belamy20

21-25

Added 2025-01-25 07:20:04 +0000 UTC

Chapter 21: Come On, Kill Me! Open the Door; My Moment to Shine Has Arrived!

A fist slammed hard into Moroi's face, sinking his cheek and throwing him backward into the barrier wall with a dull thud.

*Bang!*

*"Urgh!"*

Moroi couldn't suppress a pained grunt as three bloodied molars were spat out of his mouth.

Before this, his stamina had already been drained by constant travel. Adding to that, he had repeatedly used the Body Flicker Technique, the Fire Sealing Mark, and the Binding Formation twice. On top of it all, he had fallen victim to Shinji's combination jutsu, leaving his entire body riddled with cuts.

As if that weren’t enough, he'd unleashed a large-scale sealing technique: *Infinite Wrath Sealing Flow*. By now, 80% of his chakra had been exhausted.

Now, gasping for breath to ease his physical and mental fatigue caused by overusing chakra, he found himself struggling to keep his focus.

But what he hadn't anticipated was that Shinji—who had been hit with the *Infinite Wrath Sealing Flow*—had managed to get back on his feet and launch an attack!

Looking at Shinji crawling toward him like a vengeful ghost, his face twisted with rage, bloodshot Sharingan glaring with malice, Moroi felt a shiver run through his body. His heart seemed to be gripped by the devil's hand, and he couldn’t stop himself from trembling.

Shinji's face like mask of twisted fury as his Sharingan's single tomoe spun ominously.

Forcing himself upright, Shinji lashed out with a devastating kick, slamming Moroi's head into the barrier wall. Moroi could only raise his hands helplessly to clutch his face as he howled in pain.

Before he could recover, Shinji flipped and delivered a brutal sidekick to Moroi's left cheek.

The impact sent Moroi, a seasoned elite of the Hidden Cloud Village, spinning through the air before crashing into the rubble of a crumbled wall.

At that moment, Shinji’s world sharpened with clarity. He could see everything in vivid detail, down to the dust particles descending from the air. Despite his body reaching its absolute limit, a strange, new energy surged within him.

Yet this newfound strength did nothing to quell the seething anger and fear in his heart.

Anger at having his death interrupted.

And fear of the uncertain future ahead.

Shinji clenched his fists, tearing a clean explosive tag from his gear. Pulling out the last kunai strapped to his leg, he wrapped the tag around its tip.

Trembling lips pressed together in a grim line, he said nothing. His Sharingan glared menacingly, and his twisted smile spread wider as he stepped toward Moroi.

Blood and ink-stained tears mixed together, dripping down his chin and splattering onto the ground.

But a closer look revealed his trembling—

His chattering teeth, his quivering face, his darting pupils.

This was a face twisted by fury and terror, a grotesque mask of a vengeful demon!

Moroi, slumped in the rubble, spat out a mouthful of blood and shook his head to clear his vision. His head throbbed, and one ear had gone completely deaf.

After a moment of piercing tinnitus, he faintly heard voices calling his name from outside the barrier.

"Moroi!"

It was his comrades, Ramui and Dodai.

Moroi raised his head in confusion, staring blankly toward the voices.

Ramui face was filled with urgency as he shouted, "Snap out of it!"

"Moroi, don’t you get it yet?"

"He's only been using taijutsu! His chakra was sealed by the *Infinite Wrath Sealing Flow*!"

Moroi's eyes widened in realization.

At that moment, a kunai came hurtling toward him!

Reacting instinctively, he mobilized his chakra, rolled to his feet, and grabbed Shinji's wrist.

But Shinji only sneered, and with a sickening crack, dislocated his own arm to free himself.

His other hand pulled the explosive tag from the kunai tip and slapped it directly onto Moroi's face.

The tag began to glow!

*BOOM!*

*Bang! Bang!*

The explosion’s shockwave sent both of them flying, tumbling to the ground in opposite directions.

Moroi gasped for air, his face pale with terror.

"Madman! You’re insane!" he shouted.

"Are you trying to take us both out?!"

Had Moroi not slapped the explosive tag away at the last second, they both would’ve been blown to pieces!

Shinji staggered to his feet, his crimson Sharingan blazing with fury.

"You call me crazy?" he snarled.

Shinji bared his teeth, tilting his head as his blood-red eyes bore into Moroi with unbridled contempt.

"What do you know? Have you ever experienced nine years of mandatory education?"

"Do you know what a truly peaceful world looks like?"

"Have you ever sipped cola in a rental room, typing away at a keyboard, chasing your dreams with all your heart?"

"I had it all!" Shinji voice roared with rage, "And then I was thrown into this godforsaken world over some cruel, idiotic twist of fate!" ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

"You don’t understand a thing!"

