Light of the Soul: Beginning with Defection from Konoha

Konoha Year 50.

News of Itachi Uchiha's promotion to chunin had already spread throughout the Uchiha Clan compound.

That ten-year-old genius was drawing ever closer to the ANBU.

To others, this merely meant that the Uchiha Clan had produced another genius. But to Uchiha Lieyang, it was like the tolling of a funeral bell drawing nearer and nearer.

Time was running out.

If he delayed any longer, then once Itachi Uchiha entered the ANBU and Konoha's upper ranks fully tightened their surveillance of the Uchiha Clan, leaving Konoha would become ten, a hundred times harder.

Three years ago, he had transmigrated into this world.

Over those three years, he had gone from an ordinary Uchiha clansman to a special jonin, and had even awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan.

At that pace, he could be called a genius even in Konoha.

But Lieyang was not satisfied.

It was nowhere near enough.

A special jonin could not stand against Root, could not stand against the ANBU, and certainly could not stand against the bloody night destined to sweep through the Uchiha Clan.

By cultivating step by step, he would never catch up to those who truly stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world.

Much less leave this world and pursue that true miracle.

Branches flew past beneath his feet.

Lieyang followed the team, his gaze seemingly sweeping the surroundings vigilantly, though his thoughts had long drifted back to three years ago.

When he had first transmigrated, he had heard a voice whose origin he could not identify.

That voice had not given him a system, a bloodline limit, or directly stuffed him with world-destroying power.

It had only granted him one authority.

The authority to pursue miracles.

Over the past three years, Lieyang had repeatedly analyzed the vague information and finally reached a conclusion.

The Gene Lock.

A power that could only possibly be unlocked in a true life-and-death predicament, by breaking free from the restraints of instinct.

And the Gene Lock was far from the end.

What he truly wanted was the ultimate miracle that existed in legends of the multiverse.

Light of the Soul!

"Lieyang."

Takeno Sota suddenly stopped ahead.

Lieyang planted his foot on a branch, and his body came to a halt with it.

Takeno Sota wore a Konoha forehead protector, his right hand already resting on the ninja tool pouch at his waist. He did not speak immediately, merely staring at Lieyang for two seconds.

Ayakawa Yukina stood on the other side.

She was slender and cold-faced, her collar covering most of her face and revealing only a pair of eyes with little emotion in them.

"Since we left the village, you've lost focus seven times already."

Takeno Sota said in a deep voice, "This is an infiltration mission. Any single lapse could get the entire team killed."

"Sorry."

Lieyang's reply was calm.

Takeno Sota frowned.

But Ayakawa Yukina spoke directly. "A single apology cannot eliminate the risk. Captain, I suggest we abort the mission and bring him back to the village for review."

Lieyang looked at her.

Yukina did not avert her gaze.

"Uchiha Lieyang, you are not in a condition to carry out this mission."

"We've already made it this far. If we turn back now, the target will still relocate."

"That would still be better than continuing with an unstable factor."

Their gazes collided in midair.

Takeno Sota raised a hand and cut them off.

"Enough."

"This intelligence was not easy to obtain. We cannot abandon it lightly. We proceed according to the original plan."

He unfolded the map, his finger landing on the mission area.

"Yukina will handle the forward post. Go ahead and confirm the outer guards and patrol routes."

"Lieyang will handle the rear post. Prevent anyone from circling behind us and cut off the enemy's escape route."

"I'll infiltrate the central area. Once I confirm the target, Yukina will rendezvous with me while Lieyang continues holding position. Once the mission is complete, we withdraw from Point Three."

"Understood."

Yukina answered.

Lieyang nodded as well. "Understood."

Takeno Sota put away the map but did not leave right away.

"Lieyang, this is my last warning."

"During the mission, put away those unnecessary thoughts."

Lieyang met his eyes and said softly, "Captain, don't worry. I won't drag you down."

Takeno Sota's frown deepened.

There was nothing wrong with those words, yet for some reason, an uncomfortable feeling rose in his heart.

Before he could question him further, Ayakawa Yukina had already turned away.

"I'm leaving first."

After several swift leaps, she vanished into the depths of the forest.

Takeno Sota gave Lieyang another look before finally heading toward the central area.

The forest fell quiet again.

Lieyang stood where he was, listening as the footsteps of the other two gradually faded away.

Ten breaths.

Twenty breaths.

Only once even his Sharingan could no longer catch traces of their chakra did he slowly let out a breath.

It had finally come to this.

Defecting from Konoha had never been as simple as turning around and leaving.

The Uchiha Clan was under the dual scrutiny of the Konoha Police Force and the ANBU. Ninjas needed mission documents to leave the village, patrols guarded the borders, and countless Konoha informants watched the roads.

Once he was confirmed as a defector, the pursuit would begin immediately.

But pursuit was exactly what Lieyang wanted.

Without a genuine threat of death, unlocking the Gene Lock was nothing but a joke.

He needed enemies.

Enemies who knew him.

Enemies who could drive him to his limit, perhaps even truly kill him!

Lieyang formed hand seals with both hands.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Bang!

White smoke spread, and another Uchiha Lieyang appeared before him.

The shadow clone rolled his shoulders as his three-tomoe Sharingan slowly turned.

"Have you thought it through?"

"I've thought about it for three years."

"If you fail, you die."

"If I stay in Konoha, I'll die anyway."

The shadow clone fell silent for a moment, then grinned.

"Then let's gamble."

Lieyang drew the short blade from his waist and handed it to the shadow clone.

The shadow clone took the blade and headed toward the rear post.

"Make a bigger scene."

"Don't worry."

Without looking back, the shadow clone waved a hand.

"I'll make them believe you've completely lost your mind."

Lieyang watched the clone disappear, then turned and raced in the direction opposite the mission site.

From this moment onward, he was no longer a Konoha special jonin.

He was a rogue ninja—Uchiha Lieyang!

A moment later, an explosion suddenly rang out from the rear post.

Boom!

Flames shot into the sky as several great trees were swallowed by fire.

"Konoha ninja!"

"An intruder!"

"Catch him!"

Wandering ninjas hidden throughout the area rushed out from all directions.

Lieyang's shadow clone had no intention of concealing his tracks. He stood atop a burning branch, his three-tomoe Sharingan fully exposed, then raised his hand and flung several more shuriken.

The shuriken collided and changed direction, shooting toward different locations.

Two wandering ninjas dodged in haste, and their patrol formation was thrown into complete disarray.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

A massive fireball crashed into the woods.

Heat rippled outward, and the flames instantly illuminated half the forest.

With such an obvious disturbance, not only could the nearby wandering ninjas see it clearly, even the central area could not miss it.

"Damn it!"

A wandering ninja rolled out of the blaze in a miserable state and roared, "He's not here to infiltrate at all! He's here to start a war!"

At the same time, Takeno Sota abruptly stopped.

The firelight rising in the distance reflected in his pupils.

Ayakawa Yukina landed from the other side, her voice icy.

"Something happened at the rear post."

"Lieyang was responsible for the rear post."

Takeno Sota's expression darkened. "With his experience, he couldn't possibly make that kind of mistake."

"Then it wasn't a mistake."

Yukina made her judgment without hesitation.

"He deliberately exposed his position."

Takeno Sota fell silent.

The mission target had already been alerted, and the wandering ninjas in the central area were relocating one after another. The original infiltration plan had completely lost its purpose.

More importantly, Uchiha Lieyang had not come to rendezvous with them.

"Captain."