Uchiha Kai left.
But Shisui stood frozen, his expression filled with shock as he stared blankly at Kai's retreating back.
His mind was blank, his forehead drenched with cold sweat.
His heart—was in chaos.
Those final words from Kai had struck him like thunder, the impact enormous.
As for Uchiha Yoshio and the others—Shisui had never liked them much, yet even he had to admit the three were among the elites of the clan.
At just twelve or thirteen years old, they had already awakened the Sharingan.
That fact alone spoke volumes.
Perhaps they were not comparable to himself, but when compared to the rest of Konoha's younger generation, they were anything but ordinary.
And yet, Kai had claimed he killed all three of them.
Didn't that mean Kai absolutely had the qualifications to enter Class A?
He was definitely not as simple as he appeared on the surface—within the Uchiha, a clan of geniuses, he could still be considered one of the brightest.
So why?
Why would he hide it?
Shisui couldn't understand.
Several times he wanted to run after Kai and demand an explanation, but this was the battlefield—he couldn't just do that.
So all he could do was swallow the turmoil in his chest and bury it deep in his heart.
And then came the dilemma:
Should he report this?
Normally, Shisui would never hesitate.
But this was Kai.
After turning it over in his mind countless times, he could only sigh helplessly.
He decided to wait until later, when there was time, to speak properly with Kai before making a choice.
Yes.
For Kai to reveal something this important to him in secret—it was a huge sign of trust. Shisui understood that clearly.
It also showed that Kai was certainly not a bad person.
Not to mention, Shisui himself had never liked Yoshio and the others.
"Forget it…"
Shaking his head helplessly, he looked bitterly toward the main force.
"Kai-kun, you… you've really given me a difficult problem. How am I supposed to face you now?"
Meanwhile, back with his squad, Uchiha Kai returned only to be greeted by everyone's envious gazes.
That—was a chainmail vest!
For any ninja, such armor was something to dream of.
Unfortunately, forging chainmail armor was no simple task. Ordinary people had no chance of obtaining one.
Even Nara Kazama, usually so calm, looked at him with open envy.
As a member of the Nara Clan, one of Konoha's noble families, Kazama had certainly seen such armor before. But as a branch family member, he only received fixed resources each month. If he wanted anything extra, he had to exchange it for battlefield merits.
But Kai was different.
This was a personal gift—from Shisui himself.
At the same time, though, everyone became more certain: Uchiha Kai was not simple. He was no ordinary branch member.
Especially Nara Kazama.
Though his strength wasn't overwhelming, as a Nara clansman he had inherited the clan's most important trait—keen intelligence.
And the more he thought about it, the more his eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"Kai-kun, that's amazing! What's your relationship with Shisui? For him to give you such high-grade armor directly…"
The others also chimed in, their words full of admiration.
Even Kudo Shin, who had once been reckless, now spoke to Kai in a much friendlier tone.
Having experienced the battlefield, Shin had long since shed his youthful arrogance.
He understood better than most the gap between noble clans and commoners.
Even setting aside future ambitions, just surviving in war was reason enough to stay close to the noble clans.
They had access to information far more easily than common-born ninjas.
Even a single whispered warning could mean the difference between life and death.
Kai, however, said little.
Armor like this was impossible to hide, so there was no point explaining.
Let them think whatever they want.
It wasn't a big deal.
Still—
While Kazama and Shin's looks were normal, Ishikawa Itsuki's eyes were filled with jealousy and resentment.
Clearly, Kai would need to be wary of him in the future.
With two lifetimes of experience, Kai knew well that though such petty people could accomplish little, they could cause endless trouble.
At that moment, a Chuunin in a green vest walked over.
"Seventh Squad, here is your mission."
His expression was calm.
He only glanced briefly at Kai's armor before handing over the mission scroll and walking away.
Kudo Shin's face grew serious as he read the scroll.
"Our squad's mission is to escort supplies to the front lines."
"Move out!"
Without wasting words, he turned and set off.
Yes—
As someone who had been to the battlefield, Shin knew exactly when to act and when to speak.
Kai and Kazama immediately followed behind him.
Only Itsuki trailed with a sour look.
He had grown resentful of everyone in this squad.
The reason was simple.
Back in the Academy, he had been one of the top three students in class. That had always been his pride.
But once in the squad, he realized that what he considered his greatest strength meant little to the others.
They didn't look at him with awe or admiration.
They barely noticed him at all.
For someone used to standing above his classmates, how could he possibly accept such disregard?
If it were just Shin, he might have tolerated it.
But Nara Kazama and Uchiha Kai—what right did they have?
Sure, they were from noble clans, but their grades had been only mediocre.
Why did they get to look down on him, the so-called "elite student"?
Was it just because of their bloodline?
His gaze once more drifted toward the armor on Kai's body.
Something he might never obtain in his entire life.
Why?
Just because he was a commoner?
The more he thought, the angrier he became, and his eyes grew increasingly vicious.
He never once considered that their poor Academy grades were only because they hadn't cared.
Being in the top of Class B was meaningless in Konoha.
It might impress commoners, but to noble clans, such an honor was nothing at all.
Before long, the squad arrived at the supply depot.
Using their mission scroll, they received three full carts of supplies, along with a team of eight civilian escorts.
Yes—
Though storage scroll technology existed, the cost was too high.
Unless it was critical or lightweight cargo, bulk transportation still relied on carts and civilians.
"Ninja-sama, shall we depart now?" one of the escorts asked cautiously.
"Yeah. Move out!" Kudo Shin replied firmly.
In front of this civilian team, he carried himself with pride.
Yes—
Even though he was once a commoner himself, the moment he became a ninja, he had stepped into another class entirely.
In front of Konoha's noble clans, his identity might still seem worthless.
But in front of true civilians, his pride as a ninja was undeniable.
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