"You, the Hidden Cloud, the Hidden Leaf—you’re all just a bunch of uncivilized savages!" (ꐦ ಠ皿ಠ )

"You, with that pitiful excuse for a brain, can’t even comprehend what it means to live! You’re not even worth a zombie’s bite!"

Shinji threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing like a man on the brink of madness.

*"Hahahahahahaha!"*

"I’ve had enough!"

"Enough, enough, enough, enough, enough!" ＼(´◓Д◔`)／

“This boring world—this world without Wi-Fi, TikTok Shorts, games, movies, or JAV entertainment. A world without the people I care about, without the things I desire—nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing!”

“There’s nothing at all!”

Shinji abruptly stopped speaking, the Sharingan tomoe in his hand spinning wildly. His expression brimmed with ferocity, coldness, arrogance, disdain—

And,

An all-consuming rage!

“This world is empty! It’s meaningless!” (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

As if he had seen through everything, Shinji fixed his gaze on Moroi. But his eyes seemed to pierce through Moroi, looking at the entire world behind him.

With a mocking gesture, he crooked his finger toward his opponent.

“Come on, kill me!”

Moroi’s eyes turned icy as he took a deep breath.

He didn’t understand what Shinji meant by Wi-Fi, TikTok Shorts, or whatever “JAV entertainment” was.

But he could tell—

Shinji, this worthless Genin, someone who had only just awakened a single-tomoe Sharingan, someone who, in the Third Shinobi World War, was barely more than cannon fodder—

Was mocking him!?

“You’ve chosen the path of death!” Moroi’s gaze sharpened.

Without another word, he drew his longsword, narrowing his eyes slightly. He held the blade against his arm, stepping into a combat stance.

Knowing Shinji couldn’t use chakra made things clear.

Though he himself didn’t have much chakra left for jutsu, his mastery of taijutsu as a Tokubetsu Jōnin—

A mere genin was nothing more than a child he could crush with ease!

Shinji wasted no words, immediately sprinting forward in a low stance. One hand was hidden behind his waist, as if ready to draw a weapon from his ninja pouch, rushing toward Moroi.

Moroi smirked and twisted his step, swinging his blade.

This swing was the “Deceptive Slash” from Kumogakure’s Cloud-Style Swordsmanship.

A simple horizontal slash designed to create the illusion of an overhead attack, forcing the opponent to evade.

If the target dodged left, it seamlessly transitioned into the “Inner Slash,” striking from the blind spot as the opponent exposed their back.

If the target dodged right, they would face the follow-up killing move—

Cloud-Style: Crescent Moon Slash!

But in the next moment, Moroi’s smirk froze.

Shinji didn’t dodge at all.

He let the blade slice from his left shoulder to his right, leaving a gruesome gash.

Then, grabbing the sword’s edge with his bare hand, blood dripping to the ground from between his fingers, he stared coldly, with madness and fury in his eyes.

“This is a Jōnin? This is your swordsmanship?!”

“Not enough! This isn’t enough!”

“Come on, kill me!”

“Use all your strength—kill me!”

Moroi’s face twisted in shock, unable to suppress a growing fear. In his heart, he cursed this lunatic.

Just then, a furious shout rang out beyond the barrier:

“Enough!”

“Moroi, release the barrier!”

“I’ll kill him myself!”

Dodai face was contorted in rage as his hands moved in a flurry of seals, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes.

Moroi’s failure was evident—he was useless now.

The mounting pressure from Shinji was driving Dodai to the brink of losing his sanity.

Now,

He wanted nothing more than to unleash large-scale ninjutsu, burying this brat, Shinji, and Moroi together in one fell swoop.

*Earth Style: Rising Earth Excavation*

Lava Style: Molten River!

Two A-Rank jutsu were already primed to erupt!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 22: A Cruel Choice — The Uchiha Choose Love!

Outside the barrier, Dodai swiftly weaved hand seals.

Upon seeing this, Uchiha Setsuna's face instantly changed.

He immediately recognized the jutsu Dodai was preparing: *Earth Style: Rising Earth Excavation*!

This was a large-scale Earth Style technique capable of raising a massive volcano from underground, forcibly dragging any enemies hidden beneath the surface to light.

However, in the hot spring-heavy, mountainous region of the Land of Hot Water, where volcanic activity is exceptionally high, using such a jutsu would drastically change its nature.

What would rise from the ground would not be enemies, but endless, scalding, boiling water.

Water so hot that even brief contact could cause third-degree burns,

exceeding *100°C (212°F)*!

With such terrain amplifying the power of the jutsu, the Hidden Cloud team was confident they could kill Uchiha Setsuna.

This was also why they had chosen to ambush him in the Land of Hot Water rather than at the border of the Land of Fire.

Dodai couldn't wait any longer.

The reason for all this trouble was that insane Uchiha kid inside the barrier!

If not for him forcibly turning the tide of battle and relentlessly holding off Moroi, now, with the awakening of the Sharingan, he was even beginning to turn the fight in his favor.

