Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 68: I Stand at the Major Crossroads of History!

Seeing the person standing across from him, Uchiha Ci instantly narrowed his eyes. It was Hozuki Mangetsu.

It wasn't because of Mangetsu's immeasurable combat prowess alone. From the fact that he was Suigetsu's older brother, Ci knew that anything Suigetsu could do, Mangetsu could as well, and likely even more. Techniques like the Hydrification Jutsu, Water Gun Technique, Water Arm Technique, and Shield of Eboshi were well within his reach. Moreover, Mangetsu might even know the Second Mizukage's techniques, such as the Oil Transformation, Steaming Danger Tyranny, Mirage, Summoning: Giant Clam, and Illusion: Misty Pavilion.

At this time, things were quite different from the Fourth Great Ninja War in the future. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were still in full force. This meant that Mangetsu could summon all seven swords, combining attack, defense, endurance, and even genjutsu into a seamless whole. He could practically "activate a Gundam," making him a nearly perfect hexagonal warrior.

Although Mangetsu appeared only a few years older than Ci, his tactical system was fully developed, and on paper, his power was already that of a Kage. He lived up to the title of "prodigy."

But was this why Uchiha Ci was wary? Clearly not. Ci had faced Kakuzu head-on without hesitation, so an enhanced version of Suigetsu didn't intimidate him.

What troubled Ci was Mangetsu's current role. Why was he a hunter-nin?

The Mist Village was an extremely strict village with rigid divisions of responsibility and rank for every position. Hunter-nin were tasked with executing the Mizukage's missions, primarily hunting down rogue ninjas who fled under the Mist's oppressive policies. They reported directly to the Mizukage, executing absolute kill orders with no survivors and accepting no prisoners from enemy villages.

The fact that Hozuki Mangetsu was one of these hunter-nin conflicted with Ci's previous assumptions. Based on the original work's portrayal of Madara's schemes, Obito's eventual control over the Mist, and the events involving Zabuza, Ci had deduced several key points:

1. The Mist's upper echelon during this time was likely in league with the elderly Uchiha Madara or directly controlled by him. This explained how Madara was able to implant the Three-Tails into Rin Nohara later with relative ease.

2. Yagura, one of the few perfect jinchūriki, had a pure heart and was widely supported when he ascended to the position of Fourth Mizukage.

3. After Yagura was controlled by Obito and reinstated the Blood Mist policies, Zabuza, the "Demon of the Mist," detected something was wrong and led a rebellion against the very leader he had once loyally served.

Adding to this, in the original story, Suigetsu did not wear the forehead protector of a rogue ninja and did not belong to any village, suggesting he had been sent out of the Mist Village ahead of time. When Suigetsu unsheathed the Executioner's Blade, he spoke with respect for Zabuza and mentioned that "his brother died in pursuit of his dream."

This practically confirmed that Zabuza had assassinated the Fourth Mizukage to overthrow the renewed Blood Mist policy for the sake of a greater cause. Supporting him in this effort was none other than Hozuki Mangetsu, the prodigy of the Mist and the inheritor of the Hiramekarei sword. Mangetsu had also once been Yagura's most loyal subordinate, just like Zabuza.

However, this same Mangetsu now stood here as a hunter-nin, questioning Terumi Mei about Yagura's whereabouts. This suggested that, at this point, Mangetsu was not aligned with Yagura.

Cautious as always, Uchiha Ci quickly realized that he might have found himself at a critical juncture that could shape the future development of one of the great nations of this world. Whether Mangetsu sided with the Third Mizukage or with Yagura could be the deciding factor in the two Mist Village rebellions.

This realization weighed heavily on Ci, who typically avoided altering major plotlines. Saving characters like Uchiha Setsuna or Uchiha Seijiro had little impact on the original story, so Ci didn't feel much pressure. But now, the situation had shifted.

The major storyline involving the Mist Village touched upon Madara's long-term plans, the future of the Mist, the possibility of the Blood Mist rebellion, and the looming Third Great Ninja War. The Mist Village, with its significant war potential, was at a critical decision point.

The key to all this was the fact that Terumi Mei had come here with him! Initially, she could have left after gathering the information she needed. But she stayed to help Ci rescue Hidan, which led to this premature encounter with Mangetsu, still loyal to the Third Mizukage.

The Third Mizukage's decision to send hunter-nin to locate Yagura had made his intentions clear. The hunter-nin's mission was to kill without mercy. Their detachment from emotions and cold-hearted execution made them tools of war. The conflict between these two forces had already reached a breaking point, and all it needed was a spark to ignite the rebellion.

The dark, chaotic era buried within history had now begun to unfold. The seemingly peaceful surface of the Mist Village was roiling with hidden currents, and the stage was set!

At this moment, standing in the center of the hall, on a blood-red carpet, Uchiha Ci felt as if he were at a crossroads. One path led to a bloody throne atop a mountain of corpses, while the other led to the relatively perfect conclusion from the original story.

Ci's body trembled slightly. He couldn't tell whether it was excitement or fear, but his heart pounded wildly. Blood surged through him, from his toes to the crown of his head, filling him with a readiness for battle.

His right hand turned pitch black, while his left reached for the pouch at his waist. In one swift motion, four shuriken were clasped between his fingers. He raised his head slowly, his gaze narrowing as he carefully assessed the six opponents in front of him, his expression growing increasingly grave.

At that moment, heavy black clouds rolled overhead, and cold raindrops began to fall. The rain intensified rapidly, pouring down inside the castle's grand hall.

Ci frowned, raising his hand to examine his fingers. "Is this... Water Release: Cutting Rain?"

The rain falling on his hardened Earth Release: Earth Spear skin had somehow diminished its formidable defensive capability by more than one layer. To fully restore the Earth Spear's original power, Ci would have to expend at least three times the usual amount of chakra. Even then, the rain would continue to weaken it.

Water Release: Cutting Rain was a secret Mist technique that could weaken all ninjutsu and chakra-based abilities, except for those related to water. Even Naruto's Rasengan would falter under its effects.

"This is troublesome. It seems they've scouted my previous battle on the walls and gathered intelligence on me."

"But at the very least, I can't let Terumi Mei die here."

Ci took a deep breath, abandoning further use of the Earth Spear technique. Instead, he drew his ninja sword, and his eyes flashed with the scarlet glow of the Sharingan. Two tomoe spun around his dark pupils, silently analyzing the battlefield.

At the same time, Hozuki Mangetsu, noticing Ci's battle stance, shot him a cold glance. In his lifeless, violet eyes, a chilling, emotionless killing intent gleamed.

"Oh? Another Uchiha?" Mangetsu turned to Terumi Mei, who stood nervously with clenched fists, and coldly asked, "Terumi Mei, have you fallen so far that you need to collaborate with ninjas from other villages to support your rebellion?"