"The remaining three are Yue, Chen, and Xiu. All three are all-around Ninjas with balanced development in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu.
Yue excels in reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, capable of capturing faint Chakra fluctuations within five hundred meters;
Chen specializes in defensive Ninjutsu; the hardness of his Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall is comparable to steel;
Xiu is skilled in team command, having led squads to complete ten S-rank missions with zero casualties."
Shine's gaze swept across everyone, the blueprint in his heart becoming clearer and clearer.
Genjutsu had Qi and Genki; Taijutsu had Jin, Chi, and Yan; Medical had the Crimson sisters; and reconnaissance, defense, and command were all present—this wasn't just ten Elite Jōnin, this was clearly a perfectly configured elite squad!
Shine stepped to the very front of the team, the palm of his hand still carrying the residual warmth of the recently dissipated Susanoo, as he pressed it heavily onto Uchiha Qi's shoulder.
Qi's body stiffened slightly before he stood even straighter—within the warmth of that palm was the weight of Kage-level Chakra, and even more so, a power that inspired conviction.
The Crimson patterns in Shine's eyes receded like a tide, the wind-blade pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan gradually fading into ink-black, yet the light deep within his pupils was more intense than before, like a burning spark: "From today on, you are not combat forces summoned by a system, but the brothers and sisters of me, Uchiha Shine, the core strength that protects this clan!"
"Yes, Lord Shine!"
The ten voices collided, causing the surrounding fallen leaves to rustle.
This time it was no longer simple respect; the ten figures dropped to one knee in unison, their right hands pressed against the uchiha clan crest on their left chests, their knuckles turning white from the force.
Genki's hand holding the short flute tightened, the body of the flute resting against his knee, his eyes filled with uncontrollable excitement—though they were born from the system, they carried the pride carved into the blood and bones of the Uchiha Clan Member. They once thought they would only be cold tools, but now they had a leader truly worth following and a mission to protect the family.
Xiu's fingertips lightly traced the ground, sketching a simple tactical formation, clearly already thinking about how to implement the orders.
The Crimson sisters glanced at each other, both seeing longing in the other's eyes; their healers' hearts made them understand the weight of the word "protect" even more.
Shine raised his hand to signal everyone to rise, while fragments of manga from his past life surged in his mind—that was a red-haired girl, imprisoned by the Grass Ninja Village and used as a living healing tool, her red hair turning dull and lifeless; her name was Karin.
There was also her mother, similarly imprisoned in that dark dungeon, barely hanging on by a thread thanks to the Uzumaki Clan's tenacious vitality.
"The Uzumaki Clan..." Shine unconsciously rubbed his chin with his fingertips, his gaze gradually sharpening. "The Ashura bloodline from the same source as the Senju, the foundation of a Sage Body—even if it doesn't compare to Senju Hashirama's complete version, it's still a rare treasure in this world."
He thought of the blindness curse that Uchiha Clan Members would eventually face after awakening the Mangekyo, and of how many geniuses in the clan had fallen on the path of Chakra exhaustion—if the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan could be integrated, perhaps it would provide an opportunity to alleviate the curse, or even make the constitution of future generations tougher.
Letting such a bloodline be consumed as tools in the Grass Ninja Village?
What a pity.
A cold arc curled at the corner of Shine's mouth: bringing them back would not only preserve this precious bloodline, but if they could intermarry with the Uchiha in the future, it would strengthen the family's foundation from the Root.
As for research? That was a matter for later; the priority now was to save them and seek a longer-term future for the family.
With his mind made up, Shine's voice instantly deepened, carrying an unquestionable authority: "Qi! Step forward!"
Uchiha Qi stepped forward in response, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan quietly spinning, ready to record instructions at any moment.
"You take Genki, Xiu, Yue, and Crimson and set off immediately. Your target is the abandoned dungeon in the northeastern part of the Grass Ninja Village—two Uzumaki Clan members are imprisoned there, a mother and daughter. I believe you are clear on the red-haired hallmark of the Uzumaki Clan."
He pulled a folded map from his robes, unfolded it, and pointed to a red dot marked with cinnabar. "Genki, your auditory Genjutsu will be responsible for clearing the area to avoid alerting the Grass Ninja high-level officials."
"Yue, your reconnaissance ability must cover the entire journey. Do not miss any Chakra fluctuations within five hundred meters, especially paying attention to the secret lines planted in the Grass Ninja by Kumogakure."
"Xiu, you will be responsible for tactical coordination to ensure zero errors in the operation."
"Crimson, your Medical Ninjutsu must be on standby at all times. They have been imprisoned for many days and will certainly have injuries."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the five of them as he emphasized his tone: "The core of the mission: bring them back alive—no, they must be brought out alive! After receiving them, go directly to the Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools and wait in the Ancestral Cellar in the Mangrove Forest until the base is built before transferring!"
"Understood!" the five responded in unison. Qi reached out to take the map, his fingertips already beginning to memorize the route.
"Chen, Jin, Hien!" Shine turned to the other side, his gaze landing on Chen, who specialized in defense. "The three of you will head to the Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools immediately. Although it is in ruins, there are natural caves that can serve as support."
"Chen, use Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall to reinforce the cave entrance and carve out core living and storage areas."
"Jin, you are the fastest; you will be responsible for clearing out Rogue Ninjas and scouts around the ruins to ensure absolute secrecy during construction."
"Hien, your poison techniques will come in handy—deploy three layers of 'Bone-Eroding Mist' around the perimeter of the base, leaving only the uchiha clan crest as the identifier for the antidote. Kill any unidentified person who approaches without mercy!"
Hien nodded slightly and took a small porcelain bottle from her robes, shaking it gently. The pale green liquid inside bubbled finely, carrying a silent threat.
Chen pressed his fist to his chest: "Please rest assured, my lord. Within three days, a hidden base capable of accommodating twenty people will be built!"
Finally, Shine's gaze fell on Chi and Yan.
The heavy tachi at Chi's waist glinted coldly under the moonlight, his muscle lines hidden beneath his clan uniform, exuding immense strength.
Yan was agile, his fingertips always resting on the Kunai at his waist, his gaze as alert as a hawk's.
"Chi, Yan, you stay with me." Shine's voice lowered even further. "The news of my 'death' might be sent back to Konoha through Root's secret lines. If I don't show my face at the eastern camp, that old fellow Danzo will definitely become suspicious and might even move against my parents ahead of time."
He looked at Chi: "Your strength is enough to deter those opportunistic fellows in the camp. Yan, your Assassination Techniques will keep an eye on the camp's signal corps. If there's any unusual message being sent to Konoha, intercept and kill them immediately—we want to 'return alive,' but we must never let anyone see our true intentions."
"Yes, sir!" Chi and Yan responded in unison, their figures standing tacitly to Shine's left and right, forming a solid barrier...
Offer is going on
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808