Chapter 117

At Konoha's entrance, a small group of riders approached hurriedly, their horses covered in dust from the journey. Leading them was a woman in her twenties, her luxurious clothing slightly disheveled, and her face marked with fatigue and anxiety.

Upon reaching the gate, the woman spotted Uchiha clan members wearing the Uchiha crest, standing guard. She dismounted and hurriedly approached them.

"Sir, I am from the Taihe Chamber of Commerce. I must speak with Chief Fugaku immediately!" she called out, her voice tinged with desperation.

"Stop! Don't come any closer!"

One of the Uchiha guards instinctively raised his hand in caution, his Sharingan flaring to assess any threat. Upon seeing no chakra disturbance emanating from her, he relaxed slightly.

A middle-aged Uchiha woman stepped forward. She was Uchiha Asami, the captain of the guards on duty.

"Miss Huizi?" Uchiha Asami asked, recognizing her.

"Yes, it's me, Taihe Huizi," the woman replied quickly. "Please, I must see Chief Fugaku immediately!"

"What happened?" Asami asked, her voice calm but laced with concern.

"Last night, we received word that our caravan was attacked," Taihe Huizi began, her words tumbling out in a rush. "The six Uchiha guards protecting us were killed, and my father, Taihe Yoshi, has been kidnapped!"

Uchiha Asami's expression darkened, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"Follow me. I will take you to see the clan leader immediately," she said.

Shortly after, Taihe Huizi was escorted to the Uchiha Clan's guest hall, where Uchiha Fugaku and the three elders of the clan soon arrived.

"Miss Huizi, please tell us everything you know," said Uchiha Mamoru, the second elder, his expression serious.

Huizi wasted no time. "Last night, we received a message via carrier pigeon. The caravan was attacked, the six Uchiha clan members guarding it were killed, and my father was kidnapped. The attackers are demanding a ransom of 300 million ryō to be delivered to Shangtian Town in the Land of Fields within five days. But there's no way we can raise that amount of cash in such a short time!"

Her voice trembled with desperation as she bowed deeply. "Please, Chief Fugaku, I beg you to help save my father!"

"The six Uchiha guards were killed, and your father kidnapped?" the elder Uchiha Setsuna repeated, his face grim. "This is outrageous!"

Fugaku's expression mirrored the elder's anger. "The Uchiha clan does not tolerate such brazen acts. We will ensure justice is served," he assured her.

"Thank you, Chief Fugaku," Huizi said, her relief evident as she bowed repeatedly.

"Miss Huizi, do you have any details about the attackers?" the third elder, Uchiha Tsukasa, asked.

"There were more than ten attackers," she replied. "Some of them were reportedly stronger than the Uchiha jonin leading the caravan."

"Elite jonin..." Uchiha Tsukasa's eyes narrowed.

The revelation that elite-level attackers were involved only added to the seriousness of the matter.

"Miss Huizi," Fugaku said, his voice steady but commanding, "we will take care of this. You can rest assured that we will act swiftly to rescue your father and avenge our fallen clan members."

"Thank you so much!" Taihe Huizi said, bowing once more before being escorted out of the room by an Uchiha servant.

Once she was gone, Fugaku turned to the elders, his demeanor grave.

"This situation feels off," he began.

The second elder, Uchiha Mamoru, nodded. "Elite jonin among common bandits? That's unusual, to say the least."

"It's more than unusual," Uchiha Tsukasa said. "Elite jonin don't typically join robber bands. It's too risky for them. Their skills would make them conspicuous, attracting unwanted attention and possible pursuit from ninja villages."

"I suspect these attackers aren't ordinary robbers," Fugaku said. "This could be a ruse. If these people were from a small ninja village, they could be disguising themselves as bandits to avoid political repercussions."

The elders exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. Such tactics weren't unheard of among smaller ninja villages seeking to fund their operations without drawing suspicion.

"Still," Fugaku continued, his eyes narrowing, "I believe there's an even more likely explanation. This entire situation feels orchestrated. These so-called robbers are too well-trained, and the timing is suspicious. I suspect this is the work of Shimura Danzo."

The room fell silent as the elders absorbed Fugaku's words.

"You think Danzo is behind this?" Uchiha Setsuna asked.

Fugaku nodded. "Yes. The demand for ransom is a distraction. This isn't about money. Danzo has been looking for an excuse to lure me out of Konoha. This could very well be his trap."

A cold determination settled over the room.

The Uchiha clan would not back down.

(End of Chapter)

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