Chapter 52: Uchiha - A Bunch of Useless Trash!
Uchiha Shisui held a thick stack of reports in his hands.
These were comprehensive statistics from all squads in the border force, compiled over the past two weeks. Of course, Tsunade hadn't just ordered him to collect data. She'd also told him to gain deeper understanding of how these squads were changing, how they actually functioned.
At first, he hadn't understood what she meant. Not until he personally witnessed a Uchiha clan member handing grilled fish to his teammate.
Shisui had never imagined the problem that had troubled him for so long would find resolution this way. The Uchiha and the village were reconnecting.
Lady Tsunade's kindness was something he could never fully repay.
He took a deep breath, composed himself, and knocked lightly on the door.
"Come in."
Tsunade's voice came from inside. Shisui pushed open the door and began his report. "Lady Tsunade, here are the recent comprehensive assessment reports for all squads."
"Overall, coordination within squads and between squads has been steadily improving. The Third Company shows the most obvious progress. Their performance in yesterday's joint exercises was double what it had been when they first formed."
Tsunade nodded, a satisfied smile touching her lips.
Shisui continued. "The Fourth Company is doing well too. Though their improvement isn't as dramatic, the rapport between members has noticeably increased. Based on my observations, their atmosphere during private interactions is much more harmonious than at the start. Even the Aburame ninja, who typically remain silent, have started speaking up voluntarily."
"Good." Tsunade set the reports on her desk and looked up at Shisui. "What about underperformers? Any squads struggling?"
Shisui nodded. "Yes. The Second Company, under Hatake Kakashi's command."
In the Second Company's camp, nine squad members sat scattered throughout the area.
An invisible barrier seemed to separate them, each person keeping distance from the others. The strange atmosphere resembled a four-person dorm room containing five separate group chats.
Their captain, Kakashi, sat alone on a dead log at the camp's edge, holding a black-covered book. Though he appeared absorbed in reading, his peripheral vision remained alert to his surroundings.
He could tell what Tsunade's real purpose was in forming this force. But he didn't particularly care. If anything, he hoped she'd transfer him back to ANBU soon.
Perhaps unable to bear it any longer, a young genin finally broke the silence. "We placed dead last in the exercises again. We should figure something out. This is getting embarrassing."
"Heh." A chunin with a scarred face gave a cold laugh. "No helping it. Who told us our captain is the legendary Cold-blooded Kakashi?"
"Cold-blooded... Kakashi?"
Another ninja, also transferred from ANBU, answered the question. "Captain Kakashi is a ninja who'll kill even his comrades to complete missions."
The genin's throat worked nervously. "Really?"
"Of course it's true. Any ninja who lived through the Third Shinobi World War knows. Kakashi killed his own teammate with his own hands."
"Why?"
"Who knows?"
"I heard about it too. Supposedly used his signature technique, the Lightning Blade, to do it."
"Cold-blooded Kakashi. Guess the nickname fits."
The conversation picked up momentum, several people chiming in. The previously silent atmosphere transformed into animated discussion, as if they'd personally witnessed the events they described.
Kakashi, the person being discussed and their captain, remained completely unmoved.
He maintained his position, offering no explanations. He didn't even glance up at them. He simply continued reading, turning pages slowly and methodically.
Seeing his reaction, or lack thereof, the squad members grew even more brazen in their gossip.
"Enough!"
The explosive shout startled everyone into silence. The speaker was unexpected - the squad's other lone wolf, Uchiha Naka.
"You useless pieces of trash!"
Uchiha Naka's face flushed deep red. Veins bulged on his forehead. His crimson Sharingan released undisguised killing intent.
"Besides talking behind people's backs, what else can you do?!"
The squad members jumped at his sudden outburst, stammering wordlessly.
"The exercise missions fail - whose fault is that? Is it just Kakashi's fault?"
"Survival training where everyone does their own thing, coordination like scattered sand - whose fault? Still Kakashi's fault?!"
"Squad combat tournaments, losing every single match, dead last in total points, can't beat anyone - whose fault is that?!"
His voice grew louder with each accusation, building to almost a roar. "You trash only know how to gossip behind people's backs! Only know how to deflect responsibility!"
"If you're so capable, show it during missions! If you're so great, win a single combat match! If you've got the guts, come fight me!"
Uchiha Naka drew his blade and slammed it into a nearby tree trunk, then pointed at his own eyes. "Before coming here, this Sharingan had two tomoe. Now it's got three! You know why?!"
"Because you useless trash pissed me off that much!"
"In that match, I wanted to fight one-against-five! Throw all you dead weight onto the other side! With just my Sharingan, we might've actually won one!"
His words fired out like a machine gun, giving no one room to interject. The other squad members turned red under the verbal assault, faces burning with shame and anger.
The scarred chunin who'd started the gossip recovered first. "You... what gives you the right to insult us? Everything we said is fact! Hatake Kakashi is exactly that kind of person. Everyone knows it!"
"Fact?" Uchiha Naka laughed coldly. "Did you see it with your own eyes? Were you there?"
"I... I wasn't, but..."
"But nothing!" Naka cut him off. "You didn't see anything! You don't know anything! What makes you think you can judge?!"
The chunin choked on his words. Another squad member tried to help. "No matter what you say, he killed his own comrade. That's the truth."
"Shut up!" Naka's voice cracked like a whip. "Make whatever excuses you want! The truth is the Second Company is dead last in the entire force! And the reason is because you're all useless! You have zero coordination!"
They knew Uchiha Naka was right.
But they couldn't swallow it.
Why should they follow orders from someone who kills his comrades?
Why should they trust their backs to someone like that?
They couldn't do it.
From the moment Naka stood up, Kakashi had lowered his book and watched everything unfold.
Honestly, he was surprised.
He hadn't expected anyone to defend him. Even less had he expected that person to be an Uchiha.
After all, his left eye was a Sharingan. Though it was a keepsake from Obito, from the Uchiha clan's perspective, an outsider possessing a Sharingan was an unacceptable offense.
Logically, the Uchiha should hate him more than anyone else.
***
20+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces