Konoha: Who's the good guy?

At Cisse's home.

"Tutai, he's really got guts to put up with this!"

Muttering to himself, Yamanaka Kei pulled hard and took off his somewhat damaged and deformed ninja shoes.

After checking that there was no obvious evidence of the body being destroyed, he temporarily sealed it in a storage scroll.

She then found another pair of old ninja shoes in the shoe cabinet and changed into them.

With a clap of his hands, he used the Ninja Art: Deodorizing Smoke Prison to completely eliminate all traces of his own scent.

He had just used Earth Escape Technique to disappear underground.

The earth-shaking technique of "Earth Escape - Earth-Opening and Excavation" on the earthen platform began to overturn the surrounding soil layers on a large scale.

He had originally planned to leave directly using the Flying Thunder God Technique, but unexpectedly, the main water pipe buried deep underground was directly destroyed by the excavation.

Fortunately, he used a combination of Water Transformation Technique and Water Release: Wave Strike to escape far away via the main water pipe.

It also washed away all the dust and stains that had gotten on my body.

He just returned home using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

After finishing his preparations, Yamanaka Kei glanced at the rapidly flashing warning lights within Kumogakure from the window, listening to the piercing alarm blaring in his ears.

He pretended to be on high alert and rushed into the room where Musai was.

"The alarm's going off! Why aren't you awake!"

He slapped the kid twice to wake him up, then grabbed him by the collar and ran downstairs.

"Dad! Dad! What's wrong! What happened?!"

Musai awoke from the illusion as if he were still half asleep, completely unaware of what had happened.

The piercing alarm sounded throughout the entire ninja village.

In many places, one could even faintly hear the sounds of ninja techniques clashing and exchanging blows.

This caused the young man, who had just become a ninja and had never experienced blood and fire, to panic.

"Remember yesterday's assassination attempt?"

Yamanaka Kei responded in a deep voice, then joined the other ninjas who had also been awakened from their sleep, and together they rushed toward the 'distress signal' that had risen into the sky.

According to his previous plan.

The time when the battle at the Tsuchida Mansion ends is the time when the shadow clones begin to carry out the assassination plan.

The importance of the earthen platform to Kumogakure and the Third Raikage, A.

As soon as he engages in battle with Tsuchikage, the Raikage will definitely rush to Tsuchikage's mansion immediately.

The remaining shadow clones could take this opportunity to launch a surprise attack on the intended assassination targets. Even if the commotion is a little loud, the Third Rai probably won't have time to deal with it.

And everything went as he had envisioned, even though it caused quite a stir and alarmed many people.

However, all eight shadow clones perfectly completed the mission requirements.

What puzzled him was...

This distress signal doesn't seem to indicate the location of any of the people he assassinated.

Hmm... Killer Bee seems to live around here?

And the sounds of battle...

Could it be that they've run into an assassination plot by some ninja village?

Which unlucky kid was so unlucky? Look, he just happened to run into the line of fire!

"Genin, retreat! Chunin, seal off the surrounding streets! Jonin, tighten the encirclement! Capture him alive!"

"Gentiners, don't get involved! Get out, get out!"

"Damn it! Finally caught one who didn't escape. I'd like to see which bastard from which ninja village he is!"

"Those who dare to attempt assassinations in my Hidden Cloud Village, we must wipe them out!"

"Chunin, surround the surrounding area! Quickly, quickly, quickly!"

Amidst the clamor and chaotic commands, Yamanaka Kei tossed Musai aside and whispered instructions.

"Stay away. Anyone who dares to attempt an assassination is no ordinary person."

"You too, Dad."

Musai nodded repeatedly and hurriedly retreated to the group of genin in the distance.

Yamanaka Kei turned his head and frowned, vaguely sensing that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what the problem was.

The enormous octopus tail danced wildly in the darkness, accompanied by a continuous roar of thunder.

More than ten minutes later.

The lightning that had surrounded the center in the distance gradually dissipated.

