Undercurrents in the Land of Tea

Team Kakashi had assembled before the Konoha Gate.

Kakashi looked as laid-back as ever, holding Icha Icha Paradise, but his one exposed eye swept sharply over each member of the team.

"This is a C-rank mission. We'll escort a merchant caravan back to the Land of Tea and help train the Daimyo's guards." Kakashi put his book away. "Under normal circumstances, there won't be any fighting. But once we cross the Land of Fire's border, anything can happen. Stay alert."

"Yes!" Naruto shouted excitedly. "We finally get to leave the village on a mission!"

Sasuke folded his arms, his expression indifferent, though a flicker of anticipation passed through his eyes. Sakura looked worriedly at Sasuke, then Naruto, before finally turning to Lin Ye.

Lin Ye carried a simple travel pack. Along with the essentials, he had brought the black scroll and Kagami Uchiha's map. The Land of Tea-Uchiha Tekka's key was waiting there.

"Let's move."

The five left Konoha and followed the main road southeast. The Land of Tea lay southeast of the Land of Fire. A small nation famous for its tea, it had no ninja village, only the Daimyo's guards to maintain order.

Along the way, Naruto chattered nonstop, Sasuke occasionally threw in a cutting remark, Sakura mediated between them, and Kakashi continued reading his dirty little book. Lin Ye quietly observed this future legendary team, filled with mixed emotions.

Without his interference, this team's first C-rank mission would have become the incident in the Land of Waves, where they encountered Zabuza and Haku. But history had already changed. Because of his arrival, Team Kakashi had formed ahead of schedule, and their mission destination had become the Land of Tea.

The butterfly effect had begun.

Three days later, they reached Falling Leaf Town, a small town on the Land of Tea's border. According to their mission instructions, they were to meet the caravan here first.

"Are you the ninja from Konoha?" A middle-aged merchant in a tea-green kimono approached them, followed by more than a dozen guards and several wagons.

"I'm Kakashi Hatake, and these four are my subordinates." Kakashi showed him the mission scroll.

The merchant sighed in relief. "I'm Matsudaira, a merchant from the Land of Tea. I've purchased a shipment of silk and pottery from the Land of Fire. I'll be counting on you along the way."

The caravan rested for the night and departed early the next morning. The Land of Tea was mountainous, its roads winding, and the wagons made slow progress. Lin Ye walked at the rear, activating his One-Tomoe Sharingan to watch their surroundings warily.

[Ding! New last wish detected (within 5 kilometers)]

The sudden system notification startled Lin Ye.

It could detect one from this far away? Could it be...

"System, display the last wish."

[Last wish 38: Uchiha Tekka, age 45, Jonin. Last wish: Deliver the Green Leaf Key to Matsudaira, a merchant from the Land of Tea. Completion reward: Mangekyō Sharingan fragments ×2]

Lin Ye's pupils contracted.

Tekka's last wish! And he wanted it delivered to Matsudaira? The leader of this caravan?

He looked toward Matsudaira up ahead. The middle-aged merchant was chatting with Kakashi and looked perfectly ordinary. But why had Uchiha Tekka wanted to give him the key? What was their connection?

"Mr. Matsudaira, do you travel to the Land of Fire often?" Lin Ye walked over and asked as casually as he could.

"Oh, yes." Matsudaira smiled. "I've been trading between the Land of Fire and the Land of Tea for twenty years. Uchiha... young man, are you from the Uchiha Clan?"

"Uchiha Ye."

"Uchiha Orphan." Matsudaira sighed. "What a tragedy. I was acquainted with Mr. Tekka of the Uchiha. He was a generous, forthright man. I never imagined..."

"You knew Uncle Tekka?" Something stirred in Lin Ye's heart.

"Yes. Ten years ago, I ran into bandits in the Land of Tea, and Mr. Tekka saved me." Matsudaira's gaze grew nostalgic. "We became friends afterward. Whenever he came to the Land of Tea, he would stop by for tea. Unfortunately, three years ago, he suddenly stopped coming. I heard... he went missing."

"Did he leave anything with you for safekeeping?" Lin Ye asked cautiously.

Matsudaira paused, studied Lin Ye carefully, then lowered his voice. "Are you... the 'successor' Mr. Tekka spoke of?"

Lin Ye nodded.

Matsudaira glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention, before whispering, "Three years ago, Mr. Tekka gave me a small box. He said that if a young Uchiha ever came looking for me, I should give it to him. But I need to confirm your identity."

"How?"

"Mr. Tekka said the person would know about the Green Leaf Key and the seventh stone tablet at Naka Shrine."

