221-225

Chapter 221: What?! He’s the Uchiha Clan’s Young Master?!

It wasn’t just Kakuzu who was horrified at the sight of twenty Uchiha with three-tomoe Sharingan.

Even Uchiha Shinji, standing there in awe, couldn’t hide his astonishment.

This wasn’t like finding cabbages growing in a field. This was twenty fully-fledged Uchiha warriors, each equipped with the three-tomoe Sharingan!

A single three-tomoe Sharingan user could rival an elite Jonin.

And here, a whole squad of them stood. Together, they could wipe out the clans of any smaller nation allied with the Five Great Shinobi Countries.

The defensive forces of Hell Valley couldn’t possibly assemble such a lavish lineup.

So where did these people come from?

And why were they here?

At that moment—

“Not talking, huh?” Seijiro’s icy gaze locked onto Kakuzu as he spoke in a bone-chilling tone.

“Then you can go to hell!”

As the words fell, the twenty Uchiha warriors stepped forward in unison. Some drew their swords, while others began forming seals.

In the dark of night, countless pairs of scarlet eyes lit up like ominous stars.

The surrounding air plummeted to freezing temperatures in an instant.

“Wait!”

Kakuzu’s eyes darted around in panic as his heart skipped a beat. Cold sweat dripped down his back as he quickly raised his hands.

“This is a misunderstanding! I was just passing through!”

Seijiro glared at Kakuzu, clearly unconvinced by his attempt to buy time. A mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“The underground exchange offices in the Lands of Hot Water, Grass, and Rice Fields have already been purged,” he said coldly.

“Along with sixteen bounty hunters, the exchange office executives, corrupt merchants, and even courier ninja.”

“It seems you still don’t understand the magnitude of the foolishness you’re involved in.”

“Even an S-rank rogue ninja like you is no exception!”

Seijiro’s gaze was as icy as a glacier. Raising his hand, he shouted sharply:

“If you dared to take on a mission to claim the head of the Uchiha Clan’s Young Master—”

“Then surely, you’ve also prepared yourself to face the full wrath of the most powerful clan in the shinobi world!”

Hearing this, Kakuzu’s glowing green eyes suddenly contracted as he stared in disbelief at Uchiha Shinji, who stood beside Seijiro.

“What did you say?”

“This... poor kid is the Uchiha Clan’s Young Master?!”

Even Kakuzu’s eternally stoic face couldn’t help but twitch.

That wasn’t in the mission intel!

Kakuzu vividly recalled the time Uchiha Shinji had taunted him, a seventy-something veteran, by tossing him a meager bankbook with a laughably small three-digit balance.

And now, they were telling him that this pale, broke kid was actually the Uchiha Clan’s Young Master?

What kind of sick joke was this?!

Uchiha Shinji blinked, his expression one of dawning realization as he turned to Seijiro.

Come to think of it, wasn’t he technically in this position?

But he had never given it much thought. If he were to describe it, the only notable thing about this role was the clan’s intimidating treasury.

It wasn’t until now that Uchiha Shinji truly grasped the terrifying power that came with his title.

“Seijiro, I didn’t take this mission to—” Uchiha Shinji began to explain.

In his mind, the clan head should lead from the frontlines, not be protected like this.

“Enough, Shinji. You don’t need to worry anymore.”

Seijiro turned his head slightly, his frosty expression softening. He patted Uchiha Shinji on the shoulder and smiled reassuringly.

“The moment I received intel about the bounty on your head, I immediately informed the elders and Captain Fugaku.”

“However, you had already left the village, and we couldn’t stop you in time.”

“These twenty clan members were urgently mobilized from the village, Hell Valley, and Tanigakure.”

“There are more of us already on the move.”

“Don’t worry, this matter won’t end easily. Every person involved in this—”

Seijiro’s icy gaze shifted back to Kakuzu as he spoke each word with chilling precision:

“Will pay the price!”

Hearing this, and watching as the Uchiha warriors closed in, each one bearing the distinctive three-tomoe Sharingan,

Kakuzu involuntarily took two steps back, cold sweat running down his face.

---

The Arrival of the Uchiha Clan Shifts the Battlefield

The tide of the battle shifted dramatically with the arrival of the Uchiha warriors.

On the other side of the battlefield, an experienced Cloud Village Jonin named Rami immediately sensed something was wrong when he saw the Uchiha clan's forces appear.

Fortunately, the Uchiha seemed focused on Kakuzu, who had broken away from the main formation.

Taking advantage of the situation, Rami ordered the Cloud Village elite to slow their advance and gradually pull back from the Leaf Village forces.

But just then, a bolt of lightning streaked across the night sky.

A scroll, delivered via the Heavenly Transfer Technique, appeared before Rami.

He quickly unrolled the scroll and began reading the intelligence it contained.

After scanning the contents, Rami’s expression changed instantly.

Seeing his reaction, a nearby Cloud ninja couldn’t help but grow tense.

“Senior Rami, what’s going on?”

“Why are there so many Uchiha here?”

“Those numbers… we…”

Before the Hidden Cloud ninja could finish his sentence, Lamy's expression turned grim. He immediately commanded:

“Motoi, take the team and retreat at once.”

“I’ll notify Killer B myself. The mission is complete, and the village has ordered us to return immediately!”

After making this decision, Lamy’s tense expression relaxed slightly. He patted Motoi on the shoulder, exhaled deeply, and said:

“The situation in Hell Valley is beyond our control now.”

