Self-Awareness

"Initially, my motives were far from pure. I merely sought to join the faction of the Seventh Elder, Raimon Uchiha, through a series of fame-seeking maneuvers and calculated entanglements of interest, all to secure my own future. Yet, every step was meticulously planned and executed with caution; I only dared to proceed because I knew there was no danger involved!"

"Whether it was drawing the clan's attention after gaining fame to place myself under their scrutiny, or gifting the Seventh Elder material wealth and prestige to help him resolve his family troubles, every action served to place Raimon Uchiha—this Seventh Elder of the clan—upon a moral pedestal. Under the watchful eyes of the clan members and the other elders, he would be ruined if he were to make even the slightest misstep!"

"In other words, Raimon Uchiha could never act against my interests; he had to protect me with his life. Furthermore, I had already calculated that the Seventh Elder had no heir. He only had two daughters: one was sickly and unable to practice ninjutsu, and the other, despite her talent, was ignored due to the Uchiha clan's preference for sons. Moreover, Elder Raimon loved his wife deeply; since her passing, he had not taken concubines like the other elders, nor did he have many siblings to provide a surplus of heirs."

"Only in this way could I be chosen as his successor, be nurtured, and be tasked with protecting the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled of Elder Raimon's lineage. After all, having endured the chaos of the late Warring States period and the reckless actions of Madara Uchiha, of the nine branches of the Uchiha clan, it was Raimon's lineage that had suffered the most grievous losses and had yet to recover its vitality."

"However, this was precisely my opportunity. Only within such a branch could a genius like me be welcomed and receive the focused cultivation I required. The Seventh Elder's faction, seemingly powerful but actually weak and lacking an heir, was my natural ally. I would use a series of methods to protect myself first, and then use that to..."

"And now, my step-by-step plan has been fully realized!"

A flicker of contemplation crossed Uchiha Tenshu's eyes, followed by a heavy sigh: "Yet, the original plan was merely to seek a master and learn. But now, I must take responsibility for Yukino and Lingyue. A entrustment? Hah! It is nothing more than a way to willingly bind me to them, just in case! But still..."

At this, a wave of bitterness surged within Uchiha Tenshu's heart. "In the end, I am but a mortal, unable to escape the seven emotions and six desires of humanity. Even though I started with a calculating heart, after two years of pretense, I could not help but invest a portion of my sincerity! I cannot simply cut it away or forget!"

"Unbeknownst to me, I have actually become addicted to the warmth of this companionship. Occasionally, I am even lulled by this comfort, feeling that such a life is not so bad after all!"

"Perhaps this is the flaw of human biology! Even I cannot completely sever my own emotions."

Uchiha Tenshu shook his head helplessly.

"But whether it is Yukino or Lingyue, since you wish to entrust them to me, then I shall accept it readily."

"Although the beginning was not ideal, I swear I will give them a beautiful journey and a fulfilling future."

Uchiha Tenshu silently vowed in his heart.

He had, in a sense, gained insight into his own true nature.

Perhaps the version of himself known to the outside world was that of a sincere, friendly, clan-uniting, filial, and loyal youth—an excellent young man full of beautiful aspirations and kindness.

But that was merely a facade to deceive the world.

The real him.

When it came down to it, he was nothing more than a despicable, wretched person, full of sinister cunning and a vile character.

He was greedy, covetous, and insatiable.

He yearned for all these beautiful pursuits.

He possessed endless, bottomless desires.

But, aren't all people in this world the same!

At the end of the day.

Humans are merely more advanced animals.

To survive in this world, one must be willing to pay the price of necessary sacrifices.

Because desire drives people to act.

The law of survival in human society is that big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimp, and shrimp eat mud.

Under such cruel laws of survival, in order to live, one must be unscrupulous and never stop until the goal is reached!

Since that is the case.

Then who is nobler than whom? Who is baser than whom?

It is nothing more than the strong preying on the weak, survival of the fittest.

Whoever reaches the top enjoys infinite glory; whoever is at the bottom is spat upon and cursed.

As long as I can reach the pinnacle.

Won't I be praised by thousands and covered in glory?

Why care about the baseness of today!

Thinking this, Uchiha Tenshu secretly decided in his heart: "Since the initial goal has been achieved, it is time for the next step of the plan!"

"According to the original plot timeline of the Hokage, after this winter passes, next year will be when the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, passes the position to the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. This means my predictions are entirely correct, and I will gain the full support of Elder Raimon."

"At the same time, because the Hokage succession will remain within the Senju clan, the village will begin to fear the Senju even more than the Uchiha. This will lead the future Second Hokage to realize that after the Senju elites are decimated, he will have no choice but to pass the Hokage position to his disciple, Hiruzen Sarutobi, thereby beginning the decades-long reign of the faction led by Hiruzen and his cronies. This result cannot be changed. With such a 'Ninja Bear' of Konoha in power, it will be much easier for me to establish my own kingdom outside!"

"Therefore, before Tobirama Senju, that old schemer of the Senju clan, dies, I must not change any part of the plot that I don't have to. I must ensure Konoha is handed over to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the 'strongest' Hokage in history. Also, the Uchiha clan will certainly not all leave with me; they have all fallen into the false life of peace. Aside from Yukino's lineage of the old, weak, and sick, and my few trusted families whom I am confident I can take with me, the rest of the Uchiha clan will remain in Konoha to fight for power. Since that is the case, I will help them clear out some hidden dangers and leave them here to engage in internal strife with Konoha!"

"Although I feel a bit sorry for those Uchiha left in Konoha, for the sake of my own ambition, I can only sacrifice them a little. Otherwise, to show their loyalty to Konoha, they wouldn't mind stabbing me in the back. Following the logic of a loser like Fugaku Uchiha in later generations, even his own family members are merely disposable existences compared to his loyalty to Konoha. Since our positions differ, Uchiha Tenshu can only look out for himself!"

A sinister smile appeared on the corner of Uchiha Tenshu's mouth.

No one knew better than him the destruction that Hiruzen Sarutobi and his cronies would bring to this vibrant village.

What a pity!

You see, if it weren't for the fact that the foundation of Konoha was inherently tied to the Senju clan—a fact recognized by the entire Ninja World during the village's establishment—it would be impossible to completely erase the Senju's mark.

Uchiha Tenshu would not have chosen to leave.

After all, under the so-called Ninja Village system, even Uchiha Tenshu had no way to keep the entire clan firmly in his own hands. It was precisely for this reason that Uchiha Tenshu resolutely chose to leave.

After all, he did not want to be overshadowed by the light of the Senju, nor was he willing to let his power be restricted or oppressed in any way, turning his enemies into his predecessors.

Otherwise, even if he fought for power in Konoha and climbed to the very top, he would still be suppressed by the name of the Senju.

He would merely be bringing glory to someone else's legacy.

No matter how great the benefits gained, having to share that glory and profit with a group of former enemies was simply disgusting.

To this, Uchiha Tenshu wanted to be a pioneer through and through.

He wanted to be the beginning of all glory.

"After all, I really want to be an emperor for once!"

Uchiha Tenshu said softly, his deep gaze fixed upon the endless darkness, where the future seemed to lie.