Chapter 8: Ninja Survival Code, Clouds and Thunder Loom!
6:00 AM
Before the alarm could even ring, Uchiha Takanotsume smashed the clock that had annoyed him for a whole year with a single slap.
He was already decked out in full gear.
Headband, knee guards, shinai holsters on his legs, gloves, foot straps, a scroll pouch on his side waist, and a ninja tool bag at his lower back.
Draping on a high-collared black robe emblazoned with the Uchiha crest, he stood before the mirror, slicked back his hair, pulled down his eyelids, and let out a wicked cackle: "Now, I can already see your death face!"
(Sasuke's Gale KO's Akatsuki Itachi Ultimate Art.jpg)
After a moment of self-indulgence, at exactly 6:00 AM, Takanotsume vaulted out the window, landing just as his neighbor, Uchiha Obito, did the same.
"Takanotsume, you heading out on a mission too?"
Takanotsume gave a cool nod, tossing out a reminder: "Don't be late again."
"What're you talking about? I, Uchiha Obito, am gonna be Hokage—hey, whoa, whoa!"
Mid-sentence, Obito thumped his chest, missed a step, and face-planted from the second-story window.
Takanotsume shook his head slightly. Classic Obito, the king of tardiness.
With a sprained ankle and a bumped head, anyone would think this guy had just limped back from the Land of Rain battlefield with a war-torn deluxe package.
A trip to Konoha Hospital and then rushing to Minato's team? He'd be at least an hour late.
But Takanotsume was used to this scene. Ignoring the groaning Obito below, he smirked and left a parting shot: "Obito, next time we meet, it'll be at the Memorial Stone. Don't forget to burn some paper for me."
With that, Takanotsume sprang off the roof, his feet propelling him toward the meeting point.
His steps carried an eager, almost giddy bounce.
Obito: ???
Uchiha Clan Compound, Grand Estate
"That's the situation, Fugaku-senpai." Uchiha Shisui bowed respectfully to the young man before him, explaining his purpose.
"Uchiha Takanotsume?" Uchiha Fugaku's face remained impassive as he nodded slightly, committing the name to memory.
"I believe he'll become a bridge between the clan and the village. Fugaku-senpai, when you head to the Land of Hot Springs, please keep an eye on my friend!"
"I'd be deeply grateful!"
Fugaku crossed his arms, speaking calmly: "Go, Shisui. I'll follow Elder Setsuna to the Land of Hot Springs half a day later. I'll keep an eye on your friend."
"But you—when you reach the Land of Rain, contact the clan members at the camp immediately."
"And one more thing: watch out for a new organization rising in the Land of Rain."
Shisui blinked, lifting his head in confusion. "A new organization?"
Fugaku frowned slightly. "They call themselves Akatsuki. Their ideals are naive, but you could try making contact."
"After all, their three leaders are disciples of Lord Jiraiya, one of the Sannin."
"They're naturally inclined toward Konoha."
Shisui nodded thoughtfully, murmuring to himself: "Akatsuki, huh…"
8:00 AM
Konoha's Main Gate
Two all-Uchiha teams assembled.
Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna glanced at the sky, then at the gathered members, before speaking flatly: "Since everyone's here, the mission begins now!"
"Upon reaching your destinations, team leaders will unseal the mission scrolls, provide details, and assign tasks."
"That's all. Move out!"
With that, Setsuna took the lead, gesturing lightly to Takanotsume and Seiichiro before stepping onto the road out of the village.
Under these circumstances, the six members of the two teams had no time for small talk.
Shisui flashed Takanotsume a smile, thumped his fist against his chest, and followed his team.
Takanotsume watched, utterly baffled.
He shook his head, not dwelling on it.
Sure, Shisui had some misconceptions about him, but their missions were worlds apart.
One team was headed northwest to the Land of Rain; the other was going east, crossing long stretches of hills to the Land of Hot Springs.
Takanotsume refused to believe Shisui, stuck in the Land of Rain, could somehow stop him from dying in the Land of Hot Springs.
This round? The biggest risk factor's been neutralized!
Advantage: me!
Takanotsume's team left Konoha, moving at a steady, rapid pace toward the Land of Hot Springs.
A ninja's speed and endurance rivaled a dump truck. Crossing the Land of Fire's vast hilly terrain to reach the Land of Hot Springs took just one day.
None of the three team members were chatty, so the journey was silent. As they left Konoha and the prosperous heart of the Land of Fire behind, the scenery changed abruptly.
Border refugees and displaced people from the Land of Hot Springs, fleeing south, filled their view. The vibrant spring greenery gave way to a bleak, gray wasteland.
Withered branches, bark-stripped trees, and the hopeless gazes of those leaning against them became the most common sights along Takanotsume's path.
They were only halfway to their destination.
Already, traces of ninja activity were evident.
Scattered campfire remnants, nearby trap triggers, and occasional prying eyes from the shadows put all three team members on edge.
On the eve of the Third Ninja World War, the small nations caught between the great powers were the most chaotic regions.
The Hot Springs Village's ninja couldn't protect their land or bear the penalties of failed missions. Many turned rogue, blending with refugees to slip into the Land of Fire.
They became bandits, their names plastered on mission bounty lists.
As the light on the earth began to fade, the sun sank, the red horizon dimmed, and darkness loomed.
Setsuna halted the advancing team.
He pulled out the mission scroll, spreading it on a rock, his voice cold: "Gather. Mission briefing now."
Takanotsume perked up, knowing the main event was here.
Could he achieve the die-upon-leaving-the-village milestone today? It all hinged on this.
"The mission objective: reach Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Springs and support the Uchiha clansmen stationed there."
"What do you think is the greatest danger?"
Setsuna fell silent for a moment, then asked the two abruptly.
Seiichiro scoffed. "Besides the ninja survival code basics, it's obviously dealing with the Blood Pond Clan's counterattacks, right?"
"Those lunatics are one danger after another."
Takanotsume didn't speak but nodded in agreement, sharing Seiichiro's view.
And he knew more—
Above lunatics, there are masters!
The Blood Pond Clan's Muyajoshi, or rather, Muyajoshi En!
This filial predecessor to Itachi single-handedly, without any external aid, went berserk and slaughtered his entire clan—wiping out every Blood Pond member except his daughter from the ninja world.
It was hard to fathom what level his Blood Dragon Eye had reached.
Compared to him, Chino from the Sasuke Gaiden arc wasn't even fit to tie his shoes.
This was the real heavyweight!
But—
Setsuna shook his head, sighing. He closed his eyes and said gravely: "You're wrong."
"The real danger isn't the Blood Pond Clan—but what lies above them!"
"What?" Takanotsume froze.
Above the master… there's another master?!