NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 5: Hidden underneath the shadows
*A Few Nights Later*
The sun has long set over Konoha, the sky once painted with shades of orange and purple now resemble a dark shade of a tree. Kotetsu and Izumo sat at the village gate for their night shift, a familiar stillness in the air as the last few civilians already filtered in some hours ago. The usual quiet of the night shift had set in, but neither of them felt at ease. It had been a tense few days, the explosion still fresh in their minds, and the rumors swirling around the village only added to the weight they carried.
Kotetsu's eyes flickered toward Izumo, who was gazing out over the village's borders, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. As a transmigrator now apart of the series he now realized just how dangerous this world is. Its no longer the sunny bright show of his youth. It was a cold, dark world where a single person could kill thousands in an instant. Slash your head clean off one moment, even though a moment earlier you were having a joyful conversation over tea.
And who is he? A chunin, maybe an elite chunin who could lift impressive number of boulders, run at the speed of a moving car, but compared to a Jonin he was nothing. Not to mention the Kage's or the ominous figures manipulating events in the shadows. So, he was noticeable tense to Izumo, but he didn't comment on it.
"Do you ever get the feeling we're just waiting for the storm to hit?" Kotetsu muttered under his breath, keeping his voice low. Izumo didn't respond at first, but after a moment he sighed. "Yeah. It feels like everything's about to break. We need answers, Kotetsu. Fast."Kotetsu nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the area beyond the gates. They were at a standstill. No new leads, no new information—until now.
From the corner of his eye, Kotetsu noticed a figure slipping through the trees, moving stealthily toward the village's edge. It was too quick and too deliberate to be a regular villager out for a late-night stroll. Kotetsu's instincts kicked in, and he subtly nudged Izumo. "Hey, you see that? "Izumo followed his gaze, frowning. "Yeah, I do. You think it's another one of those operatives?"Kotetsu didn't wait for a reply. "Let's follow him. "The two of them moved quietly, shadows blending with the night as they trailed the figure.
The man moved in a zigzag pattern, deliberately trying to avoid being followed, but Kotetsu and Izumo kept a steady distance. They didn't want to make their presence known just yet. After a few minutes, the man led them to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the village. The building looked old, forgotten by most, and Kotetsu felt a chill run down his spine.
This wasn't just any random hideout—it felt like something was off. The man slipped inside without a sound. "We can't just barge in there," Izumo murmured, eyeing the entrance. "This could be another setup."Kotetsu nodded. "We wait for the right moment. Let's see who else shows up. "Minutes passed, and the quiet of the night continued.
Then, another figure appeared, this time in the form of a cloaked individual. They slipped into the warehouse as well, and after a brief exchange, several more figures entered, all bearing the same dark clothing and mysterious air. Kotetsu's breath caught in his throat.
"That's not good," he whispered. "Root agents. We need to act fast. "Izumo's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, but let's not get reckless. "Without warning, the door to the warehouse creaked open, and the two Chunin slipped inside as silently as they could. They crouched low, hiding behind stacked crates as they observed what was happening in the dimly lit space.
The Root agents gathered in a tight circle, speaking in hushed tones. The man from earlier, now joined by a handful of others, stood at the center of the group. "The Uchiha will take the blame for this explosion," one of them said with a grin. "We've planted the evidence. No one will question it."Kotetsu's heart skipped a beat. This was it. They were being framed.
And worse, the Uchiha were being set up for something they didn't do. "We can make our move now," Izumo whispered, his hand on his sword. Kotetsu hesitated, his mind racing. He didn't have time to think about his lack of formal training—he just had to act. He had to fight. The abilities from his previous life stirred deep within him, instinctively, but he didn't know how to fully control them. Still, he trusted his gut and charged out from their hiding spot.
"Now!" Kotetsu yelled. The Root agents turned, and within seconds, they were in full combat mode. Izumo's blade flashed as he cut down one of the agents in a fluid motion. Kotetsu's heart pounded in his chest as he fought to keep his focus. His body seemed to move of its own accord, and he was surprised at the speed with which he could react. But it wasn't enough.
One of the agents lunged at him with a kunai, and Kotetsu barely managed to dodge, his instincts guiding him. It was in this moment, this life-or-death struggle, that he felt the power of his transmigrator's abilities awaken. His senses sharpened, and his movements became more fluid, more precise. A shadow clone appeared beside him, catching an incoming attack and allowing Kotetsu to retaliate with a punch that sent the agent crashing into a pile of crates.
Izumo fought beside him, his movements a blur as he took down more Root agents. Together, they were a well-coordinated team, but Kotetsu could feel the weight of the situation growing heavier. The odds were still against them. With one final surge of energy, Kotetsu summoned his chakra into his legs and launched himself at the last group of Root agents. His clone faded away, leaving him to face the remaining attackers head-on.
The fight was intense, but with each movement, he felt his abilities becoming more natural. In the end, the two Chunin stood victorious, panting heavily, surrounded by fallen Root agents. The warehouse was eerily quiet. "We did it…" Kotetsu breathed, his voice shaky.
He glanced at Izumo, who was equally out of breath but nodding in approval. "We can't waste any time. Let's get these bastards back to Fugaku," Izumo said, his voice calm despite the chaos. "He needs to know what we found. "The two of them quickly gathered the incapacitated Root agents and hauled them back toward the Uchiha compound, the night providing them cover.
The village was still asleep, unaware of the dangerous plot that had almost unfolded under their noses. Inside the Uchiha compound, Fugaku awaited them, his sharp eyes scanning the agents as Kotetsu and Izumo placed them before him. "Report," Fugaku said, his tone even, but there was an underlying tension in his words. Izumo and Kotetsu quickly recounted everything: the infiltration, the framing of the Uchiha, and the suspicious nature of the Root agents. Fugaku's expression remained stoic, but Kotetsu could see the subtle twitch in his jaw.
" I see," Fugaku murmured, kneeling down in front of the unconscious agents. His Sharingan activated, and his gaze sharpened as he delved into the memories of the Root operatives. Moments later, his eyes flickered as the memories flooded into him. "They were indeed framing the Uchiha for the explosion," Fugaku confirmed. "But there is something more. This goes deeper than just us. Someone else is pulling the strings." He turned his gaze to Kotetsu and Izumo. "Thank you both for your hard work.
You've done well."Kotetsu felt a sense of relief but also unease. Fugaku's expression remained unreadable as he stood up and turned toward the doorway. "I will report this to the Hokage," Fugaku said, his voice cold. "But I will frame the Cloud Village for this. We cannot trust that the Hokage is unaware of Danzo's involvement in this plan."Kotetsu and Izumo exchanged a quick glance, but neither of them spoke.
They knew better than to question Fugaku's judgment at this point. The Uchiha were in danger, and Fugaku was doing what was necessary to protect his clan. With a final nod to the two Chunin, Fugaku dismissed them. "Go get some rest. You've earned it. "The two left the compound under the cover of night, their minds racing with what they had learned. Konoha was teetering on the edge of a dangerous game, and they had just uncovered a piece of the puzzle.
As they walked through the quiet streets of Konoha, Kotetsu's thoughts were heavy with the realization that everything was far from over.