Chapter 61: Waging a Battle of Wits with Thin Air
Uchiha Kei stepped out of the Konoha hospital feeling surprisingly refreshed—especially when he recalled Hyūga Ayaka's pale and disheartened expression. That alone brought him immense satisfaction.
This woman truly had guts… and a sharp mind. Even under such extreme circumstances, she managed to devise a plan that not only got her off the battlefield, but also freed her from any further missions.
The most infuriating part? She succeeded by manipulating him, Uchiha Kei. Realizing that after the fact left Kei extremely vexed. So when he exposed her intentions today, how could he not feel a sense of smug vindication?
Still, Kei understood that calling her out didn't amount to much. Was he really going to report her?
Even if he tried, he had no real evidence. And knowing Hyūga Ayaka, she'd just claim slander and turn the tables with ease.
Worse yet, if she ever decided to go all out and suggested a Yamanaka clan ninja examine her mind for proof, he would be the one in deep trouble.
Their team's actions on the battlefield were essentially a direct violation of protocol—no, they stomped all over the rules—and as team leader, Uchiha Kei would be the first to face punishment.
Never mind the merits he'd earned. In the eyes of Konoha's higher-ups, those meant little. Just look at Konoha's White Fang—now reduced to nothing but bones. If he, a freshly promoted jōnin, thought he could go up against the system, he was kidding himself.
And let's not forget his last name—Uchiha. That alone made things more precarious. If he ever got into trouble, there was no guarantee the clan would protect him for the sake of their own honor. Konoha certainly wouldn't show mercy.
So no—he couldn't afford to trigger Hyūga Ayaka's self-destruction.
Still, having leverage over her felt good. After this episode, she'd surely be more restrained. And it served as a much-needed wake-up call for Kei himself.
The Kannabi Bridge incident had shown him exactly what kind of shinobi Imai Kenta was. That alone made Kei even more cautious when dealing with someone like Hyūga Ayaka.
The truth was clear: she was crazy, cunning, and absolutely not someone to take lightly.
"If I had trusted her too easily, I might've ended up dead the next time things got dicey," Kei thought as he walked. "Good thing I figured her out early. I'll need to find a way to deal with her eventually."
A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. This woman knew far too much—information she had no right accessing. Sure, he held dirt on her too, but her status as a branch member meant that in critical moments, she could be controlled by the Hyūga clan's main house.
The Hyūga were a smart clan. Unlike the Uchiha—who were impulsive and blind to the bigger picture—they'd already aligned themselves with the Third Hokage.
If the Third so much as hinted at a demand, they'd probably hand Hyūga Ayaka over without hesitation.
Kei didn't want things to go that far. But for his own safety, he couldn't afford to not think ahead.
It was becoming painfully clear: environment was one of the greatest forces in shaping a person.
In peaceful times, everyone longed for the light. Uchiha Kei never would have become like this.
But after enduring the horrors of war, and fully understanding where his clan was headed, Kei had no choice but to grit his teeth and walk down a path he once desperately tried to avoid.
Still, deep inside, he held onto a bit of hope. For now, it was one step at a time. If his plan succeeded, there might be better options waiting for him down the line.
But that would take time—and meticulous planning. Kei's focus, for now, was to handle what lay ahead.
Of course, he'd also prepared for the worst. If everything went south, he was ready to leave Konoha behind.
He wasn't like Itachi. His heart may be dark enough, but he could never bring himself to kill those who raised and guided him.
Now free from the pressure of the Mangekyō Sharingan, Kei hadn't become someone entirely different—but his heart and reason had undeniably begun to shift toward a solitary path.
Lifting his head, he looked at the sky. The sun was bright—a sign of good weather. He decided some training would do him good.
After all, Uchiha Kei was no longer just a poor kid from the past. With all the resources he now had access to, it would be downright foolish not to improve himself.
He also wanted to document the changes in his Mangekyō Sharingan, explore a few personal theories, and reflect on possible future developments.
With that in mind, he changed course and headed toward his usual training spot in the forest. Still, he kept his guard up, observing his surroundings carefully.
He made sure to take a smooth, open route. Only by staying clear of dense woodland could he tell if someone was following him.
But as he walked, Kei realized he'd wandered dangerously close to a cliff. Activating his Sharingan, he began to scan the area. After a thorough sweep, a bitter truth dawned on him:
He'd been back in Konoha for a whole month—and he'd completely misjudged everything. Worse, on the way here, he'd basically been waging a battle of wits with air.
"…Turns out, even with these eyes, I'm still just a bottom-feeder in the eyes of Konoha's elite," he muttered, scratching his chin in frustration. "The war just ended. The Third wouldn't pull anything drastic right now. His focus is probably still on negotiations with Iwa-nin… and on Orochimaru."
Kei sighed. His paranoia had definitely gone too far. Still, he didn't think it was necessarily wrong.
In times like these, you couldn't be too careful. If anything, this had just been a dress rehearsal. Sure, it looked kind of pathetic in hindsight—but it was better to be safe than sorry.
With that thought, Kei finally exhaled the tension from his chest. Still, he stayed alert. Paranoia may make him look like an idiot—but being an idiot who lived was better than a genius who died.
He took a detour, circled around cautiously, and finally created a shadow clone before sprinting toward his underground hideout.
He'd never dare to experiment with such things in his home. Missions, battles… anything could expose his secrets, sealed or not.
So for safety's sake, he'd never mess with that kind of thing inside his own house.
Once inside the dark chamber, he didn't bother turning on the lights. His crimson Sharingan let him see everything clearly.
The place was damp and unpleasant—but to Kei, it suited his current self perfectly.