"My Bringer-of-Darkness Technique—where did I learn it?" Kawadera Uchiha said mysteriously. "Captain Xingyue, I carry on Lord Kagami's legacy. Lord Kagami trusted me, and I hope you can trust me, too.
If you don't trust me, don't you trust Lord Kagami? And if you don't trust Lord Kagami, don't you trust the Second?"
Seigetsu Senju quickly nodded, thinking, Just as I thought. She'd guessed it all correctly.
Of course she trusted Kagami Uchiha. He was the person chosen by Clan Head Tobirama, and at the end of his life, he'd died without hesitation to protect his comrades.
The Second had always wanted to cultivate Uchiha ninja who possessed the Will of Fire. And hadn't that Will of Fire been passed down within the Uchiha Clan?
Kawadera Uchiha was the inheritor of the Will of Fire whom Kagami Uchiha had cultivated.
The Second's arrangements and legacy had fallen to her, allowing her to benefit greatly from this mission.
If she'd been the one left behind to cover their escape, she would have died, wouldn't she?
Thank you, Second.
Kawadera Uchiha lowered his voice. "Captain Xingyue, to save the squad, I exposed my heritage and abilities this time.
"But my true allegiance is a secret. I hope you'll be the only one who knows about this. Don't tell anyone else.
"You know how bad things have gotten within the Uchiha Clan. I need to keep my Uchiha identity so I can monitor the unstable elements who might threaten the village."
"Understood!" Seigetsu Senju said. "Those who truly love Konoha must bear burdens too heavy to endure!
"Ever since Lord Kagami's sacrifice, the Uchiha Clan and the village have drifted further apart. Their hearts are no longer united.
"Kawadera, things must be very difficult for you."
Kawadera Uchiha nodded repeatedly, a complex mix of emotions surging across his face.
After Tobirama Senju died, the Uchiha Clan had lost its strictest father figure. Hundreds of Sharingan had begun stirring again.
The Senju Clan could occupy the Hokage Position, and the Uchiha Clan had no grounds to complain.
The First and the Second—the two brothers had beaten the Uchiha Clan into submission.
But where had you, Hiruzen Sarutobi, come from?
The arrogant Uchiha believed the Senju Clan was their equal. They looked down on everyone else.
As Seigetsu Senju had said, the Uchiha Clan had begun to grow restless.
The Hokage Position should pass from one clan to another. If the Senju Clan wasn't going to hold it, then it was the Uchiha Clan's turn.
Only thirty-seven years had passed since the village was founded, and the glory of the Uchiha still shone upon every member of the clan.
Kawadera Uchiha said, "There's a dangerous atmosphere spreading through the Uchiha Clan. I have to correct it for Konoha.
"But the Uchiha Hawks are powerful, so I have no choice but to keep my identity hidden. Captain Xingyue, thank you for understanding my predicament.
"Be my sole contact outside the clan. I need help from beyond its walls to change the Uchiha Clan."
"Of course!" Seigetsu Senju replied quickly. "I won't tell anyone else where you truly stand."
Seigetsu Senju was a bit simple-minded and easily trusted Kawadera Uchiha.
Through Seigetsu Senju, he could also get in touch with Nawaki Senju and complete his mission to save him.
He deliberately opened his Sea of Consciousness so Tobirama Senju could hear his conversation with Seigetsu Senju.
"Captain Xingyue, did Clan Heir Nawaki graduate this year?"
"Yes. The First Shinobi World War broke out this year, and after Young Master Nawaki graduated, he didn't take any D-Rank Missions as a transition. He went straight to the battlefield. He's at the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire now."
Kawadera Uchiha considered how he might intervene in Nawaki Senju's fate.
"Kawadera, why did you bring up Young Master Nawaki?" Seigetsu Senju sensed he hadn't mentioned him for no reason. "Young Master Nawaki's teacher is Lord Orochimaru, the Cold-Blooded Sannin and Konoha's most talented Elite Jonin. Only Lord Orochimaru could teach a genius like him."
Kawadera Uchiha said, "Captain Xingyue, could you request a transfer to the battlefield in the Land of Grass? I want to go there with you."
As Seigetsu Senju looked on in confusion, Kawadera leaned close to her ear.
"I inherited Lord Kagami's legacy, including his intelligence network..."
Kawadera Uchiha had no idea whether Kagami Uchiha had an intelligence network. His name was useful, so he was borrowing it for the moment.
Kawadera Uchiha continued, "I received information that a faction of uncertain allegiance is monitoring Clan Heir Nawaki and plotting something against him."
If he directly told her that someone wanted to kill Nawaki Senju, Seigetsu Senju would certainly scoff.
Who was Nawaki Senju?
