Chapter 5: The Land of Hot Water, the Land of Chaos
"Ci-kun."
Uchiha Shisui walked forward and patted Uchiha Ci on the shoulder.
He sharply noticed that slight tremble from Ci just now.
However, because Shisui had graduated early and was still young, he was short like a little radish, so his gesture of comfort looked rather comical.
"You don't have to worry too much. I didn't expect that Elder Setsuna would personally lead the team for this mission. It seems the danger level on your side shouldn't be too high."
Comforting words.
Uchiha Shisui smiled kindly as he spoke.
Even though he had chosen the more dangerous battlefield in the Land of Rain, he was still the one comforting Uchiha Ci here.
Hearing this, Uchiha Ci came back to his senses, looking lifeless and hopeless.
"Damn it, you took my pig-feeding mission, fine. But now you're even taking a suicide job from me? Can't you act like a human?"
"Ci-kun, I still need to finish this mission before tomorrow's assembly, so I'll take my leave first."
Uchiha Shisui waved the C-rank mission scroll he had just accepted and then departed.
After Shisui left, Uchiha Ci's eyes flickered slightly.
Was the danger level of Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water really not high?
That might not be the case...
Night fell.
The full moon broke through the clouds, its silver light blanketing the land.
Within the Uchiha compound—
Clack.
Uchiha Setsuna stepped on his wooden clogs and coldly slid open the wooden door.
Inside the small room, a pair of scarlet eyes suddenly gleamed to life.
"Great Elder!"
As greetings rose one after another, Uchiha Setsuna sat cross-legged in the seat of honor at the center of the room.
Sitting at his side was the second-in-command of the Hawk Faction, Uchiha Hachiyo.
Below them sat nearly a hundred Uchiha clan members, all of whom were at least Chunin level and had awakened their Sharingan.
This was the power of the Hawk Faction.
"Great Elder, wasn't it already decided that a team of capable clan members would be sent to support the mission in the Land of Hot Water?"
Hachiyo frowned slightly and asked,
"Why is there a Genin on the list—one who hasn't even awakened the Sharingan?"
"Didn't you explain to the clan the danger of this mission?"
Uchiha Setsuna lifted his teacup, glanced at Hachiyo, and said calmly, "I will personally lead this mission."
"With me alone, that's enough."
"But… this isn't just about the movement of the Blood Pond Clan and increased guard pressure," Hachiyo said with a deep frown.
"The Land of Hot Water itself lies between the Lands of Fire, Lightning, and Water. Recently, Iwagakure and Sunagakure have also had small skirmishes with Kirigakure. The whole region has fallen into extreme chaos."
"Spies and battle units from various nations are mixed together. Add to that the countless small organizations that appeared in minor countries after the Second Great Ninja War — the Xuanyuan Group, the Prajna Sect, the Cult of Jashin, the Earth Spider Clan, the remnants of the destroyed Yōen Village, Kirigakure's Pursuit-nin and Cut Rain, Iwagakure's Explosion Corps, Rasa fighting on the Kirigakure front for his Kazekage candidacy, and even bounty hunters from the underground exchange…"
(TL note: I'm not familiar with the other groups, it's what appears in the translation.)
"This place has turned into a pot of chaos," Uchiha Hachiyo said gravely, shaking his head. He thought Uchiha Setsuna was overestimating himself.
Even if the Third Hokage personally went, he might not gain much from such a situation.
Although Uchiha Setsuna was a veteran from the Warring States period, bringing only one Genin and one Chunin seemed rather reckless.
However, manpower within the clan was limited.
The Police Force members were restricted by Konoha regulations and could not leave the village without reason.
Hachiyo suddenly suggested, "Perhaps we could request assistance from Konoha?"
"Enough."
Uchiha Setsuna set down his teacup, his tone calm yet absolute.
"With me alone, that's enough!"
"Hachiyo, the Hell Valley guard mission doesn't come from Konoha. It was directly commissioned to the Uchiha by the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning as a long-term assignment. It's also one of our few remaining sources of income."
"Never place your sense of security on others—especially not Konoha, Sarutobi, or Danzo."
Uchiha Setsuna raised his head, his pair of crimson Sharingan gleaming with a chilling light.
"Only the things we can control ourselves truly count.
Anything given by others—you'll have to bow like a dog to receive it. And when they're no longer satisfied, they can kick you away at any time."
Hachiyo fell silent at those words.
Ninjas were combat tools detached from production. The wealth Uchiha could gain—besides inherited assets and properties within Konoha—came from large missions the clan accepted collectively.
Guarding the Blood Pond Clan brought an annual payment equivalent to an S-rank mission.
Long-term, stable.
That was why Uchiha Setsuna would never allow Konoha to interfere with this task.
Clack.
Uchiha Ci had just opened the door to his residence when a soot-covered boy wearing goggles fell from a tree in his yard.
Ci instantly saw the reason—his chakra output during tree-climbing practice was uneven, causing him to lose grip and fall.
"Obito, what are you doing again?"
Looking at this unexpected visitor who fell from the sky, Uchiha Ci was slightly speechless.
The boy was none other than Obito, who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy last year—his current neighbor.
"Yo, Ci! Haha, I'm preparing for the Chunin Exams!"
Uchiha Obito rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, then pouted.
"Damn Kakashi, using his Chunin rank to boss me around, forcing me to follow his orders!"
"It was just a simple cat-catching mission!"
"When I finish my training, I'll shove my Chunin vest right in his face!" Obito complained loudly, recounting what had happened.
Uchiha Ci was momentarily stunned.
Unknowingly, he had already spent an entire year in this still somewhat peaceful Konoha.
He realized that time had already reached this point.
Last year, Obito had teamed up with Kakashi and Rin under Minato Namikaze's leadership, doing D-rank missions for a while.
But Obito's wish to become a Chunin this year probably wouldn't come true.
The Third Great Ninja War was about to erupt.
As an elite Jonin, Minato would soon be heading to the front lines, and his team would be following him around all year.
Only when the Land of Lightning slowed its offensive, giving Konoha a brief respite, would the Chunin Exams be held in Year 48 of Konoha.
It was then that Obito, after being kicked and injured by Might Guy, though defeated, finally passed and became a Chunin.
"What are you spacing out for? Grandma made noodles—come eat!" Obito waved his hand in front of Uchiha Ci's face, tilting his head curiously.
"Alright, I'll just put my stuff away first."
Uchiha Ci nodded, not rejecting the invitation.
On his way back, he stopped by the river to retrieve his fork and shoes.
However, the sack of recyclable cans that could have earned him some money had vanished—bag and all.
He had no idea which bastard had taken it.
Uchiha Ci cursed silently.
The world's really gone downhill.
Last year's Konoha didn't have things like this.
But lately, the Uchiha Police Force had been too busy with war meetings to patrol properly.
That's why petty theft had become increasingly common in Konoha.