“I understand.” Hearing this, Motoi, who had a green, rectangular facial marking across the bridge of his nose, let out a long sigh of relief. He added,

“Then I’ll leave Killer B in your capable hands, Senior!”

Motoi was a good friend of Killer B, but he wasn’t particularly strong. He served as the team’s sensory ninja, providing support while keeping an eye on the situation.

Over where Killer B was, there seemed to have been an unexpected incident.

Lamy nodded. “Don’t worry. Before we arrived, Killer B and I had already discussed a contingency plan. I’ll notify him to retreat immediately.”

With that, Lamy reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a signal flare, throwing it skyward.

*Bang!*

A bright yellow smoke signal erupted in the night sky.

---

Meanwhile,

As the glint of a ruthless blade flashed, Uchiha Setsuna’s sword mercilessly plunged downward.

Killer B, who had just regained consciousness, saw this and his pupils shrank abruptly. He raised his hand to block the attack!

*Squelch!*

“Argh!”

The blade pierced through Killer B’s hand, forcing a groan of pain from him.

Uchiha Setsuna’s eyes turned cold. He withdrew his sword and immediately slashed again, aiming for Killer B’s vital points!

“This guy’s swordsmanship…”

Killer B felt a chill run down his spine. Enduring the pain, he partially transformed into his tailed beast form, manifesting three tentacles to push away Setsuna’s foot, which was pressing against his chest. He rolled backward to escape.

However, the relentless blade was like a shadow that clung to him. It instantly severed the three tentacles and slashed horizontally toward his neck!

Killer B narrowly avoided the strike by sidestepping and ducking his head in the nick of time.

Unlike the Uchiha ninja he had fought earlier, this older man’s swordsmanship was sharp, seasoned, and merciless, leaving him no room to breathe.

To make matters worse, Killer B’s seven swords had been melted by Uchiha Shinji earlier, and the Eight-Tails within him was trapped in a genjutsu.

For the moment, Killer B had no means to counterattack. All he could do was dodge while attempting to communicate with the Eight-Tails and break the illusion.

After sustaining four fresh wounds from Setsuna’s blade, Killer B finally managed to reconnect with the Eight-Tails.

Without hesitation, he immediately triggered a partial tailed beast transformation, covering his body in a dark red chakra cloak reinforced with skeletal armor.

His pale, glowing eyes locked onto the old man in front of him.

Strangely, despite the strong defensive power of the tailed beast cloak, Killer B couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling in his heart when facing this elder.

Uchiha Setsuna squinted his single eye at this sight and paused his advance.

His expression showed no fear. Silent and calm, the three tomoe in his Sharingan spun rapidly.

The two adversaries stood in a tense standoff,

and the air seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment.

Suddenly,

A streak of lightning illuminated the distant night sky, descending in a straight line. Shortly after,

another yellow smoke signal burst open in mid-air.

Seeing the smoke, Killer B, who was ready to attack, froze momentarily in surprise.

“That’s the signal to retreat immediately!”

Without pausing to wonder why his side, which held the upper hand, would choose to withdraw,

Killer B turned without hesitation and sprinted toward the northern border of the Land of Hot Springs.

Moments after Killer B left,

a group of shadowy figures arrived at the scene.

They were the Uchiha elites and Leaf Village ninjas, rushing over after securing Kakuzu in tight restraints.

“Elder!”

Uchiha Seijiro stepped forward anxiously and asked, “Are you all right?”

Uchiha Setsuna turned his head silently, his single crimson eye scanning the group behind him.

Upon seeing the disheveled young ninja he had reprimanded earlier still alive,

a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. His tense nerves finally relaxed.

But in the next moment, his brow furrowed. With a snort, he fixed his gaze on the now-silent Uchiha Shinji.

“Hmph!”

“What could possibly happen to me?”

“Let’s go! Back to Hell Valley!”

“And you, Uchiha Shinji—stop cowering like a quail with your head down. You think I can’t see you?”

“Get over here!”

Hearing this,

Uchiha Shinji, who had been hiding in the crowd with his head down,

trembled all over, unsure how to face the elder.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 222: The Brink, The Time to Descend into Hell

Ever since Uchiha Shinji left the village, his whereabouts had been leaked by a Sunagakure spy stationed in Konoha.

Subsequently, Sunagakure elder Chiyo infiltrated an underground bounty exchange and made his movements public, drawing the attention of Kumogakure and various bounty hunters.

This led to a collaborative attack planned by Kumogakure and the bounty exchange to target Uchiha Shinji.

In the past, underground black markets across nations dealt in everything imaginable, even using Kekkei Genkai as trading commodities.

However, one thing was off-limits: the Sharingan. Nobody dared to trade it openly.

Now, the head of their own clan's young leader had been marked with a bounty and was even attacked in an organized effort by the bounty exchange.

Dying on the battlefield at the hands of other shinobi was one thing,

but dying because of a plot orchestrated by the bounty exchange?

That was an entirely different matter!

When the Uchiha clan learned of this, they were outraged.

For the first time, Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Fugaku reached a rare consensus,

swiftly dispatching elite shinobi from Konoha, Hell Valley, and the Land of Hot Springs to rescue Uchiha Shinji.

Additionally, the clan sent ninja squads to obliterate bounty exchanges in surrounding small nations, wiping out anyone involved in the incident.

“Ci, remember this—it’s a necessary measure!”

Seated beside Uchiha Shinji, Uchiha Seichiro explained the situation in detail and gave him a stern reminder:

“The Uchiha clan is not like the Hyuga clan. We don’t have the ‘Caged Bird’ seal or the rigid hierarchy of main and branch families. We are united by blood ties, and every member of the clan is, in essence, family.”

“The strong protect the weak. Those capable of unlocking the Sharingan have the responsibility to protect members who cannot.”

“Our bloodline, our Kekkei Genkai, is what binds us together in this absurd and dark world. It is the foundation that cannot be violated.”

“Anyone who crosses that line, even if it means the destruction of our clan, must be eliminated!”

“Leave no one alive!”

Uchiha Seichiro gazed intently at Uchiha Shinji, his voice heavy.

“This is no joke.”

Traveling with the team through the wilderness of the Land of Hot Springs, Uchiha Shinji lay on a cattle-drawn cart. He nodded solemnly and replied in the same serious tone:

“I understand.”

Seichiro chuckled softly, looking ahead with a hint of nostalgia.

In the past, he might have been dismissive about such missions, thinking the clan leader and elders were overly paranoid, even feeling envious at times.

Why was he sent to nearly certain death on the battlefield while the clan watched coldly?

And now, when this brat Uchiha Shinji was targeted, the entire clan mobilized, painting the lands of multiple nations red with blood?

Shinobi die all the time—what difference does it make where it happens?

What meaning could death possibly have?

But now...

As someone who had been saved—someone who had experienced what it meant to be ‘loved’—

he led such missions willingly. He was beginning to grasp the true meaning of the Uchiha clan’s existence, and he didn’t hesitate to share this newfound understanding with Uchiha Shinji.

Still, Seichiro thought, perhaps he had said too much.

Knowing Uchiha Shinji’s personality and past actions, this brat was likely to take things even further than he would.

“We’re almost at Hell Valley. This is where we part ways,” Seichiro said after a moment of silence.

“I have to continue enforcing the purge order and lead a team to hunt down some of the bounty exchange’s high-ranking members who fled to nearby small nations.”

Seichiro paused, glancing at the front of the convoy. There, Uchiha Setsuna sat cross-legged atop the cart, his blade resting across his knees, eyes closed as if meditating.

“By the way, have you figured out what you’re going to say to the Great Elder?”

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji’s expression twisted into a wry grimace.

“How am I supposed to explain anything to him?”

The last time Uchiha Setsuna summoned him, he had pushed his body to the brink of collapse and passed out, conveniently dodging the meeting.

He had only just woken up a short while ago and learned the full story from Seichiro.

Now that he knew everything, the weight on his shoulders had only grown heavier.

And now…

He had absolutely no idea how to face that old man.

At his weakest moment, it was that old man who had sacrificed half his life to pull him out of a certain-death situation.

Since then, the old man had been like a grandfather from a fantasy novel, showering him with gifts as though they cost nothing:

weapons, forbidden jutsu, sword techniques, money, and even the position of clan leader.

Especially the Uchiha-ryu: Solar Halo Dance and the Uchiha-ryu: String Manipulation Shuriken Technique.

These two jutsu had become the core of his combat abilities, allowing him to rise from nothing and defeat countless formidable foes.

From the very beginning, his fate had been branded with the mark of the Uchiha. This was the origin of everything.

“The Great Elder can be harsh with his words,” Seichiro said with a bitter smile, trying to console him.

“But he’s not going to eat you. Some things just have to be faced.”

Uchiha Shinji lifted his head and stared silently at the sky for a moment.

He watched the drifting clouds, the sunlight piercing through them,

and felt its warmth against his chest, the rhythm of his heartbeat resonating with the heat on his skin.

“You’re right. Some things just have to be faced.”

Seichiro nodded in agreement. Without warning, he grabbed Uchiha Shinji’s arm and hoisted him onto his back.

“Well, no time like the present. Let’s go face it now!”

“Wait, hold on!” Uchiha Shinji cried out, his expression frozen in shock as he struggled to free himself.

"No, what are you doing? Put me down, man!"

But with his body now drained of strength, how could he compare to Kiyichiro, who was already a Jōnin?

Kiyichiro chuckled mischievously, carrying Uchiha Shinji on his shoulder as he jogged forward.

"You think I’m just sitting around with nothing better to do, waiting for you to wake up?"

"Forgive me, Shinji, this is all an assignment from the Grand Elder!"

Bang!  

As he finished speaking, Uchiha Shinji was flung through the air in a graceful arc, landing in a carriage covered with a canvas top.

His face scraped against the wooden boards, knocking over two clay jars of millet before crashing into something solid.

"Ugh! Pfft, pfft!"

Shaking his head, he clambered to his feet, brushing off the millet scattered over him. Only then did Uchiha Shinji realize that the "solid object" he had collided with was none other than Kakuzu.

Kakuzu, stripped of his mask, his mouth gagged with rough burlap, and tightly bound, had sealing jutsu marks inscribed on his body. These marks were so rudimentary they would break with a single struggle.

"Mmph—!"

The moment Kakuzu saw him, he glared furiously, his demeanor suggesting he wanted to curse him out. His intense emotions momentarily caused a spike in Uchiha Shinji’s chakra.

"Well, hello there~." Uchiha Shinji raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a smirk at Kakuzu’s helpless state.

