorially, "You wouldn't believe how dangerous it was. Some traffickers were rogue ninjas—two even ranked chunin."
The woman's smile faded, replaced by concern. "Two chunin? But Tonan-sama is a chunin too, right? Is he alright?"
The 'guard' shrugged, feigning ignorance. "Tonan-sama's a Konoha prodigy. He handled those wandering ninjas like they were nothing."
The crowd swelled. The 'guard' seized the moment, painting a heroic picture.
"Did you know? On his first day, Tonan-sama uncovered corruption within the Guards—his predecessor was secretly aiding gangs and traffickers. Furious, Tonan-sama eliminated him."
"That was the right call! I back him 100%."
"Long live Tonan-sama!"
"Long live Tonan-sama!"
Cheers erupted.
"Hey! Why all the shouting?"
"Look at all these prisoners. Tonan-sama did a great job. Besides, how can you not cheer when everyone else is?"
"Long live Tonan-sama!"
Soon, Tonan's group reached the North City Guard headquarters. The traffickers were herded onto the street and forced to kneel.
Tonan glanced back at Ao. "Are you ready?"
Ao bowed slightly. "Yes, Tonan-sama. I memorized everything last night. Not a word missed."
Tonan nodded with a rare hint of satisfaction. "Good. Stay calm, don't rush."