Dodai would never have gone to such lengths otherwise.

These thoughts raced through Dodai's mind.

His gaze shifted to Moroi, now filled with turmoil.

Because the consequences of his decision would mean sacrificing his comrade, Moroi.

The Hidden Cloud Village had always prided itself on valuing brotherly bonds.

Guilt, regret, and shame hammered relentlessly at Dodai's heart, leaving his face torn with struggle.

But the overwhelming rage emanating from Uchiha Setsuna—

that maniacal defiance,

that unbridled fury of the greatest clan in the current ninja world— filled Dodai with a suffocating sense of fear he couldn't suppress.

Kill him!

This thought, once ignited, spread like a curse through Dodai's mind, repeating itself uncontrollably.

Until it drowned out everything else.

The next moment—

Dodai's eyes hardened, and he roared angrily:

"Enough!"

"Moroi, dispel the barrier!"

"I'll kill him myself!" ( ▀ 益 ▀ )!

---

Inside the Barrier

"What did you say, Dodai-senpai?"

Hearing Dodai's command, Moroi froze in shock.

This hesitation gave Shinji an opening. Seizing the moment, he slashed with his blade, his bloodied hand gripping the hilt tightly. Shinji followed up with a vicious kick to Moroi's abdomen.

Bang!

Moroi was sent flying, the ninja blade knocked from his hand and into Shinji grasp.

He tumbled across the ruins several times before finally halting himself with his hand, bracing against the ground.

Ignoring the need to continue fighting Shinji, Moroi turned his stunned gaze toward Dodai outside the barrier.

But Dodai, standing there, merely took a deep brea9o.lxth, his hands continuing their seals. In a cold voice, he ordered again:

"I said, open the barrier!"

"Open the barrier?" Moroi's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Dodai.

"You're telling me to open the barrier now?"

His face turned red, then pale, his expression shifting rapidly.

As a key member of the team who had been involved in planning from the start, Moroi knew all too well how terrifying and far-reaching the power of the *Earth Style: Rising Earth Excavation* could be.

And now, Dodai was telling him to dispel the barrier, claiming he would personally kill Shinji!

Did he not realize this jutsu would engulf everyone in its range, including himself?

A chill ran through Moroi as he realized this, his heart turning cold. He looked at Dodai, once like an older brother to him, with eyes now full of unfamiliarity.

Finally, he burst out in fury:

"Are you kidding me?!"

"You're forming seals for Rising Earth Excavation, and you want me to open the barrier?!"

"You’re planning to kill me too, aren’t you, Dodai?!"

Hearing this, a hint of guilt flashed across Dodai's face.

He didn’t respond, nor did he dare to meet Moroi's gaze. Instead, he turned his head, gritting his teeth as he barked at Ramui:

"Ramui, protect me! Don’t let that Uchiha bastard get close!"

Ramui was equally shocked by what he heard:

"Dodai, you..."

---

Dodai shook his head with a grim expression and said:

“Do I need to repeat myself? If that old man gets away, do you not understand the consequences?”

Ramui gritted her teeth slightly. “But why does Moroi have to be included as well?”

Dodai exhaled deeply, forming the final seal with his hands. With a cold, indifferent look, he replied:

“Ridiculous! If we don’t take out that crazy brat along with him, there won’t be any barriers left to stop the old man from escaping!”

“The situation now is completely different from before.”

“Moroi has already completed his task—he sealed all the explosive talismans on that crazy brat.”

“That brat no longer poses a threat.”

“On the contrary, he’ll become our ally!”

Ramui couldn’t help but glance sideways at this trusted lieutenant of the Third Raikage.

A hint of wariness flashed in his gaze.

It was no wonder this man had risen to such a high position in the Cloud Village at such a young age, while he, despite fighting entire life, was only a regular jōnin squad captain.

Shaking his head, Ramui sighed and said coldly:

“You’re right.”

“Sometimes, bonds can be stronger restraints than barriers.”

Dodai didn’t respond but narrowed his eyes instead.

He looked toward Uchiha Setsuna, who was wielding a crimson flaming longsword. The blade trailed a fiery streak, drawing red arcs in the air as it clashed with the glowing scarlet Sharingan. With a chilling glint in his eyes, Setsuna spun around and slashed.

Dodai sneered and slammed his palm onto the ground.

The earth trembled violently!

The ground came alive, and countless chunks of earth writhed upward.

A massive volcano began to rise from beneath the surface, inch by inch. The volcanic crater instantly engulfed the barrier surrounding Moroi.

Thick mist billowed around the volcano's edge.

Seeing this, Uchiha Setsuna’s eyes widened in fury. He roared angrily:

“What are you doing, Cloud Village?!”

“Uchiha Setsuna, let’s make a bet,” Dodai said, his hands forming seals continuously. A cruel smile appeared on his face.

