Naruto: Choosing from Birth - Chapter 25

Kushina clung tightly to Uchiha Cheng, her tears quickly soaking his clothes. "I thought... I thought..."

I thought I'd have to leave another place I'd only just grown familiar with. I thought I'd never see you again after that blade struck.

Her voice choked with sobs, making her words hard to hear. All the fear and anxiety she had endured along the way finally burst out at this moment.

After going through this, Kushina had completely come to see Uchiha Cheng as someone she could rely on in life. The strength she usually displayed could finally be put aside for now.

She could have a good, hard cry.

Uchiha Cheng also put away his usual playful expression and comforted her softly. "It's okay. It's all over now. I told you, didn't I? I'm the only one allowed to bully you. We promised."

"Mm... Huh? Why does that sound kind of weird?" Kushina mumbled. "What are you hiding in front of you? It's poking me..."

Uchiha Cheng took half a step back in confusion. That couldn't be right, could it? I'm still young. Though that part really isn't small... He was just about to pull open his pants and take a look.

The famed blade Duan Xue hanging at his waist swayed. So it was Duan Xue! What a nuisance! Toss it...

"Y-you... what are you trying to do?"

Kushina scratched her little head as she watched Uchiha Cheng's strange motion of pulling at his pants. Then she remembered the bizarre Lightning Release he had used earlier. What was it called? Chidori?

Buzz!!!

A faint wisp of steam immediately rose from her head, and her face turned bright red.

"Y-you want to use Chidori? I-I'm still young, can we wait... wait until later... How could Cheng-nii create such a perverted ninjutsu?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Uchiha Cheng was completely confused by Kushina's twisting logic. He recalled how he had deliberately used Chidori for the first time to provoke Matsudaira.

Don't tell me you really thought I pulled out that bird to hit someone? What exactly is in that little head of yours?!

"Kushina, listen to my explanation..."

Just then, another small figure came racing through the forest.

"Kushina? Uchiha Cheng? Are you two all right?" The newcomer was Minato Namikaze. He held a kunai in each hand, his eyes warily scanning the surroundings.

Terrifying. Shuriken were scattered everywhere, and the surroundings had been heavily damaged. A fierce battle must have taken place here just now.

And judging from the four bodies on the ground, which clearly did not belong to Konoha shinobi, had Uchiha Cheng and the others won this battle?

Also, he suddenly noticed a heart-shaped pattern made from hidden weapons not far away. What the hell was that? A battlefield confession? Impossible.

Then he looked at Kushina's flushed face. What... Why did his heart hurt so much? It felt as though he had lost something important.

"Yo, little Minato, you're fast as always. How did you find us so quickly?"

"I followed the trail markers you left behind. I was planning to train after dinner. Did you... run into an attack?"

What he really wanted to ask was: which one of you confessed so quickly?

Minato shook his head, blowing away that unrealistic thought.

"Yeah. Kumogakure has gone broke and started trafficking people. They wanted to kidnap Kushina."

Minato gave Matsudaira's corpse a strange look. This man was clearly the second-in-command of the Kumogakure delegation that had appeared at the Ninja Academy that morning.

No wonder he had looked so pained when he announced his surrender. After spending so much money treating everyone, he had probably wanted to recoup some of it through this attack.

He would remember this. The people of Kumogakure were far too stingy. He would have to be more wary of them in the future.

"Young Master! Leave this place quickly!"

Another figure landed nearby, carrying a corpse wearing a white mask with colorful patterns.

The newcomer was Uchiha Yuto, who had been secretly protecting Uchiha Cheng under the clan head's orders.

He had just fought one against two on Konoha's outskirts, killing one and driving the other away.

But judging by the ruthlessness of these mysterious people, who killed themselves as soon as they were captured, they would not let this go. Taking the young master back to the village quickly was the right course of action.

This corpse would be brought back to the clan for study.

"Okay!"

Uchiha Cheng recognized the corpse Yuto was carrying at a glance. Wasn't it one of Danzo's men?

The Root organization Danzo had created in the original story had even dared to assassinate the Third Hokage. What was there that he would not dare to do?

That ten-man assassination squad Danzo had organized had failed because of Kakashi's betrayal. Yet the Third Hokage had seemingly chosen not to pursue the matter for Konoha's sake.

So Uchiha Cheng agreed without hesitation. They would get somewhere safe first.

Just as everyone was about to leave and take a detour back,

a series of footsteps rang out. Dark figures continuously darted through the woods, closing in.