Lin Ye recalled the contents of Kagami Uchiha's scroll. It had indeed mentioned the Green Leaf Key, along with the seven stone tablets at Naka Shrine that recorded Uchiha history. The seventh tablet recorded Madara Uchiha's departure from Konoha.

"The Green Leaf Key is one of three keys that open the Uchiha forbidden grounds. The seventh tablet at Naka Shrine records Madara Uchiha's departure, but the real tablet was replaced. The original is hidden in the forbidden grounds," Lin Ye said quietly.

Surprise flashed in Matsudaira's eyes before he nodded. "You really are the person Mr. Tekka was waiting for. I'll come find you when we make camp tonight."

That evening, the caravan camped beside a stream.

Late that night, when all was quiet, Matsudaira slipped into Lin Ye's tent.

"Here." Matsudaira handed him a palm-sized wooden box made from blue ironwood, a specialty of the Land of Tea. It felt heavy in his hand.

Lin Ye opened the box. Inside lay a vivid green, leaf-shaped piece of metal, thin as a cicada's wing, engraved with the Uchiha's fan-shaped clan crest.

[Green Leaf Key detected (1/3)]

[Ding! Last wish 38 completed: Deliver the Green Leaf Key to Matsudaira, a merchant from the Land of Tea (actually received)]

[Reward obtained: Mangekyō Sharingan fragments ×2]

[Current Mangekyō Shards: 3/???]

[Last wish chain 2 progress: Collect all three keys (2/3)]

"Mr. Tekka also said," Matsudaira continued quietly, "that if a young Uchiha ever gathered all three keys and opened the forbidden grounds, he might see things he shouldn't. He said... the Uchiha's fate was cursed. He hoped you could break that curse."

"A curse?" Lin Ye pressed. "What else did Uncle Tekka say?"

Matsudaira shook his head. "That was all. Then he left in a hurry. It was the last time I saw him."

Lin Ye tightened his grip on the Green Leaf Key. A curse-that word again. Uchiha Setsuna's scroll had also mentioned a curse.

What secret lay hidden behind the Uchiha's fate?

"Thank you, Mr. Matsudaira," Lin Ye said solemnly.

"No need to thank me. Mr. Tekka saved my life. This is the least I could do." Matsudaira hesitated. "There's something else... this mission may not go smoothly."

"What do you mean?"

"I received word that there's unrest in the Land of Tea. The Daimyo's younger brother, our Grand General, seems to be making a move. Some of his men may have infiltrated our caravan," Matsudaira whispered. "You must be careful."

Lin Ye's gaze sharpened. "Is the information reliable?"

"I have an informant in the Daimyo's household," Matsudaira said. "In any case, this won't be a peaceful journey. I've fulfilled Mr. Tekka's request. Tomorrow, I'll find an excuse to leave the caravan. You can escort the empty wagons to the capital. That should be safer."

"Understood."

After Matsudaira left, Lin Ye tucked the Green Leaf Key close to his body. He now had two of the three keys. Only Uchiha Yashiro's key, hidden in the Family Cemetery, remained.

But for now, there were more pressing matters.

Unrest in the Land of Tea, spies hidden in the caravan, and... a possible attack.

Lin Ye stepped out of his tent and saw Kakashi sitting beside the fire, his book already put away.

"Kakashi-sensei, still awake?" Lin Ye walked over.

"Keeping watch." Kakashi glanced at him. "Did Mr. Matsudaira come to see you just now?"

"Yes. Uncle Tekka left something in his care." Lin Ye didn't conceal that, but he didn't specify what it was, either.

Kakashi nodded without asking further. He didn't want to get too involved in the Uchiha's secrets.

"Kakashi-sensei, I don't think this mission is as simple as it looks," Lin Ye said. "Mr. Matsudaira told me there might be trouble within the Land of Tea, and spies in the caravan."

Kakashi's gaze sharpened. "What else did he say?"

"He said the Daimyo's younger brother, the Grand General, might be making a move. He suggested leaving the caravan tomorrow while we escort the empty wagons to the capital, making us less of a target."

Kakashi considered this for a moment. "Can Matsudaira be trusted?"

"Uncle Tekka trusted him."

"Then we'll do as he suggested," Kakashi said. "Tomorrow morning, I'll announce that Mr. Matsudaira has urgent business and must leave ahead of us. We'll continue escorting the goods. But we'll stay on heightened alert without letting it show."

"Yes."

"Go get some sleep. I'll take the watch for the second half of the night," Kakashi said.

Lin Ye returned to his tent but didn't sleep. He sat cross-legged and began organizing his thoughts.