From beginning to end, the so-called "assassin" failed to break through the blockade of the Cloud Village Jonin.

"All Jonin and Anbu members, check each other's ninja shoes. Those with damaged shoes, shoes with traps, or shoes that aren't worn should be left behind. The others should continue checking the Chunin and Genin."

An order was issued from the center of the encirclement.

Yamanaka Kei raised an eyebrow and glanced thoughtfully at the ninja who had issued the order.

Is this guy, Tutai, planning to use the shoes to identify someone?

But it was too late; he had already changed his shoes!

Moreover, the ninja shoes he wore earlier didn't have any special mechanisms.

However, when fighting against the earth platform, the super-fast reaction brought by the [Zero Frame Start] made him realize that the opponent was actually preparing to take the kick head-on. On a whim, he activated the Medical Water Release: Water Mantis, extending a small section of mantis blade from the toe of his shoe.

The use of Medical Water Release: Water Mantis is somewhat similar to that of a chakra scalpel.

However, thanks to the addition of the "Water Release Master" attribute, Yamanaka Kei is even more convenient and easy to use.

Not only does it require no hand seals, but its attack speed is also faster than the Rasengan.

There were clear instructions issued.

All the ninjas present sprang into action.

Seven ninjas were left behind, while the remaining ninjas checked all the Chunin and Genin present in turn.

Musai, who was dragged straight out of bed without even having time to put on his shoes, unsurprisingly became one of those dragged out as well.

Why aren't you wearing shoes?

The Cloud Village Jonin in charge of the inspection narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Musai in front of him.

"I...I fell asleep. My dad heard the alarm, rushed into my room, slapped me twice, grabbed me and ran away. I didn't even have a chance to get dressed..."

Musay displayed the handprint on his face pitifully.

Honestly, those two slaps really hurt!

That means he was beaten up a lot since he was a child, so his skin is tough and it will heal by tomorrow at most.

If it were someone else, their face would probably swell up like a pig's head on the spot.

"...Go stand over there."

The Cloud Village Jonin's lips twitched slightly; he didn't want to comment on this father-son relationship.

"My son! This is my son, this...this...I'll stay with him..."

Seeing this, Shan Zhongjing hurriedly went up and echoed his sentiment.

He stood alongside Musai among a group of "suspects".

Tonight's events have left him quite bewildered, so he's taking this opportunity to stay and see what's really going on.

Not long after, two medical ninjas carrying a stretcher came from the direction of the Tsuchidai mansion.

The pale-faced man lay on the stretcher, his eyes closed, his hands forming a hand seal, using his bloodline limit, Lava Release, to sense and control the surrounding rubber.

While he was gripping the enemy's shoes, his own Lava Release Kekkei Genkai Ninjutsu was still in operation.

The ninja shoes worn by the opponent were made of leather and rubber, and the rubber part inevitably retained a large amount of his Lava Release chakra.

These traces of chakra are extremely difficult to remove.

As long as the distance isn't too far, he can use this to identify and lock onto the assassin.

After sensing for a while, he shook his head helplessly at the dark force captain beside him.

"Those without shoes, follow me. Jonin, join the mission queue. Everyone else, disperse."

The commander of the Dark Guard nodded slightly and gave new orders to the group.

Shan Zhongjing accompanied Musai as they followed Tutai's entourage.

Through round after round of screening, more than a dozen barefoot ninjas followed the earthen platform's stretcher into the central area where the battle had just taken place.

Within 100 meters of the combat zone.

Large numbers of houses collapsed, and cries of agony and pain filled the air.

The medical ninjas were busy, quickly treating the wounded one by one.

In the heart of the battle, within a crater over fifty meters in diameter, several medical ninjas were tending to a burly ninja with a white headscarf and sunglasses.

The Third Raikage A, his son, and several high-ranking members of the Cloud Village also surrounded that person with solemn expressions.

Kirabi?

The Eight-Tails Jinchuuriki?

Was the assassination target Killer Bee?

No way... which guy is so ruthless?!