At Konoha’s main gate, Ōshima and Ono waited impatiently.
“Why’d you promise to treat him at the izakaya?” Ono whispered.
“That place is expensive!”
“Use your brain!” Ōshima snapped.
“Stick close to Uchiha Yuu, and we’ll get all the high‑rank missions we want.
This is an investment!”
Ono’s eyes lit up.
“Right — smart thinking!”
“Just keep flattering him right.
Money’ll follow.”
They laughed as they imagined all the gold coming their way.
Yuu finished his exit formalities, took his travel pass, and walked toward them — his heightened senses picking up a faint, persistent shadow behind him.
Village exit passes were mandatory — standard procedure.
Even for an Uchiha, the guards checked every document thoroughly before letting them through.
“Stiff as statues,” Ono muttered.
“Us common ninjas, fine — but even the Uchiha, the greatest clan in Konoha?
They just love lording their little authority over everyone.”
Ōshima shot him a sharp look, and Ono switched straight back to sweet‑talking Yuu, doing his best to butter him up.
They’d worked together before, but Yuu had to admit — this level of flattery was something else entirely.
On the road, they rambled: Yuu’s promotion to Chūnin, and even to Jōnin someday, was clearly being held back by shortsighted higher‑ups who didn’t know talent when they saw it.
Once the war heated up, he’d surely jump straight through the ranks.
“Heh — the war…”
Yuu smiled bitterly at their praise.
That war had gutted the Uchiha.
Yet the elders had insisted every sacrifice was worth it — that they’d earn more power, that Orochimaru had promised them endless advantage.
Everything looked bright… until Orochimaru defected.
All their blood and effort turned to ash.
Anyone who didn’t rise up in anger would have been called spineless.
He suspected the Third Hokage had let Orochimaru escape out of guilt — guilt over sacrificing his own student.
Two weeks later, the three arrived in the Takekawa region.
“This area’s huge,” Yuu said.
“Not really,” Ōshima put in.
“If they’re hitting caravans, we watch the roads — and stick to small ones with weak guards.”
Yuu was surprised.
Ōshima was sharper than he looked.
First impressions could be so misleading.
What the Inuzuka might write off as boot‑licking was probably just how they survived — and thrived — as common‑born ninjas.
It took more than empty flattery to make Chūnin and stay comfortable.
Ōshima shrank under his gaze.
“Unless Lord Yuu has a better plan — we’ll follow your lead.”
“No need for ‘Lord Yuu,’ Ōshima‑senpai,” Yuu said gently.
“You both made Chūnin before me.
And just ‘Uchiha Yuu’ is fine — I’m no clan head, elder, or captain’s son.
I carry little weight at home.”
Ōshima and Ono stared.
An Uchiha who talked like this?
It was unheard of.
I guess I’m even more of an oddity to them now, Yuu thought.
Ono perked up.
“There’s a faster way — the local izakaya branch.
It’s a perfect spot for fencing stolen goods.
Rogue ninjas need to offload cargo, then blow off steam.
And a missing arm?
Hard to hide.”
“Smart thinking — I’m learning a lot from you two,” Yuu said.
“Shall we ask around about caravans and check the izakaya?”
His genuine tone swelled their chests with pride.
“Leave it to us!”
As they walked, though, both felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
That’s exactly how we talk…
They traded a wary glance.
Uchiha were known for copying techniques — surely he hadn’t copied that, too?
It wasn’t even jutsu — yet the thought sent a chill down their spines.
But his chakra sense told him they weren’t making a move yet.
They were waiting — for him to find the target, then strike and frame it as an accident.
That suited him fine.
From earlier logs, he knew their type: new to ROOT, fast‑tracked by bending every rule, and hungry for more.
This hit was off the books.
Once they’d “cleaned up,” they’d falsify reports — kill the innocent and claim the credit.
Killing an Uchiha?
Danzō would look the other way.
So Yuu knew the mission briefing was a lie.
> [Record: B‑rank target…]
> [Ding!
Record saved.
14 entries remaining.]
“Extract.”
As Yuu added details from Ōshima and Ono’s intel, the system grew clearer.
> [Feedback: The rogue is a former Kirigakure Jōnin, marked as missing‑in‑action and deserter.
Hired by Sunagakure to seize Fire Country supplies.]
As he suspected — far more dangerous than advertised.
Kirigakure Jōnin often worked as mercenaries; their harsh terrain forced them to look abroad for resources.
But even so, Yuu didn’t flinch.
With three tomoe active, his skill matched any Jōnin — and the man had lost an arm.
His jutsu pool would be severely limited.
No wonder he’d stoop to raiding small merchant convoys.
“Lord Yuu — news,” Ono reported.
“A caravan’s due through soon.
And our target hasn’t been to the izakaya in days — he’s likely set his sights on it.
Word is it’s guarded by a fresh Konoha team: Chūnin instructor, all genin.”
Fresh genin.
Instructor.
Yuu’s mind flashed to Minato’s mission log — also Takekawa.
Obito — your jinx really is unstoppable.