This time, he was preparing to unleash Lava Release: Great River of Earth

This technique would transform the earth into a river of molten rubber, sealing the volcanic crater.

The intense pressure difference created by the boiling water extracted from the earth would cause the volcano to expand.

The deadly environment inside the volcano, along with the final eruption of scalding water, would unleash an unstoppable force of nature!

“You now have two choices,” Dodai said coldly, staring at Uchiha Setsuna.

“You can stay here and fight us to the bitter end.”

“And then, watch with your own eyes as that boy, who’s about to defeat Moroi, is killed by me.”

“I have to admit, you’ve won—sacrificing just one genin brat to ruin all our plans!”

“If you leave now, I won’t stop you.”

“Of course, there’s another option.”

Dodai pointed toward the massive volcano spewing thick white mist.

He sneered.

“Jump in now!”

“With your abilities, you might just save that boy. Who knows?”

Uchiha Setsuna’s face darkened.

“My technique is about to seal the crater. Are you not going to make a choice?” Dodai roared, eyes wide.

Uchiha Setsuna glared at him with fury, gritted his teeth slightly, and stood at the volcano's edge.

Without hesitation, he turned and leapt straight into the volcano!

Dodai let out a cold laugh. “This ends everything!”

As he spoke, he completed his seals and unleashed a raging river of molten rubber!

In its liquid state, the molten rubber acted like a lid, sealing the volcanic crater completely.

The dust settled.

---

(End of the chapter.)

Chapter 23: Amazing! He Actually Wants to Kill Me!

Gurgle, gurgle!

Scalding boiling water bubbled violently, sending up clouds of white mist. The sharp smell of sulfur spread in every direction.

In the depths of the darkness,

only one barrier floated above the boiling lake, glowing faintly with white light.

Crack, crack!

Pieces of volcanic rock and dust continually crumbled from the walls.

The entire environment resembled a boiling kettle with its spout sealed, building intense pressure within.

The scorching air made it hard to breathe,

and the temperature had soared to a blistering 50–60 degrees Celsius (122–140°F).

Even as a trained ninja, Shinji found himself light-headed in such conditions.

A suffocating sense of danger loomed in the shadows, like a venomous serpent lying in wait.

For a moment, Shinji felt dizzy, almost as if he could see through the barrier’s white glow to a star of doom flashing madly in the darkest of skies!

It was as if his late great-grandmother were beckoning to him from the heavens.

This thought jolted Shinji back to full alertness.

He snapped out of it, fully awake now!

Gradually, he pieced everything together.

This was a volcano created by the Earth-Style jutsu of the Cloud ninja Dodai, and beneath him lay that boiling spring.

Wasn’t this the perfect burial ground?

What do they say? “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” or “Every cloud has a silver lining”?

Initially,

Shinji thought he’d wasted his money and his explosive tags had failed to detonate. He’d barely avoided a reversal where the tables might have turned on him, leading to a shocking defeat against the Cloud Jonin.

To top it off, Elder Uchiha Setsuna had issued an ultimatum so extreme it was practically a threat of self-destruction.

The two Cloud ninjas had been so terrified they were almost ready to flee in the dead of night.

but—who could have expected—

Boss Dodai to pull out the big guns!

Using Earth-Style: Rising Earth Excavation to create a volcano and Lava-Style: Molten River to seal it off—

The volcano erupted, boiling springs gushed forth!

The extreme heat and pressure combined with the impact of rocks,

followed by a literal boiling bath for your entire body—

Wasn’t this a guaranteed death trap?

It was the perfect combination jutsu!

Shinji was almost moved to tears.

This right here—this was Boss Dodai’s gift of a grand volcano!

Damn, trying to game the system is harder than I thought!

While Shinji was on the verge of tears,

on the other side, the Cloud ninja Moro’i was already reaching his boiling point.

In a grim parody of realism, one was "hot" while the other was "warm."

Moro’i glared at Shinji, who looked like he’d been scared into tears, with no trace of sympathy.

Only hatred!

His bloodshot eyes were wide, and the veins on his forehead bulged as his face twisted in fury.

All because of this brat—because of him!

Dodai had turned on him and thrown both his barrier and himself straight into the volcano with one Earth-Style move!

Moro’i had never felt such despair.

The suffocating anger nearly burst his chest.

He glared at Shinji with murderous intent and roared in a twisted voice,

“Shinji!”

“This is all your fault! All your fault!”

“If not for you, how could I have ended up like this!?”

Clenching his fists, his bloodshot eyes filled with rage, Moro’i screamed in near-madness,

“I’ll kill you!”

“I swear I’ll kill you!”

However, upon hearing this, Shinji wasn’t frightened at all. In fact, he was thrilled!

Looking at the furious Moro’i, Shinji almost wanted to applaud him on the spot.

Amazing! This guy actually still wants to kill me!

