The Weight of Bonds
In the past, he had been alone. Whether he betrayed or hid, it hardly mattered.
But now… things were different.
There was Might Guy and his father.
There was Shisui.
There were ties forming around him that he had never expected.
And that made him feel… trapped.
He frowned. If this kept going, would he end up bound even tighter by people and expectations?
No wonder Orochimaru had walked away.
When the villagers discovered his human experiments, Orochimaru hadn't bothered to deny it. He hadn't even tried to clear his name. Part of it was his disappointment — Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't chosen him as the Fourth Hokage. But deeper than that, Orochimaru had already understood.
Life was fleeting. Bonds only chained him down. Pursuing immortality required him to sever ties with Konoha altogether.
---
On the front steps of the Uchiha compound, Uchiha Jin watched Shisui's back disappear into the distance. His gaze shifted to the dark-feathered crow perched beside him, and a dull ache pressed behind his eyes.
"Well… it's fine," he muttered to himself.
"It's just Shisui. Saving him won't be that difficult."
The Third Great War had only just begun. The Nine-Tails' rampage was still years away. The Uchiha massacre? Even further.
"There's still time," he told himself again, rubbing his temples.
Because Jin wasn't heartless. Far from it. The memories of his previous life — five thousand years of culture and values — had taught him well: repay kindness tenfold.
He didn't care about the lives of strangers. He lived by a simple rule — don't offend others unless they offend you. Everyone should sweep their own doorsteps instead of worrying about someone else's frost.
That was why he could stay detached when Sarutobi Hiruzen plotted against the Uchiha.
But Shisui? That was different.
His eyes glinted coldly. For those few bonds that mattered… he would act.
---
The Next Morning
Konoha Ninja Academy, Fifth-Year Classroom.
The room was buzzing with noise. Most of the students brimmed with excitement, unable to sit still, already daydreaming about the battlefield ahead.
Only the children of the major clans looked subdued, their expressions heavy, as if the weight of what was coming pressed down harder on them than on anyone else.
Uchiha Jin yawned and leaned back in his chair, staring lazily out the window. He had no interest in joining the chatter.
He'd never had many friends in this class.
An aloof, quiet figure — handsome, yes, but distant. And being an Uchiha didn't exactly make him approachable. The clan's reputation was already infamous across Konoha.
Still, no one dared provoke him.
The true elites of the clans, and the most gifted civilian students, had all been placed in Class A. Class B, where Jin sat, was filled with ordinary shinobi-in-training.
The clan children kept their distance. The civilians might hate the Uchiha name, but they weren't foolish enough to pick a fight. Everyone knew the Uchiha were Konoha's strongest clan — even with their bad reputation.
So Jin had spent five years in peace, free from real trouble.
Being an Uchiha also meant that plenty of girls glanced his way. More than one had tried to get closer. But Jin had no interest. Even the pretty ones.
Why? Because they weren't just "civilians." They were shinobi now — and after today, they'd be marching to war.
For most of them, the survival rate was less than one percent.
What was the point of building bonds with someone who might die in a matter of weeks?
No. Better to wait until he survived, grew stronger, and had the freedom to choose. Then, finding a girlfriend would be the least of his problems.
---
Half an hour later, Nobita Sarutobi walked into the room. His expression was flat, almost disinterested.
He knew the truth — the children before him were little more than cannon fodder. There was no reason to waste time on speeches or encouragement.
He cleared his throat and spoke briskly.
"Alright. Settle down. I'm announcing team assignments. Listen carefully — I'll only say this once."
He began calling out names, grouping three students at a time.
"Team One: Furuzawa Shinui, Ishizuka Yuta, Miyata Shiho."
"Team Two: Abe Kairei, Kanehara Mana, Kawahara Sara."
"Team Three…"
The room grew silent. Even the most excitable students leaned forward, paying close attention.
Jin, too, listened carefully. He was curious about who fate — or rather, Konoha's system — would bind him to.
Finally, the words came:
"Team Seven: Nara Kazama, Ishikawa Itsuki, Uchiha Jin."
Jin's eyes narrowed slightly. His gaze swept the classroom until it landed on his new teammates.
First, Nara Kazama. A typical Nara — lazy, sharp-eyed, but clearly not main family material. His lack of talent was obvious, or else he'd never have ended up in Class B.