[Announcement regarding future upload schedule.]
[Due to school and other stuff, I regret to inform you that I can't post any chapters from Monday to Friday for the foreseeable future. I will only be uploading on weekends and Holidays.
That doesn't mean that I'll only upload 2 chapters though, I'll try and upload 4 over every weekend with 1 chapter every Saturday and Sunday guaranteed.]
On his way back to the fortress, Shitsuya decided against cutting through the heart of the land of Rain.
Instead he took the long way around and travelled deep underground, not even coming up for food and just eating the bland ration bars provided to him and his team.
This mode of travel although safe took far longer and Shitsuya arrived back at the fortress after entire week.
After having his identity verified, as the last member of his team he had to write a detailed report on the mission before he was taken to an interogation room.
The interrogation room was claustrophobic cube of grey concrete with not even any windows.
Of course they didn't forget to add a large mirror to his left which he was confident that somebody was using to spy on him from the other side.
Sitting in his chair, Shitsuya was left alone to wait.
Shitsuya understood that all of this was done to put pressure on him, he wasn't nervous as he was innocent but he wasn't sure if he should act like it.
After all, a child not feeling nervous after being put in an uncomfortable place would draw attention that he didn't want on himself currently.
Currently he was a Ninja at only 7 years old, that already turned the heads of other Shinobi but if you factor in his two Tomoe Sharingan, Shitsuya wouldn't be able to escape the fate of being labelled a genius.
Right now only six people know about his Sharingan, although half of them were now dead, he knew that it was only a matter of time before rumours spread.
Out of the third Hokage, Mitsuki and the academy teacher present at his graduation, Mitsuki already blabbed to the Hokage while he was sure that the Hokage would tell some of those who worked under him.
The academy teacher would also undoubtedly brag to the other teachers who would then use the recently graduated Shitsuya as example to their students who would then spread that information even further.
Being noticed by the village who needed capable soldiers and the Uchiha clan who worshipped the Sharingan would surely cause him a lot of headaches.
If Information spread to other villages he might even face the threat of assassination.
Deciding that he didn't need to grow his fame any further, Shitsuya decided to act timidly, rounding his shoulders, closing his legs and slightly arching his back forwards, making himself even smaller than he already is.
Shitsuya waited for more than 3 hours by himself inside the room, an intentional move by the interrogators to pressure him further.
When questioned, Shitsuya recited the exact story he detailed in his written report, not changing anything or adding any details no matter how many times he was asked the same thing.
After a lengthy 8 hour interrogation that wore down Shitsuya mind he didn't give the interrogator any way to pin him down while having the pile of corpses he brought back serve as his backing.
*****
Sakumo rubbed his chin while reading the report about the matter relating to Shitsuya's team.
Although the goal of the mission was achieved it was done so in a way that Sakumo had not for seen.
As for the details of what happened he was more aware than Shitsuya.
The team of Yamaka Ninjas under him had read the memories of almost all the corpses brought back including both Shitsuya's teammates and his enemies.
To put it simply, Shitsuya survived and the attackers were annihilated simply because their team surpassed their expectations.
Shitsuya, Naga and Shikane all preformed at a far higher level than expected.
Sakumo was most surprised by Shikane's performance.
Shikane although a mere chunin of low reputation in both the Nara clan and the village surprisingly showed prowess equal to a Jonin, managing to deal with half the enemies by himself despite not having a dojutsu to help him in seeing through the fog.
Naga Showed amazing combat prowess after gaining his Byakugan, if he had survived he would have most likely been promoted to a chunin.
Shitsuya was noted down in his file to be talented and quite capable for his age which he proved in his mission by keeping a cool head but whether he would soar higher or plummet down after the lose of his team remains to be seen.
*****
After the interrogation was over, Shitsuya left the fortress and went back to the village with a large squad of ninjas from multiple squads who were also going back to the village after completing their respective missions.
Once back in the village Shitsuya was assaulted by his mother who insisted on hugging him to sleep that night.
A small part of him felt bad for her, he had robbed her of her child and didn't even bother to treat her like a mother even though she gave him the love and affection of one.
The next morning his cut his shoulder length hair before he left the house, as the only surviving member of his team he had to be the bearer of bad news and inform his teammates' families of their enviable departure from this world.
On his way out he was unexpectedly accompanied by Mitsuki.
As they walked side by side on the road, Mitsuki spoke, "I am glad you came back safely, you did well."
Shitsuya didn't reply so Mitsuki continued, "When I was 5 years old, the conflict between the Uchiha and Senju had been ongoing for centuries before I was born. I was forced to swing a sword at the Senju from that tender age."
"For years, all I did was kill Senju and go to the funerals of other Uchiha, and I began to wonder as I watch the dirt slowly build up on their coffins, how long before I would end up in a coffin myself."
"The more coffins the more I felt guilty for surviving and afraid of dying."
Mitsuki placed a gentle palm on Shitsuya's shoulder and said, "In war, there's no good or bad, no right nor wrong, everyone on the battlefield is only a victim of their circumstances. Don't hate the people you fight against and more importantly don't hate yourself, self hatred only brings misery."
'The hell was that all about?' Shitsuya thought after splitting paths with Mitsuki.