Interlude, Setsuna

Forty-five years ago, On the eve of the clan head Uchiha Madara's departure from the village.

The young Uchiha Setsuna once asked him:

"How can a person possess the power of a god?"

Uchiha Madara glanced at him coldly and tossed back a sentence:

"Do you also want to dance?"

Golden flames tore through the sky.

Igniting the writhing dome, the molten rubber with flames rained down.

This scene reflected in Uchiha Ci's eyes, like the heavens flashing, stars falling.

And he, no longer had the strength to move.

He could only look up at the enlarging fireball falling from mid-air, his eyes widening slightly.

Whoosh--

A black shadow leaped down, grabbing Uchiha Ci by the neck and flinging him onto a nearby rocky protrusion.

Sizzle--

The fireball smashed into the hot spring, splashing a large amount of sparks.

Uchiha Ci was slightly stunned, staring in disbelief at the Great Elder who appeared before him.

Uchiha Setsuna didn't say much, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.

At this moment, The volcano, formed by the earth's upheaval, was continuously drawing in the scalding hot springs from underground.

The water level surged, the air compressed, and it looked like a world-shattering explosion was imminent.

He raised his head, looking up at the burning dome, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Immediately, he formed hand seals and unleashed several ninjutsu.

Fire Style: Majestic Dragon Flame Technique, Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.

Several fire ninjutsu flew out and struck the dome, only causing violent tremors within the volcano.

Uchiha Setsuna frowned slightly and stopped his actions.

Uchiha Ci looked at him, his face full of shock, as if he had seen a polar bear in the Antarctic.

"Great Elder, how are you here??"

Before the barrier was thrown into the volcano, Ci had clearly seen that Uchiha Setsuna was not within the range of Dodai's jutsu.

At this moment, Kumogakure had lost the means to restrain Uchiha Setsuna with barrier ninjas, so he should have been able to escape the scene with ease.

Uchiha Setsuna snorted coldly and said plainly:

"Nonsense, of course, it's to save you."

Uchiha Ci was dumbfounded upon hearing this, "Wait, Great Elder, you should..."

Uchiha Setsuna shook his head and replied calmly:

"According to you, I should have retreated."

"I should have fulfilled my duty and stationed myself at the Valley of Hell to prevent trouble in Kumogakure and avoid great losses for the clan."

He looked at Uchiha Ci's body covered in bloody cuts and burns, his arm dislocated and hanging limply on the ground, and frowned slightly.

These battle damages were more terrifying than any ninja fresh from the Land of Rain battlefield.

Uchiha Setsuna's gaze flickered slightly, and he let out a long breath, "But--"

"What about you?"

"Me?" Uchiha Ci was startled, then shook his head with a wry smile, "Great Elder, stop joking. Compared to the clan, what value do I have that's worth saving?"

"No." Uchiha Setsuna's gaze sharpened, and he said gravely:

"I think you do!"

"At least, compared to me, compared to me, a mediocre and useless person--"

"You, with your firm will, long-term vision, and hope of reaching the other shore that I can never reach,"

"Deserve to live more!"

The smile on Uchiha Ci's face froze instantly.

Uchiha Setsuna, standing beside him, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He slapped his hand onto Ci's head, ruffling his messy hair, which had become frizzy from the electric shock.

When he opened his eyes again, a pair of Scarlet Blood Eyes lit up.

His gaze was calm yet resolute.

"Ci, as you can see—" Uchiha Setsuna released his hand, took a step forward, and gripped the hilt of his sword.

"From the Warring States period until now, this old bone of mine should have long since embarked on its destined path."

"Shedding my old age and moving towards death."

"However,"

"I have been mired in the filthy mire of power my entire life, unable to extricate myself."

"Yet I have never, as my name suggests, experienced the brief and brilliant moments that life should hold."

Uchiha Setsuna's gaze was stern.

