Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 10: Infighting, Flaming Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!

You refuted Uchiha Seijiro with righteous reasoning.

You have obtained a skill from him: Fire Release - Phoenix Sage Fire Technique (C-rank) (Proficient).

Your Heartsteel layers have increased.

Now, you can view the stack count of Heartsteel and open your skills panel.

Uchiha Ci was momentarily stunned, and then a speechless expression appeared on his face.

He didn't intend to trigger this innate talent; he was merely looking for an excuse to avoid dying.

But could this really be resolved like this?

With a thought, Uchiha Ci summoned a translucent grid panel in front of him.

Employee: Uchiha Ci 

Title: Heaven's Chosen Warrior 

Innate Talents: Heartsteel (SSS), Sharingan (Not awakened, B), Battle Instinct (Not developed, S) 

Skills: Uchiha Style - Manipulated Shuriken Technique (Master, S), Fire Release - Great Fireball Technique (Beginner, C), Fire Release - Phoenix Sage Fire Technique (Proficient, C), Taijutsu (Beginner) 

Heartsteel Stacks (Expandable) 

Insurance Status: Paid

Uchiha Ci glanced at the panel, confirming it was roughly as he had estimated, and then closed it with his mind.

Apart from the unexpected appearance of a new innate talent, Battle Instinct, which puzzled him, everything else was within his expectations.

Gaining a panel and a new jutsu was of little consequence...

After all, the panel was merely something to glance at, and the jutsu was just a C-rank one, Phoenix Sage Fire Technique.

Moreover, Fire Release techniques were known for their mercy, adhering to the principle of "smoke but no harm."

As long as he could persuade the two team members, this death-defying opportunity could still be worth a try.

However, Uchiha Ci's hopeful thoughts were quickly dashed by reality.

His preachy words echoed in Uchiha Seijiro's ears, causing the latter's expression to darken.

Seijiro was a member of the Uchiha clan's pacifist faction and was privy to the mission's secret details.

Already filled with resentment when participating in this mission, he was further enraged by Uchiha Ci's rebuttal. His eyes narrowed, and a pair of Sharingan silently lit up in his pupils.

"Uchiha Ci, are you lecturing me?" Seijiro coldly raised his eyebrows, staring intently at Uchiha Ci with an icy tone.

"You, a mere genin who hasn't even awakened the Sharingan, what right do you have to lecture me?"

"It seems you need to be taught a lesson!"

Although Uchiha Ci's words held some truth, Seijiro's primary goal in joining this mission was to protect his own life.

Sneaking across the border—such reckless behavior was something only madmen would do, far too dangerous for him to consider.

That was why he was so furious.

Upon seeing Seijiro's Sharingan activate, Uchiha Ci instinctively averted his gaze, focusing only on Seijiro's chest and below.

Then, he saw it—

In an instant, Uchiha Seijiro made his move, grabbing Uchiha Ci's hair with one hand while the other aimed to clamp down on his shoulder, trying to force his head down.

Simultaneously, a knee strike rapidly approached Uchiha Ci's head!

Uchiha Ci's pupils contracted sharply.

He never expected that with the Uchiha Elder still present nearby, Seijiro would dare to instigate an internal conflict and attack him directly!

The next moment,

Ci took a sharp breath, instinctively moving his body,

He followed the force pulling his head down, twisting his feet on the ground, and using the strength from his waist, back, and legs to perform a backward flip, narrowly dodging Seijiro's knee strike in mid-air.

At that moment, his hand had already reached his lower back, quickly hurling three shuriken.

In a split second, they locked onto Seijiro's exposed throat, wrist, and the temple near his ear.

"What!" Seijiro was startled, his Sharingan widening. With his dynamic vision, he could clearly see the rapidly spinning shuriken heading straight toward him.

He hastily leaned back, immediately releasing his grip on Ci's hair, narrowly avoiding the three shuriken.

A mix of shock and anger swelled within him!

Uchiha Ci actually dared to resist!

Resist against him, a chunin superior!

Seijiro's two-tomoe Sharingan spun as his eyes dangerously narrowed. In the next instant, his hands rapidly formed seals—

However, before Seijiro could complete his seals, Uchiha Ci, still in mid-air, had already begun forming his own.

Rat - Tiger - Dog - Ox - Hare - Tiger!

Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!

Just as Seijiro completed his final Tiger seal, six decent-sized fireballs materialized before his eyes, hurtling toward him at high speed.

Following the fireballs, several sharp whistling sounds sliced through the air!

Six shuriken and three kunai accompanied the six fireballs, surging toward him like a tidal wave.

"Damn!" Seijiro's eyes widened.

The sheer quantity of projectiles turned the tide of the battle. With fifteen objects flying at him, even though his two-tomoe Sharingan could track the trajectories of all the incoming projectiles, it was futile.

At this point, the only thing he could do was use the Body Flicker Technique to evade.

But just as he was about to act, Uchiha Ci was already reaching for more.

Between the fingers of Ci's left hand, four more shuriken were ready to be thrown,

And that wasn't the end!

Ci's right hand had already reached his waist, pulling out a storage scroll and unfurling it.

At the center of the scroll, a large "Nin" character was prominently displayed!

Judging by the length of the scroll, it probably contained no less than a hundred ninja tools...

Damn it!

How can this kid shoot so much!?

"Enough!"

At that moment, Uchiha Setsuna, who had been silently observing from the side, spoke up coldly.

He suddenly appeared between the two, casually drawing the ninja sword from his back.

With a sweeping motion, the blade flashed, creating a crescent-like arc of light.

Clang! Clang!

Without missing a beat, all six fireballs, six shuriken, and three kunai were deflected and sent flying by that single slash.

"Uchiha Seijiro." Elder Uchiha Setsuna slowly sheathed his sword, his gaze as cold as ice, making one's heart shiver.

"Get back to work."

Under the elder's piercing stare, Seijiro trembled slightly before falling silent.

Without saying a word, he walked off some distance to set up perimeter traps, though a hint of dissatisfaction lingered on his face.

He was a chunin; earlier, he was merely caught off guard by Uchiha Ci's excessive use of ninja tools.

Had he been serious, there was no way Uchiha Ci, a mere genin, could have been a match for him...

With the conflict resolved,

Uchiha Ci was now quietly picking up the ninja tools scattered on the ground, feeling an overwhelming sense of distress.

The elder's single slash had ruined two of his high-quality kunai.

As for the poorly-made shuriken, there was no need to even mention them—they had been split in half.

All of that had been money!

Money that should have been used against formidable foes, now wasted on Uchiha Seijiro, making Ci feel like he had suffered a huge loss.

Uchiha Setsuna's gaze lingered on the three shuriken Uchiha Ci had thrown earlier, then he quietly retracted his eyes.

With his keen eyesight, it was obvious that the first three shuriken had been wrapped in a thin wire.

If he hadn't intervened in the fight,

Seijiro would have used the Body Flicker Technique to escape to that position, and then Uchiha Ci would have pulled the wire...

If Ci had been more ruthless, Seijiro would likely have ended up decapitated.

Uchiha Setsuna furrowed his brows slightly and looked at Uchiha Ci.

Suddenly, he had a strange feeling.

It was as if the person who had just fought Seijiro... was himself...

This kid's shuriken skills... seem to be something.

"You, your name is Uchiha Ci, correct?" Uchiha Setsuna suddenly asked.

"Ah, yes, that's me." Uchiha Ci was momentarily stunned, then nodded.

Uchiha Setsuna squinted slightly, walked over to the campfire, sat down, and waved at Uchiha Ci.

"Come here."