Uchiha Shinji wasn’t skilled in sealing jutsu, and the seals restraining Kakuzu were practically decorative—he could break free at any moment.

What truly kept Kakuzu in check was the group of Uchiha clan elites surrounding the carriage. Even though his masks could dispel genjutsu, they were no match for the array of Sharingan. Any sign of rebellion would result in him being subjected to an endless barrage of genjutsu.

Adding to the intimidation, the strongest of them all, Uchiha Setsuna, was personally overseeing the situation.

Realizing this, Uchiha Shinji’s grin froze. Just as he expected, a calm, ethereal voice—hoarse with age—sounded from nearby.

"Ci,"

"So, you’re awake."

Uchiha Shinji raised his head and saw Uchiha Setsuna seated cross-legged at the front of the carriage. The elder had turned slightly, staring at him with his one functioning eye.

"What’s wrong? Are you afraid I’ll eat you?"

"No, no, not at all!" Uchiha Shinji let out an awkward laugh, scratching his head as he sheepishly shuffled closer.

When he finally sat next to Uchiha Setsuna, he noticed something surprising—the old man actually had both eyes open. While the left eye looked normal, the right iris had turned a ghostly white.

This was the mark left by using Izanagi.

"Let’s talk about you first," Uchiha Setsuna said, his brows furrowing as he glanced at Shinji with visible disdain.

"What’s with your swordsmanship?"

Hearing the question, Uchiha Shinji perked up and eagerly began explaining:

"You mean the swordsmanship I developed? Well, I incorporated Wind Release ninjutsu, Fire Release Chakra Mode, and—"

Uchiha Setsuna raised a hand, cutting him off with a frown.

"Who told you to talk about that?"

"What I’m asking is, who taught you to wield a sword like that?"

The old man glanced at Uchiha Shinji’s frozen smile with utter disdain, showing no mercy as he criticized:

"Ugly! Stiff! Absolutely repulsive!"

"That’s not Uchiha at all! Even a dog could swing a sword better than you!"

"Do you even know what technique is? Do you understand what swordsmanship is? Without a solid foundation, victory or defeat will be decided in an instant!"

"You need training—intensive training!"

Without sparing a single shred of kindness, the old man unleashed a storm of reprimands.

"And another thing! Thanks to Shinichi’s letters, I’m fully aware of how you skipped out on your duties in the Land of Rain and neglected your training!"

"This time, I will personally oversee your progress,"

"You’re going to endure hellish training!!"

(Chapter End)  

Chapter 223: Arrival at Hell Valley, The Name of the Leader!

The Land of Hot Water is located in a region characterized by numerous hot springs, mountainous terrain, and intense volcanic activity.

Within this nation lies the largest volcanic crater, known as Hell Valley.

Formed by molten lava after a volcanic eruption, Hell Valley is an eerie and bizarre landscape. Sulfuric gases spew from the grayish-yellow rock surfaces, filling the air with a strong, pungent odor. Steam vents embedded in the rock walls release bursts of white mist, roaring like the cries of a fiery inferno. Meanwhile, tiny, unnamed fissures trickle streams of water, their soft murmurs sounding like sorrowful wails from the depths of the earth.

The convoy made its way through a narrow path in Hell Valley.

After traversing a barren expanse of gravel and avoiding the thick miasma, they reached a patch of forest that had been cleared and restructured. The forest consisted mainly of water pine trees and nine-leaf bamboo, mixed with various broadleaf trees.

Their destination lay within this forest: the defensive encampment of the Uchiha Clan, established along the cliffs surrounding Hell Valley.

The convoy halted in front of a row of newly built wooden houses.

Uchiha Setsuna, with Uchiha Shinji—who had endured an entire journey of verbal reprimands to the point of near despair—stepped down from the carriage and approached the Leaf ninja reinforcements.

With a stern expression, Setsuna spoke:

"Thank you all for coming to aid Hell Valley."

"Mission details will soon be distributed to each of you, and guides will help familiarize you with the terrain."

"The primary tasks are patrolling the cliffs and eliminating the members of the Blood Pond Clan who have gone berserk and escaped from Hell Valley."

"Take note: for those of you without the Sharingan, you must operate in pairs for all routine tasks. If you don’t, stay in the camp and go nowhere!"

"Lastly, do not enter the camp with open wounds."

"Even a scratch from a tree branch is unacceptable!"

"That's all."

As always, Uchiha Setsuna was quick and decisive. After listing the key points, he turned and walked away with his hands behind his back.

Before leaving, he glanced over his shoulder and addressed Uchiha Shinji, who was standing obediently in front of him:

"Come see me after dinner."

"It's time you learned a few things."

With that, Setsuna departed with a group of Uchiha members, including the bound and gagged Kakuzu, leaving Uchiha Shinji and the Leaf ninja reinforcements behind.

Because Setsuna's instructions were so concise, the group appeared somewhat puzzled.

"Pairs only? No open wounds?"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke frowned in confusion.

At this moment, Hyuga Hizashi, who had remained silent until now, began to explain:

"I have some knowledge of this."

"According to records from the Warring States period preserved by the Hyuga Clan, the Blood Pond Clan possesses a dōjutsu-based kekkei genkai called the Blood Dragon Eye."

"This dōjutsu has a 'hypnotic eye' ability that rivals the Sharingan. Facing such an enemy is akin to battling an Uchiha."

