Land of Hot Water, Land of Chaos

"Ci-kun." Shisui Uchiha walked up and patted Uchiha Ci's shoulder.

He keenly observed the tremor that had just passed through Uchiha Ci.

However, because Shisui had graduated early and was still young, he was as short as a little radish, making his comforting gesture somewhat comical.

"You don't need to worry too much. I didn't expect Elder Setsuna to personally lead the team for this mission. With him involved, the danger level on your end should be low."

Shisui Uchiha smiled kindly and offered words of comfort.

He had chosen the more dangerous Battlefield of the Land of Rain himself, yet here he was, comforting Uchiha Ci.

Uchiha Ci snapped back to reality and looked at him with a dead expression.

Damn it, fine, you took my pig-feeding mission. But you're going after the suicide mission too?

Can you even be considered human?

"Ci-kun, I still need to complete my mission before the assembly tomorrow, so I'll take my leave."

Shisui Uchiha shook the C-rank mission scroll he had just accepted and then departed.

After Shisui left, Uchiha Ci's eyes flickered slightly.

Was the danger level of the Valley of Hell in the Land of Hot Water really not high?

That was far from certain.

Night. The full moon broke through the clouds, casting its clear light across the land.

Inside the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Setsuna Uchiha stepped out of his wooden clogs, his expression indifferent as he opened the wooden door.

In the small room, a patch of scarlet eyes instantly lit up.

"Great Elder!"

Amidst the rising greetings, Setsuna Uchiha sat cross-legged in the central seat of honor.

Seated beside him was the second-in-command of the Hawk Faction, Yashiro Uchiha.

Below them, all were clan members of Chunin rank or higher who had awakened their Sharingan, nearly a hundred in total.

This was the foundation of the Hawk Faction.

"Great Elder, wasn't it already decided that a team of capable clan members would be sent to the Land of Hot Water?"

Yashiro frowned slightly and asked, "Why is there a Genin on the list, and a Genin who hasn't even awakened their Sharingan?"

"Did you not explain the danger of this mission to the clan members?"

Setsuna Uchiha picked up his teacup, glanced at Yashiro, and said calmly, "I will be personally going on this mission."

"I alone will be enough."

"This isn't just about the Chinoike Clan's unrest and increased guard pressure," Yashiro Uchiha analyzed with a frown.

"The Land of Hot Water is situated between the Land of Fire, Lightning, and Water. Furthermore, Iwagakure and Sunagakure have recently had minor skirmishes with Kirigakure. This place has fallen into extreme chaos."

"Nation Spies, combat troops, a mix of everything. Plus, after the Second Shinobi World War, numerous small organizations have appeared in the smaller nations: the Xuanyuan Group, the Hannya Group, the Evil God Cult, the Earth Spider, remnants of the now-destroyed Kagerō Village, Kirisame and pursuing ninja from Kirigakure, the Explosive Force from Iwagakure, Rasa who is gaining merit on the Kirigakure Frontline to ascend to the position of Kazekage, and bounty hunters from the Underground Exchange."

"This place has become a complete mess," Yashiro Uchiha shook his head with a grave expression, feeling that Setsuna Uchiha was being overconfident.

In such a situation, even if the Third Hokage himself were to intervene, it might not be easy.

Although Setsuna Uchiha was a veteran Uchiha from the Warring States Period, bringing only one Genin and one Chunin seemed questionable, no matter how you looked at it.

However, the clan's manpower was not abundant. Members of the Security Department were restricted by Konoha and could not leave the village without cause.

Yashiro Uchiha suddenly mentioned, "Perhaps we can request aid from Konoha?"

"Enough." Setsuna Uchiha put down his teacup, his tone calm yet irrefutable.

"I alone will be enough!"

"Yashiro, the mission to guard the Valley of Hell is not from Konoha. It's a long-term mission personally commissioned to the Uchiha by the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, and it's one of our few remaining money bags."

"Do not build your sense of security on others, especially Konoha, Sarutobi, and Danzo." Setsuna Uchiha raised his head, his pair of scarlet Sharingan glowing, chillingly cold.

"Only what you can control yourself truly matters. What others give as alms, you must accept like a dog, bowing your head. If one day they are displeased, they can kick you away at any time."

Yashiro Uchiha fell silent under these words.

Ninja were combat tools detached from production. The wealth the Uchiha could obtain, besides their ancestral inheritance and real estate within Konohagakure, was only through the financial sources developed by the clan's ninja undertaking large-scale missions accepted by the clan.

The mission to guard the Chinoike Clan alone yielded an annual reward equivalent to an S-rank mission.

Long-term and stable.

This was the root of why Setsuna Uchiha would not allow Konoha to interfere with this mission.

Clink.

Uchiha Ci had just opened the door to his residence.

A dusty young man wearing goggles fell from a tree in the yard.

Uchiha Ci immediately recognized that the reason the guy fell was because he lost his grip on the tree trunk due to uneven chakra distribution and output while practicing on the tree.

"Obito, what are you doing again?"

Looking at this uninvited guest who had fallen, Uchiha Ci was speechless.

This person was Obito, who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy last year.

He was also his current neighbor.

"Yo, it's Ci, haha, I'm preparing for the Chunin Exam!" Obito Uchiha scratched the back of his head and chuckled, then showed indignation.

"Damn Kakashi, he actually used his Chunin status to pressure me, forcing me to obey his commands!"

"It was just a simple cat-catching mission!"

"When my training is successful, I'll shove my Chunin Vest right in his face!" Obito Uchiha grumbled as he recounted the events.

Uchiha Ci was slightly stunned upon hearing this, a realization dawning on him.

Unbeknownst to him, he had already spent a full year in this still relatively peaceful Konoha.

He suddenly realized that the timeline had reached this point. Last year, Obito, Kakashi, and Rin Nohara had formed a three-person team, led by Namikaze Minato, and had been undertaking D-Rank Missions for some time.

However, Obito's wish to become a Chunin this year was probably not going to be fulfilled.

The Ninja World War was about to break out. As an Elite Jonin, Namikaze Minato would soon be heading to the front lines. This team would only be able to follow Minato around this year.

Only after the Land of Lightning eased its offensive, giving Konoha a temporary chance to breathe, would a Chunin Exam be held in Konoha Year 48.

It was also around that time that Obito was severely injured by Might Guy's kick. Although he lost, he was ultimately promoted to Chunin.

"What are you spacing out for? Grandma made noodles, come eat quickly." Obito waved his hand in front of Uchiha Ci's face and asked, tilting his head.

"Okay, I'll put my stuff down." Uchiha Ci nodded, not refusing the invitation.

On his way back, he had passed by the river and retrieved his fork and shoes.

However, a sack of recyclable cans that could be sold for money had vanished along with the bag, and he didn't know which bastard had run off with it.

Uchiha Ci cursed inwardly, truly the world was going downhill.

Was there such a thing in Konoha last year?

It was just that recently, due to the impending war, the Uchiha Clan of the Security Department

had too many meetings and no time to manage things.

This had led to the current surge of petty theft in Konoha.