The secrets of the Uchiha forbidden grounds, the three keys, the Uchiha curse, the unrest in the Land of Tea... they seemed unrelated, yet he sensed a faint connection.

Tekka had disappeared three years ago. Plans for the Uchiha massacre might already have been taking shape then. Had Tekka noticed something and entrusted the key to Matsudaira in advance? Was he connected to Setsuna's research? Setsuna's scroll was to be delivered to Orochimaru, while Tekka's key was meant for a future Uchiha successor...

And then there was Kagami Uchiha. He was one of the few Uchiha who supported the Will of Fire, so why had he left the "Uchiha True Legacy" in the forbidden grounds? What had he wanted his successors to see?

There were too few clues to piece together the full picture.

But one thing was certain: if he gathered all three keys and opened the forbidden grounds, he would learn part of the truth.

To accomplish that, he needed strength. Greater strength.

Lin Ye looked at the system panel:

[Host: Uchiha Ye (Lin Ye)]

[Age: 8]

[Strength: Genin (Three-Tomoe Sharingan)]

[Current Sharingan: three tomoe]

[Abilities: Three-Tomoe Sharingan (dynamic vision, perception, copying, genjutsu), basic ninjutsu (Clone, Substitution, Transformation), Body Flicker Technique, shuriken mastery, chakra control (intermediate)...]

[Last wishes completed: 45/1344]

[Last wish chain progress: Kagami Uchiha’s Regret (2/7)]

[Mangekyō Shards: 3/???]

A Three-Tomoe Sharingan at eight years old was already astonishing. But it wasn't enough for the dangers ahead. He needed to awaken the Mangekyō at the very least to protect himself.

And the condition for awakening it...

Lin Ye recalled Uchiha Setsuna's research: "The immense emotional gulf formed in an instant between ultimate love and ultimate loss."

He didn't want to awaken his eyes that way. But perhaps the system offered another path—collecting Mangekyō Shards. He had three now. How many more did he need? The system offered no explanation.

Perhaps he would find the answer after opening the forbidden grounds.

Early the next morning, Matsudaira left ahead of them with two trusted aides, citing "urgent family business." Team Kakashi continued escorting the caravan toward the Land of Tea's capital.

Without Matsudaira, the atmosphere in the caravan became subtly uneasy. The guards whispered among themselves, and the wagon drivers looked nervous.

During their midday break, Lin Ye activated his Sharingan and carefully observed everyone in the caravan. Its three-tomoe perception allowed him to catch the slightest expressions and movements.

"The driver of the third wagon has calluses between his left thumb and forefinger. They come from years of gripping a kunai," Lin Ye told Kakashi quietly.

"The fifth guard walks like a ninja. He's trying to hide it, but the way he shifts his center of gravity gives him away," Sasuke suddenly said. He had activated his Sharingan too. Although it had only one tomoe, his powers of observation were just as keen.

Sakura whispered, "I checked the goods. The weight of the silk on the seventh wagon is wrong. There might be someone hidden inside."

Naruto scratched his head. "You all noticed something? I didn't spot anything..."

Kakashi nodded approvingly. "Good. Your observation skills have improved. So, what do you think we should do?"

"Turn their plan against them," Lin Ye said. "They haven't attacked yet, so they may be waiting for reinforcements. Let's pretend we haven't noticed and see what they're trying to do."

"Agreed," Sasuke said.

"Then that's what we'll do," Kakashi said. "But be ready to fight. If they dare attack a caravan guarded by Konoha ninja, they must have something to rely on."

That afternoon, the caravan entered a gorge. Steep cliffs rose on either side of the narrow road, making it an ideal ambush site.

"Here they come," Kakashi said quietly.

Almost simultaneously, dozens of figures appeared on the cliffs to either side, raining down kunai and shuriken.

"Enemy attack! Protect the goods!" the guard captain shouted.

But nearly half the caravan's guards suddenly turned traitor, drawing their weapons on their companions. With enemies striking from within and without, five or six guards fell in an instant.

"Follow the plan," Kakashi said. "Lin Ye, Sasuke, deal with the enemies on the cliffs. Naruto, Sakura, take care of the traitors. I'll cover you."

"Yes!"

Lin Ye and Sasuke leaped up together, charging toward the cliffs. Lin Ye formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A massive fireball blasted toward the ambushers atop the cliff, forcing them to scatter. Sasuke seized the opening to throw his shuriken, striking three enemies with pinpoint accuracy.

"Sharingan?" A ninja who appeared to be the leader exclaimed from the cliff. "The intelligence never mentioned Uchiha remnants!"

