Three days had passed since the graduation exam. Saitama spent these days resting at home, adjusting his condition. He also took time to pick up his forehead protector—a symbol of graduating into a ninja.
"Granny, I'm leaving!"
Today was the day he and Shisui had agreed to report in.
Dressed and with the forehead protector secured on his head, Saitama waved goodbye to Ka Uchiha before stepping out.
The spring breeze and sunlight felt warm and gentle. Saitama felt great, filled with a sense of shaping his own future.
"Shisui!"
Standing at the intersection, Saitama called out to Shisui, who was looking around.
"Saitama," Shisui replied, walking over to walk side by side with him.
This was the crossroads street within the Uchiha compound. They were heading together to the Clan Guards' training ground located east of the compound.
Two small figures walked side by side, bathed in the golden glow of the morning sun.
The Uchiha compound was still quite large. It took the pair about half an hour to reach their destination—admittedly due in part to their slow pace.
From afar, Saitama already spotted the distinctive building.
It was a two-story house, surrounded mostly by open space, with forest behind it.
Though aged, the house somehow gave off a surprisingly sturdy impression.
This was the base of operations for the Uchiha Clan Guards—a place truly belonging to the Uchiha clan. Not far from here lay the Police Force's office, similarly housed in a two-story structure.
Before Saitama and his companion could approach further, two figures rapidly closed the distance, arriving in a blink.
Saitama focused and recognized them immediately—they were Uchiha Mori and Uchiha Hayashi.
"You're here early!" said Uchiha Mori first, while Uchiha Hayashi stayed silent, simply standing aside watching quietly.
"Yeah, after resting so long at home, I feel fully refreshed."
Saitama spoke in a solemn tone, which came out a little amusing.
Uchiha Mori didn't find anything odd about this. He simply nodded.
"Follow me. Let's go meet the captain first."
"Okay."
Saitama and Shisui exchanged glances before falling silent and following the two.
Uchiha Mori and Uchiha Hayashi were only about twenty years old, yet Saitama could sense their chakra inside them—it was abundant, possibly matching a Jonin's level.
Such strength wasn't considered weak among the Uchiha, especially considering their young age and the strong potential they had for further growth.
They must currently be the core members of the guards unit.
"Captain, Saitama and Shisui have arrived."
Leading the pair forward, Mori soon reached an office on the second floor where someone was seated at a desk reviewing documents.
Mori knocked on the door and walked in, gestured towards that figure, then revealed Saitama and his friend behind him.
Fugaku Uchiha!
Saitama instantly recognized who the captain was, though Shisui already knew from beforehand that the captain was none other than the clan leader himself.
"Shisui, you're here."
Putting down his work, Fugaku Uchiha looked up first at Shisui and greeted him.
Shisui had previously served in the Clan Guards and had encountered this Uchiha child. The boy worked hard, possessed great talent, and held his own opinions.
"You must be Saitama Uchiha," Fugaku Uchiha greeted Shisui first before turning to speak with Saitama.
"Yes, clan head!"
Saitama bowed his head slightly.
"Just call me 'Captain of the Guards' here. After all, you'll soon become part of the Guards too."
Fugaku Uchiha smiled gently—he actually remembered this kid from a chance encounter during the Lunar New Year.
"Welcome. I hope this path fulfills your purpose!"
Fugaku got straight to the point. He could tell both Saitama and Shisui had minds of their own and were mature—no need for unnecessary pleasantries.
"We are honored to serve our clan. It truly is an honor." Saitama showed some rare emotion.
"Good. Mori!"
Fugaku waved toward Uchiha Mori, who stood aside.
"First, show them around here. You and Uchiha Hayashi will take charge of their orientation over the next few days."
Having issued the order, Fugaku picked up his documents again, ending further conversation with Saitama and the others.
Sensibly, Saitama and Shisui then took their leave.
"The entire Clan Guards unit, including Captain Uchiha, has only seventeen members—and that number already includes both of you."
Uchiha Mori stared at the two expectantly after speaking, waiting for them to ask questions.
"So few people?" Saitama felt puzzled. After all, the Uchiha were currently regarded as Konoha's most prestigious clan—surely they could gather more than this?
"Everyone in the Clan Guards has gone through rigorous selection. Naturally, numbers stay low—we follow an elite path."
