I Can Also Love Konoha

"You're staying behind to cover the retreat?"

Seigetsu Senju's ripe, red lips parted slightly, and a moment later, a deep sense of guilt welled up in her heart.

Her first impression of Kawadera Uchiha had not been good; she had previously thought him a person unworthy of trust.

Kawadera Uchiha was never proactive in anything, always drifting along the edges of the squad throughout their journey.

She had not expected that at the critical moment, it would be Kawadera Uchiha who stood up first to offer to cover their retreat.

The rear-guard tactic was a vital maneuver for Konoha squads.

From the Second Hokage down to the lowliest ninja, everyone would execute this tactic when forced into a corner.

Seigetsu Senju immediately said, "No, Kawadera, I am the squad leader; of course, I should be the one to cover the retreat!"

Kawadera Uchiha thought to himself, That won't do. If you stay behind, how am I supposed to make deals with Tobirama Senju in the future?

Drawing his short blade, Kawadera Uchiha said:

"Captain Seigetsu, don't waste time! Go!

I, Kawadera Uchiha, swear to protect Konoha with my life!"

Within his sea of consciousness, the white soul-fire atop Tobirama Senju's head flickered incessantly.

That naturally evil Uchiha brat... he's too wicked, too good at putting on an act.

However... Tobirama Senju suddenly recalled a question: if a person pretends to be a good man their entire life, does that make them a good man?

If Kawadera Uchiha died for Konoha, who would bother to verify whether he truly possessed the Will of Fire?

Watching Kawadera's demeanor, Seigetsu Senju suddenly remembered Kagami Uchiha, who was also skilled with a short blade; that guard to the Second Hokage had also died in battle for Konoha.

Could it be that Kawadera was an anomaly within the Uchiha clan, someone who, like Kagami Uchiha, prioritized the village above all else?

"Kawadera, if you can return alive, you must come find me!"

After saying this, Seigetsu Senju signaled the other two and vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.

Kawadera Uchiha stared into the dark woods and began to weave hand seals.

As long as the price is right, I can love Konoha too!

"Genjutsu! Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!"

The Bringer-of-Darkness Technique did not rely on the Sharingan to be released; once the seals were formed, his chakra dispersed into the surroundings.

A shroud of darkness began to spread from beneath his feet.

A shout rang out from the left: "What's happening! Why can't I see anything! Captain! Where are you!"

Kawadera Uchiha turned his head and spotted a Cloud Ninja who had recklessly stepped out from behind a tree trunk.

He pulled a kunai from his ninja tool pouch and hurled it at the Cloud Ninja.

The kunai whistled through the air with terrifying speed.

With the aid of his Sharingan, the kunai struck the Cloud Ninja's throat with pinpoint accuracy.

The corpse hit the ground with a heavy thud, and after blood gushed out, it began to pool among the grass and trees.

A gruff voice shouted, "It's a genjutsu! Don't panic! Find a way to disrupt the flow of chakra within your bodies!"

Kawadera Uchiha thought, Wow, what a textbook answer.

It's a pity, though; if a teacher writes out the standard answer, and a student can write it down in the exam hall, then there wouldn't be so many college students failing their courses in my past life.

Failing a course—an ultimate pain that not even transmigrating can erase.

Feel the pain; even if you know how to dispel a genjutsu, you still won't be able to pass.

He used the Body Flicker Technique to leave his spot, leaping onto a horizontal tree branch to better observe the Cloud Ninja.

The other three Cloud Ninja hiding behind the trunks revealed their heads and their Cloud Ninja headbands.

Two of the Cloud Ninja shouted to remind each other, intending to collide and disrupt each other's chakra.

Kawadera Uchiha threw a shuriken wrapped in steel wire.

The two Cloud Ninja had just heard the chilling sound of the air being sliced.

They stopped their movement when they were a meter apart, but because their forward momentum was too great, their throats slammed into the thin steel wire, unable to advance even half a step further.

Kawadera Uchiha yanked the two steel wires taut; the razor-sharp wire embedded itself into the necks of the two Cloud Ninja, severing their windpipes.

Shuriken Manipulation Technique—this was the taijutsu Kawadera Uchiha was most proficient in.

The observational prowess of his two-tomoe Sharingan effectively assisted in the precise manipulation of his shuriken and kunai.