"Until your appearance—"

"I know, this is the guidance given to me by the previous clan head, Uchiha Madara."

"I firmly believe, now is that moment!"

Uchiha Ci stared in bewilderment at Uchiha Setsuna, who looked as if he were about to meet his doom, and his heart couldn't help but panic.

"No, wait, please, hold on, Great Elder, what are you talking about?"

"Is what you understand the same as what I understand?"

"I'm not as noble as you think, I..."

Just as Uchiha Ci was about to say something, Uchiha Setsuna suddenly turned his head, smiled knowingly, Then, his tone changed, and he spoke indifferently and abruptly:

"I know—"

"You want to die."

"Having lost your parents at a young age, bullied by your clansmen, living in a puddle of mud, feeling that the world is devoid of meaning."

"You've long wanted to die."

Uchiha Setsuna narrowed his eyes, sneering with sinister cunning.

"But, you don't want to die in a way that makes people laugh."

"You want to wash away your shame, you want to die with honor, to die as an Uchiha!"

"So—"

"I, for one, will not let you die."

Uchiha Ci opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but suddenly remembered.

His body's past seemed to be exactly as Uchiha Setsuna had said, but the motivation was completely different from what Uchiha Setsuna had described!

It was me who wanted to die!

"Wait, you must have misunderstood something, Great Elder, let me explain."

"Hmph." Uchiha Setsuna snorted coldly, his face filled with arrogance and stubbornness. "I have my own judgment."

"Then, next."

Uchiha Setsuna looked indifferently at the erupting hot spring beneath his feet, slowly drew his long sword, and said coldly:

"You brat, watch closely."

"I will unleash the Uchiha Clan's secret, S-Rank Forbidden Jutsu Swordplay Secret—"

Hearing Uchiha Setsuna's words, Uchiha Ci couldn't help but be stunned.

He wondered if the Uchiha, besides fire style, shuriken, and dancing with giant robots, had such a thing?

An S-Rank Swordplay Secret? There aren't many of those even in Konoha, right?

While Uchiha Ci was in a daze, No one expected, Uchiha Setsuna suddenly leaped backward, reversed his grip on the hilt, and smashed it into the back of Uchiha Ci's head.

The blow was like a heavy hammer, making Uchiha Ci see stars and fall to the ground.

"What the hell, you. You old bastard, you're ambushing me!"

Uchiha Ci couldn't help but curse in pain, his vision immediately went black, and he fainted groggily.

However, vaguely, he heard Uchiha Setsuna's final cold laugh at him:

"That's right, just hate me! Hate me! And then live on, ugly!"

With a leap, he sprang forward!

In a daze, Uchiha Ci seemed to see a blazing inferno light up the entire volcano.

A blurry figure wielded a fiery longsword that pierced the heavens and earth.

With a gentle swing, the volcano instantly collapsed and shattered.

Like a god!

Immediately after, he heard a plop, as if something had fallen into a boiling sea on the verge of eruption.

Then, his consciousness plunged into a blurry darkness.

It wasn't until this moment that a talent notification sounded in his mind.

[Ding!]

[You bravely counterattacked the enemy who taunted you. The opponent is dead and unable to retort.]

[The counterattack was powerful, triggering a critical hit.]

[You have acquired a random skill from the opponent: Deathmatch Barrier (Proficient, A)]

[Skill critically hit, current attribute is: Super Deathmatch Barrier (Mastery, S)]

[Your Steel of the Heart count has increased.]

Uchiha Setsuna, male, a male character from the Japanese manga "Naruto" and its derivative works. He is a Jonin of the Uchiha Clan in Konohagakure, Land of Fire, a member of the Konoha Military Police Force, and a sinister and cunning individual. He inherited Madara's will, was highly dissatisfied with the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama's policies for governing the Uchiha Clan, and always yearned to reclaim sovereignty from the Senju Clan. He is a hawk faction member of the Uchiha. -- Book of Formation