Imai Kenta found a quiet, inconspicuous spot in the forest and leaned back against a tree. Despite the calming surroundings, his mind was restless.
From every angle, tonight's mission felt strange. He, Kenta Imai, a civilian ninja, had no personal stake in the affairs of the Uchiha clan. Yet, here he was, involved in something that felt far beyond his control.
The worst part? He had been forced to cooperate with Uchiha Kai, a decision that left him uneasy. If it weren't for the fact that Kai's plan seemed solid, and Kenta's own survival depended on it, he would have probably walked away without a second thought.
"The most frustrating part is that he actually allowed that crazy woman, Aya Hyuga, to join us," Kenta muttered, shifting to get more comfortable. "Seems like this Hyuga lunatic knows something important. Honestly, there's no reasoning with Kai, and now we're all stuck together."
The combination of a lunatic and a lunatic had pulled him into this mess. Kenta couldn't help but feel like the only sane one in this team of three, which made him simultaneously relieved and worried. He was relieved that, at least for now, he wasn't the crazy one. But the worry lingered—having two unhinged teammates was going to make his life difficult.
"Well, whatever... it's not my problem. I'm just here to do my job."
Kenta stretched and relaxed further, determined to push thoughts of the mission aside for the moment. He had not wanted to be part of this task at all, but the political pressure from his family—especially since he had joined the Konoha Security Department—had made things worse. The elders had scolded him, and while he tried to ease the tension with explanations, it was clear that the alliance with the Uchihas was not sitting well with them.
"I know the Uchiha are untrustworthy... but if there's a choice, who would team up with a madman? Especially one who brought a lunatic along," Kenta thought.
Suddenly, Kenta's senses sharpened. He felt a strange pulse of chakra emanating from the ground. It was faint, but unmistakable.
"Hmm?"
His eyes narrowed, his instincts kicking in. Aya Hyuga had mentioned something about Uchiha Kai conducting an experiment, and this surge of chakra felt like it was tied to that. If the site of the experiment was underground, Aya's Byakugan probably led her to it.
"Of course... Uchiha Kai is a snake." Kenta shook his head but immediately regretted thinking further on it. "Forget it. This isn't my business. Who suffers from it doesn't concern me."
With a resigned sigh, Kenta stretched and leaned back against the tree, hoping to ignore the tension in the air.
Meanwhile, not far from Kenta, Uchiha Chuan stood alert, his senses suddenly on edge. He activated his Sharingan, and his eyes sharpened to a vibrant red, the three tomoe spinning slowly within his pupils.
Though Kenta Imai had superior sensory perception, Uchiha Chuan's battlefield experience made him highly cautious. Something was wrong—he could feel the presence of others nearby. They had been tailing him, but only now did they reveal themselves.
"Not bad, kid. You noticed us," came a voice from the shadows.
"Who are you?" Uchiha Chuan quickly moved to shield his father behind him, taking a defensive stance with a kunai in his hand. "I haven't heard of you from Master Kai."
The figure in the shadows revealed his Sharingan, the same three tomoe as Uchiha Chuan's, but there was something distinctly dangerous about him.
"Doesn't matter. When Lord Kai decides you're ready, you'll know more. For now, forget what you've seen tonight."
Chuan's grip on his kunai tightened, but he hesitated. This wasn't the first time he had faced a shinobi who worked for Uchiha Kai, but something about this encounter felt different. He felt like he was being kept at arm's length, that there were things even Kai's inner circle was unaware of.
"I'm not qualified to know…" Uchiha Chuan muttered to himself, his thoughts swirling.
After a tense silence, the figure in the shadows melted away, and Chuan's Sharingan faded. He was left standing there with more questions than answers.
"I guess I'm not as close to Kai as I thought." Chuan's mind was racing. "I have a long way to go."
Uchiha Asahi placed a hand on his son's shoulder, his voice soft yet reassuring.
"You're still young, Chuan. Don't worry. If you keep working hard, you'll become someone Kai relies on."
Chuan nodded, feeling a renewed sense of determination. He wasn't giving up.
Back at Uchiha Kai's underground lab, tensions were high as he clashed with Uchiha Osamu. Their kunai struck with blinding speed, the sound of metal colliding echoing in the confined space.
Both were skilled, but Kai had the upper hand, his heightened speed and control of his Sharingan giving him an edge. The battle remained restrained—neither wanted to damage the precious equipment or disrupt their experiment—but the intensity of their fight was undeniable.
"Careful, Osamu," Kai said with a smirk, dodging a swift strike. "You're too slow."
Osamu's response was a focused glare, his Sharingan spinning furiously. He was trying to keep up, but he knew that his younger brother had surpassed him. With each clash, it became clear that Kai's experience and power were unmatched.
Eventually, Kai found an opening. His left hand grabbed Osamu's kunai and twisted it out of his grasp, sending it to the floor. With a swift movement, he knocked Osamu off balance, and with a hard punch, he sent him stumbling back.
Osamu tried to recover, but it was too late. Kai moved with lightning speed, trapping Osamu in a hold and completing a series of seals. A massive burst of chakra surged around him, and his left hand quickly formed the final seal, rendering Osamu immobilized.
"Give up," Kai said, his voice low but firm.
Osamu's eyes flashed, his Sharingan spinning wildly as he prepared to launch a final attack. Fire Release—the technique was quick, powerful, and deadly.
But Kai was already steps ahead. With a flick of his wrist, he redirected the kunai, increasing its speed with chakra, sending it straight toward Osamu.
The kunai struck true, forcing Osamu to dodge at the last second. But it wasn't enough. Kai's superiority in battle was overwhelming. His Sharingan saw every move, his mind calculating each counterstrike.
As Osamu retreated, Kai's Chakra cloaked figure loomed large, and the battle seemed far from over.