Founding the "Heaven" Organization

Jin and Yan blinked, and an unprecedented sense of clarity flooded their minds.

The power surging through their bodies was mighty, full, and stable, as if it could never be exhausted!

"This... this is..." Jin stared at his own hands in disbelief, then looked at Yan.

Yan was just as shaken. He tried mobilizing his ocular power and found that the force obeyed him as easily as moving his own arm. The faint sluggishness and sense of depletion he used to feel when using the Mangekyo Sharingan were gone.

The two of them suppressed the storm raging in their hearts and, without the slightest hesitation, dropped to one knee before Qin Mo.

"Young Master Mo, your grace in remaking us cannot be repaid even with ten thousand deaths!"

Qin Mo gave a slight nod. "Get up. I gave you this power because I have an important and dangerous mission that requires the four of you to complete it."

Jin, Yan, Cang, and Shun immediately straightened and said solemnly, "Please give your orders, Young Master Mo! Through mountains of blades or seas of fire, we will not refuse even ten thousand deaths!"

Qin Mo's voice carried a cold edge. "I want the four of you to leave the Uchiha and go out into the world to establish an organization.

Its name will be—'Heaven.'"

"The 'Heaven' organization?" The four of them savored the name.

"Yes. To outsiders, it will be a mercenary group," Qin Mo continued. "Its mission will be only one thing: take money and do the job.

Assassination, intelligence, or any other dirty work.

So long as the employer can pay a high enough price, no matter who the target is or what status they hold, they can be killed."

The four felt a chill in their hearts and vaguely understood the nature of this organization.

"There are two purposes in founding 'Heaven.'" Qin Mo held up two fingers. "First, to accumulate money, resources, and strength. In the chaos of the Warring States era, these are the foundation for gaining a foothold.

Second, to gather intelligence.

I want you to become the eyes and ears the Uchiha Clan buries in the darkest places. I want to know every stir of wind and grass in every corner of the ninja world."

Qin Mo paused, then said gravely, "But to do this, you must pay a tremendous price."

"First, the four of you cannot use your real names. From now on, in the 'Heaven' organization, you will only have code names."

"Second, and most crucially—you must do this as rogue ninja! In other words, you need to 'betray' the Uchiha!"

"What!" Though they had sensed something, when they heard the words "betray" with their own ears, Jin, Yan, Cang, and Shun still shuddered violently, as if struck by an invisible sledgehammer.

"Yes, betray!" Qin Mo's voice carried cruel reality. "For absolute authenticity, to leave no flaw that could possibly implicate the Uchiha, you must become true 'rogue ninja'!

That means you will abandon the surname of the Uchiha Clan and abandon the glory of the Uchiha!

Your names will be carved onto a pillar of shame!

You will no longer be heroes of the Uchiha, but the Uchiha's disgrace and enemies!

In the future, you may be hunted by former classmates, comrades, and perhaps even your closest friends!

The pursuit from the Uchiha will be endless!

You will bear the stigma of traitor forever!"

Silence.

Deathly silence.

The air seemed to freeze.

The excitement, joy, and pride brought by power on the four men's faces vanished in an instant.

All their lives, they had been proud to be Uchiha, and had taken glory in the bloodline of the Uchiha.

They had grown up on this land, fought on it, and bled on it.

Their roots were here.

Now, Qin Mo wanted them to sever those roots with their own hands, turn their backs on that glory, and even face their own clansmen in battle in the future?

Violent struggle churned in the eyes of the four.

Loyalty, glory, their sense of belonging to the clan, their gratitude to Qin Mo, their longing for mighty power, and the grand vision Qin Mo had described along with their hopes for the clan's future collided fiercely in their hearts.

Qin Mo's grace to them was no different from remaking them. Without Qin Mo, they would be cripples. Forget revenge—they could not even live normal lives.

Now that Qin Mo was formally entrusting them with such an important mission for the first time, if they refused... how could they face that?

"If you're unwilling, that's fine too. I'll arrange for others to do this," Qin Mo said calmly.

Time passed second by second. Only the rustle of the mountain wind brushing through leaves remained at the scene.

A long while later.

Jin's gaze became as firm as bedrock. "Young Master Mo, there is no need to arrange anyone else. This mission, I, Uchiha Jin, accept!"

Yan followed immediately. "Me too! This mission belongs to me!

Rogue ninja? Pursuit? Let them come! For Young Master Mo, for the future of the Uchiha, I, Uchiha Yan, will bear this stigma!"

Cang and Shun exchanged a glance and saw the resolve in each other's eyes.

Cang said in a deep voice, "The four of us are all alone. Our parents, wives, and children are all gone. In this world, aside from the Uchiha... we have no other ties.

Since the Uchiha needs us to protect it in this way... then the four of us will shoulder the name of traitor together!"

Shun nodded hard. "That's right! Young Master Mo, please let us go! We don't fear stigma, and we don't fear being hunted!

We only ask... we only ask that in the future, Young Master Mo can let the clansmen know... that we... we were not true traitors!"

Qin Mo nodded solemnly. "Don't worry. Your achievements will be remembered by the entire Uchiha.

History will return your innocence and glory to you.

Your names will one day be carved at the very top of the Uchiha's Hall of Heroes!"

Qin Mo's tone shifted. "You don't have to leave immediately. Go back first and make your preparations.

One week from now, I will personally arrange a 'good show' that allows the four of you to 'naturally' betray the Uchiha, and makes the entire ninja world believe that you have truly betrayed us.

Spend these seven days enjoying your final time in the clan grounds."

"Yes, Young Master Mo!" the four answered in unison. They bowed deeply to Qin Mo again, turned, and left with heavy but resolute steps.

Watching the four figures vanish into the forest, Qin Mo fell silent for a moment.

Only then did Crimson Snow, who had been watching quietly all along, step forward and ask softly, "Young Master, should this matter... be reported to Clan Leader Tajima, Young Master Madara, Young Master Izuna, and the elders?"

Qin Mo withdrew his gaze and regained his usual composure. "Of course it must be reported. This matter is of great importance and requires the cooperation of the clan's higher-ups.

However, there is no need to rush.

Tonight, I will personally go to Father and the elders to discuss it in detail.

But... go now and call Hozuki Dark Moon and Xue Tahai here. I have matters to discuss with them."

"Yes, Young Master." Crimson Snow accepted the order, and her figure turned into a wisp of light smoke as she swiftly departed.

Qin Mo stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through the sparse branches and leaves as he looked toward the clan grounds.

Before long, faint sounds of air being cut came from the forest.

Crimson Snow's figure appeared quietly at Qin Mo's side. Following closely behind her were two swift figures—Hozuki Dark Moon and Xue Tahai.

As soon as the two landed, they dropped to one knee in perfect unison, their bearing respectful to the extreme.