It’s like realizing you forgot your parachute while bungee-jumping from the stratosphere!

It’s a stroke of double fortune!

Facing Moro’i’s glare, which seemed ready to tear his scalp off, Shinji suppressed his inner joy and nodded calmly.

“Good!”

He abruptly opened his eyes. To ensure Moro’i’s anger reached its peak, he deliberately raised an eyebrow and wore a disdainful, arrogant, second-brother-like expression.

Then, with a cold laugh, Shinji said,

“In the face of these eyes, your struggle is meaningless!”

As he finished,

Sharingan, activate! (•̀‿⊹ )

The crimson pupils reflected Moro’i’s distorted expression. A single tomoe slowly spun in each eye,

as if they were the most exquisite works of art in the world.

Words were unnecessary; unknown aura radiated from him.

Anyone who saw him would feel an uncontrollable urge to rush up and give him a severe beating.

Clearly, under such a display of skill that surpassed the current ninja world by at least ten years, Moroi had no resistance whatsoever.

His nostrils flared, and veins bulged prominently on his forehead.

The next moment, Moroi stomped on the boiling lake’s surface, shattering it, sending up a torrent of white mist as he charged forward with a ferocious expression.

However, Shinji simply sidestepped slightly, evading Moroi’s swift punch.

In a swift counter, his blade struck Moroi squarely in the back.

Cloud Flow · Reverse Slash!

Quick to learn and apply, Shinji delivered a powerful kick to Moroi’s face, sending him flying backward. He then spoke coolly:

“Give up. Your movements—I’ve completely seen through them!”

“AAAAARGH!”

Driven to rage, Moroi, ignoring his utterly exhausted body, formed seals with both hands and slammed them onto the boiling lake surface.

“Seal Technique · Lightning Bind!”

Shinji was momentarily stunned; he hadn’t expected Moroi to still have the energy to unleash a ninjutsu. He immediately tried to dodge sideways.

But water conducts electricity—this environmental factor inadvertently amplified Moroi’s technique, increasing its speed.

A dazzling bolt of lightning streaked across, forming a massive "雷" (Thunder) character beneath Shinji.

Four chains of lightning pierced through, binding Shinji tightly in place, preventing any large movements.

Moroi revealed a menacing grin,

And then—

Splash.

He fell into the boiling water.

Gurgle, gurgle!

Beneath the surface, Moroi’s mouth opened and closed as he panicked, his eyes wide with terror, limbs flailing helplessly.

The scorching water quickly cooked the edges of his body.

Blub.

A large bubble rose to the surface.

Moroi— special jonin of the Hidden Cloud Village, future leader of barrier squad, a renowned ninja capable of crafting 36 regeneration barriers—was silenced forever.

As Moroi perished, the Lightning Bind seal began to fade away.

Shinji’s face turned into one of utter bewilderment.

“No way—dude, you couldn’t have held on for just two more seconds?!”

“Climb back up here and let me finish you off with one last strike, damn it!”

Forcing a ninjutsu with no chakra left, and leaving no margin for even standing on water—were all the Hidden Cloud guys this temperamental?

Shinji stood there, panting heavily.

By this point, he had no strength left at all.

Looking at the barrier before him slowly dimming and the encroaching darkness,

Shinji exhaled deeply in relief.

Reflected in the boiling spring, he could see his face.

Once handsome and charming, a face that made people want to pinch it to test its elasticity,

Was now pitch black, smeared with sand, blood, wounds, squid ink, and sweat—all blended into one mess.

He looked like a miner who had just crawled out of a coal pit.

Shinji let out a sudden chuckle, staring at the spring below as it reached a critical point.

The hot spring was about to erupt in an overwhelming cascade of destruction.

The imagined scene of a collapsing mountain, an outpouring spring, and a world turned upside down filled his mind.

“So, this is my end, huh?” <(￣︶￣)>

Shinji plopped down on the water's surface, chuckled faintly, and his face showed complete resignation.

He was so very tired.

And yet,

At that moment—

In the midst of darkness, a golden flame suddenly ignited!

Like the primordial light piercing through chaos itself!

A familiar voice rang sharply in Shinji’s ears:

“Fire Style · Majestic Destroyer Flame!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 24: Interlude – Moment

Forty-five years ago,

On the eve of Clan Leader Uchiha Madara departure from the village,

A young Uchiha , Setsuna, asked him:

“What must one do to attain the power of a god?”

Madara glanced at him coldly and left him with these words:

“Do you wish to dance as well?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden flames tore through the air.

The writhing dome ignited, burning molten rubber raining down with fire.

This scene reflected in Uchiha Shinji eyes, like the heavens flickering, stars falling.

Yet he had no strength left to move.

He could only gaze upward at the fireball growing larger in midair, his eyes slightly widening.

Swoosh—

A shadow leapt down, grabbing Uchiha Shinji by the neck and hurling him onto a rocky outcrop.

