Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

Under the moonlight, several figures strolled through the forest, as if in no hurry to reach their destination.

Uzumaki Kushina, her hands tied behind her back with rope, wore a face of panic as she was forced to keep moving forward. Her mind felt disoriented as she glanced at the Cloud Ninja leading the way.

Bound and helpless, she found herself silently thankful for her long hair. Hidden beneath the flowing red strands, her fingers worked quietly, tugging at her hair. Strands of red hair fell to the ground, one by one.

"Will anyone come to rescue an outsider like me?"

The thought flashed through Kushina's mind, sending a shiver down her spine.

"No! Something's wrong!"

Feigning exhaustion, her eyes appeared lifeless, but deep in her heart, a surge of alarm rose.

"This is the Land of Fire's territory! How did three Cloud Ninjas infiltrate the Senju Clan's land unnoticed? The Intelligence Division, the Police Force, the Anbu, the elite Senju members — none of them detected this? Even after leaving Konoha, these Cloud Ninjas seem completely unhurried, as if..."

Her hazy mind began piecing the situation together. Terror crept into her thoughts.

"Even the Cloud Ninja behind me hasn't noticed the strands of red hair I've been dropping. And I... I've only just realized it now!"

Every ninja, even the lowest-ranking genin, was known for sharp observation skills. Spies from the Cloud Village couldn't be this careless.

The falling strands of hair, the strange series of events, and her sluggish thoughts made Kushina feel utterly drained.

She recalled Tsunade's earlier warning: Always remain vigilant. The memory hit her like a lightning bolt.

"This is some kind of specialized interrogation drug. It's messing with my mind, causing disorientation and lowering my guard!"

If not for Tsunade's warning, she might have unknowingly fallen into the trap, just like these three Cloud Ninja spies.

"Move!"

A sharp tug on the rope jolted her arms, causing a flare of pain. Kushina grunted softly and lifted her head, just in time to notice something strange about the Cloud Ninja. Their pupils were unnaturally dilated.

It was like being under a genjutsu — only those who realized it could break free. Otherwise, they would remain trapped, unable to distinguish illusion from reality.

The three Cloud Ninjas, oblivious to their condition, seemed to have forgotten even the most basic instincts of a ninja.

In the darkness of the forest, a small black insect landed silently on a leaf. From the shadows, a gloved finger extended.

"My insects will continuously release hallucinogenic powder," a masked Anbu ninja whispered.

On either side, other Anbu agents observed the Cloud Ninja's movements, nodding in agreement.

"So far, the target has shown no signs of betrayal. Increase the dosage. The others are catching up."

They had received direct orders from the village: the stage was about to begin.

Whoosh, whoosh…!

A figure darted through the shadows. It was Minato Namikaze. His body was tense, his nerves on edge. But when he saw the figures ahead, his expression shifted to one of determination.

In the dim forest, the three Cloud Ninjas moved cautiously in squad formation, completely unaware of the golden-haired figure stalking them.

At that moment, their vigilance — the most basic skill of spies — seemed nonexistent.

Bang!

With the Body Flicker Technique, Minato instantly appeared behind the last Cloud Ninja, striking their neck with a precise elbow.

Crack!

The ninja's neck snapped.

"Not good!"

The remaining two Cloud Ninjas spun around in shock, but it was too late. Minato used the Body Flicker again, appearing behind them like a phantom.

Boom!

A roundhouse kick sent one flying, while the last one leaped backward, flipping through the air to retreat into the forest.

Kushina, who had collapsed onto the ground, wore an exhausted expression. Yet her gaze remained calm as if she were merely a spectator to a performance.

Whoosh, whoosh!

As Minato executed a series of high-speed movements, dozens of blood-red pupils suddenly lit up in the moonlight. His hair stood on end, his instincts screaming at him to stop.

All around the forest, shadows darted. When Minato looked up, he saw countless pairs of Sharingan eyes glaring at the Cloud Ninja's headbands — and at the tied-up Konoha ninja.

The Uchiha clan was here, their rage palpable.

"Kushina!"

Leading the charge was Uchiha Shirou, his grin sharp and confident as he emerged with a team of Uchiha Police Force members.

The Anbu agents hidden in the shadows widened their eyes in shock.

"Damn it! What's going on?"

"Captain, we can't stop them! There are dozens of Police Force ninjas behind them!"

"Shit!"

The Anbu were baffled. This was supposed to be a covert operation. How had so many people been drawn into the scene?

"Shirou!"

Uchiha Fugaku arrived in a hurry, his face twisted with frustration. His sharp eyes scanned the area, instantly spotting the hidden Anbu.

Fugaku's mind raced. Though he didn't fully understand the situation, one thing was clear: this was bad.

Under the moonlight, a man dressed in a pure white kimono, black pants, and arm guards stood atop a treetop. A Kusanagi sword was slung across his back, and his chest was partially exposed, revealing defined muscles.

Backlit by the moon, Uchiha Shirou lifted his head, his three-tomoe Sharingan glowing brightly. A smirk curled across his lips.

"Stop!"

As Shirou shot down like a shadow toward Kushina, a panicked Anbu agent rushed out of hiding.

"Stop!"

Both the Anbu and Uchiha Fugaku shouted in unison.

But it was too late.

The surrounding Sharingan glowed ominously, locking onto the Anbu agent.

For a moment, time seemed frozen. The Anbu's pupils dilated as he fell under the genjutsu.

At that moment, even one of the Legendary Sannin might have hesitated to face so many Sharingan at once.

Whoosh!

Shirou landed lightly. His gaze met Kushina's tired eyes, and he gave her a small smile.

"I'm here to save you."

A flash of cold light. The Kusanagi sword was sheathed once more.

The ropes binding Kushina's hands fell away. She stared blankly at Shirou, stunned. Before she could process what had happened, he crouched down and scooped her up in a princess carry.

With a leap, he soared onto the treetops.

Under the bright moonlight, he moved gracefully, silhouetted against the glowing white circle.

Below, Minato Namikaze had just landed on a tree trunk. He gazed upward, his expression a mixture of shock and relief.

Kushina was safe.

High above, illuminated by moonlight, Kushina's wide eyes met Shirou's sharp features. Her gaze drifted to the strands of red hair between his fingers.

"Why… why is it you?" she blurted out.

Shirou's grin widened, teasing.

"How do you think I did? Did I play my role well?"

"Ugh!"

Kushina's face twisted into a glare.

"You were acting?!"

Laughing, Shirou replied, "A story of rescuing a beauty under the moon — isn't it romantic? The kind of thing that tugs at the heart of a lonely girl. A perfect stage, don't you think?"

...

Meanwhile, the Uchiha elites captured the Cloud Ninja below, leaving the hidden Anbu agents and Uchiha Fugaku dumbfounded.

"What now?! What do we do?!"

The air was thick with the scent of hallucinogenic powder. The stage, meticulously set up by Konoha's forces, had been hijacked.

Uchiha Shirou, leading his headstrong Uchiha elites, had completely stolen the show.