Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 127: The Start of the Shinobi War! Genjutsu: Sharingan!

Jiraiya had a brief, whispered conversation with Akimichi Choza before moving forward. Whatever he said to him remained a mystery. However, after Jiraiya finished speaking with Uchiha Ci and left the area, the atmosphere within the entire camp shifted dramatically.

The ninja who had been casually grouped in threes and fours playing cards had vanished silently, leaving behind scattered decks on the ground.

One by one, Konoha shinobi emerged from their tents. Some were fully armed, others were bandaged from previous injuries, and a few carried large shuriken on their backs. Even the dog sitting by the entrance of a tent was picked up by its owner and carried away.

In front of the supply depot, a long line formed. Amidst the clinking of metal, various ninja tools were dumped out of burlap sacks as voices called out names and cross-checked lists.

At the center of the camp, in an open clearing, young Genin, looking as sturdy as little carrots, carried wooden beams to construct a platform.

Although it was still daytime, the bonfires around the clearing were already lit, their oil-fed flames flickering brightly.

The camp resounded with activity: the dense shuffle of footsteps, hushed conversations, the rustling sound of shinobi inspecting their gear, the crackle of burning logs, and the sharp hiss of kunai spinning through fingers and slicing through the air.

All these sounds and scenes blended together, forming a palpable air of solemnity and tension.

Uchiha Ci recognized it instantly—

War was approaching.

Thud-thud! Thud-thud! Thud-thud!

His heartbeat accelerated in sync with the tense atmosphere, his blood beginning to boil.

Even the tiny Zero-Tails in his abdomen perked up, sensing the abundance of fear and darkness around them. Its tail whipped against its food dish, urging its naive host to open up and feed it immediately.

But the winds of war needed a bit more time to gather momentum. The heat of the situation wasn't quite at its peak, and Root's reinforcements, along with Aburame Ryoma, who would fight alongside him, had yet to arrive.

Until then, Uchiha Ci had one more task to complete:

Training.

Though he knew that given his current abilities, it was unlikely he'd master anything revolutionary in such a short time, he couldn't afford to miss even the slightest opportunity to grow stronger.

Determination flickered in his eyes as Uchiha Ci stepped against the flow of the bustling crowd, brushing past the advancing Konoha shinobi.

With firm strides, he left the Konoha camp behind.

---

Behind Konoha's Camp: A Silent Forest

The forest was eerily still, devoid of sound.

A crow perched on a branch flapped its wings lightly, watching Uchiha Ci as he walked forward.

Unlike the foul-smelling and miasma-filled forests of the Land of Rain, this one carried a different kind of ominous darkness.

Towering trees reached into the heavens, their branches intertwining into an impenetrable canopy that blocked even the slightest hint of sunlight. Even at midday, the forest remained cool and shadowy.

As Ci ventured deeper, a hundred-meter-wide pond came into view.

In the center of the pond sat a large stone, atop which a lone figure meditated cross-legged. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the foliage, forming a golden halo around him.

The man was tall, wearing the signature Uchiha shirt paired with a Jonin vest. His expression was cold and stern.

He was Uchiha Shinichi, who had been waiting for quite some time.

As Ci approached, a line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes:

[Uchiha Shinichi is extremely displeased with your tardiness and wants to shove your face into the ground and urinate on you.]

The moment the text appeared, Shinichi abruptly opened his eyes, filled with visible irritation.

The three tomoe in his Sharingan spun slightly as he spoke in a low, icy tone:

"Counting the three hours this morning, you're four hours late."

"To be honest," he continued, "Uchiha Ci, you're really testing my patience."

Ci frowned slightly at the harsh words, his confusion only growing as he glanced back at the floating text.

This was the "gentle and powerful" man that Uchiha Shisui had described?

If not for the subtitles revealing Shinichi's inner thoughts about urinating on his head, Ci might have believed the facade.

Seeing that Shinichi seemed intent on berating him, Ci raised an eyebrow, uninterested in wasting time. He activated his Sharingan, gazing steadily at Shinichi, though careful to avoid direct eye contact with his opponent's eyes, focusing instead on his chin.

"What do you want?" Ci asked flatly. "If it's a fight you're looking for, fine. I'll give you everything I've got."

As he spoke, his hand moved to the hilt of the Kusanagi blade at his waist, flicking it slightly out of its sheath in preparation for battle.

However, Shinichi merely shook his head, smirking coldly.

"You're quite fortunate," he said.

"A twist of fate prevented you from stepping into Hell Valley, sparing you from seeing just how far out of your depth you truly are."

"Let me be clear," Shinichi continued, his Sharingan glowing menacingly, "before I teach you any ninjutsu, I need to teach you some basic respect."

"I'll give you one chance, Uchiha Ci. Attack me with all your strength. If you can make me move even an inch, I'll consider it my loss."

Ci narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on his sword hilt. Something about the situation felt off, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly what.

He had avoided looking into Shinichi's eyes, so he shouldn't have fallen under any genjutsu. But Shinichi's confidence...

Could he be some extraordinary prodigy of the Uchiha Clan?

Shaking off his doubts, Ci decided to go all out. If this was what Shinichi wanted, then so be it.

Without hesitation, Ci raised his hands. One pressed against his chest, the other against his abdomen, his fingers gripping his skin firmly.

Beneath one hand, searing white flames ignited, while under the other, a dark ouroboros pattern rotated counterclockwise.

In an instant:

Fire Release: Chakra Mode, Forbidden Technique: Body Revival, Zero-Tails: Dark Awakening, and Immortality Technique activated simultaneously!

A towering inferno erupted within the silent forest!

A miniature sun seemed to rise from the ground, radiating a searing, oppressive heat.

Within the fiery orb, a dark cocoon trembled before splitting open.

Emerging from the cocoon, Ci strode forward, holding the Flaming Flowing Blade in his hand.

His tall frame, waist-length black hair, and calm yet imposing demeanor exuded an aura of coldness, intensity, and overwhelming authority.

With a single motion, Ci raised his sword, pointing it at Shinichi, who still sat motionless atop the stone.

Then, he calmly announced the name of his attack:

"Kana~!"

Boom!

The Flaming Flowing Blade transformed, extending into a forty-meter-long fiery greatsword that slashed across half the pond toward Shinichi.

The shockwave alone toppled trees in its path.

But as the attack landed, Ci's brow furrowed. The blade passed straight through Shinichi, striking nothing.

"An afterimage? No, not even smoke...," Ci murmured, realizing something was wrong. He examined his body and clenched his jaw in frustration.

"Damn it... I've been caught in a genjutsu again!"

The fire surrounding his body and the intense sensations it should've brought were absent, and his mindset under the Zero-Tails' influence wasn't as aggressive as it should've been.

It was clear—he'd fallen into a genjutsu.

Back in reality, Shinichi, sitting on the stone with his hands forming the signs to maintain the genjutsu, swallowed nervously.

Sweat poured from his brow as he observed the events unfolding in the illusion, his face pale with disbelief.

"How is this kid this strong...?" he muttered, his mind in turmoil.

This wasn't how the scenario was supposed to go.

His plan had been to teach Ci about shurikenjutsu, Fire Style, and the proper use of the Sharingan, before smugly revealing that everything had been an illusion.

But the script had gone wildly off course.

"This is insane!" he muttered, trembling. "There's no way he's this powerful!"