The First's grandson;
The most doted-on grandchild of Mito Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki;
Princess Tsunade's younger brother;
Lord Orochimaru's newest apprentice;
Jiraiya's self-proclaimed brother-in-law;
The future and hope of the Senju Clan;
A genius certified by the Third, the likes of whom the Ninja Academy produced only once in thirty years;
The purest-blooded heir of the Senju and Uzumaki Clans;
The Third, the greatest shadow of the Shinobi World;
The undisputed child of destiny.
If someone tried to kill Nawaki Senju, half of Konoha would leap to their feet in outrage.
Even without knowing the story of Naruto, from Kawadera Uchiha's current perspective, it seemed impossible that Nawaki Senju could be killed.
So Kawadera Uchiha only said an unknown faction was monitoring Nawaki Senju.
At his words, Seigetsu Senju immediately furrowed her brow and thought it over.
Lady Mito Uzumaki had lived through the brutal end of the Warring States Period and the village's founding, as well as the First Shinobi World War. She'd always wanted Young Master Nawaki to keep a low profile.
But ever since Young Master Nawaki had started at the Ninja Academy, he'd declared in the classroom and on the playground that he would become Konoha's Hokage.
Could he have become a target because he stood out too much? Was some unknown faction unhappy with Young Master Nawaki?
Could it be the Uchiha Clan?
"Is your information reliable?"
"I can't say it's completely reliable." To make his story more convincing, Kawadera Uchiha continued to make things up. "Lord Kagami has already sacrificed himself, and the intelligence network he left behind isn't running smoothly. But we can't afford to be careless.
"If nothing happens to Clan Heir Nawaki, all we'll have done is waste a little time and effort.
"Since the village was founded, so many people have died without anyone knowing why. Captain Xingyue, you don't want Young Master Nawaki to come to harm, do you?"
"Fine! I'll request that the village send our squad to the battlefield in the Land of Grass! We'll run into a lot of Iwa Ninja there. It's more dangerous than here!"
Inside the Sea of Consciousness, Tobirama Senju suddenly asked, "How can you prove that Nawaki will be killed?
"You've made two successful predictions, but how can I be sure you're not using Nawaki to threaten me?
"I don't believe anyone in Konoha would have a reason to kill Nawaki right now."
Kawadera Uchiha fell silent.
The original story hadn't even said who wanted Nawaki dead.
How could he prove it?
It wasn't as if he could kill Nawaki Senju himself and then save him...
His cheat was the reward Tobirama Senju gave him. Tobirama would only give him a large reward when the village faced a crisis, which was how he grew stronger.
But after he helped Konoha overcome a crisis, Tobirama wouldn't reward him, and he'd grow weaker again.
In other words, the stronger he got, the weaker he became?
That was a logical paradox.
Come to think of it, he'd have to find a way to weaken Konoha in secret if he wanted Tobirama Senju to be more generous.
It was over. He really was turning into a villain.
Was he really the one who killed Nawaki Senju?
At the very least, he had to make sure someone nearly killed Nawaki Senju.
I have to kill Nawaki first, then save him?
That was too convoluted.
Just as Kawadera Uchiha was frowning in thought, Ken Aburame leaped to his feet and shouted, "Look out!"
His insects had detected enemies!
Ken Aburame immediately began setting up Explosive Tag traps.
A few seconds later, nearly thirty Cloud Ninja appeared nearby.
Several Explosive Tags went off. In the chaos, Kawadera Uchiha activated his Sharingan, quickly picked out a weaker Cloud Ninja, and started dragging the fight out, forcing it into a stalemate.
His life was his own; the mission belonged to the village.
Swords didn't have eyes. What if he got nicked?
Enjoy life while it lasted. Stall for time, and get off work early.
He even had time to livestream the battle to Tobirama Senju.
"Take a look. Isn't Konoha much weaker now than when you were in office, Second?
"Look at the combat strength of this squad stationed at a border outpost. It's not even as good as Seigetsu Squad."
Inside the Sea of Consciousness, Tobirama Senju observed the situation outside.
After three Konoha Ninja fell, Tobirama Senju finally realized there was a serious problem with the village's ninjutsu traditions.
The dead Chunin and Genin had relied mainly on Taijutsu to fight?
It was one thing for Seigetsu Senju to be a Taijutsu specialist, but why weren't the others using ninjutsu to gain the upper hand quickly?
Who had changed the policies for spreading ninjutsu?
Another Konoha Ninja was stabbed to death, and Tobirama Senju finally couldn't sit still.
"I'm assigning you a B-Rank Mission. Save the other ninja and turn this battle around."
"Show me the mission reward first."
"One B-Rank Fire Release Ninjutsu."
"Fire Release Ninjutsu? Can Fire Release even kill people? It seems you still don't value the lives of Konoha Ninja enough, Second. I refuse."
After a brief silence, Tobirama Senju said, "Three B-Rank Missions in exchange for one Mind Awakening."
"Deal! I love Konoha! I love Konoha so damn much!"
Before you continue