After the Boulder ninja departed, Naoya Kuchigi looked at Satoru with a complicated expression.
He had heard every word exchanged between Satoru and the Boulder ninja, and it left him pondering.
*Is that why he was chosen for the Shadows?*
Satoru's ability to accurately anticipate danger, his keen intuition, his logical and brilliant mind, and his extraordinary insight—was this the sum of his talents?
Naoya Kuchigi shook his head. No. Satoru didn't just possess these qualities; he integrated them in a way that was both rational and clever.
There was a reason why the Dark Division had chosen him.
A teenage genius—who could refuse someone like him?
At that moment, Kuchigi realized it had been his own narrow-mindedness that had caused him to hesitate.
Meanwhile, Sato Kiyota, walking quickly beside Satoru, patted him on the shoulder and said, "You're too good, kid. Just by talking, you scared them all away."
He sighed deeply, still in awe.
"I didn't expect this child-like teenager to be so powerful... Unusually intelligent. Unlike us mortals, you're a true genius."
Kiyota smiled proudly, not in jealousy, but in admiration.
"It's no wonder you were able to join the Shadows at such a young age. Are all Uchiha this rich in talent? The brilliance of their predecessors has been overshadowed."
But Kiyota Sato wasn't angry or bitter. On the contrary, he felt proud.
Proud that the new generation of young people was so impressive.
He felt reassured knowing that Konoha had such capable youths to protect its future. The village was in safe hands, and his past misgivings about the Uchiha had all but vanished.
Under his blindfold, Satoru's eyes curved into a smile.
"Of course," he said decisively, acknowledging the compliment.
"Well, it's just words, you know? Can't the mouth itself be a weapon?" he said with a proud grin.
"God knows how many great heroes will fall victim to this technique in the future," he added dramatically. "The mouth can strike a lethal blow, leaving everyone weakened. Truly the most powerful ninjutsu in history!"
Kiyota Sato twitched the corner of his mouth in disbelief. *Of course, it's him.*
He regained his composure. *What I just saw must have been an illusion.*
---
The rest of the squad watched Satoru with a mix of awe and disbelief.
*Is this the kind of strength that qualifies him to be in the Shadows?*
Such subtle observation, such keen insight—this was truly impressive.
*A genius!*
Without a doubt, a genius.
If he continues to grow, his future will undoubtedly be brilliant.
The team members whispered amongst themselves as they looked at Satoru, still in awe.
"Eight years old… unbelievable. Are eight-year-olds really this strong nowadays?"
"It's hard to imagine such intelligence in someone so young."
"Is that why he's in the Shadows? I thought he got in through the back door, but I was wrong to underestimate him."
"Such sharp observation skills and insight… with someone like him on our team, I'd feel much safer on missions."
"That's right. With his ability to read the situation so well, we'd save ourselves so much worry."
"True. In the end, it's not just strength that matters—it's intelligence and situational analysis. With him around, our team is definitely safer."
"Don't think too much. He's just a kid, but with someone this powerful, there's bound to be even stronger companions supporting him. We don't need to worry."
Everyone sighed in unison.
*Genius can only be paired with genius.*
After packing up, the team continued on their way.
They quickly passed through the woods in front of them and reached their destination.
Naoya Kuchigi handed the scroll to the mission target, and then, without a word, he turned and began to lead his team away.
As a ninja, you couldn't afford to be too curious.
*Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, and don't listen to what you can't hear.* This was the law they lived by.
---
"Now that the mission is complete, I'll go ahead," Satoru said suddenly, looking at Naoya Kuchigi as the team started to move.
Naoya Kuchigi stopped, confused. "Aren't you going back to the village to report?" he asked.
Satoru smiled mischievously. "Isn't there still you, the captain?"
"It's fine for you to go ahead on your own," he said with a teasing grin. "I have other things to attend to."
He had chosen the location for his new clan's land not far from here. He had been planning to visit it, and now was the perfect opportunity. It would look too obvious if he made a special trip just for that.
However, if he took advantage of the mission to visit, he could get away with it. The timing and location were perfect.
It would be a waste not to check on the progress of his new clan's land now.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 90 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
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