Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 8: The Ninja Survival Code and the Rising Thunderclouds

At 6:00 AM.

Uchiha Ci slapped his alarm clock into pieces before it could ring, a clock that had annoyed him for a whole year.

At this moment, he was already fully dressed in his protective gear.

Headband, knee guards, shuriken holster strapped to his legs, gloves, foot straps, the scroll pouch at his side, and the ninja tool bag on his lower back.

He donned a black robe with the Uchiha clan's crest, stood in front of the mirror, and lifted his hair, pulling down his eyelid with a sinister grin:

"Now, I can already see your death!"

After indulging in his own vanity for a moment, exactly at 6:00, Uchiha Ci leapt out of the window, only to run into Uchiha Obito, who was doing the same next door.

"Ci, are you heading out on a mission too?"

Uchiha Ci coolly nodded and reminded him, "Don't be late again."

"Are you kidding? I, Uchiha Obito, am going to become Hokage… Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

While speaking, Uchiha Obito was pounding his chest, but he stepped into thin air and tumbled headfirst out of the second-floor window.

Uchiha Ci shook his head slightly, thinking to himself, "As expected of you, Late Obito."

Twisting his ankle and hitting his head, one might think this guy had just come back from a war-torn battlefield in the Land of Rain, battered and bruised.

Now, after a trip to the Konoha Hospital to treat his injuries, he would definitely be at least an hour late to Minato's team.

But Uchiha Ci was used to this kind of scene by now, so he didn't pay him any mind, only smiling as he left behind a parting shot:

"Obito, let's meet next time at the Memorial Stone. Don't forget to burn some incense for me."

With that, Uchiha Ci pushed off the roof tiles, using the arch of his foot to propel himself, and leapt toward the meeting point.

His steps carried a sense of eager anticipation.

Uchiha Obito: ???

---

At the Uchiha compound, in a tall mansion.

"That's the situation, Fugaku-senpai." Uchiha Shisui bowed respectfully to the young man before him, explaining his intentions.

"Uchiha Ci?" Uchiha Fugaku's face remained impassive as he nodded slightly, noting the name.

"I believe he will definitely become a bridge between the clan and the village. Fugaku-senpai, please, when you head to the Land of Hot Water, take care of this friend of mine!"

"I would be most grateful!"

Uchiha Fugaku crossed his arms and calmly replied, "Go ahead, Shisui. I'll be heading to the Land of Hot Water with Elder Setsuna later. I'll keep an eye on your friend."

"On your end, once you arrive in the Land of Rain, make sure to contact the clan members stationed at the camp immediately."

"Also, keep an eye on a new organization that's emerging in the Land of Rain."

Uchiha Shisui was slightly taken aback, lifting his head with some confusion.

"A new organization?"

Uchiha Fugaku frowned slightly.

"A group called 'Akatsuki.' Their ideology is quite naive, but you could try approaching them."

"After all, the three leaders of that organization are disciples of Jiraiya-sama, one of the Sannin."

"They naturally lean toward Konoha."

Uchiha Shisui nodded slightly, pondering for a moment before murmuring to himself:

"Akatsuki, huh..."

---

8:00 AM.

At the gates of Konoha.

Two teams, both entirely composed of Uchiha members, assembled.

The elder, Uchiha Setsuna, glanced at the sky, then at the gathered members, and spoke in a detached tone:

"Since everyone is here, the mission begins now!"

"Once we reach the designated location, the team leaders will open the mission scrolls, explain the objectives, and assign tasks."

"That's all. Let's go!"

With that, Uchiha Setsuna took the lead, gesturing slightly to Uchiha Ci and Uchiha Seijiro before heading out of the village.

In this situation, the six members of the two teams had no time for small talk.

Uchiha Shisui smiled at Uchiha Ci, lightly thumping his chest with a fist before following the group.

Uchiha Ci, puzzled, shook his head but didn't think much of it.

Although Uchiha Shisui might have misunderstood him, their missions were entirely unrelated.

One was heading northwest to the Land of Rain, while the other was moving east across long hills to the Land of Hot Water.

Ci didn't believe for a second that Uchiha Shisui could reach all the way from the Land of Rain to stop him in the Land of Hot Water from risking his life.

At this point, the greatest source of risk had already been removed!

The advantage is mine!

Uchiha Ci's team departed from Konoha, quickly making their way toward the Land of Hot Water at a steady pace.

The speed of a ninja is comparable to that of a bulldozer, and it takes only a day to travel from Konoha through the long hilly region of the Land of Fire to reach the Land of Hot Water.

The three members of the team weren't particularly talkative, so the journey was silent. As they left Konoha and moved away from the prosperous regions of the Land of Fire, the scene before them suddenly changed.

Refugees from the southern border of the Land of Hot Water and the displaced citizens of the Land of Hot Water began to fill their view, and the lush green of early spring turned to desolation.

Bare branches, barkless tree trunks, and the helpless, lifeless gazes of people resting against them were the most common sights Uchiha Ci encountered along the way.

At this point, they were only halfway to their destination.

Already, traces of other ninjas were becoming evident nearby.

Scattered campfire remnants, surrounding traps, and the occasional watchful gaze from the shadows made the three team members slightly more cautious.

On the eve of the Third Shinobi World War, the small countries caught between the great nations were the most chaotic regions.

The Hidden Village of the Land of Hot Water couldn't protect its country, nor could it endure the punishment for mission failures. Many of its ninjas became rogue and mixed with refugees into the Land of Fire.

They eventually became bandits, listed on bounty boards.

---

As the light of day began to fade,

The sun set, the red glow in the sky slowly disappeared, and darkness was about to fall.

Uchiha Setsuna halted the advancing team.

He drew out the mission scroll, spreading it out on a stone, and spoke in a cold tone:

"Gather around. It's time for the mission briefing."

Uchiha Ci stiffened, knowing the main event was about to begin.

Whether or not he could achieve the 'dying as soon as you leave the village' feat would depend on this.

"This mission's goal is to reach the Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water and provide support to the stationed Uchiha clan members."

"Where do you think the greatest danger lies?"

Facing the two, Uchiha Setsuna fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking.

Uchiha Seijiro scoffed, "Besides what's written in the Ninja Survival Code, the main concern is dealing with the Blood Pool Clan's retaliation, right?"

"Those lunatics are dangerous, one more so than the next."

Uchiha Ci said nothing, only nodding in agreement. He shared the same view as Seijiro.

Moreover, he also knew—

Above the lunatics, there was a master!

The Blood Pool Clan's Yashiro Castle, or rather, Yashiro Castle Flame!

This predecessor to the infamous Itachi, single-handedly, without any outside help, went berserk and slaughtered his entire clan, wiping out the Blood Pool Clan except for his daughter, erasing them from the ninja world.

It's hard to imagine how far his Blood Dragon Eyes had evolved.

Compared to this, Chino of the Blood Pool Clan, who appeared in the Naruto spin-off, isn't even qualified to carry his sandals.

This is the real heavy-hitter!

However,

Uchiha Setsuna shook his head, sighed heavily, closed his eyes, and said gravely:

"You are mistaken."

"The real danger does not lie within the Blood Pool, but above it!"

"What?" Uchiha Ci was stunned.

This can't be... a master above the master?