Genocide Countdown

Might Guy said solemnly to Uchiha Rei, "Lady Tsunade will return to the village in five days."

Uchiha Rei nodded slightly, saying nothing, but a hint of relief appeared in his eyes. For him, this was good news.

Tsunade was not only the future Hokage of Konoha but also the last glory of the Senju Clan, known as the "Princess of Konoha." Her existence itself was a symbol of Konoha's will. Tsunade had no surname because her status had long surpassed ordinary bloodline labels. Just as ancient emperors did not need surnames, representing an era with a single person, Tsunade's name in Konoha was almost synonymous with "orthodoxy."

The Senju Clan, in the long river of Konoha Village's history, was like an unshakeable cornerstone; they were one of the earliest founders of the village. And Tsunade was undoubtedly the last imprint on this cornerstone.

She not only possessed awe-inspiring strength but, more importantly, had completely changed the Ninja World's perception of "Medical Ninjas." The entire foundation of Konoha's medical system was created and reformed by her. From the moment she established the Medical Ninja system, battlefields were no longer just about blood and death, but also about life and hope. Other ninja villages followed suit, establishing their own medical teams.

Uchiha Rei remembered that when he first graduated, he had also considered apprenticing under Tsunade.

Not as a formal student, even an informal registered student would suffice.

It wasn't that he was coveting Tsunade's body, but rather to survive.

Being a registered disciple of Tsunade meant you were incorporated into Konoha's core system, with one foot already in the endgame.

To achieve this goal, he had even gone to Orochimaru, hoping to enlist the help of one of the former Sannin. Unfortunately, Tsunade had flatly refused him. The reason was straightforward.

Uchiha Rei lacked the talent to become a Medical Ninja.

Tsunade's decisive refusal caused his good impression of the "Princess" to vanish. After all, Orochimaru's favor was not easily repaid. At the time, he secretly vowed that one day, he would make Tsunade regret it.

However, after the Third Great Ninja War ended, Tsunade left the country, and Uchiha Rei gradually forgot about her. He understood that there were more urgent matters to attend to: honing Ninjutsu, practicing Taijutsu, and strengthening himself. Rather than dwelling on Tsunade, it was better to guard what was rightfully his in the present.

After Might Guy finished speaking, he left.

Not long after Might Guy departed, Uchiha Rei sensed a Chakra fluctuation from Rekka. It was Uchiha Rekka looking for him.

"How long is this day going to be busy..." he sighed helplessly, inwardly complaining, "I'm almost becoming a master of time management."

Despite his grumbling, his feet didn't hesitate. Rei passed through layers of sentries and surveillance, quickly infiltrating the Uchiha Clan Compound. Last night, there had been a minor skirmish between the Uchiha and Root, increasing the Uchiha's vigilance, but it had no effect on him.

A few minutes later, he appeared on the tallest tree outside the clan compound, where Uchiha Rekka was already waiting.

"Lord Rei, do you particularly like trees? We always meet in trees," Uchiha Rekka teased.

"We are ninjas of Konoha, and meeting in trees symbolizes Konoha's deep roots and lush foliage," Uchiha Rei replied with a smile. "Besides, don't you think it's more comfortable in the shade of a tree than on the ground when the sun is out?"

After the joke, he changed the subject: "Speak, what do you need me for? I just assigned you a mission yesterday."

"The mission is complete," Uchiha Rekka said calmly.

"So quickly?" Uchiha Rei raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

He had just given Rekka a mission yesterday.

The task was to ascertain the specific time of the "Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall." And today, there was already a result. Compared to Uchiha Itachi, who had been undercover for many years, Rekka's efficiency was truly impressive.

"Uchiha Obito found me," Rekka continued. "He voluntarily revealed his plan and invited me to join."

"Plan?" Uchiha Rei's eyes instantly sharpened. "When?"

"Five days from now."

"Obito would reveal his entire plan so easily... there's no ninja that stupid." Uchiha Rei frowned. "Are you sure that wasn't false information?"

