Shisui's Secret, Jin's Revelation
After a moment of hesitation, Uchiha Jin exhaled deeply and slipped on the mesh inner armor.
Shisui gave a small, satisfied nod.
"Yeah, it looks good. That way, I'll feel a little more at ease. By the way—" he lowered his voice, his expression turning grave, "—I have something to tell you in secret."
Jin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"News just came in from the Anbu," Shisui continued. "Kirigakure officially declared war on Konoha yesterday. But your squad wasn't informed."
Jin froze.
"The truth is," Shisui went on, his voice steady but heavy, "your team's mission is to buy Konoha time. Hokage-sama has already ordered the Uchiha clan to deploy our elite troops. From now on, Fugaku-sama himself will command the Kiri front. So… endure, Jin. Just hold out for half a month, and I'll find a way to transfer you into my unit."
Hiss!
Jin's breath caught sharply.
He had expected to be used as cannon fodder, but hearing it confirmed left him shaken. This wasn't just a dangerous mission — this was suicide duty. Their survival rate was nearly zero.
Yet, even in the face of that truth, gratitude welled up inside him. Shisui was sharing classified information — top-secret intelligence — just to give him a chance. That trust ran deep.
Taking a breath, Jin decided to return a sliver of it. Just enough to ease Shisui's worries.
"Shisui," he whispered, voice low and steady, "don't worry. I'll tell you something too — but you mustn't tell anyone. Not the Hokage, not the clan leader. No one."
Shisui blinked.
"I'm not as weak as you think," Jin continued. "I killed Uchiha Yoshio and the others."
"…"
Without another word, Jin turned and left.
Shisui, however, stood frozen. His mind went blank, sweat beading on his forehead.
He knew Yoshio and his companions well. They were arrogant, yes — but undeniably skilled. All three had awakened the Sharingan by the age of twelve. Among the Uchiha, they were considered promising elites.
And yet, Jin had killed them.
That meant Jin wasn't just hiding his strength. He was a genius on par with the best of their clan — perhaps even Class A potential.
But why? Why conceal it?
Shisui's thoughts spiraled. He wanted to chase Jin down, to demand the truth. But the battlefield wasn't the place for it. All he could do was bury the storm in his chest.
Should he report this?
Normally, he would never hesitate. But this was Jin. The very fact that Jin had trusted him enough to confess spoke volumes.
And truthfully, Shisui had never liked Yoshio and his group anyway. Their arrogance disgusted him.
Helplessly, he sighed.
"Jin-kun… you've given me a problem I don't know how to face."
---
When Jin rejoined his squad, he immediately drew envious stares.
The reinforced inner armor was no ordinary equipment. Every shinobi dreamed of owning one. Yet they were rare and costly to refine, requiring meteorite ore and master craftsmanship. Only select elites ever received them.
Even Nara Kazama couldn't hide his envy. Though his clan was wealthy, as a side-branch member his resources were limited. He could only acquire higher-grade gear by earning battlefield merit.
But Jin?
His came as a personal gift from Uchiha Shisui.
The realization shifted something in his teammates. Jin was no ordinary Uchiha — that much was clear.
Nara Kazama, in particular, was thoughtful. The Nara clan's true strength was in their sharp minds, and his was already racing.
Shisui doesn't give something like that lightly. Just what kind of relationship does Jin have with him?
"Jin-kun," Kazama finally said, eyes gleaming, "you really are impressive. To receive such armor directly from Shisui-kun… you must be more extraordinary than you let on."
Others quickly chimed in, their tones warmer, more respectful than before.
Even Kudo Nobu, the most seasoned among them, looked at Jin differently now — his earlier distance softening into camaraderie.
On the battlefield, bonds mattered. And Jin was quickly proving he was no ordinary comrade.