Chapter 206: Setting Off, Returning to the Battlefield! Centrifugal Force!
"How can you go out without money?"
"Here, take this!"
Early morning, just before 8 a.m.
At the gates of Konoha Village,
Uchiha Mikoto, her belly swollen with pregnancy, was fastening the straps of Uchiha Ci's vest when she slipped him a bankbook with a warm, sisterly smile.
"This won't do, it really won't!"
Uchiha Ci felt slightly embarrassed, the scene reminding him of receiving red envelopes from elders during the New Year. Without even glancing at the blue bankbook to see how much money it contained, he raised his hands in refusal, awkwardly deflecting.
Despite being pregnant, Mikoto was once an elite kunoichi who had fought in the Ninja World Wars. Her quick movements countered Uchiha Ci's every attempt to refuse, turning the exchange into a comical back-and-forth standoff.
"Since Mikoto is giving it to you, just accept it,"
Uchiha Fugaku said, shaking his head and laughing as he crossed his arms and stood under the village gate.
Fugaku scrutinized the well-dressed Uchiha Ci, though his gaze held a hint of dissatisfaction.
The Anbu uniform looked great, and Uchiha Ci carried it well. However, Fugaku couldn't help but lament, why couldn't that vest proudly display a large Uchiha clan crest?
"Oh, and take these as well,"
Fugaku said as he glanced at the sky and realized it was time. He pulled out a scroll and a small medicine pouch from his robes, then turned to Uchiha Ci with a solemn expression.
"The training plan I had set for you has been delayed due to this mission. But remember, training is like rowing upstream—you can't afford to slack off for even a moment."
"I understand you've mastered the power of the Tailed Beast, but don't underestimate our clan's taijutsu techniques that complement the Fire Release: Chakra Mode," Fugaku warned, his brows furrowing slightly.
"That power is ultimately external. The true strength of our clan lies hidden in these eyes!"
"Even this 'Awakening Pill' sent by Orochimaru is no exception. Do not overly rely on their power. A true strong ninja derives their strength from within," he added, handing over the swordsmanship scroll containing the Uchiha-style "Dance of the Solar Halo" and the medicine pouch.
Hearing this, Uchiha Ci nodded.
Among ninjas, battles are essentially contests of information. No matter how many techniques you have, once they are seen through, there will always be countermeasures.
Only by reaching the level of Uchiha Madara or Senju Hashirama—where raw, unadulterated strength crushes all opposition—can such concerns be ignored.
Uchiha Ci was well aware of the precarious balance in his system of techniques. It was a miraculous amalgamation of multiple forbidden jutsu. However, if even one key component was disrupted, the entire system could collapse.
So far, his enemies hadn't noticed this vulnerability—except for Orochimaru, who had exploited it to create countermeasures.
"I understand. I will train diligently," Uchiha Ci promised as he accepted the scroll and medicine pouch, then tucked the bankbook into the pocket of his Anbu vest.
Just as he was about to offer some polite words of gratitude, feeling obligated after receiving money, medicine, and a combat manual, a voice called out.
"Senior! It's time to go!"
A diminutive Yamato came running from the village entrance, waving his arms energetically.
Fugaku, noticing Uchiha Ci's awkwardness with words, nodded and instructed,
"Go now, to the Valley of Hell!"
"Complete the rest of your training there. The elder is already waiting for you."
---
Stepping out of Konoha Village's gates once again, Uchiha Ci felt the gentle spring breeze brushing against his face as he scanned his surroundings.
Four elite teams, representing Konoha's upper-tier combat power, were already assembled and ready to move.
Since Uchiha Ci's role as the mission's key combatant had not been disclosed, command of the squad temporarily fell to Sarutobi Shinnosuke. Despite his youth, Shinnosuke had extensive experience and a kind demeanor, quite unlike his rebellious younger brother Asuma.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our mission is to head to the Valley of Hell to assist the stationed defense forces."
"The route map has been distributed to everyone."
"It seems the primary combat unit has already departed ahead of us, so we must pick up the pace."
"In two days, we will traverse the vast hilly terrain of the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water, entering the Valley of Hell from its flank closest to the Land of Fields. This is the shortest route."
"Given the current unstable situation in the Land of Hot Water, once we cross into their territory, there will be no further rest stops until we reach our destination."
"The squad will move in a wild-goose formation," Shinnosuke explained thoroughly. Since his plan was well-reasoned, no one raised objections.
Uchiha Ci was positioned on the left flank of the formation, along with Aburame Ryoma and Yamato. Shinnosuke had considered the presence of two young ninjas in the team and Ryoma's ability to provide long-range support with parasitic insects.
The squad set off at a steady yet swift pace.
Having traveled this route before, Uchiha Ci felt familiar with the terrain. Even with the young Yamato in tow, they managed to keep up with the group's speed.
---
At this time, except for the Sand Village forces driven into the Land of Rain, no other major nations had declared war on Konoha yet. The journey was relatively uneventful. After covering significant distances, the team would pause briefly for resupply and rest.
During these breaks, Uchiha Ci would pull out his scrolls, skimming through techniques he thought he could master in a short time—a desperate attempt to cram before the battle.
His collection of scrolls had grown so vast that he needed to process them into usable skills. However, he could only make sense of the "Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique" and the newly obtained swordsmanship scroll.
---
Two days and nights later, on the eve of reaching the Land of Hot Water, an unexpected guest appeared.
---
Under the flickering firelight, Uchiha Ci held a skewer of bread over the flames with one hand while mimicking swordsmanship techniques with the other. His Sharingan glinted as he stared thoughtfully into the fire.
The Uchiha-style "Dance of the Solar Halo" was a swordsmanship technique developed around the Fire Release: Chakra Mode. It combined the art of infusing chakra with flames and Sharingan illusions, enabling the user to dance like fire incarnate, weaving death within a blazing mirage.
Disassembling the moves frame by frame with his Sharingan, Uchiha Ci quickly encountered a major obstacle.
While attaching fire chakra and blending illusions into swordsmanship wasn't an issue for him, the physical movements described in the scroll were baffling.
One part demanded the user leap while slashing, maneuver mid-air as if soaring like a firebird!
It seemed absurd, as if the scroll expected him to master double or even triple jumps mid-air—violating all laws of physics.
How was he supposed to learn that?
Frustrated, Uchiha Ci racked his brain but found no solution.
Just then, an old yet playful voice echoed beside him.
"I've been watching you for two days!"
"How can you not understand something so simple?"
Startled, Uchiha Ci looked up to see an elderly man stepping into the firelight. The man wore sunglasses, a yellow vest, and brown-green cropped pants. His face was scrunched in an expression of disappointment as he stared at Uchiha Ci.
"Listen up, kid—what you're missing is centrifugal force!"
"Do you get it now? Centrifugal force!"