Sizzle—

The fireball struck the boiling spring, scattering a shower of sparks in all directions.

Shinji froze, staring in shock at the elder who had appeared before him.

Uchiha Setsuna said nothing, his gaze scanning their surroundings.

At that moment,

The volcanic eruption created by unearthing and excavation continued to draw boiling springs from underground.

The water level surged, the air compressed—an earth-shattering explosion was imminent.

He raised his head, gazing at the burning dome, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Then, forming seals with his hands, he unleashed a series of jutsu:

Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu, Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.

Several Fire Style jutsu soared toward the dome, slamming into it, causing the volcano to tremble violently but achieving little else.

Uchiha Setsuna frowned slightly, stopping his actions.

Shinji stared at him, utterly dumbfounded, as if he had just seen a polar bear in Antarctica.

“Elder, what are you doing here?”

Before the barrier was thrown into the volcano, Shinji had clearly seen that Uchiha Setsuna was outside the technique's range, far from the Cloud Village ninja’s platform.

At this moment, with the Cloud ninjas’ barrier techniques no longer restraining him, Setsuna should have been able to escape effortlessly.

Uchiha Setsuna snorted coldly, speaking calmly:

“Obviously, I’m here to get you out.”

Hearing this, Shinji was momentarily stunned. “Wait, Elder, you should be…”

Uchiha Setsuna shook his head, replying with remarkable calm:

“If I followed your logic, I should retreat.”

“I should fulfill my duty by heading to Hell Valley to oversee operations, preventing the Cloud from acting recklessly and causing our clan great losses.”

He glanced at Shinji’s blood-soaked body, riddled with sword wounds and burns, his dislocated arm limp and dragging on the ground. He frowned slightly.

Such a battered state—far worse than most ninja returning from the Rain Country battlefield.

Uchiha Setsuna’s eyes flickered briefly, and he exhaled a long breath.

“But—”

“And you?”

“Me?” Shinji froze, then shook his head with a wry smile.

“Elder, stop joking. Compared to the clan, what value is there in saving someone like me?”

“No,” Setsuna’s gaze sharpened as he said firmly:

“To me, you’re worth it.”

“At least compared to an old, mediocre, and useless man like me—”

“You, with your unwavering resolve, far-reaching vision, and the hope of reaching a distant shore I’ll never touch—”

“You deserve to live more.”

The smile on Shinji’s face stiffened instantly.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Setsuna closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

He placed a hand on Shinji head, ruffling his hair, still frizzy from electrical shocks.

When he reopened his eyes, his crimson Sharingan glowed brightly.

His gaze was calm yet resolute.

“Shinji, as you can see—” Setsuna released his hand, stepping forward to grasp his sword’s hilt.

“Since the Warring States period, these old bones of mine have long been destined to fulfill their fate.”

“Age fades, and death approaches.”

“Yet,”

“I’ve spent my life mired in the filthy quagmire of power, unable to extricate myself.”

“I’ve never lived up to my name to experience that brief yet brilliant moment life is supposed to offer.”

Setsuna’s gaze grew fierce.

“Until your appearance—”

“I realized this was the guidance left to me by the previous Clan Leader, Uchiha Madara .”

“I firmly believe this—this is the moment!”

(cue : bury the light)

Shinji stared in disbelief at Setsuna, who now looked like a man about to meet his end, and felt a surge of panic.

“No, wait—hold on, Elder! What are you even talking about?”

“Your understanding of this and my understanding of this—they’re completely different!”

“I’m not as noble as you think. I—”

Before Shinji could finish,

Uchiha Setsuna suddenly turned his head, smiling knowingly.

Immediately, his tone shifted, and he spoke coldly and indifferently:

"I know—"

"You want to die."

"Orphaned at a young age, bullied by your clan, living in a pit of filth, and finding no joy in the world."

"You’ve wanted to die for a long time."

Uchiha Setsuna narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression sly and sinister as he sneered:

"But the way you want to die is laughable."

"You want to erase your shame. You want to die with honor, to die as an Uchiha!"

"So—"

"I won’t let you die."

Uchiha Shinji opened his mouth to explain but suddenly remembered something.

This body’s backstory really was exactly as Uchiha Setsuna had described, but the motivation was entirely different!

Wait a second—I'm the one who wants to die!

"Hold on, there’s definitely been a misunderstanding, Elder. Please, let me explain."

"Hmph." Uchiha Setsuna snorted coldly, his face full of arrogance and obstinacy. "I have my own judgment."

"Now then—"

Uchiha Setsuna gazed indifferently at the boiling spring beneath their feet, ready to erupt. Slowly, he drew his long sword and commanded coldly:

"You little brat, watch closely."

"I will now demonstrate the Uchiha clan’s secret S-Rank Forbidden Sword Technique—"

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji froze for a moment.

