Chapter 60: The Woman Who Gambled With Her Life
The hospital room where Hyūga Ayaka was staying looked remarkably similar to Kakashi's, except this one was occupied almost entirely by female ninja.
Uchiha Kei's sudden appearance caught these kunoichi off guard for a moment. Still, it didn't cause much of a stir—after all, people came and went from the hospital every day.
What was more surprising was Ayaka's reaction. She blinked, clearly not expecting Kei of all people to visit her.
"You came?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity. But then her expression shifted, a teasing smile spreading across her face. "How rare… an Uchiha visiting a Hyūga. Looks like Kei-kun really is something special."
The Uchiha and Hyūga clans were two of the most prominent dōjutsu families in Konoha—no, in the entire ninja world. But their relationship was far from harmonious.
Their bloodline techniques overlapped in certain areas, yet had evolved in different directions. The Sharingan excelled in perception, while the Byakugan was unmatched in surveillance.
In truth, the two eye techniques shared deep origins—something that perhaps only Uchiha Kei understood now. Most others were entirely unaware.
Due to their rivalry, there had always been a sense of subtle hostility between the two clans. Conflicts, both overt and underhanded, were common.
Hyūga Ayaka had never feared Kei. In fact, before he awakened his Sharingan, she had looked down on him. Even after he managed to kill a Jōnin, she still dismissed it as nothing more than a bloodline advantage.
The Hyūga weren't to be underestimated—and neither were the Uchiha. Without Mangekyō Sharingan, the so-called strongest of both families were more or less evenly matched.
Ayaka came from the branch family, and Kei was a fringe member of the Uchiha. There was no reason for her to feel threatened—until now.
Now that Kei had awakened the Sharingan, she had to be more cautious around him. Though her attitude was still resentful, fear had begun to seep in.
"I'm here to check on my teammate," Kei said with a warm smile. "You're the only one in our squad who got injured. As captain, it's my duty to care about my comrades, isn't it?"
"Kei-kun, that's a bit careless of you," Ayaka blinked innocently. "Are you hoping Captain Fukuhiko meets with misfortune? Or… have you heard something I haven't?"
She really is a piece of work, Kei thought, mentally cursing. She'd gotten even more sarcastic in the short time they'd been apart.
Still, he didn't let it bother him. Before his reincarnation, he'd run several Level-13 troll accounts on anti-forums. He'd long since grown out of petty arguments—besides, it didn't suit his status anymore.
"Of course, I hope Captain Fukuhiko lives a long, healthy life," Kei replied. "Unfortunately, even if he comes back, it's unlikely he'll continue as our team's leader. There's always a chance, of course, but…"
He leaned in closer with a sly grin. "I just came from the Third Hokage's office. Standing before you now is no longer just Chūnin Uchiha Kei, but Jōnin Uchiha Kei."
"You? A Jōnin?" Ayaka's expression faltered. She had expected this, but not so soon. Kei's promotion was faster than she had anticipated.
With Kei as a Jōnin, there was no longer any reason for Captain Fukuhiko to remain with the team. Kei had led the squad successfully during their last mission, proving he had what it took.
Kei was more in sync with the team than Fukuhiko ever was. It was only a matter of time before the latter was officially reassigned.
And now Kei had come to visit her, clearly for appearances. Just like she suspected—this was all a performance.
"Congratulations, Captain," Aya forced a smile, though it clearly stung.
Kei was more than pleased with her reaction. Children of noble families were always like this—even if they hated you to the core, they'd never show it in front of others.
Especially in a family like the Hyūga, where hierarchy and tradition were carved into their bones.
"Thank you, Ayaka-chan," Kei nodded graciously, then leaned in and whispered, "Take your time to recover. We'll be seeing a lot more of each other."
"Then I'll be counting on you, Captain," she muttered through clenched teeth.
"No worries," Kei beamed. "It's only natural to look after the weak. And I must say, your little performance was impressive. I really learned something from it."
"Captain, I'm not sure I follow…" Ayaka's eyes widened in confusion—her expression almost convincing. Almost.
But Kei, even without activating his Sharingan, noticed her pupils dilate for a split second. That was enough to confirm his suspicion.
She had done it on purpose.
But what gave her the confidence that it wouldn't blow up in her face?
Ayaka was ambitious, decisive, and valued her life. She must have noticed some detail—some clue—that led her to believe this was the best course of action.
As Kei pieced it together, a theory began to form.
"It's nothing," he said, leaning even closer despite her obvious discomfort. "I just remembered something. Before he left, Captain Minato told us to summon him only in a life-or-death situation. So I wondered… what qualifies as truly dire? Kakashi being injured? Close, but not quite. For me to really commit, someone else had to get hurt…"
"Captain, what are you talking about?" Ayaka's expression darkened. "I'm a bit tired."
"Don't be in such a rush." Kei ignored her and continued, "You took a big gamble. But with your Byakugan, even if it wasn't deliberate, you would've noticed my attempt to ambush. The best way to make the enemy lower their guard is to appear defeated. You must've been terrified—afraid I'd let that Iwa-nin finish you off. But you knew I wouldn't. You knew I wouldn't risk my own life."
"This is all just speculation, Captain," Ayaka said coldly. Her face was calm, but inside she was seething.
Kei had hit the nail on the head.
Yes, she had gambled. She bet that Kei wouldn't let the Iwa-nin kill her, and that once injured, she could avoid further participation. She bet he would summon Minato under pressure.
And she had been right on all counts.
Because Kei, too, was someone who valued his life. Under extreme circumstances, he would always choose the safest path.
Her injury gave her a clean way to exit the battlefield in Grass Country without tarnishing her reputation. Facing a squad like Kitsuchi's, surviving at all was a miracle—being seriously wounded was perfectly understandable.
This gamble had given her the perfect out.
What she didn't expect, was that Kei would figure it all out.
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