"Shine," Jiraiya sat back down, his fingers lightly tapping the map, his tone carrying a hint of testing, "did something happen? You're... a bit too cold today."
Shine slumped his shoulders at the appropriate moment, putting on an exhausted look, his eyes deliberately showing a few bloodshot streaks. "Replying to Lord Jiraiya, I've been at the front lines for nearly half a year.
A few days ago, I had a life-and-death struggle with an Iwagakure Jonin. My Chakra was over-depleted, and now even the hand I hold my blade with is shaking. I really can't hold on anymore; I want to return to the Village to recuperate for a while."
As he spoke, he spread his right hand, and his fingertips indeed trembled slightly—it was the result of his deliberate control using Chakra.
These words made Jiraiya's brows furrow again, a look of headache appearing on his face.
He reached out and pressed down on a small red flag in the northeast direction on the map, his tone carrying a bit of helplessness. "Shine, you know the current situation.
With pressure from the three sides of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure, our Konoha is fighting one against three. The Hidden Mist is still observing and could join the war at any time.
You're also aware of the Village's restrictions on the Uchiha. Except for those of you in the Moderate Faction, the other Clan Members have been confined. There haven't been enough Jonin at the front lines for a long time." (The Hidden Mist hasn't officially started its invasion yet; the original work seems to say it was around July or August of the 48th year.)
He paused, his tone becoming even gentler. "You are an Elite Jōnin. With the insight of the Sharingan and your tactical abilities, one person can do the work of three ordinary Jonin. At this critical juncture, if you leave, who will fill the gap in the Northeast Defense Line?"
Jiraiya's gaze was full of expectation; he truly cherished talent and was even more aware of Shine's importance to the front lines.
Shine sneered inwardly, but his face remained weary. "Lord Jiraiya, I know the front lines are strained.
But right now, I can't even perform a complete Great Fireball Technique. Staying behind would only be a burden.
It would be better to let me go back and recuperate for half a month. Once I've gathered my strength and returned, I'll be able to play a much greater role."
He lowered his head, a hint of pleading in his voice, which happened to strike Jiraiya's weak spot—he could least bear to see the Ninjas under him pushing themselves too hard.
A brief silence fell within the tent, with only the intermittent sound of Jiraiya tapping the map.
Shine kept his eyes downcast, clearly sensing Jiraiya's struggle—on one side was the precarious front line, and on the other was a capable subordinate who couldn't hold on anymore, not to mention that Shine was one of the few usable people among the Uchiha.
Jiraiya's finger hovered over the map for a long while before finally falling heavily on the corner of the table with a dull thud.
He looked at the young man standing before him with a lowered head, his gaze sliding from the unhealed scratch on Shine's temple to the worn edges of his boot soles—this child was only fifteen years old, yet he had already been carrying the burden at the front lines for half a year.
As an elder who had watched Shine grow up, he really couldn't find it in his heart to force him to keep pushing.
"Sigh, forget it." Jiraiya let out a long sigh, reaching for the pen and paper on the desk, the tip of the pen making a rustling sound as it moved across the paper. "I'll write you a recuperation pass and stamp it with my seal. Give it directly to the Hokage Office when you return to the Village. Just say I've specially granted you half a month to recuperate. You must return to the unit after half a month, do you hear me?"
His tone carried an unquestionable firmness, but when the pen tip landed on the "recuperation period" column, he still instinctively paused and changed "fifteen days" to "twenty days."
Shine kept his eyes downcast, just happening to avoid Jiraiya's gaze.
No one saw that the hand hanging at his side had long since clenched into a fist, his nails digging deep into his palm, unaware even as beads of blood seeped out.
A flash of crimson killing intent flickered in his eyes, so fast it seemed like an illusion—this person before him, this Sannin revered as a "hero" by Konoha, appeared gentle but had never truly accepted the Uchiha.
He knew how powerful the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan was, yet he turned a blind eye to Danzo's coveting of the Uchiha Clan's eyes.
He was clear about the difficulties the Uchiha faced in the Village, yet he had never spoken a word of justice for them.
'Jiraiya...' Shine's teeth ground together, the roar inside him almost bursting through his throat, 'And that old fox Sandaime, that venomous snake Danzo, and even all you bastards watching from the sidelines! Just you wait!'
He thought of the tragic scene of the Uchiha Clan Downfall Night in the manga from his previous life, where countless Ninjas of the Uchiha Clan were slaughtered without any preparation by that beast Uchiha Itachi!
He thought of the desperate screams of countless ordinary Uchiha Clan Members—behind these tragedies, which one didn't have the push of the Konoha High Command? Which one didn't have the tacit approval of these "heroes"?
Especially this assassination attempt!
The reconnaissance mission he was carrying out was top secret; only Jiraiya and the Sandaime knew the specific route.
Sarutobi Koga was Danzo's man, so the information must have been leaked from the high command!
Jiraiya might not be the mastermind, but as the front-line commander, it was impossible for him to be completely unaware of this!
Not to mention all these years, the grievances the Uchiha suffered, the withheld resources, the marginalized treatment—Jiraiya had never stood up to oppose it. Like those people, he was an accomplice!
"When an avalanche occurs, no single snowflake is innocent." This phrase he had seen on the internet in his previous life now felt like a red-hot brand searing into Shine's heart.
He thought of the helplessness the clan elders spoke of when Senju Tobirama established the Anbu and deliberately suppressed the Uchiha.
He thought of Nara Shikaku's perfunctory "neutrality" toward Uchiha proposals at the Council of Elders.
He thought of the subconscious avoidance and wariness of the Konoha villagers when they saw the uchiha clan crest... These small bits of malice eventually led to the tragedy of the clan's extermination.
"Shine? Shine!" Jiraiya's voice interrupted his thoughts. Shine snapped back to his senses and saw Jiraiya handing over a pass with a bright red seal on it, his face showing a bit of worry. "What are you daydreaming for? Take the pass and go to logistics to get some medicine. Rest well after you get back to the Village. Don't just focus on resting; spend more time with your parents too."
"Thank you, Lord Jiraiya." Shine took the pass. The moment his fingertips touched the paper, he deliberately let his hand tremble, while also slightly looking up to reveal a pair of bloodshot eyes, with a well-timed hint of grateful moisture welling up. "Once my recuperation is over, I will definitely return to the unit immediately and not fail your trust, Lord."
His acting was flawless; even a seasoned veteran like Jiraiya didn't detect the slightest flaw.
Jiraiya nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. "Go on, be careful on the road. The world is not peaceful right now; it's best to travel with other Ninjas on the way back to the Village."
He sat back in the main seat, his gaze falling back onto the map, only this time, his brows furrowed even tighter—after Shine left, who on earth should he find to fill the gap in the Northeast Defense Line?
Shine bowed in salute, turned, and lifted the curtain to walk out of the tent. The evening wind blew in with the chill of the camp, dispersing the feigned gratitude in his eyes, leaving only cold determination...
Offer is going on
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808