Chapter 14: Kill Shimura Tarō
At 3:40 p.m., the head of the logistics department, Shimura Tarō, was driven out of the warehouse by Uchiha clansmen.
He watched as the Uchiha clansmen busily transported supplies and quickly distributed them at the warehouse entrance. A trace of unease flashed through his heart.
He had not attended the recent emergency meeting and knew nothing about the impending danger, but the scene before him was enough to put him on high alert.
"Damn it, the wounded and medical ninjas are starting to relocate, and they're setting up massive traps inside the outpost—they're preparing to abandon this position. But something this big, why wasn't I informed?! It looks like I've been sidelined. Damn it, damn it, you bastards!"
Having risen to the position of logistics head, Shimura Tarō was no fool. Once he pieced it together, panic immediately set in.
"Tonight Iwagakure will probably break through. I can't stay here and die with them. My life is far too valuable—I'm returning to Konoha."
With that thought, he hurried back to his quarters to pack and planned to slip away amid the chaos.
But when Shimura Tarō reached the outpost gate, two Uchiha guards blocked him.
One guard barked sharply: "Halt! The outpost is under lockdown. No one leaves without orders."
Shimura Tarō forced himself to stay calm and explained: "The front lines are critically short on supplies. I need to return to Konoha to transport more. If I'm delayed even a little, people could die. Can you bear that responsibility?"
The guard looked him up and down, gaze landing on the bundle at his waist: "What's inside? I need to open and inspect it."
Shimura Tarō's heart sank; cold sweat beaded on his forehead: "It's seven storage scrolls—I use them to carry supplies. There's no need to check, right? We've worked together on the front lines for over a year—don't you trust me?"
But the Uchiha guard ignored him completely and forcibly opened the bundle.
Inside were only seven sealed storage scrolls.
The guard picked one up and demanded: "What's inside these scrolls?"
Shimura Tarō stammered: "Th-they're… some documents and personal items."
The two Uchiha guards exchanged a glance. One formed several hand seals and slammed his palm onto the scroll.
In an instant, what poured out wasn't documents—but thick stacks of banknotes, piling into a small mountain on the ground!
Seeing this, the other guard opened all seven scrolls. Seven piles of gleaming cash shone dazzlingly under the sunlight, turning Shimura Tarō's face deathly pale.
Wealth moves the heart—especially seven piles of cash conservatively worth over 210 million ryō. In moments, hundreds of onlookers had gathered.
Recalling how this man had accused him of being bought by Iwagakure that very morning, fury surged in Uchiha Sanpō's heart.
He activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan, preparing to interrogate Shimura Tarō with Sharingan: Genjutsu.
"Through what means did you acquire this money?"
Shimura Tarō's gaze went blank, eyes vacant as he answered mechanically: "I secretly forged the identities of fallen ninjas, signed supply requisition forms in their names, and smuggled ninja tools and medicine out of the outpost, then sold them on the black market in the Land of Rain for profit."
No one had expected this usually slick-tongued, cowardly man to be so brazen as to embezzle military supplies.
A single explosive tag normally sold for around 600 ryō in peacetime—1,200 ryō during war. How many supplies had he sold to amass over 210 million ryō?
Uchiha Sanpō's voice carried chilling menace as he continued the interrogation: "How much ninja equipment and medicine did you sell in total?"
"I don't remember the exact amount… ninja tools sold for about 190 million ryō, medicine for over 74 million ryō."
The numbers didn't add up. Uchiha Sanpō frowned and pressed: "Since you sold 264 million ryō worth, where is the rest of the money besides the 210 million here?"
Shimura Tarō wore a dazed, lecherous expression, still lost in his fantasy: "I spent over 50 million ryō in pleasure houses!"
Under the genjutsu's compulsion, Shimura Tarō confessed every crime. When he snapped out of it, he found himself bound to a wooden post in the central plaza.
The incident had blown up; more and more people rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing the seven small mountains of cash on the ground, fury swept through the crowd.
"No wonder medicine was always short on the front lines—it was this bastard stealing and selling it for cash!"
"A traitor like this should just be killed outright!"
Hearing the surrounding outrage, Uchiha Sanpō remained expressionless.
According to Konoha military law, embezzling military supplies and desertion in battle were capital offenses. But if Shimura Tarō were sent back to Konoha for trial, he'd likely just be imprisoned. With the backing of the Shimura clan, he might be released in a few years.
Thinking this, Uchiha Sanpō's gaze turned icy.
He called over Uchiha Inaka and whispered in his ear: "Go to the command tent and tell Clan Head Kurama what's happening here!"
Uchiha Inaka nodded slightly and vanished with Body Flicker Technique.
Seeing the crowd's expressions grow colder and colder, Shimura Tarō felt deep dread.
He shouted loudly: "My uncle is Shimura Danzō! If you kill me, he will definitely retaliate!"
At the mention of Shimura Danzō's name, the crowd fell silent for one or two seconds!
Seeing the situation, Uchiha Sanpō held a kunai in each hand, scraping them together to produce the distinctive metallic screech.
"Everyone in front, please step aside! I'm going to practice kunai throwing. Don't block the way—if I accidentally hit someone, don't blame me!"
At his words, the crowd parted, creating a clear path. Suddenly, Uchiha Sanpō hurled both kunai. They embedded instantly in Shimura Tarō's eye sockets.
A blood-curdling scream rang out: "Aaaah… my eyes… my eyes… Aaaah… I'll kill you!"
Uchiha Fugaku had originally intended to stay out of it, but seeing Shimura Tarō's eyeballs burst, he had no choice but to step forward.
"Sanpō, stop. I know he's guilty, but you can't take private justice like this—it will bring trouble upon yourself!"
Uchiha Sanpō grinned cheekily: "Oh~ my~ I shouted a warning before practicing kunai throwing! I just didn't expect someone to be standing in front of the post! Alas, my skills are still lacking—I accidentally popped both his eyeballs. Everyone, isn't that right?"
At his words, the crowd burst into stifled laughter and chimed in: "Yeah, we all heard him say he was practicing kunai throwing—so it was just an accident!"
Hearing everyone cover for Uchiha Sanpō so blatantly, Shimura Tarō was in pain and rage: "You… you bastards… I won't let you get away with this!"
Seeing his arrogance, Kurama clan head drew a kunai and stabbed it straight into his mouth, then twisted hard—ripping out Shimura Tarō's tongue in one motion!
Because the Kurama clan had suffered over 50% casualties in the war, Uchiha Fugaku merely frowned and turned to leave—he wanted no part of this anymore.
Watching Fugaku depart, Uchiha Sanpō revealed a cruel smile: "Everyone, do you know why I'm so furious? Because this scum's embezzlement caused medicine shortages. Many wounded developed infections; to save medicine, dozens of critically injured chose suicide. Tell me—does he deserve to die?!"
"Kill him… Kill him… Kill him!"
In an instant, hundreds of kunai and shuriken rained toward Shimura Tarō.
"Aaaah…"
One final scream rang out—then he breathed no more.
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