"Uchiha Yuto! Uchiha Cheng! You abducted an important figure of Konoha, wantonly slaughtered Konoha's allies, and killed my subordinates who came to provide aid. You are hereby declared Konoha A-rank rogue shinobi and placed under arrest!"

"If you resist, you may be executed on the spot!"

Figures dressed in black robes and wearing white masks with colorful patterns surrounded them one after another. At their head stood Shimura Danzō, one eye covered by bandages.

PS: Many thanks to the big shot 1887010*** for the 400 reward and big shot 13127*** for the chapter reminder. I'm endlessly grateful! Uh, the asterisks replace the digits after the numbers, so as not to expose the privacy of the suspected big shots. Embarrassing.*

The first main storyline direction poll!

Uchiha Cheng and Nawaki Senju are currently eight years old. They will soon enter the Second Shinobi World War.

In the early stages of the Second Shinobi World War, twelve-year-old Nawaki Senju will die in battle, but the protagonist has the ability to save him.

At the same time, three choices will arise, each corresponding to a different main storyline afterward:

A: Save Nawaki Senju. (This route will greatly increase favorability with the Senju Clan and Tsunade, creating the conditions for the Uchiha Clan and Senju Clan to work together later on.)

B: Don't save him! (The two clans already view each other as enemies, so there's no reason to save him. This route will push the protagonist in a cold-blooded direction, clearing away all enemies. There is a 99% chance he will kill Tsunade later on.)

C: Save Nawaki Senju, on the condition that Tsunade becomes Uchiha Cheng's subordinate. (There will be interaction between the two, but since they have no emotional foundation whatsoever, this will become one of the reasons Cheng-nii gets stabbed by a jealous lover later on.)

I originally wanted to post this in the book review section, but there was a character limit. Please reply with your choice in the reviews.

Note: Don't look at other people's comments before choosing, so you won't be influenced. Choose based on the storyline you most genuinely want to see.

When the plot reaches that point, the author will count the most popular choice and strictly follow that main storyline. The other two routes will not appear.

Also: Please support with flowers and ratings. Thank you, everyone. The second major main storyline direction poll will open in the comments soon.*

Right off the bat, they twisted black into white!

In Shimura Danzō's plan, three schemes had already been prepared for today:

Plan A: Make a deal with Kumogakure and assist them in capturing the Jinchuriki vessel. They would provide precision instruments for researching cellular activity and Lightning Release ninjutsu. Danzo only needed to lure away the guards around the vessel and open a route for them to escape Konoha.

Kumogakure had already delivered the precision instruments. The Lightning Release ninjutsu would only be handed over after the Jinchuriki vessel had been safely brought back to Kumogakure.

Plan B: While monitoring the Jinchuriki vessel, Kushina, they discovered that Ninja Academy student Uchiha Cheng had used the Sharingan in the arena. Plan B was therefore activated. They would seize this chance to capture Uchiha Cheng, then frame Kumogakure for it.

Plan C: If both Plans A and B failed, activate Plan C—twist black into white and frame the Uchiha Clan. Before Konoha's other reinforcements arrived, directly kill Uchiha Cheng and take control of his body, leaving no evidence behind. Then frame Kumogakure.

At that point, whether or not the Uchiha Clan sought revenge against Kumogakure, he would gain the greatest benefit. Of course, it would be best if they did seek revenge, further weakening the Uchiha Clan.

Shimura Danzō had deeply inherited the cold-blooded thinking of his teacher, the Second Hokage, as well as the fundamental policy of suppressing the Uchiha Clan.

As long as there was an opportunity to weaken the Uchiha Clan, he would absolutely never let it pass!

"That's not true! Cheng-nii killed those Cloud Shinobi to save me. They were all bad people."

Kushina anxiously defended Uchiha Cheng.

"This little girl has already been placed under Uchiha genjutsu. Ignore her. Take her away as well."

Danzo waved to the people behind him without expression.

"Utter nonsense! Young Master Cheng is the son of the Uchiha Clan head. How could he possibly betray Konoha? Whoever dares step forward is declaring war on the Uchiha Clan!"

Uchiha Yuto roared, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes spinning rapidly.

Provoked by this, the people opposite them immediately halted.

"I'm not under genjutsu, don't..."

Uchiha Cheng stopped Kushina, who still wanted to argue. The other side had made their intentions obvious; they did not care what she said.

Yuto was also signaling for Uchiha Cheng to flee quickly once fighting began. He understood that the other side would never let this go.

As for surrendering and not resisting? Heh. His eyes would definitely be taken immediately, and not even his bones would remain.

Just as expected!

"Declaring war? Are you declaring war on all of Konoha? In that case, die!"

Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!