Half a day later.
Land of Hot Water, site of the Uchiha battle.
A young man with short black hair, wearing a black tight-fitting combat uniform and a Konoha jōnin vest, leaped down and landed.
This was none other than Uchiha Fugaku.
When he saw the scene before him, he couldn't help but feel horrified.
The original village was gone, replaced by a shattered giant volcano.
It was as if someone had wielded a forty-meter-long sword, slashing randomly until it ended up like this.
Scalding underground boiling water gurgled out, forming a small river that wound down from the mountain pass.
"Great Elder, what on earth did they encounter?" Fugaku frowned slightly, standing on the volcano. He scooped up a handful of gravel from the ground and activated his Sharingan.
"Such a tragic scene has only two possible explanations."
"Either Elder Setsuna finally awakened that forbidden power at the last moment."
"Or he used that forbidden technique."
Fugaku's tone grew somber as his Sharingan rapidly scanned the ruins.
"Hm?"
He suddenly frowned, spotting a relatively intact circular area exposed in the boiling riverbed.
It was littered with shuriken and kunai, along with tarnished explosive tags.
Ravines crisscrossed the ground, densely pockmarked with pits from physical combat.
"Someone else fought here with this level of shuriken skill. Is it Seiichiro? No, he doesn't have that ability. It must be Uchiha Ci."
"Uchiha Ci."
"With such a devastating aftermath, you can imagine the intensity of the actual battle."
"Is he really just a genin?"
Fugaku couldn't help but doubt for a moment. Even Shisui, the most talented in the Uchiha clan, lacked the age and experience to achieve this level at this stage, right?
"No matter which method was used, when the Great Elder employs such power, it must be driven by strong emotions."
"So, what was he trying to do?"
He frowned, squinting slightly as he traced the path of the giant sword's slashes.
Finally, his gaze settled on a distinct earthen platform on the volcanic rock wall.
"They might still be alive."
"At least, Uchiha Ci—he's probably still alive!"
Uchiha Fugaku took a deep breath, recalling what Shisui had once told him:
'Uchiha Ci will definitely become the bridge between the clan and the village, Fugaku-senpai!'
And now,
Uchiha Setsuna, leader of the hawk faction, had burned his life to carve out a path for this child to survive.
Uchiha Ci…
What kind of charm does he possess to make two incompatible factions—hawks and doves—do this for him?
"Find him!" Uchiha Fugaku exhaled deeply.
"We must find him!"
"This may be the last information Elder Setsuna left behind."
"And… his final will!"
Land of Hot Water,
An abandoned village near the capital, Yuyan Castle.
Uchiha Ci opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling, crumbling and cracked.
"Yo, you're awake?"
A kid with a large gray backpack, chewing on a pork chop, sat beside the bed and glanced over.
"Where am I?" Uchiha Ci asked, confused.
His last memory was of being in the volcano, sneak-attacked by that nasty old man Uchiha Setsuna, struck on the back of the head, and knocked out.
And this wasn't the first time!
Uchiha Ci gritted his teeth secretly. He still remembered wanting to set up warning traps before the battle broke out.
At that time, the old man had slapped his forehead and knocked him out.
Damn it, I wonder if hitting a kid's head like that will turn it square?
"Yesterday, groundwater burst out and formed a hot spring river."
"I found you in the river and fished you out."
"Tsk, tsk, are you a ninja?" The gray-backed kid spun on his stool, propping his head on his hands with his feet on the bed.
The Sharingan in Uchiha Ci's eyes flickered.
Through the unique vision of the Sharingan, he observed that this arrogant kid didn't have much chakra—not even genin-level.
He frowned slightly: "You know I'm a ninja, yet you still saved me?"
"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you with a knife?"
But the kid replied calmly:
"Your body is covered in large and small wounds, but I didn't find any on your back."
"A man who doesn't turn his back to run away,"
"He's probably a good person in this Land of Hot Water."
Uchiha Ci's smile stiffened.
For the first time in his life, he'd been handed a "good person" card—and by a snot-nosed brat, no less.
It gave him the urge to stick his fingers up the kid's nostrils and give him a hard shoulder throw.
But since the kid had saved him—even if he hadn't really wanted to be saved—
In the end, Uchiha Ci, as a "good person," could only sigh. After nine years of compulsory education, he couldn't bring himself to stab his benefactor in the back.
The path to insurance fraud is fraught with obstacles!
So difficult!
"Hey, let me introduce myself. I'm Hidan." The kid grinned, thumbing his chest.
"You can call me Brother Hidan."
"And you?"
Uchiha Ci was concise: "Genin, retired."
But then he caught himself and stared at the kid in astonishment.
"Wait, what did you say?"
"Your name is Hidan?"
"What's with that look? Of course my name is Hidan." Hidan sneered, gesturing to himself.
"The future savior of the Land of Hot Water, Hidan! That's me!"
"I'm going to end the chaos in the Land of Hot Water, drive out all the great ninjas from this land, and become the next 'demigod' of the ninja world!"
"This is my master's way of the ninja!"
"Wait, Hidan, aren't you an idiot?" Uchiha Ci said with a horrified expression, almost activating his Sharingan to check if this Hidan was genuine.
After all,
Hidan was a member of the future Akatsuki organization, a devout follower of the Jashin cult, part of the immortal duo, and possessed the terrifying ability of "instant death."
He'd defeated the Two-Tails Jinchūriki and killed the Twelve Guardian Ninja, Chiriku and Asuma. His record was impressive; his abilities were fearsome!
Personality-wise, he was arrogant, reckless, long-winded, and not the sharpest tool in the shed.
That was Hidan.
The kid in front of him—except for not being very smart—matched all the other characteristics.
But,
Smart Flying Hidan?
What kind of fucking Hidan was this?
Uchiha Ci's mind immediately flashed to the memes he'd debated with other Naruto fans: Psychic Mosquito Hidan, Aunt's Handkerchief Hidan, and Blood Donation Van Hidan.
Hidan with a brain? The level of absurdity was off the charts—
So outrageous!
Comparable to Food-Stealing Minato, Healthy Itachi, and Intelligent Jiraiya.
Uchiha Ci blinked blankly, his pupils trembling uncontrollably.
"Why are you cursing me?" Hidan frowned, his gaze shifting.
"Oh~! I get it!"
"You were so shocked by my name that you started talking nonsense."
"That's what the books call 'the deterrence of shadows.'"
"Fine, I forgive you."
Hidan laughed, pulling out a scroll and tossing it to Uchiha Ci.
"This came with you. I couldn't open it, so it must be yours."
"Take it. I'll go call the doctor to check your brain."
Ignoring Hidan's outrageous comment about needing a brain check,
Uchiha Ci took the scroll and immediately noticed the Uchiha clan emblem on it.
As he held it, he felt a strange connection to the scroll—as if he could open it.
So,
Uchiha Ci carefully unrolled the scroll.
When he saw its contents,
His pupils contracted sharply.
Because
The words that leaped out at him were startling:
"Uchiha Ryū · Secret S-Rank Forbidden Swordsmanship"
"Halo Dance"!