Things had picked up from there as we trained with the others when not on missions or doing team training with Minato-sensei. But things weren't going to get better anytime soon because even though Sakumo's mission had been a duped one meant to fail, it still caused problems that intensified the war between Konoha and Iwa.

By the time this brewing war was over my hands would likely be coated in blood.

But it was my hope that I would be able to keep my team safe and alive which meant that the mission that was meant to end with Obito in Madara's hands, and then the one where Rin was to be kidnapped and turned into an unstable Jinchūriki, was always not far away in my thoughts.

Neither of these would come to pass if I could help it.

"Are you excited?" asked Shisui with a smirk as we returned from another completed B-rank mission, we received those more often then not after becoming Chūnin.

Not that anyone had been surprised when we passed the exam held in Suna with flying colors that showed how strong Konoha was. It was mostly used as forewarning to other Kage's anyway which was why our team was the only one that had been sent.

This also had the effect of causing Minato-sensei to be sent on more missions alone now that we weren't Genin that needed him. Even still, we took missions together when we could.

"That Rin is becoming a Genin?" I asked back in return thinking it over while running a towel through my damp hair having gone for a shower the second we returned to Konoha and finished reporting the Hokage.

We had a rough mission with this one that ended up with me taking a tangled dive into a swamp after the Missing-nin that had tried to run. Kakashi had been not too far behind which is why he had also wandered off to clean up.

Shisui was the only one luckily enough to stay clean.

The lucky brat.

"Yeah, though we've also promised to have another picnic in celebration of the rest of our friends finally making Genin. Which is something I'm looking forward to considering how busy we've been with back-to-back missions lately."

"Dad got called out on another mission with Minato-sensei," stated Kakashi as he joined us in my bedroom making my eyes catch onto the healing scar where he had almost lost his eye, it reminded me too much of the anime. "Seems that Iwa has started to cross the boarder and closer into Konoha's territory."

"Which means the higher level Jōnin still in Konoha will be taking missions near that area," mused Shisui before shaking his head as he sprawled out onto my bed with a tired sigh. "Not even fully announced and yet something tells me here soon we'll likely be neck deep in a full bloody war."

That was the price we paid as shinobi.

Something that they were aware of as well.

"We've trained for this possibility," I added before tossing my towel into the dirty basket and looking over to where Ōkami and Tenshi were both laying near Shisui's feet. "For now, I think we should focus on getting some food ready and meet Rin and our friends at the Academy to congratulate them."

We could use some cheer in truth considering how much time we spent away from home since becoming Chūnin. I honestly didn't think our promotion to Jōnin was too far off considering the record we were setting for how fast we completed each mission.

There was also the fact we were officially a team of three.

"I can get behind that," agreed Shisui with a laugh as he rolled off my bed and stretched before looking around the room. "Can you believe we actually have a place of our own now?"

That had surprised some, but not those closest to us, that the three of us ended up buying an empty lot between Kakashi's house and Minato-sensei's apartment complex to build a house on.

But there had been a reason we had decided to save our money since we were Genin and taking D-rank missions. Shisui was just happy to be away from the Uchiha Clan that he hadn't cared where we had a place, be it building one or buying one.

It was also where Obito liked to crash as well and so had kept it clean when none of us could with taking harder and harder missions as we were.

There was also the fact that we had been in ANBU for a few months now as well and had finally completed the training expected of us. Though we still took normal missions as well, it was in part because of the war that this was the case.

It also had to do with the fact that no one was to know we were ANBU.

Though both Minato-sensei and Sakumo were aware since they had ties in the ANBU branch.

"Here I thought it was going to be Obito who would be late," teased Inoichi as we arrived at the Academy to see the others already waiting for us while proudly wearing their hitai-ate's. "But let me guess, you were helping some poor lady or animal?"

"I don't lie about that," grumbled Obito with a huff as he reached out to smack Inoichi's arm causing the other to crack up laughing. "It isn't my fault I'm one of the only nice ones in the Clan."

"You aren't wrong," added Shisui with a grin before flicking Obito's nose as we all started to walk off toward the training grounds. "Though it surprises me you still go around there considering you spend more time at our house then there."

"There was still some things of my grandmother's to go through," answered Obito with a small sad smile. "Plus Fugaku-sama has also begun to ask when you would be coming around again."

More often than not we would even get letters addressed to Shisui left at the house with the orders for him to stop by the Uchiha compound. Which more often than not, Shisui would take said notes and dump them into the fireplace in the living room with glee.

There was a reason he was the pyro of our team.

"We already know that Inoichi, Shikaku, and Choza are going to be a team," I cut in before they could get into another argument concerning their Clan Head. "But do you and Rin have any idea who you might be teamed up with?"

"Likely we'll get on the same team," answered Obito smile warm as he quickly focused back onto me as Kakashi sent the boy a warning look that I missed, "and if I had to guess, I would say that Sarutobi Asuma would be the third person picked for the team based off of scores in taijutsu and his grades overall."

Now that was an interesting thought.