High-Level Strife, Preparing to Split the Squad!

Looking at Kakashi before him, Uchiha Jin was a little taken aback.

However.

He still invited Kakashi in, poured him a cup of tea, and then began to listen to the other party's intentions.

"Konoha's higher-ups are planning to split us up!"

"Captain Takada Fujiwara will lead new Ninja Academy graduates, and I will be assigned to Jonin Minato's squad. Shikaichi needs to return to the clan to join the new Ino-Shika-Cho squad. I heard that a Nara clansman died on the Sunagakure front a while ago."

"As for you—Jin!"

"It seems Konoha's higher-ups and the Uchiha have reached an agreement. They will form a new elite squad with you as the core. Your new squad leader will be Uchiha Shisui."

"The remaining two members are Nohara Rin, and another one seems to be from the Aburame clan!"

"Of course."

"According to Konoha's higher-ups' plan, the split will be considered after the Chunin are consulted."

"Now they are just seeking our opinions, whether we agree to have the right to choose."

"Nara Shikaichi is not in the village right now. He seems to be in the Land of Fire's capital with some people from the Nara clan for some business, so I can only discuss this with you temporarily."

Kakashi's brows furrowed slightly, and his tone was very serious.

Obviously.

He didn't want the squad to be split up. After all, he was already used to Shikaichi and Jin, and if he were to be placed in a new ninja squad, he would really have trouble interacting with others.

More importantly, he harbored hatred in his heart!

He was destined not to integrate into the Hokage faction, nor did he want to get close to that guy Minato Namikaze, who was Jiraiya's disciple and a genuine member of the Hokage faction.

Meanwhile.

Upon hearing Kakashi's words, Uchiha Jin also froze in place.

Split up?

Although Konoha did have this tradition, the problem was that it wasn't initiated proactively.

Under normal circumstances.

As long as the team members got along well and there were no losses, the village wouldn't interfere and would instead let them develop into an elite Chunin squad, or even an all-elite Jonin squad...

There were also special squads like Ino-Shika-Cho, which wouldn't be split up in any special sense.

So, why?

Why was the village doing this so suddenly?

He, Shikaichi, and Kakashi got along very well, and there was no reason for the village to do this!

Wait...

Shisui would be the new squad leader?

Understood!

This matter was most likely orchestrated by the Uchiha, with Konoha's higher-ups going along with it.

The Uchiha's intentions were quite easy to guess!

They didn't want him to get too close to the Hokage faction, so naturally, they didn't want Takada Fujiwara, a civilian, to remain their squad's guiding Jonin.

Just as there was a vacancy in Ino-Shika-Cho and Nara Shikaichi had to return to his clan, they took this opportunity to split the squad.

In the Uchiha clan's view, Shisui, as a genius within the clan, would definitely be able to keep him close to the clan.

This could also be understood!

After all, Shisui was not conspicuous at the moment. Although his Body Flicker Technique was quite powerful, he was actually only a dual-sharingan user and couldn't attract Sarutobi Hiruzen's attention at all.

And Shisui, who hadn't hooked up with Sarutobi Hiruzen, didn't, like Itachi, wear everything on his face and keep everyone at arm's length.

On the contrary.

He was always gentle with everyone!

So, Shisui was still somewhat trusted by the clan at this time.

Therefore, having Shisui keep him from getting close to the village was a very profitable deal in the Uchiha's eyes.

As for the village, it was simpler!

Kakashi was not as decadent and radical as in the original work, so the village's higher-ups naturally wanted to keep this guy, who inherited the Hatake sword style, under their control.

Since the squad needed to be split up anyway, they might as well place him under Minato Namikaze.

As Jiraiya's disciple and having learned the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato Namikaze was a staunch member of the Hokage faction.

More importantly, Minato Namikaze was gentle, and it shouldn't be difficult for him to influence Kakashi.

As for him, Uchiha Jin, the village hadn't given up either!

First, they added Nohara Rin, who was of civilian origin and his girlfriend, to keep him from getting too close to the Uchiha. The Aburame clan, while not exactly confidants of the Hokage, leaned more towards the village in comparison.

Thinking this, Jin couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"Kakashi, agree to it."

"You're still a bit too straightforward. They seem to be asking for your opinion, but you're actually taking it seriously."

"That's just politeness. From the beginning, we had no right to refuse!"

Uchiha Jin said, his tone wistful.

Of course.

He didn't hide anything from Kakashi, directly sharing his suspicions.

After all, they were on the same side; there was no need to conceal anything.

Kakashi froze in place after hearing this.

Bitterness filled his lips before he finally couldn't help but speak, "Is this what they call power struggles? To think that even such a small matter is filled with so much calculation."

"How ironic!"

"They forced my father to commit suicide, and now they want me to join the Hokage faction, hoping I'll be as loyal to them as my father was?"

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Seeing Kakashi's bitter expression, Uchiha Jin couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Then.

He twisted the knife without mercy, "Kakashi, don't be so arrogant!"

"You're not important enough for the Konohagakure higher-ups to take so seriously. They truly value your father's subordinates, his confidantes..."

"If you were to become a loyal dog to the Hokage, they would completely lose their last hope. Without you, the son of Hatake Sakumo, as their core, they would be nothing but scattered sand."

"At that time..."

"Whether it's finding ways to send them to their deaths or offering them benefits to win them over, it will be simple!"

Yes.

Kakashi could be considered important, or he could be considered completely unimportant.

Although Kakashi was a genius from a young age, a genius without a special bloodline was just so-so to the Konohagakure higher-ups. After all, the White Fang's sword techniques relied on personal training. Who knew if Kakashi could become the new Konohagakure White Fang!

Kakashi: "..."

His mouth twitched, feeling even more hurt.

He had previously felt manipulated, but now he realized he wasn't even important enough to be manipulated.

This disparity was truly unbearable!

Finally, sighing in resignation.

He couldn't help but ask, "What do you think we should do from now on?"

"Do what we should do," Uchiha Jin said, his tone as usual. "Just keep training!"

"We are still too weak right now. We should focus on how to survive the upcoming Ninja World War."

"Of course, you must firmly remember every name on the inheritance your father left behind. When you encounter them in trouble in the future, find a way to help them. You can even leverage Minato Namikaze's influence."

"Especially--Sawada Seiichi!"

"Get closer to him in the future. He will be a benchmark for you."

"Even if you can't get close to your father's subordinates right now, this action at the very least will serve as a reminder to them that you are still willing to inherit your father's will and carry the banner of this faction!"