After thinking everything through, Uchiha Jin decided the safest plan was to stay hidden in Konoha — at least for now.
When the night of the Uchiha Clan's extermination arrived, he would quietly slip away.
At worst, he could hide somewhere in the Shinobi World for a few years until things calmed down.
Then, once Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage and Pain attacked Konoha, leaving the village weakened and in desperate need of fighters, he would return and pledge allegiance.
Firstly, Tsunade was not Sarutobi Hiruzen. She bore no personal grudges against him.
By then, Danzo Shimura would almost certainly be dead.
Besides, he had never truly harmed Konoha — even his eventual defection would only be an act of self-preservation to avoid dying with the clan.
And most importantly, Konoha would desperately need experts at that time.
As a surviving Uchiha, and given Tsunade's compassionate nature, she would almost certainly accept him back.
And there was Sasuke.
Once the clan was wiped out, Sasuke would become the sole survivor.
Would Konoha still reject him if he returned?
Would Sasuke object?
Would Naruto, of all people, not speak up for him?
No — everything lined up perfectly.
Feeling satisfied with his plan, Jin lay back on his bed and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
---
The Next Morning
Early the next day, Uchiha Jin yawned, got up, and pushed open his room door, letting the fresh air fill his lungs.
"Another day full of energy!" he said with mock enthusiasm.
After a quick wash, he headed straight toward Ichiraku Ramen to fill his empty stomach.
As usual, his trip there wasn't exactly peaceful.
"Oh great, it's the clan disgrace again."
"Why won't he just hurry up and die already?"
"Forget him — he's not even worth it."
Insults echoed from nearby clan members, but no one dared approach him directly.
Not anymore.
It wasn't that they didn't want to — they simply couldn't win against him.
Uchiha Jin's skin was thicker than the village walls.
No matter how much they mocked or provoked him, it never worked.
Even if they challenged him to a duel, he would simply concede before the fight even began, walking away without a shred of shame.
And they couldn't attack him without cause — the Uchiha clan's pride wouldn't allow such dishonorable behavior.
So all they could do was glare and shout from a distance.
Even that had become less frequent these days.
Jin narrowed his eyes, a playful grin tugging at his lips.
Oh, how he loved this.
Watching them seethe, powerless to do anything to him, was endlessly satisfying.
But since no one was bold enough to take it further, he didn't bother stirring up trouble either.
With a smug smile, he made his way to Ichiraku Ramen.
"Teuchi, I'm back again," he called casually.
"Just get me something to eat — I'm starving."
Jin dropped himself onto a stool without a hint of reservation.
Teuchi greeted him with a smile, gave a small nod, and headed into the kitchen to prepare food.
Ayame, however, came out fuming.
"Uchiha Jin, you're too much!" she scolded, hands on her hips.
"My dad took pity on you back then, but coming here every single morning for a free meal? That's going too far!"
She looked genuinely upset.
And she wasn't wrong.
Ichiraku Ramen was supposed to serve only lunch and dinner.
But seven or eight years ago, not long after Jin had transmigrated, he had walked straight into Ichiraku and negotiated with Teuchi himself.
He offered to eat lunch and dinner there every day if Teuchi would make a little extra breakfast for him while preparing his own morning meal.
Teuchi, seeing a lonely Uchiha child without parents, had taken pity on him.
He not only agreed but eventually stopped charging him for breakfast entirely, even reducing the price of lunch and dinner to almost cost price.
Jin would usually run a tab and settle the bill at the end of the month — and even then, Teuchi would generously reduce the total.
In truth, Jin had been eating almost for free for years.
So now, faced with Ayame's angry glare, Jin didn't even try to argue.
Scratching the back of his head with an awkward laugh, he quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Ayame, don't be angry!
"I've graduated now — I'm an official shinobi! I can take missions and earn money."
He then struck a mock-heroic pose.
"From today onward, Teuchi will be my foster father, and you'll be my little sister.
"I promise I'll take good care of you both for the rest of my life.
"I'll even handle Teuchi's retirement!"
He said it with a straight face, but his tone was full of ridiculous confidence.
Jin meant it, though.
He had never forgotten the kindness Teuchi and Ayame had shown him over the years.
He wasn't ungrateful — he would repay them someday.
Ayame just stared at him speechlessly, then rolled her eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn't get stuck.
"You shameless brat!" she snapped.
"I'll take care of my dad's retirement myself! I don't need you doing it!
"And another thing — I'm older than you by a few months. I'm not your 'little sister!'"
Uchiha Jin just threw his head back and laughed heartily.