Uchiha Setsuna

"The clan has never lacked those skilled in combat, but when it comes to strategy and planning, even I wouldn't dare claim to be better than you, Naoki. If something were to happen..."

Watching Uchiha Yashiro ramble on, a warmth stirred in Naoki's heart.

Although Uchiha Yashiro had practical reasons for advising him against going, the man had fulfilled his responsibilities as an elder toward both his predecessor and his current self.

For Naoki, this kind of scene was a sweet sort of trouble.

However, building a legacy and achieving merit was something he absolutely had to do!

Despite a thousand-year heritage, the majority of the Uchiha clan still believed in violence and revered combat.

Do not be fooled by the high regard Naoki received from Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Yashiro; in truth, within the Police Force, he was far from having the status he deserved. All of this was because Naoki was merely a Chunin with a Two-Tomoe Sharingan, and he had remained obscure during the Third Shinobi World War.

Without strength or military merit, the rest of the Uchiha would only view him as a clansman or a companion, but never as a leader to be upheld.

If Naoki could not lead the Uchiha, then no matter how brilliant his schemes were, he would ultimately be unable to escape the fate of a stray dog.

Therefore, he had to—and must—make this trip. He had to temper himself and earn military merit to lead the Uchiha clan out of their shackles.

Seeing Uchiha Yashiro continue to chatter, Naoki had no choice but to turn his gaze toward Uchiha Fugaku.

He had known all along that Uchiha Yashiro would try to stop him if he went to the Southern Border Battlefield, so he had asked the other man for help in advance.

Uchiha Fugaku smiled and held Uchiha Yashiro back.

"Alright, alright. Everyone knows the battlefield is dangerous, but it is an undeniable fact that young people yearn to earn merit."

"Actually, I am also reluctant to let Naoki go, but the ninjas of the Uchiha clan cannot simply cower in the rear..."

"I know," Uchiha Yashiro interrupted Uchiha Fugaku, "but..."

Uchiha Fugaku waved his hand.

"I have already decided. Naoki can go, and not only is Naoki going, but Itachi will go as well!"

Uchiha Yashiro, who had been about to say something more, opened his mouth but remained speechless for a long time.

"Come to think of it, although Itachi has been on the battlefield, he has spent every battle safely under the wings of the clan. It is time for him to be properly tempered."

Seeing Uchiha Fugaku bring up his own eldest son, Naoki could not help but scratch his head.

"My lord, isn't Itachi a bit too young..."

"It is enough. Didn't that Kakashi follow Namikaze Minato to various battlefields when he was seven or eight?"

"If Hatake Sakumo's son can do it, my son can too!"

"Not to mention, the intensity of the war on the Southern Border Battlefield now cannot compare to the previous Third Shinobi World War."

"But it is still somewhat dangerous. Karatachi Yagura is no ordinary ninja. If something were to happen..." Naoki trailed off.

"Do not worry," Uchiha Fugaku waved his hand. "I have already thought it through. I will ask Uchiha Setsuna, who lives in seclusion near the Naka River, to accompany Naoki!"

Naoki had some slight knowledge of the "Uchiha Setsuna" mentioned by Uchiha Fugaku.

Decades ago, when the Second Hokage was still in power, Uchiha Setsuna had conspired with the hawks in the clan to overthrow the rule of Senju Tobirama.

However, before they could act, Senju Tobirama discovered the plot, arrested them, and threw them into the Anbu Prison, where they remained for decades.

If not for Uchiha Fugaku's all-out efforts during the Third Shinobi World War, which led the Third Hokage to return the favor by releasing Uchiha Setsuna, the latter might have died of old age in the Anbu Prison.

When he was first imprisoned, Uchiha Setsuna was a high-spirited young man. After decades of wasted time, he emerged as a man nearing sixty.

No one in the Uchiha clan knew what Uchiha Setsuna had experienced inside all those years, nor did anyone know if he had changed his mind after so long. But everyone knew one thing: this white-haired old man had become even more powerful after decades of hardship.

During the Battle of Kikyo Pass, he used his masterful Lightning Release and taijutsu to kill four Iwagakure Jonin. Since then, his fame had spread, and no one dared to underestimate the old man who had been imprisoned by Senju Tobirama for decades.

Uchiha Yashiro asked curiously, "Can you convince him? Didn't he say he didn't want to deal with these worldly affairs anymore?"

Uchiha Fugaku shook his head gently. He did not answer immediately, instead picking up his teacup and letting his gaze fall on the fine ripples in the tea.

"I will do my best. Using this opportunity, I also want to see what the attitude of this man, once the most radical in the clan, is now..."

Undoubtedly, the young Uchiha Setsuna was a hardcore hawk and a member of the militant faction. It was precisely because of this that Uchiha Fugaku felt the urge to test him.

Naoki understood his intentions well and knew exactly why Uchiha Fugaku wanted to test Uchiha Setsuna.

As a former banner-bearer for the Uchiha hawk faction and likely the strongest individual in the clan, Uchiha Setsuna was an important figure whom Uchiha Fugaku had to guard against cautiously.

After all, he was not yet being coerced by the clansmen as he would be later, forcing him onto the path of a coup; for now, he was still willing to coexist peacefully with Konoha.

Since he wanted to coexist peacefully with Konoha, he naturally had to test Uchiha Setsuna to see where the man's true loyalties lay.

Naoki followed Uchiha Fugaku out of the Police Force and made his way to the remote Naka River.

The Naka River was a small stream beside the Naka Shrine. Whether the river or the shrine had existed longer was impossible to determine; Naoki only remembered that the black stone tablet hidden in the secret room beneath the Naka Shrine seemed to be older still.

Walking along the path into the forest, he saw a wooden cabin in the distance.

"That must be the place, my lord."

Uchiha Fugaku nodded and turned to Naoki, saying, "The old man Setsuna has a strange temper. I will do the talking, you just listen. Don't interfere."

"Yes."

With that, the two walked over.

In front of the wooden hut, an old man sat upon the roots of a large tree, meticulously wiping the long blade in his hands.

His frame was gaunt, yet his spine remained straight as a rod, and his flowing, greying hair gave him the air of an otherworldly sage.

Time had carved deep furrows into his face, but his two sword-like brows remained as sharp and fierce as ever.

Hearing footsteps, the old man did not look up, the cloth in his hand continuing to glide across the blade with unhurried rhythm.

"You have come."

His voice was hoarse and low, like sandpaper rasping against a wooden board.

"Senior Setsuna." Uchiha Fugaku walked up close, stopped, and bowed slightly.

Naoki stood half a step behind Uchiha Fugaku and mimicked the bow, though his peripheral vision was busy sizing up this legendary figure.