CHAPTER 103

Although he felt uneasy, Kai Uchiha knew the Uchiha Clan's plans were beyond his power to change. Regardless, he decided to accept the mission to the Land of Grass.

This decision caught Uchiha Fugaku slightly off guard. But after a moment of thought, he simply nodded in approval.

In his mind, Kai might be trying to set an example. As the newly appointed Deputy Head of the Konoha Military Police Force, Kai held considerable influence. His decision to volunteer for a mission could send a message—not just to the Uchiha clan, but also to the village leadership, regular shinobi, and civilians. It was a positive gesture, symbolizing the clan's willingness to cooperate.

Moreover, Kai had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, and Fugaku knew he was a cautious and calculating shinobi. The chances of him dying recklessly on the battlefield were slim. Especially with Minato Namikaze involved in this mission—this was likely a rare opportunity for Kei to deepen ties with the future Fourth Hokage. Could this be Kai's true motive?

Fugaku almost laughed at how elaborate the situation had become in his own mind. He voiced his approval, startling Kai, who hadn't considered so many interpretations of his decision.

"Then I'll be troubling you, Patriarch," Kai said with a polite nod. "Please keep everything as we discussed. Don't make a move until I return."

"Don't worry," Fugaku replied calmly. "He's still hidden. I've covered his eyes and kept him on life support. The guards watching him are my most trusted men. They won't talk, and they won't see."

Kai felt slightly more at ease. He remained wary of Fugaku, but he doubted the man would act rashly. Besides, attacking Kai's family wouldn't work as leverage—he was distant from them emotionally, and everyone knew it. Using his family against him would be a miscalculation. Kai was the kind of person who became most dangerous when untethered.

Even if that image was a lie.

Soon, the Third Hokage announced the formation of the new mission squad. After a day of rest, kai arrived at the Hokage's office to report in.

To his surprise, he was the last to arrive. Although Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't yet entered and the door was closed, everyone else was already present.

Aya Hyuga and Kenta Imai, his original teammates, stood beside their temporary leader, Tokujō Kohei Tomihisa. Nearby were Minato Namikaze, Kakashi Hatake, and Rin Nohara.

Kai frowned slightly. Why was Tomihisa still here? Kai was already a full-fledged Jōnin, and had led missions successfully on his own. Perhaps the upcoming mission was more complicated than expected—and maybe the presence of a civilian-born Jōnin leading a squad that included an Uchiha officer was intentional. A signal of the Hokage's authority. Or perhaps, a message about the village's trust in non-clan shinobi.

"Kai, you're here," Tomihisa said with a friendly grin. "By the way, thanks. My younger brother's been released."

"Oh?" Kai responded with a nod and smile, though he was confused. He had completely forgotten about that issue—Fugaku must have handled it behind the scenes.

"Kai-kun, it's been a while." Minato greeted him warmly. "Congratulations on your new position—I heard you've taken over Yūshin Uchiha's post at the Police Force. Deputy Head, huh?"

"Thanks," Kai replied, lifting his hands in mock surrender. "But you know I'm not the political type. If I liked pushing papers, I wouldn't be standing here."

Inwardly, he sighed. The village was definitely watching the Uchiha more closely these days. Maybe it wasn't surveillance yet, but the pressure was building. Fugaku was right to be cautious.

"Yo, feeling better?" Kai said casually, nodding at Kakashi and Rin before returning to his group.

Aya Hyuga looked as stoic as ever. Kenta Imai had his usual cheeky grin. Kai turned to Aya and said softly, "You're recovering well, I hope."

"Thanks to you, Kai-kun," she replied smoothly. "I haven't had a chance to congratulate you. You've awakened your Sharingan, and your standing in the clan has risen. Quite the success story. And now you're joining this mission with such high rank—it shows your love for the village."

Her words were polite, but the tone carried a hint of sarcasm. Typical of someone from a major clan—composure on the outside, knives behind the smile. Still, Kai didn't take it personally. She was clearly on guard because Tomihisa was present. Without him, Aya might not have spoken at all. She wasn't foolish enough to provoke someone stronger than her without a safety net.

"Appreciate it," Kai said with a light smile. "Doing my part for the village, right? No one forced me to come. I just missed my old team."

"Pity," Aya said calmly, glancing toward Tomihisa. "It seems the captain's position won't be yours this time."

Before Kai could respond, he noticed the Third Hokage approaching. The group immediately fell silent.

Sarutobi looked tired, but his presence was commanding as ever. He gave a slight nod to both Minato and Tomihisa, then paused to give Kai a long, unreadable glance before opening the door to his office.

Without a word, the shinobi followed their respective leaders inside.

"Let's keep this brief," the Hokage said, settling behind his desk. He placed a stack of reports before him. "Negotiations on the border are at a crucial point. But our scouts have reported movements by Kirigakure shinobi in the Land of Grass. We suspect they intend to sabotage the talks."

He paused, his hands folded beneath his chin.

"Your two teams will deploy immediately. You've worked together before and know each other's strengths. Locate the Kiri-nin and determine their objective. This mission is critical. Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Minato and Tomihisa replied in unison.

"The situation is urgent. Prepare for deployment. Dismissed."

"Understood!"