"Remnants?" Lin Ye's eyes turned cold. He activated the Body Flicker Technique and appeared before the man in an instant, thrusting his kunai at his throat.

The ninja was skilled as well. He hastily leaned back to evade the strike while kicking at Lin Ye's stomach. Lin Ye's Sharingan spun, easily reading the movement. He sidestepped and slashed at the man's wrist with a reverse grip.

"So fast!" Startled, the ninja hurriedly retreated, but his wrist had already been cut.

"Who do you work for?" Lin Ye asked. "The Grand General?"

"You know too much." The ninja's eyes hardened as he formed hand seals. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

A stream ran through the gorge. A water dragon took shape and roared toward Lin Ye. This was a B-rank ninjutsu-the enemy was at least Chunin level.

Lin Ye neither dodged nor retreated. His three tomoe spun rapidly as he formed his own hand seals-Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger!

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

Boom!

A wave of fire several times larger than the Great Fireball swept outward, instantly evaporating the water dragon before surging unabated toward the ambushers on the cliff. This was a Fire Release technique Madara Uchiha had once used. Although Lin Ye's version was simplified, its power was still astonishing.

"Impossible! Fire Release on this scale!" The ninja recoiled in horror and hastily retreated, but the flames still caught him, burning half his body.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was tearing through the enemy as well. His Sharingan had only one tomoe, but his Taijutsu and Shurikenjutsu far surpassed those of others his age. Combined with his Fire Release, they had already allowed him to take down seven enemies.

Naruto and Sakura worked together seamlessly. Naruto used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique-he could now create six clones-to draw the traitors' attention, while Sakura used her knowledge of Medical Ninjutsu to strike the body's weak points precisely. A single knife-hand strike was enough to knock someone unconscious.

Five minutes later, the battle was over.

The ambushers were wiped out, and the traitors were either dead or captured. Kakashi hadn't even needed to act. He had simply stayed nearby to cover them and ensure no one escaped.

"Talk. Who sent you?" Kakashi interrogated the surviving traitors.

"It... it was the Grand General..." one traitor said shakily. "The Grand General wants to seize power, but the Daimyo has Konoha's support, so he doesn't dare act rashly. He wanted to seize this shipment and cut off Konoha's aid..."

"Konoha's aid?" Kakashi frowned.

"The silk and pottery are a cover." Lin Ye inspected the goods and found a sealed scroll in a hidden compartment on the seventh wagon. "This is the real cargo-a secret alliance agreement between Konoha and the Daimyo, along with a list of the first shipment of aid supplies."

Kakashi took the scroll and opened it, his expression growing grave. "This is indeed Lord Hokage's work. It seems this mission is C-rank on the surface, but in reality, it's B-rank, perhaps even A-rank."

"Then why didn't they tell us?" Naruto complained.

"Because it had to remain secret," Kakashi said. "The fewer people who know, the smaller the risk of a leak. But clearly, the information leaked anyway."

"What do we do now?" Sakura asked.

"The mission has changed." Kakashi put the scroll away. "The original plan was to escort the caravan to the capital. Now that the traitors have been exposed and the ambushers eliminated, the Grand General will learn that his plan failed. Desperation may drive him to launch a coup outright. We need to pick up the pace and deliver this scroll to the Daimyo before the Grand General makes his move."

"What about these goods..." Sasuke looked toward the wagons.

"Leave them. We'll take only the scroll and move at full speed," Kakashi ordered decisively. "Lin Ye, you're fast. Take the scroll and go ahead. We'll follow."

"Me?" Lin Ye paused in surprise.

"You're an Uchiha with a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and your speed is on par with a Chunin's. You're also an unfamiliar face, which makes you less likely to be intercepted." Kakashi handed him the scroll. "The Daimyo's Residence is in the center of the Land of Tea's capital. Show this token, and the guards will let you in."

Lin Ye accepted the scroll and Pass, then nodded. "Understood."

"Be careful. The Grand General definitely has informants in the capital, and he may have ninja helping him."

"I will."

Lin Ye tucked the scroll securely against his body and pushed his Body Flicker Technique to its limit, becoming a black blur as he raced toward the capital.

His Three-Tomoe Sharingan worked at full power, pushing his vision to its limit. The scenery on both sides of the road rushed past as Lin Ye leaped between the trees, moving faster and faster.

The final wish, the keys, the internal strife in the Land of Tea, the Uchiha's secrets... all of it intertwined in his mind.

But at that moment, he had only one goal: deliver the scroll to the Daimyo and complete the mission.

Then, he would return to Konoha, obtain the final key, and open the forbidden grounds.

The truth about the Uchiha was drawing ever closer.