The ninja monitoring Uchiha Shin's return to the village immediately bowed when they saw that it was Sarutobi Eisuke.
He was a ninja from the Sarutobi clan, and his mission was to keep an eye on Uchiha Shin and the team that had just returned.
"Have you finished the investigation?" Sarutobi Eisuke asked.
"Yes, the investigation is complete. Uchiha Shin's team returned without losing anyone, though it seems two of them had minor injuries!" the ninja quickly reported, sharing all the details he had gathered.
"Everyone came back? Only minor injuries?" Sarutobi Eisuke frowned. He hadn't expected that none of Genya's team had died.
This made him uneasy.
If several Jonin attacked together, even with a Kage-level ninja present, it would be hard to ensure everyone survives.
What had happened to Sarutobi Natsu and the others? Why had they disappeared without completing their mission?
Lost in thought, another ninja appeared behind them. "Lord Eisuke, did you need me?"
It was a woman. Though not particularly beautiful, she was one of the few genjutsu ninjas in Konoha.
She was also a genjutsu expert Eisuke had hired, with the task of using her genjutsu to interrogate the members who had traveled with Uchiha Shin, to get to the truth of the matter.
"Wait a moment. Those people might come out soon. We'll need your genjutsu," Sarutobi Eisuke said, briefly giving her a reminder.
"Understood!" The woman nodded seriously. "Lord Eisuke, I can trap anyone below Jonin rank in my genjutsu."
With her confirmation, Eisuke nodded in agreement.
They waited outside for a while. During this time, a few people came out of the Police Force Station, but none of them were their targets.
Suddenly, the ninja monitoring the Police Force called out: "He's one of the mission participants, a Chunin-level ninja. He's a target!"
"Act now!" Sarutobi Eisuke nodded, signaling the female genjutsu ninja.
The woman nodded and disappeared in an instant.
In a secluded alley, away from the main street but still relatively close to the Uchiha clan, a Chunin-level ninja who had just exited the Uchiha Police Force Station was walking.
At the same time, a woman came toward him, head lowered. When they crossed paths, the woman stumbled, and the Chunin quickly reached out to steady her.
He smelled a fragrant scent, and slowly, his senses became hazy, his mind turning sluggish and dull.
"Done!" The woman stood up, gave him a seductive glance, and then asked, "What's your name?"
"I am..." The Uchiha Chūnin hesitated, conflicted, but then said, "Uchiha Fūrin."
"Uchiha Fūrin?" The woman frowned in thought, but then continued, "Did you go on a mission with Uchiha Shin?"
"Yes!" Uchiha Fūrin nodded, his expression still dull.
"Alright..." After asking two questions, the woman looked out towards the alley, then said, "He's already under my genjutsu. Come over here!"
The woman didn't notice that as she looked outside, Uchiha Fūrin's eyes gradually cleared. First, two tomoe appeared in his eyes, then a third one.
How dare someone attack the Uchiha clan? Could they be from outside the village?
"Heh... it's just that Uchiha members have strong mental power. But seems like it's not that impressive!" Just as he was about to retaliate, a man's mocking voice came from behind, followed by two sets of footsteps.
Uchiha Fūrin realized there were more enemies. He could only stay calm and adapt. The tomoe in his eyes quickly disappeared, and his expression returned to the dullness it had before.
As his expression changed, two figures appeared before him.
Sarutobi Eisuke, a member of the Sarutobi clan, related to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Even though Uchiha Fūrin had strong composure, his dull eyes wavered slightly, nearly giving him away.
Sarutobi Eisuke clearly trusted the genjutsu user and directly asked, "Can I ask him anything now?"
"Yes, he's under my genjutsu now. He'll answer whatever you ask, and once he wakes up, he'll forget everything that just happened!" The woman was confident in her genjutsu skills.
Anyone who falls under her genjutsu, unless she releases it, will only be freed by someone with stronger mental power than hers.
"Did anything unexpected happen during your escort mission to Sunagakure?" Sarutobi Eisuke asked directly.
"Unexpected?" Uchiha Fūrin seemed to struggle a little, but he thought about whether this would affect the merchant association.
After realizing it wouldn't, he finally replied, "After leaving Sunagakure, we were ambushed by bandits, but they weren't strong. They were all driven off by Uchiha Shin, our leader!"
"Not strong?" Sarutobi Eisuke frowned. If they weren't strong, then they weren't from the Sarutobi clan. Still, he wasn't fully convinced. "Did you encounter any stronger bandits?"
He wanted to investigate if the disappearance of the Sarutobi clan was related to Uchiha Shin!
"Stronger bandits?" Uchiha Fūrin struggled more intensely, but the thoughts in his mind kept turning. "No... we've only been attacked once!"
"Only once?" Sarutobi Eisuke was still not convinced and asked again!
Uchiha Fūrin nodded blankly. "Just once, and those people were weak!"
"Damn it, where did Sarutobi Natsu and the others go?" Sarutobi Eisuke gritted his teeth and muttered.
"Could it be that Lord Sarutobi Natsu didn't encounter them, or had other important matters to attend to?" someone next to him continued asking.
"Impossible. Their mission was to kill Uchiha Shin and the escort team of Uchiha Genya. If they wanted to abandon the mission halfway, they would have sent someone to inform us!" Sarutobi Eisuke spoke without any reservations because Uchiha Fūrin was still under a genjutsu.
However, at this moment, Uchiha Fūrin's heart was filled with waves of unease. Sarutobi Eisuke had sent people to ambush them, but those who were sent to ambush them had gone missing!
Sarutobi Eisuke's people who were supposed to carry out the ambush—weren't they Sarutobi Natsu's group? The more he thought, the colder his heart became.
"Lord Eisuke, this person is struggling more and more. Is there anything else you want to ask?" the genjutsu woman inquired.
"Nothing!" Sarutobi Eisuke shook his head, then looked at the genjutsu woman and said, "Let's go. We'll ask the other members of that team. I don't believe we can't find any leads on Sarutobi Natsu!"
They were all elite members of the Sarutobi clan, and all of them were Jonin!
They must find some clue!
"Yes!" The woman snapped her fingers after Sarutobi Eisuke left the alley and quietly said to Uchiha Fūrin, "Wake up!"
Uchiha Fūrin's eyes gradually regained clarity, though he seemed a bit confused!
He appeared curious about what had just happened.
"Thank you, little brother, for earlier. I'll be grateful to you!" The genjutsu ninja threw Uchiha Fūrin a flirtatious glance and walked out of the alley.
Uchiha Fūrin initially blushed, but as the woman left the alley, his expression turned cold and sharp!
It seemed like it was time to report this to the Boss Kinya and Lord Shin!
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