Wait, what? Our Uchiha clan has something like this? I thought all we had were Fire Release, shuriken techniques, and… uh, giant mechas and break dance?

An S-Rank sword technique? Even in the Hidden Leaf Village, those are rare!

As Uchiha Shinji stood there stunned, no one could have predicted what happened next.

Uchiha Setsuna suddenly leapt backward, reversed his grip on the sword, and struck Uchiha Shinji squarely on the back of the head.

The blow landed like a hammer, and Uchiha Shinji saw stars as he collapsed to the ground.

"Dammit, you—you old bastard! You’re playing dirty!"

Uchiha Shinji cursed in pain, but his vision darkened, and he fainted on the spot.

Faintly, he heard Uchiha Setsuna’s final cold sneer:

"That’s it. Hate me. Loathe me. And then, live on—ugly and pathetic."

With that, Setsuna leapt away.

In a daze, Shinji thought he saw a blinding flame illuminate the entire volcano.

A shadowy figure wielding a towering, flame-clad longsword waved it gently, and the volcano instantly collapsed in a thunderous eruption.

It was as if a god had descended!

Then, he heard a splash, like something had fallen into the boiling sea on the verge of eruption.

His consciousness slipped into hazy darkness.

It wasn’t until then that a system notification echoed in his mind.

*[Ding!]*

*[You have bravely countered the enemy who mocked you. The opponent is now dead and unable to refute.]*

*[The counter was exceptionally strong. A critical hit bonus has been awarded.]*

*[You have obtained a random skill from the opponent: Duel Barrier (Proficient, A).]*

*[Critical hit bonus applied. Current skill level: Supreme Duel Barrier (Mastery, S).]*

*[Your layers of Heart of Steel have increased.]*

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 25: Clever Hidan, S-Rank Forbidden Technique!

*Half a day later.*

Land of Hot Springs, the location where Shinji fought.

A young man with short black hair, dressed in a black, form-fitting combat suit layered with a Konoha jonin vest, landed swiftly on the scene.

This man was none other than Uchiha Fugaku.

As his gaze swept over the area, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of shock.

The village that once stood here was no longer recognizable, replaced by a massive, shattered volcano.

It looked as if someone had wielded a forty-meter-long greatsword, hacking wildly until this destruction was all that remained.

Scalding underground spring water gushed out constantly, forming a small river at the mouth of the mountain, snaking its way down.

“Elder Setsuna, what exactly did you encounter?” Fugaku muttered, frowning slightly. He crouched on the volcanic surface, picking up a handful of sand and gravel, and activated his Sharingan.

“With devastation like this, there are only two possibilities.”

“Either Elder Setsuna awakened that forbidden power at the last moment...”

“Or... he used that forbidden technique.”

Fugaku’s tone deepened as his Sharingan scanned the ruins swiftly.

“Hmm?”

His brow furrowed suddenly as he noticed a relatively intact circular area emerging from the riverbed of boiling water.

The area was riddled with kunai and shuriken embedded in the ground, alongside scattered, dull explosion tags.

Crisscrossed trenches spread out, and the terrain was pockmarked with dents from intense taijutsu clashes.

“Someone else fought here. Judging by the skillful manipulation of shuriken, was it Kiyoshiro? No, he doesn’t have that level of ability... then it must’ve been Shinji.”

“Shinji...”

“Judging by the ferocity of this aftermath, the intensity of the actual battle must have been unimaginable.”

“Is he really just a genin?”

Fugaku couldn’t help but feel doubtful. Even Uchiha Shisui, the clan’s most talented member, wouldn’t have been capable of such feats at this age without the advantage of maturity.

“Whatever the case, if the Great Elder unleashed this kind of power, it must’ve been driven by overwhelming emotion.”

“So, what was he trying to achieve?”

Fugaku’s brow furrowed as he narrowed his eyes, analyzing the path carved out by the giant sword.

Eventually, his gaze fell on a section of the volcanic rock wall with a distinct break in its formation.

“They might still be alive.”

“At the very least, Shinji... he’s likely still alive!”

Taking a deep breath, Fugaku’s mind replayed a conversation he had once had with Shisui:

“Shinji will definitely become a bridge between our clan and the village, Fugaku-senpai!”

And now...

As the War faction Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna burned his own life to pave the way for this child, Fugaku couldn’t help but wonder:

What kind of charisma does Shinji possess to make both faction—two irreconcilable factions—go to such lengths for him?

“Find him!” Fugaku exhaled deeply.

“We have to find him!”

“This might very well be the last piece of information Elder Setsuna left behind.”

“And... his final will!”

---

*Land of Hot Springs*

In an abandoned village near City, close to the capital of the Land of Hot Springs.

Shinji opened his eyes.

What he saw first was an unfamiliar, cracked ceiling, swaying precariously above him.

“Yo, you’re awake?”

