Probably everyone hates others who resemble themselves, and Kai Uchiha, Aya Hyuga, and Kenta Imai were no exception.
They barely spoke on their journey, and even Kai Uchiha could sense the hostility in the air. Did these two want to tear him apart? Probably.
But Kai wasn't afraid. If these two dared to act against him, he might even enjoy it.
Escaping was easy—if there was one thing he excelled at, it was running away. Other skills might not be his strong suit, but his mastery of the Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) was undeniable.
If it really came to a fight, kai could simply activate his Sharingan, eliminate one opponent with a well-timed Shunshin attack, and disappear before the other could react.
Mission objectives? Who cares. Betraying Konoha would be a small price to pay if it meant surviving.
By the time the investigation team from the Nara or Yamanaka Clans pieced together the truth, Kai would have already covered his tracks.
But, unfortunately for him, neither of his teammates seemed to have any intention of making the first move.
The three of them continued walking until Imai Kenta suddenly halted, signaling "Enemy ahead."
As a taijutsu specialist and skilled swordsman, Imai had sharp combat instincts. His ability to detect danger was second only to Aya Hyuga, who immediately activated her Byakugan.
The veins around Aya's eyes bulged, making her look far more intimidating than her usual self.
"Six," she mouthed to the others.
Six enemies. Likely two squads. During the war, it wasn't uncommon for teams to be understaffed, so they could be facing a weakened group.
That was good. It meant they wouldn't have to deal with two fully armed teams.
But what they didn't know yet was whether there was a jōnin among them.
Unlike Kakashi, who had become a jōnin at twelve, the three of them were only chūnin.
They weren't legendary prodigies like Naruto's team, either. Just ordinary Konoha chūnin trying to survive.
Kai Uchiha thought for a moment. If they played their cards right, these Iwa-nin could become their trophies.
The forehead protectors of fallen enemies would serve as proof of their strength.
Kai signaled to his teammates, and the three silently disappeared into the treetops.
Kai took cover in a lower tree, his Sharingan activating with a quiet hum of chakra. The three tomoe spun slowly in his scarlet eyes, enhancing his vision.
Aya and Kenta had their own priorities and weren't paying attention to Kai, which allowed him to use his dōjutsu freely.
From his vantage point, he observed six chakra signatures moving below.
If they had more time, they could have set up an ambush. But this was a direct encounter—no time for traps.
Kai took a deep breath, analyzing the enemy formation.
One jōnin. That was bad news.
But the rest consisted of two chūnin and three genin—still dangerous, but manageable.
The world of shinobi was unpredictable. Even Madara Uchiha, a god-like warrior, was ultimately betrayed and defeated.
Even the smallest mistake could mean death.
Kai tightened his grip on his kunai but hesitated.
Should he attack first?
If he acted recklessly, his teammates might abandon him. And from the way they were positioned, they were thinking the same thing.
They stayed put, silent, waiting for the six Iwa-nin to pass.
Damn it...
Kai cursed under his breath. Their lack of trust in each other was crippling.
Fine, then.
"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!)
Kai unleashed a barrage of fireballs toward the enemy, intentionally targeting the area where Imai Kenta was hiding!
As the flames burst forward, Kai quickly created a shadow clone, then followed it up with a decoy technique, positioning himself higher in the treetops to watch the chaos unfold.
Imai Kenta, furious, swore at Kai in the most vicious words imaginable before leaping into battle.
Drawing his sword, he executed a flawless sequence—swing, dodge, strike. One of the Iwa chūnin fell, caught off guard by his speed.
But Kai noticed something else—Kenta was ruthless.
When he dodged, he deliberately moved toward Aya Hyuga's hiding spot, forcing her into the open.
The Iwa-nin quickly regained their composure, kunai flying toward Aya.
She had no choice but to reveal herself, gritting her teeth in frustration.
The enemy jōnin smirked.
"Two kids?" he sneered. "You're either brave or stupid. Kill them."
His subordinates didn't need orders—they were already attacking.
But the jōnin himself held back.
A shinobi team typically had four members. Where was the fourth?
His instincts screamed danger.
And then—a flicker of movement.
Before he could react, a sharp pain sliced across his back.
Too fast!
The jōnin's clothes were torn, blood seeping from a fresh wound.
His survival instincts kicked in, and he immediately activated a substitution jutsu.
A log took his place as he reappeared several feet away, heart pounding.
His eyes flicked to where he had been standing—and there, standing silently, was a boy with blood-red eyes.
A Uchiha.
Sharingan.
This is bad.
Even a child from that accursed clan was dangerous.
And worse—his allies were too occupied to help.
I'm alone.
His pulse quickened. He had only recently been promoted to jōnin—this was his first real test.
And then—the Uchiha vanished.
The next thing he felt was cold steel against his throat.
His eyes widened in shock.
"So fast..."