After walking out of Konoha Hospital, Uchiha Kai was in an unusually good mood. The image of Aya Hyuga's pale, strained expression filled him with a strange sense of satisfaction.
That woman really had the nerve—and the cunning. Even under such extreme circumstances, she'd managed to devise a scheme that got her removed from the battlefield and absolved her of active duty. It was clever. It was manipulative. And it worked.
What made it worse—or better, depending on the perspective—was that her plan ultimately achieved her intended goal… using him. That realization left Kai with a deep sense of frustration. No wonder it felt so satisfying to expose her intentions earlier today, even if only in a veiled, verbal confrontation.
Yet Kai knew all too well: calling her out would do no good. What could he even report? He had no concrete evidence. And if she decided to silence him or twist the story, she might succeed. The Hyuga weren't exactly powerless, and branch family or not, Aya had sharp instincts.
Worse yet, if Aya truly became desperate and voluntarily requested a Yamanaka clan mind probe, things could spiral out of control. Kai, as team captain, would likely be the first to suffer once their mission conduct was scrutinized.
Their team had crossed countless lines during the Kannabi Bridge operation. As far as the rules of engagement went, they hadn't just bent them—they'd stomped all over them. And no matter how much he had contributed to the mission's success, Kai knew better than to expect gratitude from Konoha's leadership.
Just look at Hatake Sakumo—Konoha's White Fang. Despite his service, he was discarded like nothing when he prioritized comrades over mission objectives. What chance did someone like Kai—just a freshly promoted jōnin with the Uchiha name—have?
That surname was a blessing and a curse. If anything went wrong, the clan might abandon him to protect their reputation. And the village? It would crush him without hesitation.
Still, having leverage over Aya Hyuga gave Kai a rare sense of control. With that hanging over her head, she'd have no choice but to tread more carefully in the future. But more importantly, it served as a reminder.
The Kannabi Bridge mission had taught him not to underestimate people—especially not Kenta Imai, a supposed "civilian" with hidden depths. And if Kenta had layers, then Aya Hyuga was positively treacherous. Cold, calculating, and utterly fearless—she wasn't someone Kai could ever let his guard down around.
"If I'd trusted her today," Kai thought grimly as he walked through the village, "next time, she might be the one standing over my corpse."
He had to do something. Deal with her—eventually.
His eyes narrowed as his mind raced. Aya knew too much. And while he held a trump card against her, her status as a Hyuga branch member might make her expendable to the main house if needed. The Hyuga clan wasn't like the Uchiha—they were pragmatic. If the Hokage so much as hinted at it, they'd likely offer her up without a second thought.
Kai didn't want it to come to that. But for his own safety, he had to be prepared.
Sure enough, the environment made monsters out of men. In times of peace, people longed for light. But Kai? Kai had lived in the shadows too long. War had shaped him—and the future of his clan weighed heavily on his mind.
He didn't want to walk this path. But he had no choice.
Still… hope lingered. If his plans succeeded, if he played his cards right, he might one day have real options. For now, he had to take it one step at a time.
And if it all fell apart? If he failed?
Then Kai was prepared to leave Konoha behind.
He wasn't Uchiha Itachi. He didn't have the will to slaughter those who had raised and taught him. His heart was dark, yes—but not to that extent.
Without the pressure of the Mangekyō Sharingan poisoning his mind, Kai still retained his reasoning. He could feel himself changing. His ambitions, once uncertain, now crystallized around a single principle: survival.
Raising his head, Kai glanced at the sky. The sun shone brightly—good weather for training.
The old Kai Uchiha, the "poor boy" who lacked influence, was gone. He had resources now. Power. And he intended to make full use of them. He would also document the changes in his eyes—his Sharingan—and his theories, so he could revisit them later.
With that thought, Kai turned and walked toward the forest where he usually trained, eyes sharp and senses alert.
His path veered toward flatter terrain. It was easier to detect anyone tailing him in open space. Paranoia? Maybe. But paranoia had kept him alive this long.
As he walked, the forest thinned. A cliff appeared in the distance. Kai activated his Sharingan to scan the area. After several minutes of silence, he exhaled a long sigh.
He'd been fighting shadows. Imagining threats that weren't there. For over a month since returning to Konoha, he'd been locked in a battle against ghosts.
"...Even with these eyes, I'm just another disposable tool to the village," he muttered, touching his chin with a frown. "The war's over. Hiruzen won't make any reckless moves. He'll be busy negotiating with Iwa and… dealing with Orochimaru."
Kai sighed again. Maybe he was overthinking things. But in this era, caution was survival. If he looked like a fool, so be it. At least he'd still be breathing.
Even now, as he made his way to his hidden training base, he didn't drop his guard. He deployed a shadow clone before entering—a precaution born of too many close calls.
There were some things Kai couldn't afford to test within the walls of his family home.
The underground base was cold and dark, but his Sharingan illuminated the space easily. It was bleak… yet strangely fitting.
It matched who he was now.