6:00 a.m.
Before the alarm could go off, Neo Uchiha smashed it with a slap—the same alarm clock that had annoyed him for the past year.
By that time, he was already fully geared up.
Forehead protector, knee guards, leg wraps with kunai pouches, gloves, foot straps, a scroll pouch tied at his side, and a ninja tool bag strapped to his back.
He draped a high-collared black robe with the Uchiha crest across his shoulders. Standing in front of the mirror, he pushed his hair back, pulled his lower eyelid down, and grinned wickedly.
"Now... I can already see your death!"
(Cue image of Shippuden Sasuke's Kirin ultimate move vs. Itachi)
After basking in his own dramatic flair for a moment, Neo jumped out the window exactly at 6:00 a.m.—just in time to spot Obito Uchiha doing the same thing from the neighboring house.
"Neo, you heading out on a mission too?"
Neo nodded coolly and gave a small reminder: "Don't be late again."
"Are you kidding? I'm Obito Uchiha—I'm going to be Hokage, ya kn—ahhh!"
Before he could finish bragging, Obito smacked his chest with pride, took a step forward—and promptly stepped into thin air. He plummeted head-first from the second-floor window.
Neo Uchiha shook his head, amused. That's so you, Obito—the King of Tardiness.
By the time Obito got his sprained ankle and bruised head patched up at the Leaf Village Hospital, he'd be at least an hour late to meet Minato's team.
Neo was used to seeing this kind of scene, though. He didn't bother to help and just called down with a grin:
"Obito, next time we'll meet at the Memorial Stone. Don't forget to burn some paper offerings for your bro."
With that, Neo launched himself from the rooftop, landing lightly and sprinting toward the rendezvous point. His steps radiated eager anticipation.
Obito Uchiha: "…???"
Uchiha Clan Grounds – The Main Estate
"This is the situation, Fugaku-senpai." Shisui Uchiha bowed respectfully before Fugaku Uchiha and explained the purpose of his visit.
"Neo Uchiha, huh?" Fugaku's expression was calm as still water. He nodded slightly, committing the name to memory.
"I believe he will become a bridge between the Uchiha Clan and the village. Fugaku-senpai, when you reach the Land of Hot Water, I humbly request that you watch over my friend!"
"I'd be deeply grateful."
Crossing his arms, Fugaku spoke calmly:
"Go, Shisui. I'll be heading to the Land of Hot Water later today with Elder Setsuna. I'll keep an eye on this friend of yours."
"But as for you—once you reach the Land of Rain, make sure you contact our clan's forces stationed there immediately."
"And be careful of a rising group in the Land of Rain."
Shisui paused, looking up in confusion.
"A rising group?"
Fugaku frowned slightly.
"They're called the Akatsuki. Their ideals are overly naive, but you should try to establish contact."
"After all, the three leaders of that organization were trained by Jiraiya of the Sannin."
"They're naturally inclined toward Konoha's interests."
Shisui nodded thoughtfully, repeating to himself: "The Akatsuki, huh…"
8:00 a.m.
At the gates of Konoha Village—
Two Uchiha squads gathered.
Elder Setsuna Uchiha glanced at the sky, then at the assembled group, and spoke coolly:
"Since everyone is here, the mission begins now!"
"Upon reaching the designated location, your squad captains will open the mission scrolls and explain the objectives, then distribute tasks."
"That's all. Move out!"
With that, Elder Setsuna took the lead, beckoning briefly to Neo Uchiha and Seijiro Uchiha before striding out of the village.
There was no time for small talk.
Shisui Uchiha gave Neo a small smile, tapped his chest with his fist, and followed the group.
Neo watched him, puzzled.
He shook his head, brushing off the gesture.
Shisui may have misunderstood him, but their missions had nothing to do with one another.
Shisui was headed northwest to the Land of Rain, while Neo was traveling east, across the vast hills toward the Land of Hot Water.
Neo snorted to himself.
No way Shisui's gonna reach all the way into the Land of Hot Water just to pull me back from dying. Nope—this time, I've already eliminated the biggest threat!
The advantage is mine!
Neo's squad set out from Konoha at a steady pace, swiftly heading toward the Land of Hot Water.
Ninja travel speed was comparable to an off-road truck's. Crossing the hills of the Land of Fire and reaching the Land of Hot Water took only a day.
None of the three members of the squad were particularly talkative. After leaving the prosperous lands of the Land of Fire,
the scenery abruptly changed.
Streams of refugees from the southern border of the Land of Hot Water filled the road. The vibrant greenery of spring gave way to bleak gray.
Withered branches, barkless trees, and hopeless, lifeless eyes leaning against them were the most common sights along the way.
By now, they had only reached the halfway point.
Signs of other ninja appeared frequently—campfire remains, trip-wire traps, and wary eyes glinting from the shadows.
On the eve of the Third Shinobi War, the small nations caught between the Great Powers were chaotic and war-torn.
The shinobi of the Land of Hot Water, unable to protect their country or endure failed missions' penalties, often became rogue ninja and fled with refugees into the Land of Fire.
Many of these defectors became bandits and ended up with bounties on their heads.
As the sunlight waned—
The setting sun cast a crimson glow that faded into night's approaching darkness.
Elder Setsuna Uchiha raised a hand to halt the squad.
He drew out the mission scroll, unfurling it across a large stone. His voice was cold:
"Gather around. It's time for the mission briefing."
Neo's expression sharpened—this was the moment of truth.
Whether he could achieve the "Death Upon Departure" achievement hinged on what happened next.
"This mission's objective is to reach Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water and support the Uchiha clan members stationed there."
"What do you think is the greatest danger?"
Facing his two teammates, Elder Setsuna was silent for a moment before suddenly asking.
Seijiro Uchiha scoffed. "Besides the basics from the ninja survival rules, the biggest threat is the Blood Pond Clan's retaliation, right?"
"Those lunatics are as dangerous as they come."
Neo nodded in agreement—he shared the same opinion as Seijiro.
And he knew something else—
Beyond the lunatics, there's a true master.
En Oyakata—the Blood Pond Clan's heir.
This infamous figure, a dark mirror of Itachi Uchiha's tragic path, single-handedly massacred his entire clan without external aid, sparing only his daughter and wiping the clan from the ninja world.
It was unimaginable what level his Blood Dragon Eyes had reached.
Even Chino Chinoike, the Blood Pond descendant who appeared in Sasuke's post-war arc, couldn't compare to him.
This was the true threat!
However—
Elder Setsuna shook his head, sighed heavily, and closed his eyes, his expression grave.
"You're wrong."
"The real danger doesn't lie with the Blood Pond Clan—it lies above them."
"What?" Neo Uchiha blinked in confusion.
There's someone even stronger than the top master?
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Powerstones?