For the past few days, Uchiha Kai and his team had been executing their plan meticulously. They had eliminated several Iwagakure (Iwa) sentries and successfully freed some Konoha prisoners—mostly Chūnin and Genin who were relatively easier to rescue.
The Byakugan of Hyūga Aya proved invaluable. Thanks to her scouting abilities, they repeatedly bypassed Iwa patrols and executed precise ambushes against isolated enemy squads. As a result, their numbers swelled to nearly twenty. However, Uchiha Kai was dissatisfied—among them, only two were Jōnin, while the rest were Chūnin at best.
In this war-torn era, there were only two categories of ninja: those worth cultivating and those destined to be cannon fodder.
The promising ones were protected, rarely deployed to high-risk battlefields. The expendable ones? They were nothing more than bodies to absorb damage. No intelligence, no notable skills—just disposable soldiers who perished under indiscriminate jutsu.
Kai understood his own reality. He and his team were little more than cannon fodder themselves. While they were superior to fresh Genin, they were still far from elite. A minor step above the weakest didn't mean much.
The scarcity of Jōnin was no surprise. A true Jōnin possessed immense adaptability and combat prowess, making them difficult to kill unless they were outnumbered or caught off guard. Unlike ambushes, the front lines allowed for reaction time and backup, making survival or escape more likely. Capturing a Jōnin was rare—those who were captured were simply unlucky.
This left Chūnin as the majority of their reinforcements—far from ideal. Most of them had little interest in the mission beyond survival, hoping to retreat to Konoha rather than risk further engagements. However, the presence of Yamanaka Masato, a high-ranking Jōnin they had freed, changed things. His authority—combined with the weight of the Yamanaka and Uchiha names—kept the group in line, ensuring their participation.
Still, Uchiha Kai's mind was preoccupied with his own goals.
At night, he dedicated time to researching the evolution of the Sharingan. He understood the theoretical requirements, but he couldn't break through the barrier to reach the next stage. Despite his strong mental fortitude, he felt as if he was slamming against an unyielding wall.
He wasn't sure what would push him past this threshold. Trauma and emotional upheaval often triggered evolution, but he lacked strong attachments or devastating losses.
The Uchiha clan's madness was well-documented. Sasuke Uchiha awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan after killing his brother, but it wasn't just the act—it was the emotional manipulation by Uchiha Obito that twisted his perception and amplified his guilt and hatred, pushing his spirit to the brink.
"All Uchiha are insane," Kai thought wryly. Then, with a smirk, he added, "Except me, of course."
For now, his research would have to wait. The mission demanded his focus, especially since enemy patrols had intensified. The Iwa forces were aware of their rescue operations and had tightened security.
At dawn, they set off again, maintaining their usual small-team formations. Splitting into smaller units made it easier to evade detection and increased their chances of survival in enemy territory.
Perched silently on a tree branch, Uchiha Kai surveyed a heavily guarded Iwa encampment. He signaled to his squad—it was another prisoner holding area. Over the past few days, they had successfully raided several such sites.
But today, their luck had run out.
Hyūga Aya's Byakugan revealed a significant increase in enemy presence. The Iwa forces had caught on to their pattern, reinforcing their hold over the captives and escalating their interrogations.
"The fourth corpse," Aya murmured coldly as she landed beside Kai. "There were seven prisoners. Only three remain. Yamanaka Jōnin says we move in—if we can rescue them, we do. If not, we cause a distraction and retreat separately."
"As expected from Konoha's elite," Kai muttered mockingly. "Alright. Whether they live or die is up to fate. And if we're forced to retreat, we do it cleanly."
"I don't need you to tell me that," Aya replied curtly. Beside her, Imai Kenta nodded in silent agreement, ready to follow orders.
Just as they were about to strike, a messenger hawk descended from the sky.
Something had changed.