Konoha Village, Hokage's Office.
After finishing a batch of approval documents concerning supplies for the border outposts, Chiya placed them on the stack of completed files.
He rubbed his brow and glanced at the enormous filing cabinet that occupied an entire wall of the office.
An idea suddenly came to him.
There were some old Uchiha Clan records that were not particularly urgent but might contain important information. Perhaps he should take advantage of his free time to go through them.
He stood up and walked over to the filing cabinet, running his fingers over the scroll boxes marked with numbers and brief descriptions.
Eventually, his hand stopped on a box labeled Uchiha, Personnel Anomaly Records.
He took it out and returned to his desk.
Most of the records inside concerned clan members who had gone missing during missions and were later confirmed dead, or those who had been unable to carry out missions for extended periods because of injuries or illness.
Chiya's eyes quickly passed over the names. Most of them belonged to the distant past.
Then the name Uchiha Aoki caught his attention again.
Chiya still remembered how impressive that guy had been back then.
According to the records, after returning from an ordinary B rank escort mission a year ago, Aoki's behavior had changed slightly. He had gradually become less willing to communicate with others.
However, he had shown no obvious abnormalities, and his mission performance had remained basically normal.
Then, half a year ago, he began taking extended leave under the excuses of an old injury recurring and needing to rest.
He rarely left his home and kept a low profile.
The most recent update to his record had been made two months ago.
His status was listed as missing, whereabouts unknown.
Uchiha Aoki...
Chiya's eyes flickered.
One person's disappearance was hardly a major event in the shinobi world. If it had not involved the Uchiha Clan, this file probably would not have contained such detailed records.
But for some reason, Chiya felt that something was wrong.
The description of his whereabouts being unknown, combined with the subtle changes in his behavior beforehand, gave him an inexplicable sense that something did not fit.
[Task triggered.]
[Task Requirement: Ensure the Snow Country Princess, Koyuki, arrives safely at Konoha Village and provide her with temporary protection.]
[Task Reward: One random clan secret technique.]
[Task triggered.]
[Intercept Kazahana Koyuki.]
[Task Reward: One random Kekkei Genkai.]
Kazahana Koyuki...
Chiya raised an eyebrow, immediately understanding the situation.
'Judging by the timing, with Kakashi, Obito, and Rin's abilities and efficiency, they should have nearly completed the mission. They should be coming back soon.'
He trusted Kakashi, Obito, and Rin. Dealing with the situation in the Land of Snow should not have been a problem for them.
His attention returned to the scroll in front of him.
He carefully read every detail concerning Uchiha Aoki.
The more closely he examined it, the stronger that sense of incongruity became.
"ANBU."
Chiya's voice was not loud, but with the enhancement of chakra, it clearly reached outside the office.
Almost the moment he finished speaking, a figure wearing a tanuki mask appeared and knelt on one knee in front of his desk.
"Lord Hokage."
"Retrieve all records from the past three months concerning Uchiha Aoki's residence and the area where he was last seen, including entry and exit records and interviews with his neighbors. Send two additional ANBU teams to conduct a secret, thorough search within a one kilometer radius of his residence. Pay particular attention to any hidden underground spaces, secret rooms, or... signs that something was hastily buried."
Chiya's instructions were clear and swift.
"Yes!"
The ANBU shinobi accepted the order and disappeared instantly.
Chiya leaned back in his chair, his gaze deep.
He had a feeling that Uchiha Aoki's disappearance was far from simple.
ANBU was highly efficient, especially when carrying out a clear order personally issued by the Hokage.
Less than half a day later, as dusk approached, the same ANBU captain appeared in the office again. His voice carried a hint of solemnity.
"Lord Hokage, we found something. There are signs that the soil beneath a cherry tree in the backyard of Uchiha Aoki's residence was recently disturbed and deliberately disguised. After digging it up... we found a male corpse. Based on our preliminary identification, it has been confirmed to be Uchiha Aoki himself. The condition of the corpse... is abnormal."
