Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 26: Restless Mind, The Curtain Rises!

As Hidan pulled the door shut with a creak, the room returned to silence.

Uchiha Ci looked at the scroll in his hand, his heart sinking involuntarily.

He was supposed to have died inside the volcano, yet now he was alive, lying here. Moreover, in his hand was a scroll recording an S-rank forbidden technique.

He didn't consider this a stroke of luck.

Being able to breathe fresh air, see sunlight streaming through the cracks in the walls, and feel the scorching warmth against his skin—each inch of heat searing the lines on the back of his hand.

It was all because the Great Elder, Uchiha Setsuna, had chosen to sacrifice himself in the end, creating a path for him to escape.

However—

"Damn it! Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn it!!"

Uchiha Ci gripped the bed sheet tightly, his face showing not a trace of joy from surviving a disaster.

On the contrary, it was entirely filled with fear!

He lowered his head, his crimson eyes wide open, his lips, teeth, and even his skin trembling. The tomoe in his eyes spun wildly, his heart pounding furiously in his chest, like a drum being struck.

On the scales in his heart, more and more boulders labeled 'Uchiha Setsuna' weighed down, so much that it felt like he couldn't breathe.

Uchiha Ci was very clear about his self-awareness.

He knew he was just an ordinary person—when happy, he laughed; when sad, he cried; when he failed, he felt dejected; when humiliated, he got angry.

He had the emotions of a normal person. If someone treated him the way Karin had treated Sasuke, would he really stab them in the back as Sasuke did? Or would he be like Itachi, coldly cutting down all ties?

That wouldn't solve any problems; that would be a twisted way to vent anger.

Therefore, he had always tried to avoid getting too involved with the characters from the original story or this world.

But now...

At this moment, a piece of paper slipped from the scroll in Uchiha Ci's hand and landed in his palm.

A line of words on the paper made him freeze for a moment.

"Just deliver it. I'll figure out the method. And by the way, I'm not dead."

Uchiha Ci: "..."

He blinked and scratched his head.

Finally, he let out a sigh of relief.

Then, unable to help himself, he twisted his face and snapped the scroll shut, cursing under his breath:

"Damn it, old man! You could've said you weren't dead sooner, hiding it so well!"

"Made me think all sorts of things for no reason. Get lost, get lost! All of you, get out of my head!"

Uchiha Ci quickly raised his palm and waved it in the air as if he were shooing away something dirty.

The Great Elder, Uchiha Setsuna, was one of the last remaining old-school Jonin of the Uchiha clan from the Warring States period.

Izanagi, the forbidden technique that rewrites one's fate to fake their death—of course, he would know it.

Uchiha Ci had simply been too panicked to remember this for a moment.

Just then, the door creaked open again.

Hidan, walking in with a doctor, happened to catch Uchiha Ci waving his hands wildly in the air, looking like he was mimicking some sort of swordplay.

Hidan couldn't help but chuckle, "Yo, I didn't expect you to have so much energy left."

"Not bad, keep going!"

"I've never been through this phase, but I read about it in books."

"Don't be shy, it's understandable."

Uchiha Ci remained expressionless, thinking to himself: "What do you mean you haven't been through this phase? You shout 'Lord Jashin this' and 'Lord Jashin that' every day; you clearly never left this phase!"

But under the gaze of the two, Uchiha Ci turned his face away awkwardly and coughed, saying:

"There was just a fly."

At that moment, the tall doctor behind Hidan raised his eyes slightly and said calmly:

"That's impossible. I sprayed insect repellent all around the area."

[Shinno expresses his disdain for you.]

Uchiha Ci's face flushed instantly, but after noticing the subtitles floating before his eyes, he paused.

"Oh, let me introduce you. This is Dr. Shinno, a physician who travels the ninja world." Hidan stepped aside, gesturing with his thumb at the tall doctor beside him.

"If it weren't for him, you would've died from blood loss."

Uchiha Ci raised his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in his gaze.

The tall doctor, whom Hidan referred to as Shinno, wore a brown hood that revealed his light gray hair, and he was dressed in a pale yellow robe.

This appearance, and his name—wasn't this Shinno, the leader of the Sky Ninja Village?

The man who flew a giant airship around the ninja world—why would he be in the Land of Hot Water at this time? And why was he with Hidan?

Shinno's indifferent gaze swept over Uchiha Ci as if he were just a piece of worthless meat.

After staying on him for a moment, Shinno spoke in a cold tone:

"I've treated all your wounds. Just drink more warm water; that's all."

After giving his advice, Shinno shook his head as if he had no interest in Uchiha Ci, and turned to leave.

Uchiha Ci watched him leave but didn't stop him.

There was no connection or conflict between them, and it didn't align with Shinno's goals of dying for a noble cause.

So, just as Shinno had no interest in this Uchiha, Uchiha Ci felt the same way about him.

Even knowing that Shinno could open all Eight Gates without dying and could easily crush him, Uchiha Ci had no interest in provoking him.

There's a difference between suicide and insurance fraud, especially when the other party hasn't shown any malicious intent.

That's why Uchiha Ci had set his sights on the battlefield. Once you stepped onto the battlefield, sides were drawn, and it was a matter of life and death. No one would bat an eye.

"Dr. Shinno is a noble man. He doesn't even charge for his services," Hidan said, watching Shinno leave, with a respectful look in his eyes. He then turned back to Uchiha Ci and tossed him an apple.

Uchiha Ci didn't respond, only glancing thoughtfully at Hidan before clicking his tongue.

Noble?

That's debatable.

After thinking for a moment, Uchiha Ci figured the only reason Shinno might be with Hidan was for the secrets of the Jashin Cult.

After all, Shinno's forbidden technique, "Body Revival," which allowed him to open the Eight Gates and survive, might have some connection with the Jashin Cult's "immortality."

At this point, Hidan straddled a chair and spoke openly:

"Ci, I didn't save you just so you could lie around."

"Since Dr. Shinno says you're fine, come with me and help with something."

Uchiha Ci tilted his head, surprised at Hidan's innocence:

"How do you have the nerve to say something like that?"

"And why should I help you?"

"The fact that I haven't stabbed you yet is already a sign of my mercy. And now you want to ask a rogue ninja for help?"

Hidan didn't seem to care and chuckled, "I've read about this in books. It's called 'returning the favor.'"

"You're a good guy; you'll help me."

Uchiha Ci rolled his eyes, speechless.

Alright, he took back what he said about Hidan being smart.

Shaking his head, Uchiha Ci smirked and said:

"Fine, tell me what it is—"

"But let me make this clear: if it's dangerous, I'm out."

Hidan's eyes sharpened, and he asked seriously:

"Do you know about the Jashin Cult?"