The Land of Fire—beautiful and prosperous.
Among all the nations of the ninja world, it was the richest in resources and blessed with four distinct seasons, a true land of fortune.
Think of the endlessly rainy Amegakure, the desert wastelands of Hidden Sand Village, or Hidden Stone Village's barren, rocky expanse…
Across the entire shinobi world, every land had its shortcomings.
Only Konoha's homeland, the Land of Fire, was without flaw.
That was why, in every war, Konoha always became the target of united assaults.
It was a piece of fat meat—one that every village drooled over.
Even now, as they traveled the countryside, the land was lush with greenery, birds sang, beasts roamed freely, golden sunlight poured down, and the breeze brushed gently against their faces. Anyone would feel a lazy tranquility here.
Within their convoy, the civilians worked tirelessly, while the ninjas of the squad lounged casually atop the supply carts, enjoying the scenery.
Yes—
They were still within the borders of the Land of Fire. Encounters with enemy shinobi here were highly unlikely.
And no one could stay tense forever, so naturally, the squad's atmosphere was relaxed.
On the last cart of the convoy, Uchiha Kai sat cross-legged.
Unlike the others, he paid no attention to the scenic beauty around him.
His brows were furrowed.
His thoughts remained on the conversation he'd had with Shisui.
Had he done the right thing? Even he couldn't clearly define it.
On one hand, after hiding for so many years, the weight on his chest was suffocating—of course he wanted someone to confide in.
But more importantly—
This was a test. A test of Shisui.
If Shisui truly exposed this, the consequences for Kai wouldn't be too great.
As a genius of the clan, even Fugaku wouldn't be willing to dispose of him, especially not over a few dead clan members.
As for Sarutobi Hiruzen—his interference was unlikely.
After all, this was an Uchiha internal matter. According to Konoha's rules, such things were left to the clans themselves to govern.
When it came to Konoha affairs, the Hokage's word was absolute.
But clan affairs? The Hokage had no right to meddle.
So as long as Fugaku didn't turn against him, his safety was secure.
At most, Hiruzen's faction might keep an eye on him—but given Kai's current strength, unless Hiruzen wanted to completely tear off all masks, he couldn't openly move against him.
The only real threat—was Shimura Danzo.
That man's hatred for the Uchiha was pathological.
If he learned of this matter, he would certainly make a move.
But even then—
As long as Danzo didn't personally mobilize Root's full might, Kai was confident he could escape even if he couldn't win.
So yes—
Taking a small risk to test Shisui was a worthwhile gamble.
Because Shisui was too kind to him. Kai truly couldn't bear to watch him walk toward death.
If the test failed, then at worst, Kai would simply save Shisui's life when the time came.
But if it succeeded—
then it meant he was more important to Shisui than he'd imagined.
And that—meant he might have the chance to change Shisui's fate.
Because sooner or later, he and Sarutobi Hiruzen's faction would inevitably become enemies.
Alone, Kai wasn't afraid, but he would always be isolated.
If he could bring Shisui to his side, it would be a tremendous advantage.
After all, within the Uchiha, Shisui was a true prodigy.
If he lived to maturity, his future potential was unimaginable.
His Mangekyou Sharingan wielded the most feared genjutsu of all—Kotoamatsukami.
"Shisui… I've given you the chance. Don't let me down. Time will give me the answer."
Time passed slowly.
Three days later.
Just as they arrived at the border of the Land of Fire, preparing to find a ship across the sea—two squads of Mist Ninja suddenly ambushed them!
"Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
The moment the two squad leaders moved, their hands blurred through the seals.
In the next instant—
a dense, choking fog spewed from their mouths, quickly blanketing the entire convoy.
"Protect the carts! Stay sharp!" Kudo Shin bellowed, his hands flashing through seals.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall Jutsu!"
Boom!
The ground rumbled, surging upward into a towering wall that shielded the supply carts.
But Shin didn't stop there.
He cast two more jutsu in succession, raising three solid barriers before finally collapsing to his knees, his face pale.
His chakra—completely drained.
He had no choice.
As an ordinary common-born Chuunin, reaching even this level was already outstanding.
And indeed, his walls successfully blocked the Mist squads' initial assault.
Unless a true elite stepped forward, ordinary Mist Ninja had no effective way to break through.
And the fact that these two squads each had a ninja capable of casting the Hidden Mist Technique… already proved they were among Hidden Blood Mist Village's elites.
Remember—
even Konoha Genin graduated only knowing the Three Basic Jutsu.
And Konoha was the strongest village.
So one could easily imagine what that meant for Hidden Blood Mist Village's average ninja.
Most fought with nothing but kunai.
Their basic skills weren't even on par with Konoha's.
As Shin made his stand, the convoy formed into a defensive circle. Their squad regrouped at the center.
"My chakra's spent. I'll need ten minutes to recover." Shin's voice was firm.
"In that time—it's up to you. But don't be afraid. Those Mist Ninja won't rush in carelessly."
With that, he swallowed a soldier pill and sat cross-legged to recover.
The other three—Kai, Nara Kazama, and Ishikawa Itsuki—exchanged glances, each frowning slightly.
"What do you think, Kai?" Kazama asked.
Kai was briefly taken aback, but then replied, "The enemy hides in the mist. We're exposed. Best to stay on defense."
Kazama nodded in agreement.
It was the most logical course.
Hidden in the fog, the enemy would cut them down piecemeal if they rushed recklessly.
But—
Unfortunately, Ishikawa Itsuki had already lost his patience.
He had been fuming at the two of them for days, his chest filled with resentment.
And now—
hearing them choose the cautious defensive approach, the thing he hated most, his temper exploded.
"You two are cowards!"
"Just two measly Mist squads, what are you afraid of?"
"Don't forget—I was top three in the entire Academy!"
"I came to the battlefield to earn merit and kill enemies, not play house with you!"
"Heh… don't worry. If you two get in danger, as one of the top three, of course I'll save you."
"And don't forget—"
"We agreed beforehand: if the captain fell, I'd act as deputy captain."
"Well then, I declare—we strike first!"
"I'll show these Mist Ninja the true power of Konoha shinobi!"
"Kill!!"
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