Forty-five years ago, on the eve of Clan Head Madara Uchiha's departure from the village...
A young Setsuna Uchiha once asked him: "How can a human attain the power of a God?"
Madara had looked at him coldly and dropped a single line: "Do you also wish to dance?"
Golden flames tore through the air, igniting the crawling ceiling of the volcanic cavern. Molten rubber, wreathed in fire, began to rain down like falling stars. Ren Uchiha, exhausted and broken, no longer had the strength to move. He could only watch with wide eyes as the fireballs grew larger in his vision.
Swoosh—!
A dark shadow blurred past, grabbing Ren by the collar and hurling him onto a raised stone ledge.
Sizzle—!
The fireball slammed into the boiling spring, sending sparks flying in every direction. Ren blinked in shock, staring at the figure before him.
It was Great Elder Setsuna.
Inside the volcano, the water level was rising rapidly, and the air pressure was reaching a critical point. An explosion was imminent. Setsuna looked up at the burning ceiling, his eyes narrowing. He wove signs rapidly: Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire! Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!
The jutsus slammed into the roof, causing the volcano to shudder, but it wasn't enough to break the seal. Setsuna frowned and stopped his movements.
Ren stared at him as if he'd seen a polar bear in the Sahara. "Great Elder... why are you here?!"
Before the barrier was tossed into the volcano, Ren had seen that Setsuna was safely outside the range of Dodai's jutsu. With the Cloud's barrier ninja dead, Setsuna should have been able to escape easily.
Setsuna snorted coldly. "Isn't it obvious? I'm here to get you out."
Ren was dumbfounded. "Wait, Elder, you should have—"
"By your logic, I should have retreated," Setsuna interrupted calmly. "I should have fulfilled my duty, headed to the Valley of Hell, and protected the clan from losses." He looked at Ren—covered in deep lacerations, burns, and a dislocated arm dangling uselessly. The kid looked worse than a veteran fresh off the front lines of the Rain Country.
Setsuna let out a long breath. "But... what about you?"
"Me?" Ren blinked, then shook his head with a bitter laugh. "Elder, don't be ridiculous. Compared to the clan, what value is there in saving me?"
"No," Setsuna's gaze hardened. "I believe you have value! At least compared to a mediocre, useless man like me... you, with your unshakable will and far-reaching vision, have a chance to reach the 'other shore' that I never could. You are the one who should live!"
Ren's smile froze.
Setsuna closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He placed a hand on Ren's head, ruffling the hair that had been frizzed by the lightning strikes. When he opened his eyes again, his scarlet Sharingan burned with absolute resolve.
"Ren, as you can see..." Setsuna stepped forward, gripping his katana. "Since the Warring States period, these old bones of mine should have met their fate long ago. Aging, fading, dying. However..."
"I have spent my life drowning in the filthy mud of power struggles. I never once lived up to my name—to experience that brief, brilliant 'Moment' (Setsuna) that life should be."
Setsuna's gaze turned sharp. "Until you appeared. I know now... this is the guidance left to me by the late Madara Uchiha. This is the moment I was meant for!"
Ren panicked. "Wait, wait! Chotto matte! Elder, what are you talking about? Are we even on the same page?! I'm not as noble as you think, I—"
Setsuna turned his head and gave a knowing, almost pitying smile. Then, his tone shifted to a chilling, detached coldness.
"I know... you want to die."
Ren choked.
"Losing your parents at a young age, being bullied by the clan, living in the muck... you felt the world had nothing left for you. You've wanted to die for a long time." Setsuna sneered like a crafty old fox. "But you didn't want to die like a joke. You wanted to wash away your shame, to die gloriously—to die as an Uchiha!"
"Therefore... I won't let you die."
Ren opened his mouth to explain that while the "wanting to die" part was technically true, the motivation was completely different. I'M THE ONE WHO WANTS THE INSURANCE PAYOUT!
"Wait, you've misunderstood everything! Elder, let me explain—"
"Hmph." Setsuna snorted with arrogant stubbornness. "I have made my judgment. And now..." He looked down at the surging boiling water and drew his blade. "Watch closely, you brat. I am about to show you the Uchiha Clan's secret S-Rank Forbidden Sword Art..."
Ren blinked. Wait, we have S-Rank sword arts? Since when?
While Ren was distracted, the old man did the unthinkable. Setsuna suddenly leaped backward and slammed the pommel of his sword into the back of Ren's head.
The blow felt like a sledgehammer. Ren saw stars as he collapsed. "You... you old geezer... you freaking... sneak-attacked me..."
As his consciousness faded into black, he heard Setsuna's final cold laugh: "That's right. Resent me! Hate me! And use that ugliness to keep living!"
Ren's fading vision caught a glimpse of a blinding inferno lighting up the entire volcano. A blurry figure wielding a colossal sword of fire swung it once—and the volcano began to crumble. It looked like a God.
Then came a splash, as something fell into the erupting sea of boiling water.
[Ding!]
[System Notification:]
You bravely counterattacked the enemy who mocked you. The target is dead and cannot argue back.
Counterattack force was significant; Critical Reward triggered!
You have obtained a random skill from the target: Deathmatch Barrier (Proficient, A-Rank).
Critical Multiplier applied! Skill upgraded to: Hyper: Deathmatch Barrier (Master, S-Rank).
Your Heartsteel stacks have increased.