Stepping out of the laboratory, the sunlight streaming from the sky was blinding.
Kin raised a hand to shield his eyes.
Who started the trend of putting research labs underground? Is research something to be hidden away?
…Well, he'd done the same.
Never mind, then.
Behind him followed Hizure and Hyuga Kiyoshi, while Orochimaru stood before him.
"Kin, will you come with me?"
Orochimaru licked his lips as he posed the question. Teams like Kin's didn't require a Jonin leader and could accept missions directly.
Kin smiled cheerfully at Orochimaru. "No need, Orochimaru-sensei. Our team still needs time to gel."
Going on a mission with Orochimaru would bring too many complications.
Orochimaru nodded, his figure dissolving into smoke and vanishing on the spot.
Watching him disappear, Kin frowned slightly.
There was one thing he really wanted to know: How much does Orochimaru actually know?
Shaking off his thoughts, he turned.
"Let's go."
The three of them headed straight for the Hokage Building.
All mission assignments in Konoha were handled there, and the entire building was under tight surveillance by the ANBU.
Inside, they occasionally passed non-shinobi merchants and nobles coming and going.
With the war nearing its end, Konoha had gradually resumed accepting missions. During wartime, large-scale missions were typically suspended.
The Shinobi World Wars were battles of attrition, funded by the Daimyo's financial support and stockpiled resources—though the Daimyo's backing was the real lifeline.
Without it, the wars would've been impossible, as each conflict drained the village's manpower.
Though the war wasn't over yet, Konoha had reopened missions to recoup losses—the Daimyo's funds alone weren't enough.
Entering the mission office, Kin glanced around. Most of the administrative staff were Sarutobi clansmen, which explained why Sarutobi shinobi were rarely seen on missions outside wartime.
Unless it was war, the Sarutobi clan might as well have vanished—their members were too busy keeping the Hokage Building running.
Several blackboards in the center displayed available missions. Despite Konoha's reopening, the list was far shorter than pre-war levels, with only a dozen or so posted.
Few dared to request missions now. Only those with escorts or a death wish would try—no one knew if shinobi battles might erupt overhead.
The war's scale had shrunk, but it wasn't gone. Clashes could happen anywhere.
Kin's eyes scanned the board until he spotted one:
"A-Rank Mission: Eliminate Rogue Ninja."
The description detailed a wandering rogue ninja who had been pillaging villages.
Rogue ninja…
Kin stroked his chin. During wartime, rogue ninja typically vanished—only in the Land of Hot Water would you find such reckless fools.
Besides, rogue ninja rarely warranted an A-rank.
"This one."
It was likely a shinobi from a major nation causing trouble.
After registering the mission with the staff, Kin led the other two out.
Once beyond Konoha's gates, Kin glanced back at his teammates in their green flak jackets, then down at his own vagabond-style attire.
"Maybe I should dress like you."
The green jackets were standard-issue for Chunin, offering decent defense and ample pockets—a staple for Konoha shinobi.
"Jonin aren't required to wear uniforms," Hizure remarked, snapping out of his thoughts.
Konoha had no strict dress code; the jackets were just popular for their utility and symbolism.
Hizure turned to watch Konoha fade into the distance.
"Isn't it too early to defect?"
Hyuga Kiyoshi remained impassive, while Kin feigned shock.
"Hizure-san, how could you say something so terrible?!"
"We love this village! How could we betray it? We're here to complete the mission!"
Hizure's eye twitched. He'd never understand why Uchiha Kin—a man with obvious ambitions—acted so unpredictably.
"There's no one around now. Why keep pretending!?"
He refused to play along. Falling into Kin's rhythm felt like surrendering his intelligence to be outmaneuvered by sheer absurdity.
"Hizure-san, you really lack a sense of humor."
Kin sighed. Kushina and Namikaze Minato were far better straight men—Hizure and Hyuga Kiyoshi were too rigid.
Gazing into the distance, he added softly,
"Besides, Hizure-san, I've never once considered defecting."
His smile was serene.
Hizure scoffed but didn't argue. He didn't believe it.
Hyuga Kiyoshi remained silent.
"Few places are as stable as Konoha."
Kin shook his head. Despite the village's discrimination against the Uchiha, he could sleep soundly at home without fear of attack—the "filial" one hadn't even been born yet.
Fugaku's indecisive nature also ruled out any drastic moves within the clan.
Stability was why he stayed.
Outside Konoha, danger lurked everywhere—even in major nations' capitals. Other villages had harsh environments: mountains, deserts, or hills. None matched Konoha's ideal conditions.
Then there was Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist. That place might be more dangerous than the outside world.
"For now, our priority is completing the mission… and delaying our return."
Kin stroked his chin, already decided.
Tracking down a rogue ninja would take time. Once they captured the targets, they could stall for weeks before reporting back.
No one could fault them for that.
It was why he'd chosen this mission.
"So you do have something else planned."
Hizure smirked. All that lofty talk, yet Kin was still scheming behind Konoha's back. If discovered—
Defection would be inevitable.
Just a matter of time.
Suddenly, Hyuga Kiyoshi's Byakugan snapped open, fixed on Hizure.
"Show respect to Lord Kin. Otherwise—"
"I'll kill you."
He'd tolerated Hizure's insolence long enough. Now, far from the village—
He wouldn't hold back anymore.
...
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(End of Chapter)