"Everyone here should understand how challenging it is to confront an illusion-capable enemy one-on-one."

"Hiss—"

The Leaf ninja collectively gasped.

In the ninja world, there is a well-known saying: ‘If you encounter an Uchiha, avoid fighting one-on-one.’ Now, they were to face an enemy whose dōjutsu rivaled the Sharingan in hypnotic power.

It was no wonder the Leaf Village had sent such elite reinforcements.

This enemy was indeed formidable.

"Lord Hizashi, what’s the issue with the wounds?"

Hyuga Kenshi, a member of Hizashi's team, couldn’t help but ask. As a branch family member, his access to such classified information was limited.

Hizashi paused, his brow furrowed, and explained:

"Due to the passage of time, the records on this are somewhat vague."

"However, it seems the Blood Dragon Eye can use blood as a medium to cast unique jutsu. What these techniques are exactly is known only to the Uchiha Clan, who have long been tasked with guarding the Blood Pond."

At these words, everyone instinctively turned their gaze to Uchiha Shinji, who stood off to the side.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke stepped forward and asked sincerely:

"If Elder Setsuna mentioned this, he must have had good reason. However, we don’t fully understand the details. Uchiha Shinji, do you know anything about this?"

Uchiha Shinji shook his head decisively. "Sorry, I don’t know much either."

Having read the original chronicles, Shinji did have an understanding of what Setsuna was referring to.

The Blood Dragon Eye possessed the ability to create "human bombs."

Through its dōjutsu, it could hypnotize enemies, then inject chakra into their bodies through open wounds, manipulating their blood to transform them into "human bombs" that could detonate at a set time.

More advanced users of the Blood Dragon Eye would cover their tracks, hypnotizing their victims, covertly infusing chakra through concealed wounds, and turning them into explosives. Once these victims infiltrated a crowd, they could be detonated, causing massive casualties.

Because of this, Setsuna, who was well aware of the threat, had emphasized the importance of inspecting wounds.

The underlying principle resembled the genjutsu technique "False Surroundings Jutsu."

--

*Sometimes, those caught in an illusion might think they were merely scratched by a tree branch along the roadside, without realizing it was a wound created by the Blood Pool Clan after hypnotizing them.*

Although Uchiha Shinji was aware of such intelligence, he lacked a reliable source for gathering more.

Once or twice could be overlooked, but he couldn't keep pinning everything on Orochimaru.

Only Uchiha Shinji knew how precious the knowledge in his mind was in this world. If his secret were to be exposed, it would undoubtedly attract dangerous attention.

Currently, Orochimaru coveted his body, but if he discovered the future knowledge in Shinji’s mind, it wouldn’t just be his body Orochimaru would desire.

Uchiha Shinji understood the principle: “A man without sin is guilty if he bears a treasure.”

“This…” Sarutobi Shinnozuke rubbed his forehead, sighed heavily, and said reluctantly,

“We’ve been traveling non-stop. Everyone is exhausted. Let’s rest for a while.”

“Ci, Elder Setsuna seems to want to speak with you after dinner tonight. Please discuss this matter with him at that time.”

Uchiha Shinji nodded, “No problem.”

After last night’s fierce battle, everyone had immediately set out for Hell Valley without any rest, leaving them utterly drained.

There were currently four wooden cabins. The team divided themselves into groups and selected a cabin each before settling in and organizing their belongings.

The defense of Hell Valley was a long-term mission.

This meant that until the Hidden Cloud Village completely abandoned their plans for Hell Valley, the team would have to hold their ground here.

---

Meanwhile, in the Land of Frost.

Having departed from the Cloud and Thunder Gorge of the Land of Lightning, Hidden Cloud’s advance forces traversed a desolate coastal area. This region was the same battlefield where, during the Fourth Shinobi World War, the Allied Shinobi Forces fought against the White Zetsu army that crossed the sea.

The Hidden Cloud's vanguard forces were now stationed here.

As the troops returned to camp after bypassing the Land of Fields through the northern Land of Hot Water, they reported last night’s intelligence to Ai, the son of the Raikage and commander of the vanguard.

Inside the tent,

After hearing the report and seeing Killer Bee’s charred and slashed injuries, the young Ai furrowed his brows deeply.

“A 12-year-old brat managed to push Bee to this extent?”

“Strange swordsmanship, large-scale and powerful Fire Release techniques, and even a method capable of driving the Eight-Tails into a rampage...”

Ai pondered for a moment, then furrowed his brows further and let out a heavy sigh.

“No matter. As long as Bee and I work together, killing this kid won’t be a problem. And this is something that must be done sooner rather than later!”

Having experienced rapid growth in his own strength, Ai understood well that a 12-year-old could improve dramatically in a short time.

Especially one who had awakened the Sharingan, capable of copying Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. Who knew how much stronger this kid might become by their next encounter?

The emergence of Konoha’s Yellow Flash was already a big enough headache.

Turning to the brown-skinned, white-haired girl with glasses standing before him, Ai commanded,

“Mabui, use Heavenly Transport immediately to relay my coordinates to the Blood Pool Clan in Hell Valley. Have them cooperate with us to begin our operation!”

“Within three days, I want that brat’s head!”

However, Mabui calmly adjusted her glasses, shook her head, and said,

“No, Lord Ai.”