After saying this, Uchiha Mori paused briefly before continuing.
"Also, having too many members might raise suspicions among certain people in the village."
Saitama nodded knowingly. Beside him, Shisui wasn't sure who those "certain people" might be but didn't press further.
"Among these members, excluding myself and Uchiha Hayashi, the rest are about your age—though slightly older than both of you."
"Come on, Saitama. Let's go meet them. Shisui knows them already."
Following Uchiha Mori, Saitama and Shisui walked behind the two-story building to what appeared as a Training Ground.
At the Training Ground, several boys scattered loosely across the area appeared engaged in exercises. Their ages averaged around ten.
"Everyone, pause for a moment. We've got a new member joining us."
Uchiha Mori clapped his hands, interrupting their session.
Since it was still early, they probably hadn't been training long yet. They immediately stopped and gathered around.
"Hello everyone, I'm Uchiha Saitama. Please take care of me in the future!"
Without waiting for Mori's introduction, Saitama spoke up enthusiastically.
The group of kids, mostly around ten, looked at Saitama with curiosity. He looked noticeably younger than all of them.
And the last one to join at such a young age was Shisui himself.
As for Shisui's abilities, everyone here had seen enough firsthand.
"From now on, Saitama and Shisui will officially join us. I hope you all can get along well."
Looking around at the dozen or so young boys with somewhat naive faces, Saitama suddenly felt a sense of mission.
Was the fate of the Uchiha clan really relying on these people here?
Without further instructions, the young boys scattered and resumed their own training again. As for introductions? They would naturally learn each other's names through future interactions.
"Saitama, Shisui."
He led the two aside. Uchiha Mori looked at them seriously.
His previous relaxed expression gone, Uchiha Mori turned solemn.
"I know both of you are quite mature for your age, but it feels premature to say this now. Still, please strive to grow stronger here—for our clan!"
Mori enunciated every word clearly.
Saitama's face became serious too, and so did Shisui's.
"We won't disappoint the clan's training!" Saitama pledged firmly. Ever since he decided to board this Uchiha ship, there had been no option to disembark—not that he wanted one.
"Good. Remember what you've said today."
Through Uchiha Mori, Saitama learned more about the Clan Guards.
All of them were registered under the Konoha Military Police Force, though they bore none of its duties. As Saitama suspected, this status was simply a cover identity.
Once accepted into the guards, the clan would allocate resources to help you get stronger fast.
Ninjutsu, ninja tools, and training supplies—all would be provided by the Uchiha.
As Konoha's top clan, such matters were easily manageable.
It was their first day on duty, and Saitama didn't stay there to train for the rest of the morning.
Since Shisui had already been there before and was familiar with everything, he stayed behind and trained with those boys, trading techniques.
Saitama needed to go back and let Ka Po-pu know how things were going before returning with some essentials.
Now having the clan's support, training was no longer a solitary journey based solely on talent and self-exploration. Saitama actually felt pretty pleased.
Here, he could certainly improve rapidly in strength.
In the afternoon, Saitama returned to the Clan Guards' base once more.
Those boys were still training there, each drenched in sweat.
Without actively greeting anyone, Saitama found an unoccupied corner and began practicing swordsmanship alone.
"Are you Saitama?"
A voice interrupted Saitama mid-swing. He halted his blade and looked over.
The speaker was a boy watching him with curious eyes.
"Yes, and who are you?"
Saitama calmly regarded this boy whom he'd seen earlier.
"I'm Uchiha Nagare." The boy stepped closer, extending his hand.
After a brief look of surprise at this proactive boy, Saitama clasped his hand.
"Pleased to meet you!"
"You use a blade like Shisui?"
"More or less. I actually learned my swordsmanship from Shisui."
"Oh wow! Shisui's swordsmanship is super impressive here. So does that mean you're also pretty good?"
"In a few days, you'll have the guards' first test after joining. Make sure you're prepared."
Uchiha Nagare grinned.
"I had it rough for days after that test. You'll have to give it your all too."
There was something odd about Nagare's expression, making him seem slightly out of place despite his youthful appearance.
Saitama watched Nagare leave without giving it much thought.
He feared no kind of test.