A sharp light flashed through Chiya's eyes as he put down his pen.
"Lead the way."
A moment later, Chiya arrived at a somewhat secluded residence on the outskirts of the Uchiha district.
The courtyard had already been completely sealed off by ANBU, and the atmosphere was grim.
A deep pit had been dug beneath the cherry tree in the backyard.
A corpse wearing ordinary Uchiha Clan clothing had already begun to decay. It had been carefully placed on a body sheet beside the pit.
The corpse's face was twisted, as though he had experienced tremendous pain before his death.
But what drew the most attention were his eyes.
Only two empty, bloody sockets remained.
The muscle tissue around the eye sockets had been violently torn apart. It was obvious that his eyes had been forcibly removed.
His eyes were gouged out...
Chiya crouched down and ignored the unpleasant smell as he carefully examined the corpse.
He extended a finger, sending out an extremely faint trace of chakra to sense the energy remaining in the body.
The corpse had definitely been dead for more than two months, which basically matched the time of his disappearance.
Other than the injuries around the eye sockets, there were no obvious fatal wounds elsewhere on the body. There were also no signs of extensive damage to his chakra network.
The cause of death... was most likely the intense pain and chakra backlash caused by having both eyes removed, resulting in sudden death.
Danzo?
Chiya frowned slightly.
'Looks like I need to call him over and ask him about this.'
After all, at this point in time, Chiya had not yet used Kotoamatsukami on him.
'Other than him, who in the village would be so concerned with the Uchiha?'
"Clean up the scene. Hand the corpse over to the Sealing Corps for a thorough examination. Make sure to eliminate any possible hidden dangers that may remain."
Chiya stood up, his tone cold.
"Pass down my order. Raise the village's alert level by one grade. Secretly investigate all lower and middle ranking shinobi who have recently displayed abnormal behavior or whose whereabouts are unknown.
"Tell the public that Uchiha Aoki unfortunately died of illness after an old injury resurfaced."
"Yes!"
The ANBU captain answered solemnly.
Chiya took one last look at the miserable corpse, his gaze deep and solemn.
Carrying a trace of doubt, Chiya returned to the Hokage's Office.
He had barely sat down when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Kakashi entered first. His face showed some fatigue, but his eyes remained calm.
His ANBU uniform was slightly damaged and stained with some dried blood and mud.
Behind him, Nohara Rin was supporting Uchiha Obito.
Obito looked to be in worse condition. His face was pale, and the area around his eyelids was slightly swollen and red. He seemed to have endured considerable strain and needed Rin's support just to remain standing.
Between the three of them was a little girl wearing a thick snow fox fur cloak.
It was Fenghua Koyuki.
She seemed somewhat frightened and was tightly clutching the corner of her clothes.
Her large eyes timidly surveyed the office before finally landing on Chiya, who was sitting behind his desk.
"Lord Hokage."
Kakashi was the first to salute, his voice slightly hoarse.
"The mission is complete. The target, Princess Kazahana Koyuki, has been safely escorted back to the village."
Rin quickly supported Obito as they saluted as well.
"Good work."
Chiya's eyes swept over the three of them, pausing for a moment on Obito's tightly closed left eye. He already understood what had happened.
'Looks like they ran into considerable trouble on the way. He even had to use his Mangekyō Sharingan.'
His gaze finally fell on Koyuki, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"Welcome to Konoha Village. You must have been frightened along the way."
Looking at Chiya's handsome and gentle face and his deep black eyes, Kazahana Koyuki's tension and fear eased slightly.
She imitated the movements of a shinobi and awkwardly bowed.
Her voice was soft but clear.
"Th... Thank you, Lord Hokage. Thank you for allowing Konoha to take me in."
"No need to be so formal."
Chiya waved his hand, his tone calm.
"We already know what happened in the Land of Snow.
"Until everything is settled, you can stay in Konoha without worry.
"Konoha will guarantee your safety."
He then turned to Kakashi.
"Kakashi, submit the mission report later. Take Rin and Obito to the Medical Corps first for a detailed examination."