A gray-haired boy with a slicked-back hairstyle sat by the bed, gnawing on a pork cutlet while glancing sideways at him.

“Where... am I?” Shinji asked, feeling dazed.

His last memory was of being ambushed by that wily old man, Uchiha Setsuna, inside the volcano. The blow to the back of his head had knocked him unconscious.

And this wasn’t even the first time!

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Shinji recalled the moment before the battle had erupted. He’d been setting up traps for security when that old man had slapped him on the forehead, knocking him out cold.

For crying out loud! Doesn’t he know hitting kids like that could give them square heads?

“Yesterday, some underground spring water burst out from somewhere and formed a hot spring river,” the gray-haired boy explained nonchalantly. “I found you floating on the river and fished you out.”

---

“Wow, you’re a ninja, aren’t you?” The gray-haired boy with slicked-back hair swiveled on his chair, propping one foot on the bed. With his hands resting behind his head, he raised an eyebrow and asked.

Uchiha Shinji Sharingan flickered briefly.

Through the unique perspective of the Sharingan, he could tell that this arrogant little brat had hardly any chakra in his body—certainly not even enough to match a low-ranking ninja.

He frowned slightly. “You know I’m a ninja, and yet you dared to save me?”

“Aren’t you afraid I might just kill you?”

However, the boy with the slicked-back hair remained completely calm and said:

“You’re covered in wounds, big and small, but I checked you over and didn’t find a single one on your back.”

“Someone who doesn’t run away,”

“In a place like the Land of Hot Springs, is probably still a decent person.”

Uchiha Shinji smile instantly became stiff.

It was the first time in his life he’d been called a “good person,” and the one saying it was this arrogant brat with his nose in the air.

The thought of shoving his fingers up the brat’s nostrils and throwing him over his shoulder was incredibly tempting.

But the fact remained that the boy had saved him—though, to be honest, he didn’t exactly want to be saved.

In the end, as the “good guy,” Uchiha Shinji could only sigh. After all, as someone who’d received nine years of compulsory education, he couldn’t bring himself to betray his savior.

The road to faking his death for insurance was a long and difficult one.

What a hassle!

“Hey, let me introduce myself. The name’s Hidan,” the slicked-back kid grinned, giving himself a thumbs-up.

“You can call me Lord Hidan.”

“And you?”

Uchiha Shinji replied succinctly, “Uchiha Shinji.”

But he quickly reacted, looking at the boy in front of him in shock.

“Wait a second, what did you say?”

“Your name is… Hidan?”

“What’s with that look? Of course, I’m Hidan,” the boy snorted and confidently gave himself another thumbs-up.

“I’m the future savior and Hot Spring Shadow of the Land of Hot Springs!”

“I’ll put an end to the chaos here, drive all the big nations’ ninjas off this land, and become the next ‘Demi-God’ of the ninja world!”

“That’s my ninja way!”

“Hold on—Hidan, aren’t you supposed to be an idiot?” Uchiha Shinji was utterly dumbfounded, staring at the boy before him with such shock that he nearly activated his Sharingan to confirm if this Hidan was the real deal.

After all,

Hidan was destined to be a member of the future Akatsuki organization, a devout follower of the Cult of Jashin, part of the infamous Immortal Duo, and someone with an extraordinarily deadly “first-strike kill” ability.

He’d defeated the Two-Tails’ Jinchuriki, killed Guardian Ninja Twelve’s Chiriku and Asuma, and had an impressive combat record. His abilities were formidable!

His personality? Arrogant, boisterous, long-winded, and reckless—not to mention, not the brightest bulb in the box.

That was Hidan.

But the Hidan standing before him, apart from the “not too bright” part, matched all the other traits.

Yet…

*A smart Hidan???*

What kind of absurd version of Hidan was this?

Shinji mind reeled with the scenarios he’d once debated with fellow fans of the Fire series—what if Hidan had a brain? The possibilities ranged from summoning mosquitoes to wielding sanitary pads as weapons to becoming a mobile blood donation center.

Hidan with a brain? That level of absurdity was like absurdity’s mom opening the door for absurdity—*absurdity all the way home!*

It was on par with a live Minato, a healthy Itachi, or Sage mode Jiraiya.

Uchiha Shinji blinked blankly, his pupils trembling as if in an earthquake.

（　ﾟДﾟ）

“What’s with you? Why are you badmouthing me?” Hidan furrowed his brows, his gaze at Uchiha Shinji subtly shifting.

“Oh~! I get it now!”

“Of course, you must be intimidated by my name, so you’re spouting nonsense out of fear.”

“Ah, so this is what they call charisma of Kage.”

“Not bad. I’ll forgive you.”

Hidan burst out laughing and pulled out a scroll, tossing it to Shinji.

“This floated over with you, but I couldn’t open it, so it must be yours.”

“Take it. I’ll go call a doctor to check your brain.”