According to their agreement with Minato Namikaze, Uchiha Kai and his team had chosen to summon him as they neared the outskirts of Konoha.
As for whether the "Yellow Flash"—renowned as the fastest ninja alive—would arrive late, Kai and the others hadn't thought to doubt it. After all, despite his fame, Minato was known to be fashionably late on occasion.
During the journey, Uchiha Kai realized something about himself:
He was not much of a conversationalist—more of a topic killer than a topic starter.
After his earlier attempt to recruit Imai Kenta was temporarily brushed aside, an unusual silence settled over their group. Neither Kenta nor Hyūga Aya spoke much, both lost in thought.
Kai, seeing this atmosphere, also quieted down. He had already extended his "olive branch"—the rest was up to fate.
After activating the summoning marker for Minato Namikaze, they slowed their pace as they approached Konoha, waiting quietly for his arrival.
What Kai didn't expect was for Minato to arrive so quickly this time.
Only about five minutes had passed before Minato and Kakashi appeared in front of them.
Minato looked a little tired but clearly happy. That expression alone was enough for Uchiha Kai to guess what had happened.
"It seems the Third Tsuchikage responded rather quickly, Captain Minato," Kai said with a small smile.
"Yes," Minato replied, his voice light with relief. "He confirmed and acknowledged the terms of the peace talks almost immediately. As of now, we can officially say—the war is over."
The war… is over?
Hearing those words from Minato, Kai felt a rush of emotion.
This brutal, years-long conflict—one that had consumed countless lives—had finally come to an end.
Kai could never forget being forced to graduate early just to be sent into the chaos of war. He had clawed his way forward step by step just to survive.
The suffering, the despair, the trauma—he couldn't even begin to quantify it.
But now, that nightmare seemed to be ending.
Of course, true peace was still a fantasy. Large-scale conflict might be over, but skirmishes and political strife would never disappear entirely.
Ninja, after all, were born for war. The hatred and interests between nations wouldn't vanish with a single treaty.
Kai even remembered that shortly after the peace agreement with Iwagakure in the original timeline, rogue ninja from other nations still attacked Konoha forces—trying to sabotage the fragile peace. But they were swiftly dealt with by the ANBU.
Still, in this moment, Uchiha Kai could finally breathe a little easier.
Even though he already knew how things would end, hearing it confirmed by Minato made the reality hit harder.
No one liked war. Not even Uchiha Kai.
Imai Kenta and Hyūga Aya both seemed stunned by the announcement. Their reactions were similar to Kai's—part disbelief, part joy.
They, too, were victims of war. In truth, who wasn't?
Maybe it was the presence of Minato and Kakashi, but the three's cold silence began to thaw. Even if the warmth was superficial, they began to speak again.
Before long, the five of them reached the gates of Konoha. The summoning point hadn't been far from the village, and it didn't take much time to return.
"Look, they're back!"
"They're heroes!"
"That's Lord Minato!"
"And that's Kai Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, Aya Hyūga, and Kenta Imai!"
As they approached the gate, a wave of cheering hit them like a tsunami.
A massive crowd had gathered—villagers, shinobi, even high-ranking officials.
Among them stood the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, flanked by the village elders. A bandaged man—clearly Shimura Danzō—stood nearby, along with Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
Kai had long heard of them, but this was his first time seeing them face-to-face.
Before this, his status hadn't warranted direct contact with the village's ruling elite. Aside from the Third Hokage, the other three rarely made public appearances—especially Danzō, who led Root in the shadows.
As Kai's eyes met Danzō's, he felt a chill. The man radiated a darkness that made Kai instinctively wary.
A pity he wasn't born into the Uchiha clan, Kai thought darkly. He might have become a powerful asset.
Or perhaps it was that same darkness that drew Danzō to covet Uchiha power so obsessively.
Escorted by Minato, the group entered the village slowly, absorbing the admiration around them.
Security was tight—perhaps overly so. Though no ANBU were visibly present, Kai was sure they were everywhere. With all four of the village's top officials in attendance, nothing was left to chance.
This wasn't just a celebration—it was a performance. A morale booster. A symbol of Konoha's resilience.
The peace had come at a steep cost. And without Kai's covert actions behind enemy lines—without the intelligence gathered on Kirigakure and Iwagakure—things might have turned out very differently.
Minato's contributions were undeniable. But so were Kai's.
"Welcome back, Minato," the Third Hokage said with a warm smile. "Thank you for everything."
Then he turned to the others. "And thank you, Kakashi, Kenta, Kai, Aya. And let us not forget Rin's sacrifice. We are all in your debt."
Minato bowed his head respectfully. "It was our duty."
Kai and the others followed suit, bowing in unison.
Yet Kai noticed something interesting—the order of the Hokage's thanks. Despite Minato's repeated emphasis in his reports on Kai's contributions, the Hokage had subtly pushed Kai's name down the list.
So this is your true sentiment, Kai thought. Even now, you won't place an Uchiha at the front.
Though the crowd still praised them, it was clear that most villagers gravitated more toward Kakashi and Kenta.
Kai and Aya, both from old clans, drew less open affection. But neither seemed to care.
Kai certainly didn't. Aya remained silent, as she often did now.
Their relationship was strained—beyond repair, perhaps.
So Kai didn't bother pretending. He turned away and immediately spotted Uchiha Fugaku waiting nearby, accompanied by young Uchiha Itachi and several other clan members.
The clan patriarch had personally come to receive him—Kai couldn't ignore that.
"Patriarch," Kai nodded respectfully.
"Welcome back, Kai." Fugaku offered him a rare smile. "I've read the reports. You did well. Truly, a genius of the Uchiha."
His praise made the surrounding Uchiha whisper. For a man as reserved as Fugaku, this was unusual.
The clan's "hawk" faction viewed Fugaku's behavior as a tilt toward the more moderate "doves." To them, Kai was a leading dove, especially since he'd been appointed a captain—and even deputy director—of the Konoha Police Force.
The doves were ecstatic, interpreting Kai's every action as proof he was one of them.
Kai could practically see their thoughts playing out on their faces—and it amused him.
They had no idea.
His relationship with Fugaku wasn't nearly as warm as it appeared. Their cooperation was born of necessity, not trust.
It was only because Kai possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan that Fugaku had decided to make peace.
But in Kai's eyes? Both the hawks and doves were on his list for eventual liquidation.
He simply had to bide his time.
When his plan neared completion—then he would settle accounts.