The Shadow's Web
It really was just as Kazama had said.
After hearing everything, Nara Shikaku simply smiled and nodded.
The two chatted about trivial matters for a few more minutes before Shikaku waved him off with a gentle gesture.
---
Team 7 — Inside the Tent
Uchiha Jin sat cross-legged on his bed, staring blankly at the canvas ceiling as his thoughts spiraled.
Why is Nara Shikaku targeting me?
The tent was silent.
Kudo Nobu had already left to meet his new squad, and unless the war ended early, Jin doubted they'd ever cross paths again.
He sighed.
It was his own rotten luck to be assigned to an elite team.
Even worse, Nara Kazama wasn't around either.
But Jin suspected his absence meant only one thing — he'd been summoned by Nara Shikaku.
That might actually work in his favor. Once Kazama returned, he could ask what had happened directly.
For now, it was useless to speculate. He wasn't suited for this kind of political game; it was too mentally exhausting. Even after living two lives, there were still things he found too troublesome to overthink.
Time dragged on.
After nearly two hours, the tent flap lifted and Nara Kazama walked in.
Uchiha Jin stood immediately. After confirming the tent was empty, he lowered his voice.
"Kazama… you went to see Nara Shikaku, didn't you?"
Kazama nodded and, with a quick hand seal, spread his clan's Shadow Perception Technique — a Nara jutsu used to detect chakra movement nearby. The area was clear.
Then, with a serious expression, he said quietly,
"Jin-kun, we're in this together, so I'll be direct. My uncle — he's watching you."
He leaned closer.
"He asked me to investigate your background. If I succeed, he promised me an A-rank mission within the clan."
"You need to tell me everything honestly so we can plan accordingly. If my uncle keeps observing us, our entire plan will crumble. He's no ordinary commander — when it comes to strategy, he's one of the sharpest minds in the village. If he starts connecting dots, we're done for."
Uchiha Jin blinked, a little stunned.
He hadn't even said a word yet, and Kazama had already started the interrogation himself.
But truth be told — Jin was just as confused.
If only he knew why Nara Shikaku was focused on him.
He sighed deeply and rubbed his temple.
"I really don't know," he admitted. "The only time I've ever been near your uncle was the day those three Uchiha were killed."
Kazama's eyes narrowed.
"Tell me everything," he said seriously. "Every detail — no matter how small. I need the whole truth if I'm going to turn this around."
Jin nodded.
It wasn't a big secret anyway. After thinking for a moment, he began to recount the incident in full — from the mission setup to the unexpected ambush and the fight's outcome. He didn't leave out a single detail.
When he finished, he watched Kazama's face carefully, curious to see how the so-called "Nara genius" would interpret it.
He wasn't disappointed.
Kazama's mind worked fast. Within seconds, his expression hardened with realization.
"I see it now," he muttered. "Jin-kun, you made one critical mistake."
"Leaving behind that Kumogakure corpse."
He looked up sharply.
"You didn't need to. Killing the three Uchiha was one thing — but leaving that body? That drew attention you didn't need."
He tapped the table between them with one finger, his tone calm and clinical.
"If you had just disappeared after that, suspicions might've arisen, but nothing concrete. No one even knew how strong you were back then. The deaths of three Uchiha wouldn't have caused much investigation. The clan loses people all the time — it's a tragedy, not a political event."
"But now…" He leaned back. "Now, you've tied yourself to something much bigger."
Uchiha Jin frowned slightly. "Because of that Kumogakure ninja?"
Kazama nodded.
"If my guess is right, that corpse belonged to one of the Kumogakure operatives from the failed abduction two years ago — the attempt to kidnap Hinata Hyūga."
Jin froze.
"The Hyūga kidnapping incident…"
"Exactly," Kazama continued. "That mission involved the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki as well. The Third Hokage covered up the full details, but that operation shook relations between Konoha and the Cloud to their core. Anything tied to that night is extremely sensitive."
He leaned forward.
"So when a Kumo body suddenly appears linked to a massacre involving Uchiha shinobi, of course my uncle would take notice. He's cautious by nature, and this… this smells like a security breach. That's why he's obsessed with you."
Understanding dawned on Jin's face.
He sighed again, this time with genuine frustration.
"Yeah… that's my mistake then."
It was sloppy — leaving such a trace behind.
He'd have to be far more careful from now on.
He looked up.
"So what now? How do we deal with it? Nara Shikaku isn't the type you can fool easily."
Kazama nodded in agreement, already deep in thought.
"You're right. Lying to him will only make things worse. With people like my uncle, the more elaborate the lie, the faster they'll see through it."
He paused.
"So we use truth to hide the truth."
Jin raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
Kazama smiled faintly.
"We admit to a small conspiracy — one that makes sense — to conceal the real one."
He leaned closer, his tone almost a whisper.
"Here's how we frame it: you killed the three Uchiha and the Kumogakure ninja because you already had the strength, but you didn't want to involve yourself with the clan's politics. You held resentment toward them — resentment from being treated like an outsider your whole life."
He folded his arms.
"It's simple, plausible, and it fits your character. It gives Shikaku a satisfying explanation while steering him away from our true objective."
---
Uchiha Jin smirked faintly.
"Using a small truth to bury a greater one… heh. That's exactly what a Nara would say."
Kazama chuckled softly.
"Coming from you, that sounds like a compliment."
Jin looked at him seriously.
"Let's just hope your uncle thinks so too."