“A message just arrived from the capital of the Land of Lightning. A group of assassins known as the ‘Immortal Heretics’ has infiltrated the Daimyō’s residence.”

“The Raikage has ordered you to proceed to the capital immediately and apprehend the assassins.”

“This concerns the funding for our side in the upcoming Third Shinobi World War.”

“The operation in Hell Valley will be handled by someone else.”

Hearing this, Ai was momentarily stunned.

“Immortal Heretics? What kind of small-time organization is that?”

Mabui, holding a document in her arms, furrowed her brows slightly.

“That part is indeed strange.”

“Because the leader of this group shares the same name as the Konoha prodigy you’re trying to kill.”

“Uchiha Shinji.”

---

(Chapter End)

Chapter 224: Mangekyō Sharingan! The Rift Between Fantasy and Reality!

After enjoying dinner made with the unique geothermal steam of Hell Valley,

Uchiha Shinji was guided out of the camp by a middle-aged man with a kindly face named Uchiha Kagari.

Climbing up the steep slope that circled Hell Valley,

he found Uchiha Setsuna already waiting there.

At that moment,

Uchiha Setsuna was dressed in a short-sleeved kimono, his gray-white hair tied at mid-length and neatly gathered at the back. He sat silently at the edge of the cliff.

Looking down into the dark abyss of Hell Valley, where the clouds churned like boiling mist and the depths seemed endless, utterly devoid of human traces,

he announced:

"Great Elder, I’m here."

Uchiha Shinji approached and glanced down.

Just then, a bird flew across the cliff’s edge.

However, in the next instant—

*Swish!*

A shadow shot up abruptly from Hell Valley, piercing the bird at lightning speed and sending it plummeting to the ground.

Upon closer inspection, the shadow was nothing more than an ordinary stone.

Witnessing this, Uchiha Shinji was slightly startled.

Judging from the speed at which the stone ascended and the sound it made when fired, he estimated that the vertical drop of Hell Valley was at least 800 meters.

To strike a flying bird at such a distance with such precision was no ordinary feat of throwing skill.

Yet Uchiha Setsuna, seated on the cliff’s edge, did not so much as raise an eyebrow. After a brief silence, he spoke:

"This is how those trapped in Hell Valley live."

"Falsely accused and imprisoned by the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning on fabricated charges, they survive by drinking the scalding water of the valley, catching birds in midair to craft clothing from their feathers, and subsisting on wild grass."

"Living like savages!"

"And who would have thought that, sixty years ago, these people were nobles living lives of luxury?"

Uchiha Setsuna paused briefly and, without turning his head, asked in a calm voice:

"Ci,"

"Do you understand what caused such a tragedy?"

Uchiha Shinji remained silent for a moment before replying:

"I suppose it’s the unpredictability of fate."

"Giving up strength, relinquishing their identity as shinobi, abandoning the skills their clan had passed down for centuries,

choosing to become nobles, stepping into a field they were unskilled in,

and entering a battlefield of power struggles they weren’t equipped to handle,

ultimately led to their crushing defeat."

Hearing Shinji’s answer, Uchiha Setsuna nodded with satisfaction.

"Precisely!"

"This is why I chose you, not Fugaku."

Uchiha Setsuna gestured for Uchiha Shinji to come closer.

At the cliff’s edge—one step forward and one would fall to the bottom of Hell Valley, meeting a gruesome death—Ci sat down beside him, letting his legs dangle over the abyss.

As he gazed at the bright full moon in the sky, the drifting mist, and the haunting echoes of Hell Valley,

Setsuna remained silent for a moment before sighing:

"Uchiha Fugaku undoubtedly possesses strength, cunning, and ambition beyond the reach of ordinary Uchiha clansmen."

"I even believe he may one day awaken those forbidden eyes and gain the godlike power that transcends all."

"By all logic, I should support someone like him to become clan leader."

Uchiha Setsuna paused, then added in a somber tone:

"But Fugaku lacks one crucial thing."

"And that is—"

"Boldness!"

"Ever since he became the captain of the police force, this man has borne the trust of countless clansmen, causing him to tread carefully with every step. It’s made him a slave to a distant, unattainable goal, tirelessly chasing it in vain."

"It’s caused him to lose himself."

Staring coldly at the roiling white mist below, Uchiha Setsuna said with a melancholy voice:

"Because I’ve seen it, I fear it."

"I fear Fugaku might, like this accursed blood pool, abandon the essence of the Uchiha and lead our clan to a fate from which there is no return."

Uchiha Shinji furrowed his brows slightly, glancing at the elder beside him. He asked curiously:

"The essence of the Uchiha?"

"What is that?"

Turning his head, Uchiha Setsuna’s single crimson eye locked onto Shinji with a piercing gaze:

"The pursuit of power—that is the essence of the Uchiha!"

"These eyes, capable of seeing through all and learning all, have long charted the path we must follow."

"Listen—"

"Uchiha Shinji, I am about to tell you some secrets that few know."

“Only someone like me, who has used the forbidden technique Izanagi to glimpse the profound world connecting illusion and reality, uncovering the truth of this world’s past, can witness such hidden legends!”

Uchiha Shinji froze for a moment.

It wasn’t because of the old man’s cryptic, almost prophetic words,

But because Uchiha Shana’s Sharingan, with its three tomoe, suddenly glowed crimson,

And at this moment, began to undergo a strange and wondrous transformation—

The three tomoe in the crimson pupil spun rapidly, stretching and reshaping into a brand-new pattern!

