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"You've been poisoned by Sanshōuo poison!"

"It's just Sanshōuo poison, why the sudden panic?"

The Medical Ninja froze in surprise.

"Do you even know what kind of poison that is? Sanshōuo is—"

"I know," Uchiha Rei interrupted him. "Sanshōuo is the summoning beast of the Ninja World's demigod, Hanzō. Its poison has no cure."

"If the victim isn't treated immediately, they can only survive for one day," the Medical Ninja said.

"Nonsense," Uchiha Rei smiled. "I learned ninjutsu before I even learned how to walk."

"Have these past ten-plus years of Chakra training... been for nothing?"

"I can live for at least three days."

The Medical Ninja opened his mouth, glanced at the Uchiha Jonin before him, and ultimately said nothing.

Uchiha Rei raised his head and looked out the window. In the brilliant, sunny sky, the light filtered through the glass and fell upon his handsome face, forcing him to squint. He tightened his goggles, took a deep breath, and turned to leave the hospital.

The toxin was slowly spreading through his body like an invisible snake.

"I can live for at least three days," he drew in a sharp breath.

The streets were crowded with pedestrians, and Konoha's spring always seemed overly bright, as if darkness and slaughter would never exist. Yet, Uchiha Rei knew the shadows of Konoha had never gone away; they were merely temporarily obscured.

He still had to find a way to detoxify.

Where to go? Seek out the Uchiha Clan? No. That was a dragon's den. The current Uchiha Clan was already quietly turbulent amidst hidden undercurrents, and Itachi and Obito, that CS Duo, were like venomous snakes lurking in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment.

"Akatsuki," he gritted his teeth. "Only they could possibly possess Sanshōuo's poison."

Last night's patrol point. Of the four-man squad, he was the only survivor.

"I'll go find the Hyuga Clan first," he resolved.

That was the other half of Uchiha Rei's bloodline. His left eye was red, his right eye was white.

The Hyuga Clan mansion was hidden deep in the southeast corner of the village. The Branch Family ninja guarding the gate stared at him for a long time before letting him in.

But he did not get to see the Main Family Clan Head—Hyuga Hiashi.

"The Clan Head is busy with matters and cannot see you," the Branch Family elder said in a steady tone, his face devoid of emotion. "However, the Clan Head is already aware of your request."

"I only wish to borrow the Hyuga family's medical resources," Uchiha Rei frowned. "I have been poisoned by Sanshōuo."

"We are aware," the elder nodded and said blandly, "which is why we have prepared two choices for you."

"What choices?" he asked, alert.

The elder's voice held no emotion: "Either surrender your Byakugan, or have the Caged Bird Seal carved into you."

Uchiha Rei was stunned, and it was a long while before he whispered, "I am also of Hyuga blood."

"That is merely blood," the elder's tone remained unchanged. "Not belonging."

The air seemed to freeze.

"You Hyuga family, you won't even help a dying man?"

"It is not that we are unwilling to help," the elder countered. "We are simply unwilling to assist someone who cannot be controlled."

Uchiha Rei's fists slowly tightened.

He laughed, a smile without a shred of warmth.

"So, either gouge out my right eye or turn me into a caged bird of the Hyuga? Is this the 'Fire of Konoha'?"

The elder did not answer, merely handing over a scroll and a small knife. "Choose one. You don't have much time left."

"I want neither!" His voice was soft, yet sharp as a steel needle.

Uchiha Rei didn't look back as he pushed open the door and walked out.

"I would rather die than become a caged bird."

"It seems I have no choice but to return to the Rabbit Clan. After all, my surname is Uchiha."

Ever since the Nine-Tails' Rampage, the Uchiha Clan had been relocated to the edge of the village, and their relationship with the Konoha high-level had grown increasingly tense.

The path back to the clan grew more and more desolate. People living around the long street near the Uchiha Clan had already begun to move away.

Even ordinary people knew the crisis was coming. Were the members of the Uchiha still living in an illusion?

He pushed open the gate and entered the courtyard.

"Who's there?" A voice rang out; it was his peer, Uchiha Yue. A Chunin responsible for the internal affairs of the Clan Compound.

"You're back?" Yue was clearly surprised, his tone laced with hesitation. "Aren't you... in the hospital?"

"I'm here to see the Clan Head," Uchiha Rei answered directly.

"The Clan Head is in a meeting," Yue sighed, his voice dropping lower. "He won't see you easily."

"Then I will see him myself," Uchiha Rei walked straight ahead, his tone turning cold. "If anyone blocks my path, don't blame me for taking action."

"Rei!"

He did not wait for the other party to dissuade him, his footsteps never faltering as he headed straight for the Assembly Hall.

That was where Uchiha Fugaku handled daily clan affairs, with the Uchiha Clan Crest hanging high above. Two guards stood before the entrance, and the moment they saw him approach, they immediately drew their blades to block his path.

"Halt!" one of them barked.

"This is a restricted area for clan meetings; no unauthorized personnel allowed!"

Before the words had even faded, Uchiha Rei's left eye flashed, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan glowing with a scarlet radiance in the night!

Genjutsu.

The two guards froze in place, their pupils dilating before they collapsed to the ground.

He pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside.

Inside the hall, the lamplight illuminated faces that were both familiar and stern. In the main seat at the center, Uchiha Fugaku sat upright, his gaze sharp and his brow etched with authority. Beside him sat several high-ranking elders, who were whispering to each other about some matter.

Seeing Uchiha Rei barge in uninvited, the assembly hall fell into an instant silence.

"Uchiha Rei?" Fugaku raised an eyebrow, his tone steady yet laced with coldness. "Do you know the consequences of trespassing on a clan meeting?"

"Shouldn't you be lying in the hospital?" an elder questioned in a low voice.

"Clan Head, I have come to report on yesterday's incident." Uchiha Rei stood firm; his face was pale and his lips were cracked, but his voice was neither servile nor overbearing.

"Speak." Fugaku's gaze was piercing.

"Yesterday, while our squad was on night patrol, we were ambushed by unidentified ninja." He swept his gaze across the crowd. "Of the four in our squad, I am the only survivor."

The atmosphere in the hall grew tense.

"I was struck by a potent poison," he continued. "It was Salamander Poison."

The expressions of those present shifted instantly.

"Salamander? The Poisonous Weapon Hanzō?" an elder exclaimed involuntarily. "How could he be in Konoha?"

"Did you see who administered the poison?" Fugaku's tone became exceptionally grave.

Uchiha Rei nodded slowly. He should have said, "I didn't see clearly," but he did not intend to say that.

This was his chance. As long as he claimed it was someone from the Hokage's side, making himself a witness to expose a conspiracy by the upper echelons, no one would dare let him die.

"I saw it," he paused, then said in a low voice, "It was... someone from the Anbu."

The atmosphere throughout the assembly hall congealed.

Fugaku's eyes narrowed, and just as he was about to press for more, suddenly—

[Ding! Host's life critical threshold detected, system binding in progress...]

["Hokage Sign-in System" binding successful!]

[Host's first sign-in successful. Reward: Mangekyō Sharingan (Left Eye)!]

A violent, burning sensation erupted from Uchiha Rei's left eye socket. He clutched his left eye, his body staggering back a step.

"Rei?!" "What's wrong with you?" the crowd asked.

"I'm fine!"

"I saw it!"

"It was Uchiha Itachi from the Anbu!"