Ninja Survival Rules, Cloud-Thunder Gradually Appears!

6 AM.

Before the alarm clock even rang, Uchiha Ci smashed the clock that had annoyed him for a whole year.

By this time, he was already fully armored.

Headband, knee pads, shuriken pouches on his leg guards, gloves, foot wraps, the scroll storage bag tied to his left waist, and the ninja tool pouch on his lower back.

He put on his high-collared black robe with the Uchiha clan crest, stood in front of the mirror, lifted his hair, pulled down his eyelids, and cackled:

"Now, I can see your death!"

(Naruto Shippuden Sasuke KO Akatsuki Itachi Ultimate Jutsu Image.jpg)

After a moment of self-indulgence, precisely at 6 AM, Uchiha Ci jumped out the window, only to find Uchiha Obito doing the same from the adjacent room.

"Ci, are you going on a mission too?"

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

"What a joke, I, Uchiha Obito, am going to be Hokage, eeeeee!"

As he spoke, Uchiha Obito slapped his chest, missed his step, and tumbled headfirst out the second-story window.

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

With a sprained ankle and a bumped head, one might think he had just returned from the Land of Rain battlefield with a "battle damage package."

If he had to go to the Konoha Hospital for treatment, he'd be at least an hour late by the time he reached Minato's Squad.

However, Uchiha Ci was used to such scenes. He ignored the guy below, simply smiling and leaving a parting remark:

"Tsuchi, let's meet at the memorial stone next time. Don't forget to burn some paper for me."

With that, Uchiha Ci pushed off the roof, his arches flexing, and leaped up, heading towards the assembly point.

His footsteps carried an impatient joy.

Uchiha Obito: ???

In the Uchiha Compound, within a grand mansion.

"That's how things are, Elder Fugaku." Uchiha Shisui bowed respectfully to the young man before him, stating his purpose.

"Uchiha Ci?" Uchiha Fugaku's expression was as calm as a still lake. He nodded slightly, noting the name.

"I believe he will become a bridge between the clan and the village. Elder Fugaku, after you arrive in the Land of Hot Water, please keep an eye on my friend!"

"I would be most grateful!"

Uchiha Fugaku crossed his arms and said calmly:

"Go, Shisui. I will head to the Land of Hot Water half a day after Elder Setsuna. I will keep an eye on your friend."

"On your end, once you reach the Land of Rain, remember to contact our clansmen at the camp immediately."

"Also, you need to be aware of a newly emerging organization in the Land of Rain."

Uchiha Shisui blinked, looking up slightly with some confusion:

"An emerging organization?"

Uchiha Fugaku frowned slightly.

"An organization called Akatsuki. Their ideals are quite naive, but you can try to make contact."

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

"They would naturally lean towards Konoha's side."

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

"Akatsuki..."

8 AM.

At the Konoha gates.

Two squads, entirely composed of Uchiha, assembled.

Elder Uchiha Setsuna glanced at the sky, then at the assembled members, and said plainly:

"Since all personnel have arrived, the mission begins now!"

"Upon reaching the designated location, each squad captain will unroll the mission scroll and provide explanations and assignments."

"That is all. Depart!"

With that, Uchiha Setsuna took the lead, beckoning Uchiha Ci and Uchiha Seiichiro to his side, and then set off on the road out of the village.

Under these circumstances, the six members of the two squads had no time for pleasantries.

Uchiha Shisui smiled at Uchiha Ci, clenched his right fist, and lightly struck his chest before following the team.

Uchiha Ci watched with utter bewilderment.

He shook his head, not paying it much mind.

Although Uchiha Shisui had some misunderstanding about him, the missions they were assigned were worlds apart.

One was heading to the Land of Rain, northwest of the Land of Fire, while the other was traveling east, crossing long stretches of hills to reach the Land of Hot Water.

Ci didn't believe it. Uchiha Shisui was in the Land of Rain; how could he possibly drag him, who was in the Land of Hot Water, and prevent him from rushing to his death?

This wave, the biggest source of risk has been eliminated!

The advantage is mine!

Uchiha Ci's squad departed Konohagakure, advancing rapidly towards the Land of Hot Water at a steady pace.

The travel speed of ninjas was comparable to a dump truck. Crossing the long hilly terrain of the Land of Fire from Konohagakure to the Land of Hot Water only took a day.

None of the three people in the squad were talkative, and they traveled in silence. After leaving Konohagakure and moving far away from the prosperous regions of the Land of Fire, the scenery before their eyes suddenly changed.

Refugees from the border heading south from the Land of Hot Water and displaced people from the Land of Hot Water gradually filled their vision. The landscape along the way transformed from the vibrant green of spring to a desolate gray.

Withered branches, stripped trees, and helpless, vacant gazes were the most common sights Uchiha Ci encountered on his journey.

At this point, they had only reached the midpoint.

Traces of ninjas had already appeared nearby.

Scattered remnants of makeshift campsites, surrounding warning traps, and the occasional furtive glance from the shadows made the three members of the squad slightly more cautious.

On the eve of the Third Shinobi World War, the smaller nations caught between the major powers were the most chaotic territories.

The ninja of Yugakure couldn't protect the Land of Hot Water, nor could they bear the punishment for mission failure. A significant portion of them became rogue ninja, blending in with the refugees and entering the Land of Fire.

Eventually, they became bandits and had bounties placed on them.

As the light on the ground gradually receded.

The sun set, the red clouds on the horizon faded, and darkness was about to descend.

Uchiha Setsuna called a halt to the advancing squad.

He unrolled a mission scroll on a rock, his voice cold:

"Gather around, we'll go over the mission details now."

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

Whether he could achieve the "death upon leaving the village" accomplishment today depended on this.

"This mission's objective is to reach the Valley of Hell in the Land of Hot Water and provide support to the Uchiha clansmen stationed there."

"Where do you think the greatest danger comes from?"

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

Uchiha Seiichiro pouted, "Besides the standard ninja survival rules, the main thing would be dealing with the Chinoike Clan's counterattack, right?"

"Those lunatics are all dangerous."

Uchiha Ci remained silent, merely nodding in agreement. His views were the same as Seiichiro's.

Moreover, he knew--

Above the lunatics, there were even stronger individuals!

Miyashiro En of the Chinoike Clan, or rather, Miyashiro En!

This senior of the "filial" Itachi, with his own power alone and without any external help, went berserk and slaughtered his entire clan, eradicating everyone in the Chinoike Clan except his daughter from the ninja world.

It was hard to imagine what level his Ketsuryūgan had evolved to.

Compared to him, Chinoike Chiyo, who appeared in the original story's Sasuke's Light arc, didn't even qualify to carry his shoes.

This was the truly formidable individual!

However, Uchiha Setsuna shook his head, sighed, closed his eyes, and said with great gravity:

"You are mistaken."

"The real danger does not lie with the Chinoike Clan, but above them!"

"What?" Uchiha Ci was taken aback.

What the heck, above the strong, there are even stronger people?