Chapter 73

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On the third day, the weather was clear.

Jin sat idly on a chair placed in front of the shop, staring blankly at the sky. The past two days of training in his new Inner Technique had nearly fried his brain. He decided it was time to take a break.

Yashiro had already left the previous day. Now, there were hardly any people left in the Uchiha compound, with only a few civilians visible.

With the clan's young leader heading to the front lines, it was impossible for the Uchiha to send just a small group.

Naturally, seventy percent of the clan's shinobi had been deployed together, creating a grand spectacle that even many in Konoha noticed Fugaku's departure to the front lines.

Only a few Uchiha remained behind to maintain order in the village, leaving Jin with a particular feeling of isolation.

As for the internal affairs of Konoha, there was little concern. It was rare for anyone to dare cause trouble in Konoha at this time. Whether the Uchiha were present or not made little difference; their presence often made the residents uncomfortable.

Jin hadn't heard many kind words about the Uchiha when he went out in different clothes.

"Everyone else has gone to fight on the front lines. Why are you still lounging around here?" Uchiha Yahiko handed Jin a freshly prepared bento.

Seeing the clan's shinobi busy, with many being sent to the front lines, Yahiko found it strange that Jin seemed so relaxed. Even most of the other ninjas in the village were nowhere to be seen, while Jin remained leisurely.

"Do you think I want to be?" Jin sighed helplessly. The White Fang was currently being revered in the village, and as his teammate, Jin couldn't go anywhere unless the White Fang did.

Although things seemed safe for now, when the White Fang was eventually assigned a mission, it would undoubtedly be highly dangerous, and Jin would have to risk his life.

"Being a ninja means serving the village, whether you want to or not," Yahiko muttered.

Jin looked at the young girl who had grown a bit taller. He had also grown, though not as quickly as a child.

"Why aren't you using that tone you used before? It's strange not hearing it now," Jin teased. Yahiko used to call him a loser quite enthusiastically. What changed? Why wasn't she calling him that now?

"You're a genius of the Uchiha now, not a loser," Yahiko retorted, turning her head away. Who could have predicted that Jin would make such a comeback?

"Right," Jin shook his head, unsure of what to say as he looked at the well-prepared bento Yahiko had brought. It was filled with carefully made side dishes.

A loser would be looked down upon even by Uchiha children, but a genius would receive kindness wherever they went. That was the Uchiha way.

"The weather is really nice," Jin mused as he gazed at the sky, wondering how much longer he could enjoy this leisurely time.

Watching Jin's relaxed demeanor, Yahiko found it hard to believe that this person was the Uchiha genius said to rival the Second Hokage. He didn't seem like a genius at all. However, after a moment's thought, he bit his lip and pulled out a stack of papers, handing them to Jin.

"Can you sign this for me?"

"Huh?!" Jin scratched his ear, pretending not to have heard clearly. He leaned in closer. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you could sign this for me!!" Yahiko shouted.

"Why so loud? You think I can't hear you?" Jin complained, backing away from Yahiko. "And if you're asking for a favor, shouldn't you be a bit more polite?"

Yahiko's face turned red, not out of shyness but out of frustration with Jin. How did he go from being a genius to acting like such a petty person? He closed his eyes, remembering his vclassmates' expectations. If he had known, she wouldn't have mentioned that he knew Jin. Now he was stuck in this awkward situation.

"Jin, can you please sign this for me?" Yahiko forced a smile. After all, Uchiha Jin was too famous now. If he could get his autograph, he could show it off for a long time.

"Hahaha," Jin laughed, patting Yahiko on the shoulder. "You should have said so earlier! It's just an autograph."

"So?" Yahiko looked at him expectantly.

"Nope."

"Poof!"

Jin disappeared in a puff of smoke, along with the bento on the table. Yahiko stared blankly at the spot where Jin had just been sitting, dumbfounded. Soon, his face flushed with anger.

"Uchiha Jin!!"

Walking out of the Uchiha compound, Jin heard the distant sound of Yahiko's voice and smirked. Did they really think Jin didn't hold grudges?

"Want my autograph? Keep dreaming."

Jin continued walking down the street, but when he saw someone approaching from the other end, he quickly turned around and went back the way he came.

"Why is that guy coming over!?" The figure he saw made Jin turn and flee. Who else could it be but the White Fang?

Unfortunately, Jin was quickly cornered in an alley by the White Fang.

"Am I really that scary?" the White Fang asked, scratching his head awkwardly.

"Heh." Jin sneered twice, letting the White Fang figure it out himself. He wasn't the type to seek Jin out unless he had something in mind.

"Well, the mission has come down," Sakumo said.

Jin knew it. He sighed helplessly—there was no escaping this.

"Alright, what's the mission?" Jin asked.

Sakumo pulled out a scroll and waved it. "An S-rank mission, to investigate the Hidden Cloud Village's movements."

"Hiss," Jin took a deep breath, pointing at himself. "Do you think this little body of mine can handle that?"

Jin had expected the mission from the White Fang to be dangerous, but not this extreme. Investigating an entire village's movements was very likely to involve encountering the Raikage, elite Jonin, and countless other Jonin.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to bring you back," Sakumo assured him, his words implying that Jin wouldn't be left behind.

"Thanks a lot," Jin rolled his eyes. It was clear he had no choice but to accept.

"No need to thank me; it's nothing,"Sakumo replied, seemingly unfazed by the sarcasm. Jin knew Sakumo was doing this on purpose.

As Jin looked up, he noticed the sun being obscured by clouds.

His days of leisure were over.

…

In the Land of Hot Water, Fugaku led the way, followed closely by a group of Uchiha clan members. They quickly traversed the mountains, soon arriving at a hidden base within the Land of Hot Water.

Since they were within the territory of another country, the base was extremely well-hidden. The group entered a concealed base within a canyon.

"Lord Fugaku." All the Uchiha at the base gathered to greet him. However, the other Konoha ninjas didn't come forward to greet him, not out of disrespect, but because Fugaku was still officially ranked as a regular ninja, the same as them. Only the Uchiha clan members treated him with such reverence.

The Land of Hot Water's base didn't have an elite ninja stationed to guard it. However, the strength of the Uchiha clan was not inferior to those frontlines guarded by elite Jonin.

After a nod from Fugaku, the others went back to their tasks. One Uchiha clan member approached Fugaku and spoke in a low voice.

"Young Master, the latest situation is not looking good. The frequency of Hidden Mist Village ninjas appearing has increased."

Hearing this, the Uchiha clan members all wore serious expressions. This was not good news.

(End of Chapter)