Once we delivered the messages and returned to Shisui's home, I finally asked the question even though I already understood the general idea. "Sensei, what is going on with those guys? Why are they angry at me?" Shisui's anger simmered under his skin like heated steel that refused to cool. "They are idiots who want to relive a glorious past that never existed," he muttered. He caught himself before his mood boiled any hotter, exhaled, and spoke more firmly. "Go get some sleep. We will move in the morning and I want you well rested before we start the trip."
I nodded and headed to my room, where the luggage was already arranged precisely and neatly thanks to my hardworking clones. As I lay on the bed, I could sense Shisui staying in the living room, meditating and guarding the house with the calm intensity of someone fully expecting the walls to jump him. I sighed softly. "Looks like he will not sleep," I whispered, and a small smile crept over my face, happy that I had a sensei who genuinely cared whether my head stayed attached to my shoulders or not. With that warm thought, I drifted into a dreamless sleep.
When morning arrived, I woke up refreshed. Shisui was still meditating in the exact same spot, proving that rest was optional for ANBU and so were the basic rules of biology. After a quick shower and breakfast preparation, I returned to find Kaen sitting beside him, trying to look cooler than every other object in the room.
I sat down as Shisui slowly opened his eyes. Somehow he looked rested, which must be an ANBU secret technique like Chakra Coffee. After a very tasty and energy packed breakfast, we gathered our luggage and I sealed everything into my storage seal. Shisui reminded me, "Do not keep them sealed for long. Release the luggage when we reach the cart." I nodded because space magic came with an expensive chakra tax bill.
Kaen rolled his shoulder and with a confident smirk declared, "Let us kick ass." Shisui and I chuckled as we stepped outside.
We moved cautiously through the old Uchiha compound, eyes scanning corners and shadows. A few silent watchers observed us from distance, but no one dared block our path. Once we left the compound, I exhaled a long-held breath as sunlight and normalcy washed over us.
Konoha streets were roaring with life, and the atmosphere instantly lifted my spirits. Villagers called out, "Best of luck in the Chunin Exams, make us proud," and "Show the other villages how strong Konoha is." Some even ran up to shake Shisui's hand, then mine, full of encouragement and pride.
Kaen, however, stared at the human interaction like he had walked into an unknown summoning ritual. Each handshake only increased his confusion. Should he thank them? Threaten them? Bow? Self-destruct? The possibilities overwhelmed him. Shisui enjoyed every second of Kaen's social malfunction.
I pretended this level of attention was perfectly normal for me. Just your average morning stardom.
When we finally made it to the market, I saw Sena standing there with a bright smile that almost reflected the sun rays, surrounded by an incredible number of merchants wishing her luck and shaking her hands as if they wanted to offer her their firstborn child as a goodwill gesture. And Sena gave them all her attention while speaking in a powerful but gentle voice, "We will make sure the other villages know that we have strong shinobi who can secure the routes to the village, and in doing so ensure more trade and new merchandise coming to Konoha. I assure you the village reputation is in good hands. We will not let you down." The merchants and some of their customers started clapping and whistling while Sena laughed gently and swayed like a flower, charming people effortlessly.
Then one merchant spotted me. "The tyrant is here."
Then suddenly, absolute silence. The festive atmosphere collapsed faster than my dignity during chakra exhaustion. Color drained from faces. Several merchants fled as if they suddenly remembered urgent business on the opposite side of the continent. The ones who remained stared at me with the kind of expression usually reserved for natural disasters and tax collectors.
A child dropped his snack. A dog whimpered and rolled under a cart. A woman clutched her purse like I was about to steal the concept of money itself. One elderly vendor whispered something about thunder demons returning to bankrupt them.
Sena was the village's blooming flower of hope.
I was the suspicious mold growing behind the flowerpot.
I cleared my throat politely and tried a friendly greeting. "Good morning."
A cat hissed and ran.
Kaen was amazed by the reaction, his eyes flicking between the terrified merchants and me. Shisui, on the other hand, was outright laughing at how fast the chaos of admiration flipped into a disaster the moment they noticed my existence. Sena approached with a genuine smile, the kind she reserved only for very few people. I stared at her face for a moment, searching for any trace of the injury she suffered during the mission ambush, but there was nothing. The skin was perfectly healed, smooth and unbroken. She noticed my concern instantly and shook her head lightly. "I was lucky enough to get treated by the best healers out there," she explained with relief hidden between her words.
