Seeking Refuge with Hiruzen Sarutobi, Only to Become a Discarded Pawn! (Seeking Votes, Seeking Follow-up Reads)

[At age 6, after entering the Ninja Academy, you displayed extreme genius, drawing everyone's attention.]

[Awakening your eyes at six made all eyes fall upon you.]

[You caught the notice of Fugaku Uchiha, Hiashi Hyuga, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Shimura Danzō.]

[At 6 years and 1 month, Uchiha Sasuke challenged you and was thoroughly beaten. Uchiha Sasuke was extremely unwilling and swore he would defeat you before graduating from the Ninja Academy.]

[At 6 years and 2 months, Yamanaka Ino confessed to you. Receiving no response, she was very disappointed.]

[At 6 years and 3 months, Fugaku Uchiha took the initiative to invite you to his home, praised your genius, and after questioning you, gifted you the scroll for the Shadow Clone Technique.]

[At 6 years and 4 months, you learned the Shadow Clone Technique.]

[At 6 years and 5 months, Hyuga Hinata developed a strong curiosity about you.]

[At 6 years and 6 months, you took the initiative to find Hiruzen Sarutobi and told him about the Uchiha Clan's impending rebellion. Hiruzen Sarutobi showed a surprised expression.]

[Hiruzen Sarutobi had you join the Anbu and assigned you the task of monitoring the Uchiha Clan members.]

[At 6 years and 7 months, you were monitoring the Uchiha Clan.]

[At 6 years and 8 months, you were monitoring the Uchiha Clan.]

[At 6 years and 9 months, you were monitoring the Uchiha Clan.]

[At 6 years and 10 months, you were monitoring the Uchiha Clan.]

[At 6 years and 11 months, you were monitoring the Uchiha Clan.]

[At age 7, the Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall erupted, and the Uchiha Clan was annihilated.]

[After discussions between Uchiha Itachi and the Konoha High Command, they reached a consensus: only one member of the Uchiha Clan could survive.]

[That was Uchiha Sasuke!]

[You tried to escape but were caught up to by Anbu ninja.]

[You fought back desperately, killing two Anbu ninja, but more Anbu ninja appeared.]

[You died!]

[This simulation has ended.]

[Please choose the reward you want from the two options below.]

[1: Shadow Clone Technique.]

[2: The object you were holding in your hand when you died.]

"I choose 1!"

A stream of information entered Uchiha Setsuna's mind.

Instantly, Uchiha Setsuna completely mastered the Shadow Clone Technique.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi is just as unreliable. I sided with him, and in the Life Simulation, I even gave him plenty of useful information, yet he didn't hesitate to let me die."

"A man like that isn't worth anyone's loyalty."

"In the Life Simulation, I held genuine loyalty toward him."

"But I still ended up as a discarded pawn."

"And Uchiha Itachi—he truly believes that no Uchiha besides Uchiha Sasuke deserves to live."

Uchiha Setsuna looked toward the direction of the Hokage Rock.

Four statues stood there.

They were Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze.

At that moment, Uchiha Setsuna suddenly noticed something.

Something he had never paid attention to before.

That was, the heads of the four Hokage were all carved into the Hokage Rock, but their heights differed. Minato Namikaze's head was the lowest, followed by Tobirama Senju.

And Hiruzen Sarutobi's head was noticeably higher than the other three Hokage's heads.

"So this is meant to represent the strongest Hokage in history?"

A cold sneer curled at the corner of Uchiha Setsuna's mouth.

"Truly worthy of that title, aren't you."

After finishing breakfast, Uchiha Setsuna headed to the forest.

Today was still a day off.

Uchiha Setsuna didn't need to go to the Ninja Academy and trained on his own.

While training, Uchiha Setsuna pondered in his mind.

"In this Life Simulation, I obtained the Shadow Clone Technique."

"This is a very convenient jutsu."

"Combined with the Transformation Technique, it can help me shake off many prying eyes."

"But that's only if I'm not being watched."

"From my attempts in the Life Simulation, I've learned that even now, I and other members of the Uchiha Clan are already under covert surveillance."

"The moment I make any unusual move, I'll be targeted immediately."

"Like that time I used the Transformation Technique to leave Konoha early in the simulation—Root's ninja caught up to me in no time."

"As an Uchiha, trying to escape Konoha is nothing short of hell difficulty, and that's no exaggeration."

"Unless I have enough strength."

"In tomorrow morning's Life Simulation, I'll try siding with Shimura Danzō. If that doesn't work, I'll have to think of another way."

Uchiha Setsuna felt his emotions growing restless.

He forced himself not to dwell on it.

"It's fine. One or two failures are normal."

"This is only the eleventh Life Simulation. There are still plenty more chances."

At noon, Uchiha Sagiri came again.

Unlike yesterday, today Sagiri only brought one bento—one for Setsuna. She had already eaten lunch at home before coming.

Uchiha Riko was home today.

Sagiri accompanied Setsuna through the afternoon training.

"Let's stop here for today."

Setsuna halted.

"Sagiri, let's head back."

"Okay."

Sagiri slipped her small hand into Setsuna's palm.

The two walked hand in hand out of the woods.

Not far away, a gaze fell upon Uchiha Setsuna.

It was Uchiha Sasuke.

"Is that Uchiha Setsuna?"

"Is that little girl his sister?"

"What was Setsuna doing?"

"He looks exhausted, dirty, and covered in sweat."

"Training?"

Sasuke's eyes flickered.

Then, a pang of self-reproach rose in his heart.

"Uchiha Sasuke, what are you doing?"

"Didn't you swear to restore the Uchiha's glory and lead the clan back to its peak?"

"Rest days are rest days, but even Setsuna is training—and you're actually resting?"

"How can you lead the Uchiha Clan like this?"

"As a genius, you need to work even harder."

"Don't let anyone surpass you!"

Sasuke harshly scolded himself in his heart, and at the same time, made a decision.

"From now on, Uchiha Sasuke, you have no rest days."

"Whenever there's time, train."

"Only this way can you catch up to your brother."

"Only this way can you and your brother revive the Uchiha together."

Of Uchiha Itachi's thoughts, of what Itachi would do in the future, Sasuke knew nothing.

Itachi would not revive the Uchiha.

What Itachi would do was annihilate the Uchiha.

Setsuna sensed the gaze behind him, glanced sideways, but saw nothing.

"A surveillance gaze?"

"Anbu?"

"Root?"

"Or one of Uchiha Itachi's men?"