Do You Want to Skip Your Own Life?

"Genin? Not for much longer," Setsuna said meaningfully.

"This joint exercise is an opportunity. If you perform well, you can not only be promoted to Chunin, but also catch the eye of certain people."

Certain people? Who? Danzo?

Or...

"Things haven't been peaceful in Sunagakure lately," Setsuna suddenly said, changing the subject.

"The Kazekage rarely appears in public, Sunagakure's ninja have been unusually active, and there's been suspicious activity along the border. This joint exercise... something might happen."

Qingyu's heart gave a lurch.

The elder knew Sunagakure was up to something, too?

If you Uchiha were this perceptive in the original story, how did you die so miserably?

If I weren't an Uchiha, I'd bring some steamed buns to the massacre night.

"So," Setsuna said, pulling a scroll from his robes.

"Take this. It contains some... things you might find useful."

Qingyu took the scroll but didn't open it right away. "What is it...?"

"A few tricks to keep you alive, along with detailed intelligence on several key figures in Sunagakure." Setsuna waved a hand.

"Don't thank me. I just don't want the Uchiha's rising star to die out there for no reason."

Qingyu gripped the scroll, his feelings complicated.

What was this?

An investment from the Radical Faction? Or leverage to bring him over to their side?

"All right, that's enough for now." Setsuna turned away.

"Remember! Don't tell anyone about what happened today—not even the Clan Head or Shisui."

He took two steps, then looked back. "Oh, and if you notice anything suspicious during the exercise... you can use this to contact me."

He tossed Qingyu a small Communication Talisman. It looked a lot like the one Shisui had given him, but it was dark purple.

Qingyu caught it.

Setsuna's figure had already vanished into the woods.

Qingyu was alone in the clearing, holding the scroll and Communication Talisman, his mind full of frantic complaints:

Where was this plot going...? Had he triggered the Uchiha infighting storyline?

By video game logic, he should be getting a set of dialogue choices next:

A. Join the Radical Faction

B. Stay neutral

C. Tell the Clan Head

...Was there a skip button? He just wanted to be a harmless combat unit!

[ Ding! ]

[ System: You want to skip the plot?! Do you want to skip your own life?! ]

[ System Notification: Faction-choice storyline detected! ]

[ Hidden Mission Updated: Undercurrents of the Uchiha ]

[ Mission: Make a choice in the Uchiha factional struggle (current options: Clan Head Faction / Radical Faction / Stay Neutral) ]

[ Warning: Your choice will affect future plot developments, available missions, and even the ending! Choose carefully! ]

[ Special Hint: Kids get to choose. Adults... sometimes have to choose, too. (Shrugs) ]

Qingyu looked at the system notification, his mouth twitching.

System bro, were you serious with that last line?!

He put away the scroll and Communication Talisman, then headed down the mountain the way he'd come.

The two voices in his head started arguing again:

"That Setsuna wasn't entirely wrong," Izuna said, unusually refraining from swearing. "The Uchiha were once so powerful, and now we have to watch what everyone else thinks of us... Hmph!"

"But taking an aggressive stance often leads to ruin," Tobirama countered calmly.

"Some of the Uchiha's current predicament is indeed a legacy of the past, but some of it... is the result of their own choices."

"That's all because of you Senju!"

"Both of you!" Qingyu interrupted. "This isn't the time to argue about history! What should I do?"

Letting others... history is a makeup artist...

Silence fell in his mind for a moment.

"Take a look at what's inside the scroll first," Tobirama said.

Qingyu found a secluded spot and opened the scroll.

The first half contained various combat techniques: how to quickly neutralize poison, how to deal with genjutsu, how to survive in the desert, and so on. It was all genuinely useful.

The second half was intelligence on Sunagakure—more detailed than what Shisui had given him!

It included not only the profiles of the participants in the exercise, but also a map of Sunagakure's border outposts and records of the Kazekage's movements over the past six months...

Damn, were you Uchiha all tracking dogs? How did you manage to sniff all this out?!

"This intelligence is ridiculously detailed!" Qingyu exclaimed. "Does Elder Setsuna have his own spy network?"

"That's normal," Tobirama said. "The elders of major clans all have their own networks. But some of this intelligence... already touches on military secrets."

Setsuna: Don't underestimate my intelligence network!

Qingyu turned to the last page, his pupils narrowing.

There was a hastily scribbled note:

"Sunagakure has recently purchased large quantities of Explosive Tags and poison. Reason given: mission requirements. But the quantity far exceeds what normal missions would need."

"The Kazekage hasn't appeared in public for two consecutive months. The affairs of the village are being handled by the adviser, Chiyo. Extremely suspicious!"

"Sunagakure has been in secret contact with Otogakure. Location: the border of the Land of Rivers. Purpose unknown."

Otogakure? Orochimaru!

Qingyu's hand trembled.

Was the Konoha Crush Plan really about to happen? And might it happen sooner than expected?

He was actually bold enough to come?!

Careful, or one look from Shisui's Kotoamatsukami might trigger a defeat CG.

Orochimaru: Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho, I actually love Konoha more than anything...

What a weirdo...

"It seems Sunagakure really is up to something," Tobirama said gravely. "If this intelligence is accurate, this joint exercise... could very well be a trap."

"Are we still going?" Qingyu asked.

"We are," Izuna replied firmly. "So what if it's a trap? Tobirama and I charged into traps even when we knew they were traps!"

"But this isn't the Warring States period," Tobirama countered. "Qingyu, you need to share this intelligence with someone you trust. At the very least, the Clan Head and Shisui need to be prepared."

Qingyu nodded.

But how was he supposed to explain it? If he said Elder Setsuna had given him the information, wouldn't he be selling Setsuna out?

This had to be worth something. If he didn't get a good price for selling him out, he'd feel bad!

[ System: With your trustworthiness score, you couldn't even unlock a shared bicycle. ]

"You can tell them part of the truth," Tobirama suggested. "Say that while investigating Sunagakure, you happened to come across some intelligence, but don't reveal where it came from."

That was the only way.

"Actually, I've been a member of the Dove Faction all along..."

What choice did he have? The Dove Faction had at least two Mangekyō Sharingan. Why wouldn't you invest in that? What were you waiting for?!

Qingyu put away the scroll and hurried down the mountain.

He needed to talk to Shisui or Itachi as soon as possible.

But when he reached the foot of the mountain, he ran into someone else.

Itachi Uchiha stood quietly at the crossroads, as if he'd been waiting for a long time.

"Itachi... senpai?" Qingyu's heart tightened.

How did he find out so fast? Had he left his Sharingan on?!

Qingyu felt his heart performing breakdancing inside his chest—some high-level moves, too.

Itachi Uchiha stood just three steps away. His deep, unreadable black eyes watched Qingyu calmly, but Qingyu felt like prey caught in the Sharingan's gaze.

At any moment, he might trigger the "Tsukuyomi, get wrecked, respawn" death route.

Itachi looked at him, his dark eyes so deep they made Qingyu uneasy. "Qingyu, who did you meet just now?"

A second deadly question!

Qingyu's mental CPU overloaded again, and he heard alarms blaring in his head:

Izuna: "Lie! Just say you came here to train!"

Tobirama: "I don't recommend lying. Itachi's powers of observation are exceptionally sharp. He may already know. I suggest telling him part of the truth..."

"I met with Elder Setsuna," Qingyu chose to say honestly.

Itachi's expression didn't change. "What did he tell you?"

Here it came—the execution route!