"Start simulation!"
[Age 6, you were utterly unremarkable and attracted no one's attention.] [Age 6 years and 1 month, you investigated escape routes.] [Age 6 years and 2 months, you investigated escape routes.] [Age 6 years and 3 months, you had mostly finished investigating the routes. You chose to act and arrived at the village's outskirts.] [You left Konoha.] [But Root Ninja soon discovered your departure and gave chase.] [You killed more than a dozen Root Ninja.] [Age 6 years and 4 months, you fled to the border of the Land of Fire. The Iron Country lay next door. Your reasoning was this: the Iron Country was a neutral nation, a nation of samurai.] [You believed Konoha's ninja would have difficulty operating in the Iron Country.] [Your true goal was the Land of Lightning, which could only be reached by crossing the Iron Country.] [But your guess was wrong.] [The Iron Country readily cooperated with Konoha's ninja.] [You were surrounded by ninja and samurai from the Iron Country.] [You died.] [Please choose the reward you desire from the following two options.] [1: Nothing.] [2: The object you held in your hand before your death.]
"I choose 2!"
A samurai sword appeared in Uchiha Setsuna's hand.
It was a weapon used by samurai of the Iron Country.
Uchiha Setsuna's eyes flickered as he hid the samurai sword beneath his bed.
"Unlike the previous times when I escaped Konoha early, in this Life Simulation, I actually did manage to escape Konoha. I even left the Land of Fire."
"But I couldn't go any further."
"Konoha and the Iron Country have a cooperative relationship."
"That country isn't truly completely neutral."
Uchiha Setsuna gave a bitter smile.
"I was too naive. In any world, to maintain absolute neutrality, you need strength that completely surpasses every other force. Otherwise, it's impossible."
"That so-called absolute neutrality is just talk."
After breakfast, Uchiha Setsuna headed to the Ninja Academy.
He thought the entire way.
"Before the Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall, escaping in advance is actually possible with my current strength. I just need to choose the right route."
"This time, I clearly chose the wrong one."
"I chose Kumogakure first, then decided to pass through the Iron Country."
Uchiha Setsuna's reason for choosing Kumogakure was simple.
Because Kumogakure was currently the strongest.
Moreover, Konoha's changing attitude toward Kumogakure could be seen from several conflicts between the two villages.
Back then, Kumogakure Ninja had tried to abduct Kushina Uzumaki. Minato Namikaze discovered them and killed several Kumogakure Ninja.
Kumogakure did not dare say a single word about it.
Because Konoha had been strong at the time.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had not yet grown too old, Kushina Uzumaki was still alive as Konoha's stabilizing pillar, and the Three Sannin had matured. Konoha had been stronger than Kumogakure.
The second incident was when Kumogakure Ninja tried to abduct Hyuga Hinata.
Konoha's response that time was completely different.
For the exact same thing, Konoha had not given Kumogakure any face in Kushina Uzumaki's case.
But in Hyuga Hinata's case, Konoha not only admitted fault, but even voluntarily handed over Hizashi Hyuga's corpse.
It could be said that this was an extremely humiliating compromise.
Uchiha Setsuna believed that if he gained Kumogakure's protection, the Konoha High Command naturally would not be able to kill him.
"Among the various factions, gaining Kumogakure's protection would indeed be the best option."
"But there are two problems."
"First, the road to Kumogakure isn't easy to travel."
"Other than the Iron Country, the other routes leading to the Land of Lightning pass through small nations."
"Konoha's ninja can enter those small nations whenever they please."
"Can I survive Konoha's ninja pursuit and leave those small nations alive?"
"The second problem is whether Kumogakure would believe me and protect me."
"Unfortunately, in the simulations where I joined Root before, Danzo never assigned me any missions to the Land of Lightning. Otherwise, I could have defected while taking advantage of the opportunity, rather than going through so much trouble."
Uchiha Setsuna was mainly worried about the first problem.
As for the second, Uchiha Setsuna believed Kumogakure was highly likely to accept him.
After all, he possessed the Sharingan.
In terms of strategic value, the Sharingan was inferior to the Byakugan, but it was still extremely powerful.
There was no reason Kumogakure would not be interested.
Even if Kumogakure did not fully trust Uchiha Setsuna, they would probably only restrain and limit him rather than refuse him outright.
Once the Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall erupted, Kumogakure's attitude toward Uchiha Setsuna would certainly become much more proactive.
"Besides Kumogakure, there are several other options."
"Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Akatsuki."
Uchiha Setsuna ruled out Sunagakure.
Sunagakure was not strong, and it was also Konoha's ally. If Uchiha Setsuna went to Sunagakure, they might agree nicely on the surface, then turn around and sell him out to Konoha.
"Iwagakure is stronger than Konoha."
"But Ōnoki most likely wouldn't accept me."
"Previously, in a Life Simulation, I hid in the Land of Earth. Iwagakure should have known about it, but they did nothing."
"That proves Ōnoki doesn't want to clash with Konoha because of me."
"So Iwagakure can be ruled out."
"As for Akatsuki..."
Uchiha Setsuna knew what kind of organization Akatsuki was.
At first, it had been founded by Yahiko and the other two to change the Land of Rain and help those in distress. It had peace as its goal, but after Yahiko died, things changed.
Especially after Tobi Uchiha appeared.
The organization became Tobi Uchiha's pawn.
Before that, only Nagato had been Uchiha Madara's pawn.
Uchiha Setsuna disliked Tobi Uchiha.
"Tobi Uchiha is no better than Uchiha Itachi. Calling him an animal would not be an exaggeration."
"If I remember correctly, Tobi Uchiha also took part in the Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall."
"Those Uchiha members of the Military Police Force were killed by Tobi Uchiha."
"He was clearly born an Uchiha, yet he had no feelings for the Uchiha whatsoever."
"He could kill innocent Uchiha without the slightest hesitation."
"Besides, Tobi Uchiha could casually attack Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. Those two had actually treated him well, yet they both died because of him."
"Perhaps Uchiha Itachi and Tobi Uchiha have already gotten together."
"Akatsuki isn't a good choice for me."
"Kirigakure can be tried."
Uchiha Setsuna laid the two choices before himself.
On one side was Kumogakure, overwhelmingly powerful.
On the other was Kirigakure, relatively weaker, but more likely to accept Uchiha Setsuna. He could expose the fact that Yagura had been placed under genjutsu.
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