Uchiha Kai suddenly understood.
He really had made a mistake.
And not just any mistake—it was a stupid one.
But regret was pointless.
The only thing that mattered now was correcting it, and making sure he never repeated it again.
"How should we deal with this?"
Kai asked bluntly. "Nara Shikaku isn't someone who's easy to fool."
Nara Kazama frowned in thought.
Like Kai, he didn't dwell on the past.
One had to keep moving forward.
As long as the lesson was learned, the only thing left was to be more careful next time.
His mind worked quickly, and after a moment he replied:
"You're right—Shikaku can't be deceived with lies.
The more you try to cover up, the more mistakes you make. The only choice is to give him the truth—
but a shaped truth.
You need to have a scheme.
Use a small scheme to cover up a bigger one.
What we're truly plotting must never be exposed, so we'll craft a small, believable conspiracy to distract him.
Here's how it goes:
Those three Uchiha? You killed them.
That Hidden Cloud Village ninja? You killed him too.
In reality, you already had the strength back then. But you didn't want to get too entangled with the Uchiha clan. In fact, because of how you were treated as a child, you secretly harbored resentment toward them.
So you tossed out that Hidden Cloud Village corpse partly to clear suspicion from yourself, but more importantly, to paint the Uchiha as a powerful enemy.
And Hidden Cloud Village fits that role perfectly.
In short—you did it out of revenge."
Uchiha Kai froze.
Wait… it can be explained like that?
He couldn't help asking:
"You really think this will fool your uncle?"
"I'm certain," Kazama said firmly.
"As long as he can confirm your motives aren't against Konoha, he won't press further.
He has no interest in the Uchiha's internal matters."
Still, Kai shook his head helplessly.
"Why do I feel like the version of me in your story sounds… kind of stupid?"
"Heh, that's what makes it believable," Kazama chuckled.
"For an Uchiha, simply hiding your true strength is already considered clever.
But you, Kai… you don't think like an Uchiha at all."
Kai couldn't help but laugh.
He decided not to dwell on it further.
As long as the issue was resolved, that was enough.
With time to grow, he was confident he could one day crush all obstacles with strength alone.
The next morning, bright and early, Uchiha Shisui arrived at their tent—bringing someone new.
It was a girl.
She had beautiful, long white hair cascading over her shoulders, her delicate appearance almost fragile.
But the pale eyes marked her clearly: a Hyuga.
And through the forehead protector, a faint, intricate seal could be seen.
The Caged Bird.
"Everyone," Shisui said warmly, "allow me to introduce myself.
I'm Uchiha Shisui. I specialize in the Body Flicker Technique, kenjutsu, and genjutsu. My fire-style ninjutsu is average. I wield a three-tomoe Sharingan. From today onward, I'll be the captain of our squad.
Now, let's all introduce ourselves."
Smiling, he gestured for the others to follow.
Uchiha Kai went first:
"Uchiha Kai. I can use the Three Basic Techniques and fire-style. My taijutsu is a bit stronger."
"Nara Kazama. Proficient in wind-style and my clan's shadow techniques."
"Hyuga Aya. I have the Byakugan, I specialize in scouting and medical ninjutsu."
The four of them exchanged glances.
The air was a little awkward.
Because, truthfully, this squad was strange.
Yes, it was undeniably an elite team—but the lineup was… odd.
Two Uchiha, a Hyuga, and a Nara.
Especially Nara.
Normally, members of the "Ino-Shika-Chō" trio were never separated.
And yet here Kazama was.
What's more, the Hyuga's Byakugan and the Nara's shadow arts overlapped somewhat in their reconnaissance roles.
And then add in two Uchiha…
Honestly, in all of Konoha's history, there had probably never been a squad this mismatched.
"Alright." Shisui clapped his hands lightly.
"Now that we've met, it's time to get to work.
Since we're not familiar with one another yet, our initial missions will be basic C-rank assignments. The main purpose is to build teamwork.
But—keep in mind, even low-level missions are dangerous on the battlefield. Anything could happen, so stay alert.
Also, because we're at war, we won't get much time to practice together.
We've been given three days to adapt—so let's make the most of it.
Our first mission: eliminate twelve outposts on Land of Whirlpools western flank.
The clock is ticking.
Let's go!"
With that, Shisui announced the task.
The squad quickly departed camp, heading toward their target.
Every member was a skilled shinobi.
Even Kai and Kazama, who had once hidden their abilities, couldn't afford to hold back now.
And with Shisui at the lead—already at Jounin-level—the team's speed was formidable.
In half a day, they reached the first outpost.
"Nine genin, three Chunin, one Jounin," Hyuga Aya reported crisply, her Byakugan active.
Shisui's expression remained calm.
He looked around at his squad, smiling faintly as he gave orders:
"I'll handle the Jounin.
Kazama and Kai, take the rest.
Aya, provide support where needed.
Everyone—protect Aya at all costs!"
The others nodded solemnly.
As both the medic and the eyes of the team, Aya was the most vital to safeguard. No one disputed that.
Once roles were set, Shisui drew his blade and vanished in a flicker, rushing straight for the enemy Jounin.
Kazama and Kai exchanged a glance, then charged in as well.
On the battlefield, there was no room for slacking.
If fighting was inevitable—then kill.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
"Wind Style: Gale Pressure!"
The enemy barely had time to react.
Shisui's blade was already arcing toward the Jounin's neck.
The Mist ninja jolted, blocking with a kunai.
But in the next instant, fire and wind collided in a roaring explosion, shaking the outpost.
Several Mist genin were blown away instantly.
Only the three Chunin withstood it. But before they could move, Kai was already behind one, his kunai slicing cleanly across the throat.
At the same time, Kazama's shadow lashed out, binding another Chunin and twisting his neck with brutal efficiency.
"Shadow Neck Bind Technique!"
Meanwhile, Shisui clashed with the Jounin for only a few brief exchanges before seizing an opening.
With a flicker, he appeared at the man's side—his blade severing the head in one swift stroke.
It all happened in seconds.
One Jounin, two Chunin, and a genin were already down.
The last genin had fallen to Aya.
From there, it was a simple cleanup.
Before the Mist could mount any response, the squad struck mercilessly, wiping them all out.
"Next outpost. Move."
After gathering supplies and clearing the field, Shisui gave the quiet order.
To read 200+ Advance chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554