After the clan meeting ended, Uchiha Kai remained silent for a while.
Lacking sufficient intelligence, Kai knew better than to act recklessly. If he were exposed, it would bring serious consequences—even for a skilled Uchiha.
So, he kept living his usual "busy" life: reading mission reports, reviewing classified documents, training occasionally with Kakashi, and refining his own abilities.
Kakashi's growth was astonishing—so much so that even Kai, usually composed, found himself speechless. It seemed that after mastering the Chidori and optimizing his combat style, Kakashi's strength was rising exponentially.
In Kai's opinion, if Kakashi from a few months ago were to face the current Kakashi in battle, he'd be defeated in just a few breaths.
Was this what true genius looked like?
Kai scratched his head, wondering if the Hatake clan secretly descended from the Ōtsutsuki. Could Kakashi really reach the same level as Naruto Uzumaki or Sasuke Uchiha in the future—even without any divine heritage?
Of course, that was just a passing thought. The shinobi world often respected lineage, and being born into an Ōtsutsuki-linked family usually meant a significant head start.
Take Ōtsutsuki Toneri, for example. Despite his almost non-existent real-world combat experience, he nearly matched Naruto thanks to his bloodline and the Tenseigan. It was absurd how far sheer heritage could carry someone.
As Kai would put it: "Even a pig with Ōtsutsuki blood could fly."
Despite his own unimpressive natural talent, Kai had something others lacked—knowledge. He understood how the shinobi world really worked. That was his edge. And that was why he believed in his future.
"But all that's for later. Without effort in the present, there is no future. Besides, I have work to do."
He had many responsibilities. Chief among them was gathering intel on Uchiha Yu—his movements, affiliations, and especially his combat capabilities.
At that moment, Kai found himself missing Hyūga Aya. If she were around, her Byakugan would've made surveillance easier. But cooperating with her wasn't an option—at least, not right now.
After all, he had once seriously considered eliminating her to tie up loose ends. Entrusting her with something this sensitive would be foolish. If she caught even a whiff of his plan, she'd likely report him first to protect herself.
As Kai walked slowly along Konoha's main street, he debated where to begin: Should he prioritize discovering Uchiha Yu's objective, or focus on evaluating his strength?
Suddenly, a blur of green streaked past him—moving upside down.
That speed far exceeded the average jonin.
Kai blinked. Then a chuckle escaped him.
If I'm not mistaken, that has to be Maito Gai.
Sure enough, the green blur screeched to a halt, flipped mid-air, and landed beside him in a flawless handstand.
"Kai?" Gai exclaimed, still upside down. "Is that you?"
Kai's mouth twitched, but he nodded. "It's been a while, Gai. You're as energetic as ever."
"Of course!"
Gai pushed off the ground and landed squarely on his feet. His face was bright with enthusiasm as he gave a big thumbs-up, flashing his signature white smile.
"This is youth! By the way, Kai—it's been forever! Ever since you became a hero, I've barely seen you! Kakashi too."
"Hah… 'Hero' is a bit much," Kai said, taking a subtle step back from the sweat that dripped off Gai like a faucet. "I just did what needed to be done. And I've been recovering from injuries. Kakashi as well."
Kai raised a hand to return the thumbs-up, carefully angling away to avoid Gai's sweat trail.
As long as there was no life-threatening danger, Kai wouldn't go out of his way to alienate well-meaning people like Gai. On the contrary, his plan required building connections—not isolating himself.
"You are a hero!" Gai said seriously. "If it weren't for you, the war might have turned out very differently."
"Let's not get carried away." Kai shook his head. "If I'm a hero, then I'm the same guy who kicked you back in the Academy. Doesn't sound so grand, does it?"
Gai scratched his head, visibly recalling the incident where he'd once sparred with Kai and Obito. "You weren't all that amazing back then… but that's what makes your growth even more inspiring! Anyway, since we've met up, how about a quick spar?"
"Maybe next time," Kai said quickly. "I'm heading to the Mission Hall. I don't have any assignments right now, but I want to see what's circulating."
He hadn't planned on it initially, but now he'd made up his mind: go to the Mission Hall and scan the reports.
While the Police Force and the Mission Hall operated under different systems, both offered valuable insight. The Mission Hall, in particular, was full of people—and where there were people, there were clues.
Enemy spies often slipped in through such channels, posing as messengers or D-Rank laborers to collect intelligence. Even if Kai didn't find anything useful, he wouldn't consider it wasted time. After all, not everyone was a protagonist who stumbled into revelations.
If nothing turned up, he could always swing by the Police Force headquarters. Being Uchiha gave him access—especially with Uchiha Fugaku as the current commander.
He couldn't request classified files, but he could still make a casual visit. And if he somehow uncovered Uchiha Yu's patrol routes or attendance records… well, then it would be time to figure out Yu's combat ability—and set a trap.
"So that's the plan!" Gai grinned and gave another thumbs-up. "Then give it your all, Kai!"
"Uhh… right. You too," Kai replied, stepping back again.