Like spiraling black lines connecting the pupil, three broad dark lines intertwined behind them, forming a design akin to a camera film reel,

A perfect masterpiece of this world:

The Mangekyō Sharingan!

“This… this is…”

Uchiha Shinji’s breath hitched as he stared, incredulous, at the pattern in Uchiha Shana’s singular, crimson eye.

“This is the ultimate power the Uchiha have sought for countless generations!”

Uchiha Shana let out a long sigh, smiling as if relieved of a great burden:

“The Mangekyō Sharingan!”

Uchiha Shinji gulped audibly, feeling as though a herd of alpacas was stampeding through his heart.

The script he wrote for this old man to fake his death for insurance fraud—who would’ve thought it would actually awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan!?

This absurd turn of events left him utterly stunned.

However, just as Uchiha Shana activated the Mangekyō Sharingan, he immediately clutched his eye, letting out a muffled cry of pain. Blood tears flowed down his hand, splattering into the night sky.

Seizing the moment, Shana raised his bloodstained fingers with difficulty. His trembling index and middle fingers pressed together,

And he brought them down onto Uchiha Shinji’s wide-open right eye!

With his other hand, he swiftly formed the “Ram” hand seal,

Then, in a low, commanding voice, the old man declared:

“Transcription Seal: Seal!”

A faint heat surged in Shinji’s eye socket, as though a peculiar energy was being infused into his right eye.

His entire eyeball tingled slightly, a sensation both numb and itchy, and Uchiha Shinji unconsciously activated his own Sharingan.

Reflected in his two-tomoe Sharingan,

His right eye silently morphed into the pattern of Uchiha Shana’s Mangekyō.

But the very next moment,

It vanished as if nothing had happened, the pattern quietly fading from sight.

After completing this,

Uchiha Shana deactivated his Mangekyō Sharingan immediately, as if the process had drained him immensely.

The elderly man panted heavily, his chest rising and falling, struggling to catch his breath.

“Wait—old man, you—”

Uchiha Shinji quickly supported him, worried the old man might accidentally topple over the cliff.

Leaping to his feet, he dragged Uchiha Shana to a safer spot and laid him down.

It took several long moments of labored breathing before Uchiha Shana, who had nearly choked himself to death, finally recovered.

He fell silent, his gaze momentarily vacant as he stared at Uchiha Shinji.

Then he asked:

“What was I saying just now?”

Uchiha Shinji froze, watching as the old man’s eyes lit up again, like he had just remembered something.

His Mangekyō Sharingan activated once more, and he lifted his fingers, preparing to poke Shinji’s eye again.

“Oh, right, I need to give you the transcription seal. Hold still…”

Uchiha Shinji felt a chill run down his spine. Could this old man be suffering from dementia?

Why did he forget what he just did a moment ago?

Hurriedly, he slapped away Shana’s trembling hand and interrupted,

“You’ve already done it! You did it once already!”

“That’s enough!”

“Really?” The old man finally came to his senses, nodded, and pulled out a small notebook from his robe, glancing at it briefly.

Then, coughing twice, he solemnly said:

“One more thing—”

“I must warn you, Izanagi is not a benevolent technique. The rift between illusion and reality it bridges is unimaginably dangerous!”

“Forbidden techniques must never be abused!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 225: A Journey in Fantasy, A Heavier Gift Beyond Imagination

"That day, before I performed the Solar Halo Dance in the Fire Release: Chakra Mode,"

"I employed the clan's forbidden jutsu passed down through generations: Izanagi."

"To activate this jutsu, one must weave the signs of 'Rabbit-Hog-Goat.' For those with the Sharingan, the cost is steep—a permanent loss of vision in one eye to rewrite reality itself!"

"It can turn any unfavorable event into something that never occurred, while only manifesting favorable outcomes into reality."

Uchiha Setsuna propped himself up, sitting weakly at the edge of the cliff where the night breeze flowed silently. He slowly began recounting to Uchiha Shinji the story unknown to him since their separation in the Land of Hot Springs.

"At the time, I wasn’t even sure if the technique would succeed. So, I pursued that fleeting moment of eternity with the resolve to die."

"In the end, I burned everything to ash, exchanging it for an unparalleled, fleeting power!"

"Fortunately, the forbidden jutsu succeeded. At the cost of permanent blindness in one eye, I entered the rift between fantasy and reality!"

"And it was precisely at that moment, in my twilight years, that I finally grasped the truth of eternal transience and awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"I gained a Mangekyō ability named *‘Ame-no-Tokotachi.’*"

"‘Ame-no-Tokotachi?’"

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji was suddenly startled.

According to mythologies of the Sakura region, the deity Ame-no-Tokotachi governs time itself. A Mangekyō ability bearing this name must undoubtedly have a connection to time-related powers.

It seemed fitting that Uchiha Setsuna, who pursued eternal moments of transience at the cost of self-sacrifice, would awaken such an ability.

But time, a scale existing only in human perception, when transformed into ocular power—what form would it take?

"Indeed, the Mangekyō technique known as Ame-no-Tokotachi," Uchiha Setsuna nodded.

However, a faint trace of embarrassment soon appeared on his face.

"To my shame, I only remember its name. I’ve already forgotten its effects and how to activate it."

"...What?"

Uchiha Shinji was dumbfounded.