This afternoon ended in monotonous training like always. He had dinner at the Clan Guards' mess hall.
The food provided by the clan was top-notch—well-balanced and rich in nutrition.
It reminded Saitama of meals served to elite warriors—maybe even better.
Uchiha Mori explained that once your strength earned recognition from the head of the guard unit—which was Fugaku Uchiha—you could apply to learn any ninjutsu available in the clan's collection.
Such conditions made Saitama genuinely excited.
When he returned home, it was already seven or eight at night. Granny Ka Po-pu had gone to bed earlier since Saitama had told her not to wait for him.
After finishing his evening hygiene routine, Saitama lay on his bed. Now that he'd mastered the Chakra Refinement Jutsu, he didn't need to sit in that strict meditation pose anymore. Even lying flat, he could still refine chakra.
From that afternoon's training, Saitama still felt a bit tired. Some teammates came over to chat during practice, and he greeted them warmly.
...
"Today, Lin and I will take you two outside the village to carry out a minor mission."
"The goal is to build your courage. Being a ninja isn't child's play!"
When Uchiha Mori said that, Saitama finally understood what Uchiha Nagare had meant earlier.
He had always known this moment would come eventually, so he wasn't particularly surprised.
Shisui stood beside him, seemingly not grasping the implication yet. His face remained expressionless throughout, listening attentively.
"Grab your ninja tools and bring whatever you need. We're heading out now!"
After saying that, Mori and Lin walked away.
Saitama carefully checked his shuriken and kunai, took out his tanto and cleaned it, then fastened it skillfully across his back.
Thus, Saitama and Shisui followed them outside. Both were eager about this mission—it would be their first time ever leaving the village.
Since the Uchiha handled regular security duties for Konoha, exiting the village posed little difficulty.
The group of four passed through Konoha's gates.
This marked Saitama's first time leaving Konoha since his arrival, and the air outside felt refreshingly free.
"This mission is to deal with a bandit gang. They've been moving between nearby villages, and among them may be several rogue ninjas. Their specific abilities are unknown, but their strength probably doesn't exceed that of a genin."
As they walked, Uchiha Hayashi explained the details of the mission to Saitama and the others.
"Hayashi and I won't participate directly—we're only here to observe everything you do and evaluate accordingly. But if we step in, that means your mission has failed!"
Uchiha Hayashi fixed his gaze on Saitama and Shisui. His tone sounded light yet carried an unmistakable warning undertone.
"Understood!" Saitama nodded. He had anticipated this scenario.
Only then did Shisui grasp the real stakes—and for the first time, uncertainty flashed across his face.
Didn't he seem ready for this yet?
They left the village heading east, and after two days of travel, arrived at the southeastern region of the Land of Fire.
It was mountainous terrain. From above, they could see a distant encampment far below.
It was a crude campsite, seemingly built recently—these fugitives were constantly on the move.
Saitama and the others had also spent considerable time searching the surrounding area, following faint clues until finally locating this group.
"Then the rest is up to you two from here."
Uchiha Mori and Uchiha Hayashi exchanged a glance before addressing Saitama and Shisui.
The moment those words left their mouths, both vanished into the shadows, disappearing without a trace.
Saitama looked toward the distant camp, his expression thoughtful.
Shisui also began watching it with a serious expression.
"Shisui, got any thoughts?"
Saitama asked first.
"I've spotted eleven within view, but there may be others hiding in the dark."
"Hmm, we should get closer for further observation."
Saitama nodded in agreement.
"Then let's move in."
Without waiting for Shisui's reaction, Saitama took the initiative and advanced forward first.
Channeling chakra into his feet, he stepped silently across tree trunks, using them as cover while edging closer to the camp.
Earlier, they had been positioned on high ground, while the bandits' encampment lay hidden deep inside a forest.
Shisui followed cautiously behind, moving lightly without making even the slightest sound.
The two figures moved noiselessly through the trees until stopping about half a mile from the camp.
We were told some among them were ninjas, and Saitama couldn't be sure whether reconnaissance units were present.
This was already the closest they could safely approach—going any further risked detection.
"Now we start circling around them to gather more intel and check if there are any shadows lurking in the dark."
Saitama looked toward Shisui, his expression grave.
By all means, their lives depended on this mission—they couldn't afford to be careless.
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