I replied, "I am glad you are doing well, and I am sorry I was not there to…" before I could finish, she suddenly hugged me. I froze for a moment then chuckled, realizing she had missed us more than she would ever admit. She rarely showed her real emotions, yet right now she allowed herself to be honest. "I wish I was able to visit you, or Shizuru, or Genta," she whispered with a tiny tremor in her voice. "Not to mention I was worried to death about you and sensei. My parents told me what happened, but I never know if they speak the truth or if they are just trying to stop me from acting up." There was sadness tucked inside those words.
I patted her back gently. "I am fine," I said, because I could not think of anything smarter or calmer to ease her worry.
Shisui raised an eyebrow and mockingly asked, "Do I get a hug too?" Sena laughed brightly and gave him one as well. Kaen's eyes lit up with excitement, clearly expecting his turn, but Sena simply took his hands in both of hers and shook them enthusiastically instead. A small ticking vein appeared on Kaen's forehead as he tried to control his outrage at this injustice, silently promising vengeance against the universe.
Shisui then handed Sena the money that was provided by the village to fund our trip. Seeing her in a good mood, I strategically chose my moment. "Sena, I need to buy some fuinjutsu supplies. It is a bit expensive, but it will ensure an easy victory for me… I mean us, and in so for our village." I delivered the last part with as much patriotism as I could muster, which was equal to zero patriotism. I was obviously faking it, and Sena noticed instantly. She handed me a very small amount of ryo and said, "Just buy the regular stuff."
I stared at the coins, offended by their weakness. "Regular seals are too slow," I complained. Sena almost snorted, which was unheard of behavior from her. "You do not need those things. You can win with your regular genjutsu and taijutsu, not to mention your kenjutsu." Shisui nodded in full agreement, extremely pleased with his decision to let Sena manage the finances.
I turned toward Shisui with the legendary puppy eyes technique, the one that always worked. Sena immediately grabbed my head and turned it back toward her by force. "Look at me and not sensei," she demanded. I narrowed my eyes dramatically before sighing with exaggerated rage and looking away. Kaen looked immensely satisfied with my humiliation as he said, "You received a hefty compensation from the last mission. Just use that money to buy whatever you want."
I lifted my purse with grand intention, but when I tried opening it, my hand mysteriously lost all strength. It felt like trying to move a mountain with two fingers. The purse remained closed. I sighed in defeat, took the few ryo Sena provided, and trudged away to purchase my fuinjutsu supplies like a peasant. Meanwhile, Shisui, Sena, and Kaen checked our equipment and went on a last minute shopping spree.
An hour later, we regrouped at the village gates, where I was surprised to see a large crowd waiting for us. Even more surprising was the presence of several Uchiha mingling among the people without hostility or mistrust, as if all of it had evaporated under the sunlight and the loud public cheer. Seeing both villagers and Uchiha united for even a small moment filled both my chest and Shisui's with excitement.
Then a commotion rose near the back of the crowd as the Third Hokage approached, surrounded by ANBU. He emitted a friendly aura that drew children forward to him. He ruffled their hair one by one, smiling with the gentle warmth of a beloved grandfather. Almost every person in the crowd cheered his arrival. To the older generation, he was a symbol of stability who led the village through two great wars and a demon fox attack. To the younger generation, he was the strongest shinobi in the village and a living symbol of safety.
He stepped toward us through the welcoming crowd. When he raised his hand, everyone fell silent. "Shisui Uchiha, Kaen Uchiha, Sena Yamanaka, and Noa," he said, meeting each of our eyes with a proud smile. "You are the symbol of Konoha's new generation. The Academy has benefitted from gifted and persistent children of the Leaf. With the Will of Fire burning bright, your talents flourished and with them your potential. I am happy to see you all leave to the Chunin Exams representing our village. Do our efforts justice and show the others that Konoha's fire still burns brightly."
Cheers exploded around us as he shook our hands one by one, wishing us good luck on our journey.
We walked out of the village gates surrounded by love, hope, applause, and encouragement, heading proudly toward the biggest test of our lives with smiles on our faces and the fire of Konoha at our backs, and in the distance I saw Shizuru and Genta waiting patiently as if they were welcoming us into a new journey.