Chapter 17: The Great Elder's Heart Trembles! His Cry — "Uchiha Does Not Need You to Sacrifice Yourself!"
Outside the barrier.
Two Cloud shinobi surrounded Uchiha Setsuna from front and back.
Seeing that Moloi had gained the upper hand, the two exchanged glances and nodded in silent agreement.
Rami stayed behind, alternating between Lightning and Earth Release to provide cover and distraction, while Tsuchidai took the front, attacking with Raging Ox Lightning Plow Hot Blade and Lava Fist in relentless waves.
Uchiha Setsuna wanted to find an opening to cast a genjutsu and seize control of one of them—then use Izanagi to forcefully eliminate another— but the Cloud duo constantly shifted positions, never engaging him head-on.
Their attacks were measured and precise, as though their only goal was to stall for time until Moloi finished off Uchiha Ci,
then regroup to kill Setsuna together.
The constant pressure left Uchiha Setsuna with no room to strike back. His face grew darker, his expression more grim by the second.
At this rate, not only would he fail to save Uchiha Ci— he might die here himself.
The situation was dire.
But then—
the battlefield changed once again.
---
"Heh heh heh… HAHAHAHAHA! Ahahahahahahahahaha~!"
A manic laugh—high and resonant—suddenly echoed from within the barrier!
Moloi's face went pale with fear. He quickly changed his hand seals, altering the barrier so that sound could pass through.
"Rami-senpai! Tsuchidai-senpai! Quick—fall back!"
His terrified voice followed the insane laughter.
"What?!" Rami froze, whipping his head toward the barrier—
only to see—
Uchiha Ci, shirtless, his entire body covered in dense, black explosive tags. He held one at his chest, smirking coldly as he took slow, deliberate steps toward Moloi.
"What the hell is that?!" Rami's eyes nearly popped from his skull.
The moment he saw that body covered head to toe in tags, a chill raced down his spine.
He trembled, unable to suppress the instinctive shiver that ran through him.
Just one glance cleared the haze from his aging eyes.
"This brat—is he insane?!"
"There's enough explosive paper on him to blow a whole village to the heavens!"
Even Tsuchidai couldn't help swallowing hard.
He was a veteran, one of the Third Raikage's right-hand men— a man who'd seen his share of battle-crazed lunatics.
But this? This made even him break into a cold sweat.
Who in the world wears explosive tags like clothing?!
Even the Ghost Lantern clan from the Mist wouldn't dare pull something like this!
This wasn't bravery—it was sheer, unfiltered madness!
---
Outside the barrier, the three ninja was frozen, staring in disbelief. Their eyes all turned toward the scene within.
Uchiha Setsuna's eyes widened in horror.
Watching Uchiha Ci wrapped in those tags like a living bomb, he felt his heart stop—
terrified that one wrong movement, one stumble, might set them off.
If that happened,
boom—
the bright young genius of the Uchiha, his own Hawk-faction protégé, would vanish in an instant.
"Uchiha Ci! What do you think you're doing?!"
Setsuna roared, sweat dripping down his temples, his heart seized by a terror he hadn't felt in decades.
Uchiha Ci held the tag near his heart, turned calmly toward him, and said,
"Elder, you've seen it yourself. There's no other choice."
Setsuna swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. Forcing himself to sound calm, he said,
"Ci, listen to me—calm down!"
"Take those tags off, now! I'll get you out of there! Don't worry—these fools can't stop me!"
"No."
Uchiha Ci shook his head firmly, his voice calm as he stepped closer to Moloi.
"Elder, you and I both know what's really going on."
"If I stop resisting and this bastard makes it out alive, the three of them together will kill you where you stand."
"And if you die here, the clan members stationed in Hell Valley will soon face the Two-Tails' Jinchūriki's assault."
"When that happens, the Uchiha will suffer massive losses!"
"And not just in manpower—"
He drew a deep breath, his tone heavy and resolute.
"The Blood Pond Clan will be freed, and the Land of Lightning's daimyo's commission will fail. Our clan's reputation will be shattered."
"Without that external funding—and with our Hawk faction leader dead— the Uchiha will fracture from within. Civil unrest, infighting, chaos."
"And outside the clan…"
He narrowed his eyes, voice low with conviction.
"…Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō's hatred for us still burns strong!"
"This—this is the brink of our destruction!"
---
A fierce light burned in Uchiha Ci's eyes.
He yanked the tag at his chest slightly outward.
"I finally understand why I stand here!"
Moloi fell back on all fours, his voice trembling in panic.
"Understand what?! Just—go away!"
"What are you doing?! Stop—stop right there!"
"Don't pull it! It's gonna blow—IT'S GONNA BLOW!"
"Don't come any closer! Stay back!"
---
Outside the barrier, Uchiha Setsuna clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked. His hand gripping the sword trembled violently.
Everything Ci said— Setsuna knew it was true.
But he hadn't expected that this boy would see the world with such clarity.
This… this…
Uchiha Ci wasn't just a prodigy— he was a prodigy with vision.
No wonder.
No wonder he had volunteered for this mission.
He had seen all of this coming.
This young fledgling, not yet grown,
had leapt from the cliff's edge—
Not because he sought to fly, but because he had already seen the storm that would topple the nest.
It was the fear of extinction—not the thirst for glory—that made this boy step into the abyss before his time.
And for that, Uchiha Setsuna's heart ached until it nearly broke.
"Ci!"
His eyes burned red. The face that had been cold and unreadable for decades—
softened, trembled.
For the first time, Uchiha Setsuna was moved.
He gritted his teeth, his Sharingan blazing with fury. His rage at the three Cloud shinobi nearly set the air aflame.
Taking a deep breath, he shouted hoarsely,
"Uchiha Ci! Enough!"
"STOP!"
"Uchiha—does not need you to sacrifice yourself!"
Uchiha Ci smiled faintly. The icy calm on his face softened into something almost gentle.
Turning toward the elder, he shook his head.
"Elder, there's no need to persuade me."
"An eagle must have the heart of an eagle."
"This is the last goodbye."
He smiled—peaceful, resolute.
"After this mission, please don't forget me. Next year, burn some paper for me at the memorial stone."
"That'll be enough."
Setsuna's heart trembled. He looked up sharply, wanting to say more—
but then Ci's quiet voice drifted through the barrier once more:
"Elder… you don't regret choosing me, do you?"
Setsuna's vision blurred.
The reflection of Uchiha Ci filled his Sharingan— overlapping with the reckless boy who had once stood before him in the clan council chamber.
The Great Elder's composure shattered again.
He remembered—how he had once, in anger, sent Ci to the battlefield.
His face twisted with regret, his insides coiled in self-hatred.
Had he known this boy was such a genius—
he'd never have let him set foot in a warzone.
He had even planned to use Ci as a pawn in a coup.
Now, watching this youth stake his life to buy him a chance to live— Uchiha Setsuna wanted nothing more than to slap himself across the face.
He was damned.
Utterly damned.
Trembling, lips quivering,
he looked toward Uchiha Ci with eyes full of anguish.
"Ci…"