"Get out of here! This is a respectable establishment. Minors aren't allowed!"
Tsukasa was forcibly ejected as two burly bouncers threw him out onto the street.
Face burning with indignation, Tsukasa scrambled to his feet, cursing under his breath.
"Damn it! You call this respectable when you won't even let minors in?"
"Tch!"
Hearing the commotion, villagers peered out with curious expressions.
"You snuck in here using a Transformation Jutsu, and you thought we wouldn't notice?" The doorkeeper sneered with disdain. "Beat it! If you don't leave, I'll have your clan elders come drag you home!"
This made Tsukasa flinch.
He glared at the two guards, realizing that social humiliation probably wasn't covered by his insurance policy...
"Still hanging around? You want me to call for help?" The man wrinkled his nose and began shouting toward the interior.
Tsukasa quickly abandoned his romantic notions and fled the alley with his face covered in shame.
When he returned to the main street, it was already sparsely populated. The full moon quietly observed everything below.
The early spring wind, still carrying winter's chill, blew against his face. Tsukasa shivered as his mind returned to clarity.
At that moment, Uchiha Seiichiro—a fellow clan member and teammate—staggered out of another alley with a sake bottle in hand.
Seeing Tsukasa, Seiichiro looked him up and down. Noticing the dusty marks on Tsukasa's clothing, he couldn't help but smirk mischievously.
"Oh, if it isn't the 'glory' of our Uchiha clan."
"What happened—get thrown out?"
Tsukasa's expression tightened: "No, I was just walking down the road and got trampled by a rampaging elephant."
"Hehe, everyone has moments of youthful foolishness." Seiichiro's face was flushed, alcohol heavy on his breath as he smiled knowingly. "I understand. I get it completely."
"After all, you're about to undertake this kind of mission."
Seiichiro's tone grew deeper, his expression changing as he looked at Tsukasa, as if recalling something unacceptable.
He suddenly frowned and said irritably:
"Your name is Tsukasa, right? Listen carefully—"
Seiichiro paused, his eyes narrowing slightly: "Don't expect me to help you on this mission."
[Uchiha Seiichiro harbors resentment toward you.]
Tsukasa glanced at the system message that appeared, raised an eyebrow slightly, then replied calmly: "Don't worry, Seiichiro-senpai. I won't hold you back."
"Heh, it seems you still don't understand what you've done!" Seiichiro's face darkened at Tsukasa's indifferent response.
"I don't know why the Great Elder chose you for this mission."
"But according to our faction's original plan, this mission was supposed to be carried out by three jonin-level clan members."
"Because of your childish games, the Great Elder changed his mind and forced a chunin like me to participate in such a dangerous undertaking!"
Seiichiro's eyes gradually turned cold as he snorted.
"You have no idea what kind of maniacs you'll be facing on this mission!"
"Without your Sharingan awakened, you're nothing more than a plaything to those lunatics!"
Tsukasa raised an eyebrow slightly. What's in the Land of Hot Water? Having read the original series, how could he not know?
The destination of this mission—within Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water—was home to the Chinoike Clan.
Their Ketsuryugan reflected a hatred for the Uchiha clan that had persisted from the Warring States period to the present day!
Seiichiro was right. Without the Sharingan, Tsukasa had no advantage against the Ketsuryugan, a similar dojutsu bloodline.
The Ketsuryugan was very similar to the Sharingan in that it required strong emotional stimulation to activate.
However, unlike the Sharingan, once activated, the Ketsuryugan possessed hypnotic abilities, enhanced genjutsu, blood-based ninjutsu, and explosive techniques rivaling a two-tomoe Sharingan.
As the eyes' power grew, even more terrifying abilities could emerge.
An Uchiha who hadn't awakened their eyes, or had just awakened them, would be practically helpless against a Chinoike Clan ninja whose bloodline power overwhelmed them.
Furthermore, the Chinoike Clan had lived in desolate areas like Hell Valley for years, each member developing exceptional physical skills from hunting in harsh conditions.
Their projectile skills were at least at expert level.
Conventional ninjutsu, in an environment filled with boiling blood pools, was also countered by blood-based techniques that had adapted water-style properties.
Ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu—all completely outmatched.
Even with his master-level Uchiha-style Wire Shuriken Manipulation Technique, Tsukasa could only stare at this hellish difficulty level.
It was simply too perfect.
Ahem, what Tsukasa meant was: these are truly formidable opponents.
I must give my absolute best to face them!
"Never mind explaining all this to a brat like you. What would you understand?" Seiichiro muttered, looking dazed as he took a swig from his bottle.
"I just awakened my second tomoe. Why... why does it have to be me?"
He clutched his head in anguish, crouching on the ground with fear etched across his face.
Tsukasa looked at the crouching Seiichiro, pursed his lips slightly, sighed, stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and remained silent.
His fears had indeed come true. Because of his actions, the timeline had changed, implicating this unfortunate man.
Although they weren't well acquainted, Tsukasa still felt a weight of responsibility.
He shook his head and finally spoke seriously:
"Seiichiro-senpai, don't worry. I'll say it again."
"If someone has to die, it will definitely be me."
Tsukasa spoke gravely. "You just need to protect yourself. I've already prepared myself mentally for death!"
"What did you say?" Seiichiro looked up, surprise in his voice.
Then his expression darkened slightly, and he sighed.
In his opinion, Tsukasa was still too naive, his words too reckless.
Only when this kid truly faced death would he understand what fear meant.
As a fellow clan member, what he'd said today was already harsh—he couldn't bear to be crueler.
After all, Tsukasa was still just a child.
"Forget it. This is my fate."
Seemingly accepting his destiny, Seiichiro stood with his sake bottle and staggered past Tsukasa toward home.
Under the bright moonlight, his disheveled figure resembled a lost dog searching for its way.
Suddenly, Seiichiro tilted his head slightly and asked in a deep voice:
"Kid, can you tell me why you've gone to such lengths?"
Tsukasa was slightly taken aback, scratching his head with faint embarrassment.
He couldn't exactly say it was for insurance fraud.
For a long moment, Tsukasa stood in the cold wind beneath the merciless moonlight, with the long shadow of the massive Hokage Monument stretching behind him.
He slowly clenched his fist and pressed it against his chest over his heart.
"Reason?"
Tsukasa's face grew somber, but his tone became as firm as a blade cutting to the heart of the matter.
"I often wonder what a mediocre shinobi like me can accomplish."
"What is the true meaning of the village and the Uchiha clan?"
"But after much thought, I can only confirm one thing."
"Without power, nothing can be achieved."
"So I am willing to throw myself into the flames of war, to burn with passionate fire, seeking the path to awaken these eyes through life and death!"
"Then, I'll use these eyes to illuminate the world!"
"And restore the glory of the Uchiha!"
Looking at Tsukasa standing upright in the cold wind, firm as a statue, Seiichiro was moved.
"Is that so?"
Seiichiro nodded slightly, his expression softening as he recalled words from Shisui—a fellow dove faction member but exceptionally distinguished—who had approached him earlier.
"I understand."
After a moment's silence, Seiichiro departed with those words, leaving behind a bewildered Tsukasa, who looked around evasively with confusion written across his face.
"Wait, what exactly do you understand?"
End of Chapter 7
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