A Mangekyō Sharingan technique, whose usage typically becomes instinctively clear upon awakening, could be forgotten?

Sighing, he couldn’t help but lament.

He understood, of course, that Uchiha Setsuna wasn’t deliberately withholding information, nor was it due to senility.

Although the old man was advanced in years, his vigor when fighting or reciting the names of all major organizations in the shinobi world like listing menu items clearly showed no signs of dementia.

The real issue likely lay in the side effects of the ocular power itself.

But what kind of ability could have such repercussions?

Pondering for a moment, Uchiha Shinji saw the slight guilt on the old man’s face.

He patted him on the back, offering comfort:

"Perhaps it’s better this way—better to have forgotten."

At least, forgetting the Mangekyō's specific powers might prevent overusing them, avoiding the accelerated blindness that came with it.

Even with just one eye, the basic abilities of the Mangekyō Sharingan were already formidable.

Moreover, Uchiha Shinji had no wish to see the elder risking his life again, fighting battles to the point of completely losing his vision for the sake of family or others.

He had done more than enough.

However, at that moment, Uchiha Setsuna suddenly grasped Uchiha Shinji’s wrist tightly, his breathing rough and eyes glowing with fervor.

"But, Shinji,"

"After stepping into that rift between fantasy and reality, with the eye I awakened in that dreamlike world, like a reflection of our world—"

"I saw many, many things!"

His single scarlet eye shimmered, as if containing countless vivid, majestic scenes Uchiha Shinji had never witnessed.

"It was a shattered, chaotic world, where time flowed in reverse."

"From now, back to the Warring States Era. From the Warring States, to the age of the Six Paths Sage, now lost to myth. From that grand era to an unremembered time of chaos."

"Countless forgotten secret techniques drowned in the river of time. Countless Kage-level powerhouses. Countless treasures!"

"The Totsuka Blade, Yata Mirror, Yasakani Magatama, Sage’s Seals, the Six Paths Tools, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi..."

"The Divine Tree, the Tenfold Spear of Ama-no-Nuboko, the Flame Uchiwa, and a Susanoo even stronger than Uchiha Madara’s—brilliant and azure!"

"Trapped within that world..."

"I don’t remember how many times I used the Mangekyō’s power to escape."

Uchiha Setsuna’s expression grew increasingly intense. His grip on Uchiha Shinji’s wrist tightened, his nails sinking into the skin.

"Believe me, Shinji. You have to believe me!"

"This wasn’t a dream—it really happened to me!"

He stared at Uchiha Shinji with an almost pathological earnestness, desperate for him to believe what sounded like the ramblings of a madman.

Finally, from within his robe, he produced a weathered notebook.

"This is proof. Look at this!"

On the notebook’s pages was a complex array of techniques drawn in a rough, simple style.

At its center, the character "天" (Heaven) was engraved, with four lines of notes beneath it:

"I’ve pre-set the transcription seal in advance."

"But I'm not sure if I'll forget about this matter."

"Please, make sure to pass on this power of the kaleidoscope named 'Eternal Horizon,'"

"This ticket to surpass the strength of all our ancestors—pass it on to Uchiha Shinji!"

Uchiha Setsuna stared intently at Uchiha Shinji, his eyes wide open, his withered hand trembling as it gripped Shinji’s wrist.

"I don’t even remember writing this note, nor do I recall unlocking the Mangekyo Sharingan. All I remember are those past events, as unreal as a fleeting dream. If not for its existence, I—"

Hearing these words and looking at the frail hand clasped around his wrist, Uchiha Shinji fell silent for a moment. Finally, he pulled his arm forward, embracing the old man tightly. Patting his thin back, he spoke softly yet firmly:

"I understand. I understand."

"Grand Elder,"

"I believe you!"

Feeling this gentle embrace, Uchiha Setsuna froze for a moment.

Then, he began to smile—a smile that brought a stream of bloody tears sliding down the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes.

Uchiha Shinji didn’t say a word; he merely felt his heart tremble slightly.

From the moment Uchiha Setsuna mentioned the word "Amenonuhoko," Shinji knew—

Everything the elder had said might be true!

Amenonuhoko—a sword of the heart.

A divine sword belonging to Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths and the progenitor of the ninja world.

There were no records of it being passed down in the shinobi world. Its existence only came to light during the Fourth Great Ninja War in the future, when Uchiha Obito—having become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki and risen to Six Paths level—mentioned its legend.

And yet, this highly classified information had come from Uchiha Setsuna’s mouth.

Not to mention the other things he spoke of: the divine tools, the God Tree.

And that sky-blue Susano'o. If his description was accurate, it must have been the Sage of Six Paths' own Susano'o—a being far more powerful than a Perfect Susano'o, capable of standing against the Ten-Tails and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.

As Uchiha Shinji thought back on his journey—slashing his way from the Land of Hot Water to the Land of Rain, then back to the Leaf Village, and once again returning to the Land of Hot Water—it had been a path filled with extraordinary events.

But the elderly man before him,

In that world he described, where fantasy and reality intertwined,

May have experienced a journey even more grand than Uchiha Shinji’s.

And yet,

The first thing this man did upon returning to reality

Was to dig out the power he had received in the realm between life and death, a power long forgotten in a dream, and pass it on to Shinji.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Shinji couldn’t help but sink into silence.

Then,

He clenched his trembling fists tightly.

(End of Chapter)