"Yes."
Kakashi nodded.
Chiya looked at Koyuki again and thought for a moment before giving an order to the secretary shinobi waiting outside.
"Make the arrangements. Prepare the vacant residence in the southern district with its own courtyard as Princess Koyuki's temporary residence.
"Dispatch an ANBU team to secretly protect the area. Also arrange for two careful and reliable kunoichi to handle her daily needs and protection."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
The ANBU shinobi accepted the order and left.
Only then did Chiya speak gently to Koyuki.
"Princess Koyuki, go with this lady and settle down at your new residence first.
"It is quiet and safe there.
"If you need anything, you can tell the people taking care of you, or come directly to me."
Kazahana Koyuki looked at Chiya.
A trace of reluctance and dependence flashed through her eyes, even though this was their first meeting.
The legendary Hokage of Konoha Village truly made her feel safe.
Kazahana Koyuki obediently nodded.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage."
Under the guidance of the ANBU shinobi, Kazahana Koyuki left the office, turning her head back every few steps.
Only Chiya and the three members of Team Seven remained in the office.
"All right, tell me what happened. What exactly happened to Obito's eye?"
Chiya's expression became serious as he looked at Kakashi.
Kakashi took a deep breath and began giving a concise and clear report of the mission.
They had successfully taken custody of the princess, then encountered pursuit and a battle with the Snow Ninja Three Man Team, followed by the sudden appearance of a powerful red haired enemy who used a puppet modeled after the Third Kazekage.
Finally, Obito had awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan in a desperate situation, severely injured the enemy with its power, and ultimately forced him to retreat.
Chiya listened quietly.
"A red haired boy... a puppet user... a puppet modeled after the Third Kazekage..."
A look of understanding flashed through his eyes.
"It's Sasori, a rogue shinobi from Sunagakure, Sasori of the Red Sand."
He looked at Obito.
"You managed to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan under those circumstances and use its power to severely injure the enemy. Well done.
"But the Mangekyō Sharingan places an enormous burden on the body, especially for someone who has only just awakened it.
"For the next period of time, you are forbidden from using the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan again."
Obito was unwilling to accept it, but he also knew that Chiya was telling the truth.
He could only lower his head gloomily.
"Yes, Sensei."
"Kakashi, how are your injuries?"
Chiya turned to Kakashi.
"Just flesh wounds. They won't affect my movements."
Kakashi answered calmly.
"Good. Go back and get some proper rest.
"You did very well on this mission. You managed to protect the target and return safely despite facing a sudden powerful enemy, which exceeded my expectations.
"The mission rank will be raised accordingly, and your rewards will be issued as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage."
Kakashi and Rin answered together.
"Go. Head to the Medical Corps first."
Chiya waved his hand.
The three saluted before leaving the office.
Silence returned to the office.
Chiya walked to the window and looked out over Konoha Village, which was gradually being dyed red by the setting sun.
Kazahana Koyuki had arrived safely, so the newly triggered mission was mostly complete. Only the subsequent protection remained.
The discovery of Uchiha Aoki's corpse had also surprised Chiya.
The Sharingan that had been removed was ultimately a hidden danger.
And then there was Sasori's sudden appearance and involvement...
'Was it merely a coincidence, or is there some other connection behind it?'
He slowly exhaled, his eyes becoming sharp and clear once again.
Whatever was hiding in the darkness, he would deal with it when it came.
The Konoha of today was no longer the Konoha of the past.
And Uchiha Chiya feared no challenge.
The most important thing now was to obtain the system rewards as quickly as possible and further increase his side's strength.
Chiya raised his head and looked at the clouds in the sky.
The image of that woman appeared in his mind.
"Very soon!"
Chiya murmured softly.
Not long afterward, he returned to his desk, picked up the preliminary report on the Uchiha Aoki incident, and began reviewing it carefully.
Night quietly descended, covering Konoha Village in tranquility.
Only the lights of the Hokage's Office remained on.
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