"Unlikely." Uchiha Rekka shook his head. "He's too arrogant. I was stunned at the time; he spoke of this intelligence so carelessly, completely unguarded. He has an almost pathological confidence in his control over his plan."

"His teammates are truly pitiful," Uchiha Rei sneered.

"Sir, what should we do next?" Rekka asked.

"I will personally deal with Uchiha Obito," Uchiha Rei said confidently.

He wasn't speaking without basis. Several days prior, in the underground secret room of the Uchiha Clan Compound, he had completed a system check-in and received the check-in reward: Daofanshi.

This mysterious stone could isolate all illusions and space, and it would give Obito a big surprise.

However, the intelligence Uchiha Rekka conveyed next made the entire situation even more complicated.

"There's another message," Uchiha Rekka lowered his voice. "Obito said that on the Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall, a small squad from the Akatsuki Organization will be responsible for eliminating any remaining members in the Clan Compound."

Uchiha Rei's brow furrowed, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "It seems the enemy five days from now will be more than just Obito."

Uchiha Obito, one of the masterminds behind the Akatsuki Organization. Although technically Pain was the leader, Obito held significant influence within the Akatsuki. It wouldn't be difficult for him to mobilize a squad to Konohagakure for a massacre mission.

Unfortunately, most of the Akatsuki members Uchiha Rei was familiar with would only join years later. The Akatsuki was still in its nascent stage, and Rei wasn't very familiar with these early members.

With the intelligence revealed, the plan had to be adjusted.

Uchiha Rei instructed Uchiha Rekka to keep this intelligence strictly confidential and to monitor the movements of any suspicious ninja in the village as much as possible. After giving his instructions, the two quietly parted ways on the large tree.

After bidding farewell to Rekka, Uchiha Rei leaped lightly from the treetop, weaving through the village. The previous night, he had conducted a physical examination with Kurama Yakumo in the first half of the night, and trained Taijutsu with Might Guy in the second half. Ever since awakening his Mangekyo Sharingan, he felt his time being squeezed tighter and tighter, as if he were racing against life every day.

It was now early morning, and there was still some time before lunch. He decided to wander around alone, partly to gather intelligence and partly as an excuse to relax his taut nerves.

"I should find a place to rest," he muttered to himself, gazing at the familiar streets of Konohagakure.

But where to go? His residence in the village had long been exposed. Obito knew about it and it was no longer safe. The logic was simple.

A thief can steal for a thousand days, but a guard can only guard for a thousand days.

Konohagakure, as a large ninja settlement, had very complete urban facilities. To make residents' lives more interesting and fulfilling, all sorts of entertainment venues were available. But none of these places were suitable for Uchiha Rei at this moment.

Tsunade, one of the Sannin, was a loyal patron of the hot springs, especially enjoying the bathhouses. Soaking in the baths daily was like training, benefiting both body and mind. Shizune would often accompany Tsunade to the women's bath.

"But if I went to the hot springs..." Uchiha Rei's right eye was the Byakugan, and he could see everything clearly in the women's bath. The consequences... he chuckled wryly and shook his head, unable to imagine.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya, another of the Sannin, was fond of visiting the pleasure houses in the Pleasure District to gather "material" for his novel, Icha Icha Paradise. Konoha's control over these places was relatively lax; as long as no illegal transactions were involved, romance and dating were not explicitly prohibited.

"But if I went to the Pleasure District..." With his handsome Uchiha face, he'd probably be surrounded by a swarm of women the moment he sat down, like honey dropped into an ant pile.

"Hey, handsome, wanna go out today?"

"You look like my ex-boyfriend, but way more handsome~"

"The Uchiha bloodline really is something else..."

Just thinking about it made Rei feel like his Chakra would be drained.

Furthermore, he was still poisoned, and his Chakra recovery was slow. Going to a place like that wouldn't provide any real rest; instead, he might "collapse from exhaustion and die" at any inopportune moment.

He thought of Kakashi Hatake, another Jonin. His Chakra was always stretched thin, partly due to the consumption of the Sharingan, which he couldn't turn off, and partly... well, he read Icha Icha Paradise too often.

"Looks like I'll just have to find a quieter place to hang out for a while."