There were pros and cons to every path — and Uchiha Jin understood both clearly.
Of course, if given the choice, he would have preferred to stay hidden.
Why couldn't things ever go smoothly?
Still, he sighed inwardly. It didn't matter.
Even if his strength had to be revealed, he would find a new way to move in the shadows.
If he couldn't hide through weakness, he would hide through misdirection.
A different kind of survival.
---
Shisui, standing nearby, frowned slightly.
"Is that really okay?" he asked. "Claiming you've awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan might sound believable… but if the truth spreads, the clan elders will demand confirmation. The Mangekyō is sacred to the Uchiha — they'll insist on seeing proof."
Nara Kazama and Hyūga Aya exchanged glances, concern flickering in their eyes. The logic was sound.
Without realizing it, the four had become a small, tight-knit unit — one bound not just by battle, but by mutual trust.
No one spoke of reporting Jin to the higher-ups. Instead, they all wanted to protect his secret.
"I think there's another way," Nara Kazama finally said. "We could credit the victory to Shisui. His reputation as a genius already precedes him. People would believe that he defeated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in a burst of potential."
Hyūga Aya nodded slowly. "That could work. It sounds far more believable."
But Jin immediately shook his head.
"No — absolutely not."
His tone was calm, but firm.
"I don't care about taking the credit. The issue is what happens afterward. If we put Shisui in that spotlight, both the Uchiha elders and the Third Hokage will start using him like they did Hatake Sakumo — forcing missions, burdening him with expectations until he breaks."
He glanced at Shisui with a faint smile.
"Shisui's too kind. He can't say no — and that's exactly why it would destroy him."
The group fell silent.
Even Shisui himself, who had been about to nod, froze at Jin's words.
They all knew he was right.
Finally, Jin broke the tension with a chuckle.
"Relax, everyone. My Sharingan is already showing signs of evolution. I can feel it. The Mangekyō is close — very close."
He wasn't bluffing.
Thanks to his unique advantage — the system that quantified his growth — Jin could literally see his progress.
During the recent battles, he had gained massive experience, even while holding back.
The evolution of his eyes was inevitable now. He wouldn't need grief or trauma; he would awaken the Mangekyō through sheer growth.
The others inhaled sharply at his words.
Even Shisui's eyes widened.
He, too, could feel the same faint tug — the sensation that his own Sharingan was on the verge of transformation. But to think Jin, the one once dismissed as the Uchiha's "weakest link," was already so far ahead…
Shisui couldn't help but smile.
"That's good," he said sincerely.
Hyūga Aya and Nara Kazama also relaxed, nodding in agreement.
---
"Still," Jin continued, "we need to make this believable."
He raised his hands in a seal. "When the others arrive, they'll expect evidence of a battle and exhaustion. The Mangekyō is powerful — but it also drains its user. I'll need to make it look real."
He looked at the others, expression firm.
"I'll burn off the rest of my chakra and collapse. The rest is up to you. Handle the explanation carefully."
Without waiting for a reply, Jin performed the necessary seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A deep inhale — then a torrent of flames roared from his mouth, engulfing the forest. The temperature spiked instantly. The flames towered high, painting the night sky orange.
Though classified as a B-rank technique, its power depended entirely on the user.
In the hands of Uchiha Madara, this same jutsu had wiped out entire battalions.
Now, Jin's own version wasn't far behind.
The ground scorched black. The air rippled. The trees evaporated into embers.
Shisui stared, speechless.
Nara Kazama and Aya exchanged stunned looks.
"...Is that really B-rank?" Kazama muttered weakly.
"Looks more like a forbidden technique to me," Aya whispered.
Ten minutes later, the inferno died down. Jin's chakra reserves were empty. His body wavered — then went limp as he fell unconscious.
Shisui caught him before he hit the ground.
But before anyone could speak, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the distance.
A squad of Konoha shinobi burst onto the scene — led by none other than Uchiha Fugaku himself.
He stopped dead in his tracks as he took in the devastation — the smoking craters, the melted terrain, the acrid scent of burnt chakra.
"Shisui," Fugaku demanded, his eyes narrowing. "What happened here?"
Every gaze turned to Shisui.
For a moment, he hesitated — his first real lie forming in his throat.
Then, with a steady breath, he spoke.
"We encountered the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist," he said evenly. "We were nearly wiped out... until Jin awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan mid-battle. He summoned Susanoo and defeated them all."
A stunned silence followed.
The gathered jonin stared in disbelief.
Especially the Uchiha.
At the mention of "Mangekyō Sharingan," every pair of eyes turned toward the unconscious figure of Uchiha Jin — once a clan outcast, now the man who had destroyed the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.