In just a few seconds, Kawadera Uchiha had killed three Cloud Ninja.

He hadn't been able to gloat for long before the Cloud Ninja squad leader, having somehow broken free from the genjutsu, leaped into mid-air with a ninja blade in hand and slashed toward Kawadera Uchiha.

Kawadera Uchiha hurriedly leaned backward, flipping off the tree trunk.

In mid-air, he wove six hand seals.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

The Cloud Ninja squad leader drove his ninja blade into a tree trunk, forcing his body to a halt. His palms burned with pain, but he had successfully retreated.

However, the fireball he expected never appeared!

"Despicable Konoha ninja!"

The cunning Uchiha brat hadn't used Fire Style at all; he had simply shouted the name.

The Cloud Ninja realized instantly that this Konoha ninja was conserving his chakra.

Looking back at the Konoha ninja, he saw that he had already landed and vanished into the bushes.

He yanked his blade from the tree trunk and gave chase.

Damn it!

Amidst a deafening roar, the Cloud Ninja squad leader realized he had made another mistake.

Controlled by an Uchiha genjutsu and toyed with by a fake Fireball Jutsu, he had grown anxious and lost his judgment!

A paper bomb trap was hidden behind the bushes.

Hit by the shockwave of heat, the Cloud Ninja squad leader was sent flying backward.

His internal organs suffered a heavy blow, his head spun, and amidst the ringing in his ears, he heard a lethal whistling sound cutting through the air.

A sharp pain flared in his throat as a kunai embedded itself deep into his neck.

Kawadera Uchiha stood in the distance, watching the Cloud Ninja squad leader collapse. Satisfied that it wasn't a Shadow Clone, he let out a sigh of relief.

Deactivating his two-tomoe Sharingan to conserve chakra, Kawadera Uchiha looked back toward the direction of the Land of Fire.

He wondered what kind of reward Tobirama Senju would offer after this.

One kilometer away, Seigetsu Senju stood her ground, waiting for the Cloud Ninjas.

Kawadera Uchiha had stayed behind to cover their retreat, buying them precious time.

Now, it was her turn to cover for her teammates.

If Kawadera Uchiha had succeeded in his rearguard action, there would be at most two squads of Cloud Ninjas pursuing them.

Rustling sounds echoed through the woods as the Cloud Ninjas, believing they held an overwhelming advantage, appeared brazenly atop the tree trunks.

Seigetsu Senju swept her gaze across them—two squads. It seemed Kawadera Uchiha's rearguard action had been a success.

The "evil" Uchiha hid away in the Konoha Military Police Force and rarely stepped onto the battlefield.

Yet, Uchiha like Kawadera, who possessed the Will of Fire, were sacrificed one after another.

In the end, all that remained in the Konoha Military Police Force were those annoying Uchiha who spoke only of their clan.

Seigetsu Senju was prepared.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Two versions of Seigetsu Senju appeared from behind a puff of white smoke.

The Cloud Ninjas would likely leave one squad to deal with her while letting the other bypass her to continue pursuing her teammates.

As long as she and her Shadow Clone fought back together, she should be able to buy some time...

As a taijutsu-specialized Special Jonin of the Senju clan, her swordsmanship and physical skills were both exceptional.

"Overestimating yourself..."

The Cloud Ninja captain saw the Konoha squad leader splitting her chakra at a time like this and thought she was simply rushing toward her own death.

To resolve this trouble as quickly as possible, the Cloud Ninja captain prepared to take action himself.

After signaling, he charged straight at one Konoha squad leader, while the other Cloud Ninjas moved to deal with the second.

Seigetsu Senju's blade clashed with the Cloud Ninja captain's. The moment they engaged, she realized she had encountered a formidable foe.

The Cloud Ninja captain was at least a Special Jonin in strength.

Seigetsu Senju's Shadow Clone was already surrounded, and it seemed it wouldn't be able to hold out for long.

In the distance, Kawadera Uchiha hid behind a tree trunk, revealing one Sharingan eye to observe the battlefield.

He could tell that the one clashing with the Cloud Ninja captain on the right was the real Seigetsu Senju, while the one surrounded by seven Cloud Ninjas was the clone.

Suddenly, Seigetsu Senju heard a familiar voice!

"Captain! I'm here to assist you!

Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

He had returned! Not only had he successfully covered their retreat, but he had also rushed back to save her!