Chapter 24: Intermission - Setsuna
A Memory from the Past
Forty-five years ago, on the eve of clan leader Uchiha Madara's departure from the village, the young Uchiha Setsuna had asked him:
"What does it take for a human to possess the power of a god?"
Uchiha Madara gave him a cold look and replied: "Do you want to dance too?"
The Rescue
Golden flames pierced through the air, igniting the writhing dome of molten rubber. Burning liquid stone descended in flaming droplets.
In Tsukasa's eyes, this scene resembled stars falling from a flickering sky.
But he no longer had the strength to move. He could only stare up at the falling fireball growing larger in his vision, his eyes slightly widening.
Suddenly—a black shadow leaped down, grabbed Tsukasa by the collar, and flung him onto a nearby stone platform.
Hiss—
The fireball crashed into the boiling spring, sending sparks splattering in all directions.
Tsukasa stared in astonishment at the Great Elder who had appeared before him.
Uchiha Setsuna said nothing, his eyes scanning their surroundings.
At that moment, the excavated volcano was constantly pumping boiling hot springs from underground. The water level was rising rapidly, the air was being compressed, and a devastating eruption seemed imminent.
He raised his head, gazed at the burning dome above, and narrowed his eyes slightly.
Immediately, he formed hand seals and unleashed several jutsu in quick succession.
Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique! Fire Release: Dragon Fire Bomb!
Multiple fire techniques flew upward and slammed into the dome, but only caused the volcano's interior to shake violently.
Setsuna frowned slightly and paused his assault.
Tsukasa looked at him with utter bewilderment, as if witnessing something impossible.
"Great Elder, why are you here?"
Before the barrier had been thrown into the volcano, Tsukasa had clearly observed that Setsuna was outside the range of Dodai's jutsu. Now that Kumogakure had lost their barrier specialist's means of restraining him, he should have been able to escape easily.
Setsuna snorted coldly and said curtly: "Obviously, I came to rescue you."
Tsukasa was dumbfounded upon hearing this. "Wait, Great Elder, you should have—"
Setsuna shook his head and responded with complete calm: "According to your logic, I should retreat."
"I should fulfill my duty and return to Hell Valley to prevent Kumogakure from causing massive losses to our clan."
He frowned slightly as he observed Tsukasa—covered in bloody sword wounds and burns, his arm dislocated, slumped limply on the ground.
This battle damage was more severe than that of shinobi fresh from the Rain Country battlefield.
Setsuna's eyes flickered as he exhaled deeply.
"But—what about you?"
"Me?" Tsukasa was stunned, then shook his head with bitter laughter. "Great Elder, stop joking. Compared to our entire clan, how could I possibly matter?"
"No." Setsuna's gaze intensified as he spoke with conviction: "I believe you do!"
"At least, compared to me—compared to a mediocre, worthless person like myself—you, with your strong will and far-reaching vision, have greater hope of reaching heights I could never achieve."
"You deserve to live!"
Tsukasa's smile froze.
Meanwhile, Setsuna closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He patted Tsukasa's head, smoothing hair that had become disheveled from electrical shock.
When he opened his eyes again, crimson pupils blazed to life. His gaze was calm yet resolute.
The Final Gambit
"Tsukasa, as you can see—" Setsuna released his grip, stepped forward, and grasped his sword hilt.
"From the Warring States period until now, this old man should have long ago accepted his predetermined fate."
"Growing old, moving toward death."
"However, I have been trapped in the filthy quagmire of politics my entire life, unable to break free."
"I have never lived up to my name or experienced that brief, brilliant moment of true existence."
Setsuna's expression grew stern: "Until you appeared—"
"I know this is guidance given to me by former clan leader Uchiha Madara."
"I firmly believe that now is that moment!"
Tsukasa stared at Setsuna, who looked like a man facing execution, and couldn't help but panic.
"No, wait—Great Elder, what are you talking about?"
"What you think you understand isn't what I—I'm not as noble as you believe, I..."
Tsukasa was about to explain, but Setsuna suddenly turned and smiled knowingly.
Then his tone shifted, becoming cold: "I know—you want to die."
"You lost your parents young, were bullied by the clan, lived in misery, and found the world meaningless."
"You've wanted to die for a long time."
Setsuna narrowed his eyes with a sinister sneer: "But you don't want to die in a way that invites mockery."
"You want to wash away your shame, die gloriously—die as an Uchiha!"
"So—this old man won't let you die."
Tsukasa opened his mouth to explain, but suddenly remembered that the original owner of this body had indeed experienced exactly what Setsuna described—though the motivation was completely wrong!
I was the one who wanted to die!
"Wait, you've misunderstood something, Great Elder. Let me explain—"
"Hmph." Setsuna snorted coldly, his face full of arrogant certainty: "I have my own judgment."
"Now then—"
Setsuna looked indifferently at the boiling spring about to erupt beneath them, slowly drew his long sword, and declared coldly:
"Watch closely, you brat."
"I will use the secret S-rank forbidden sword technique of the Uchiha clan—"
Hearing Setsuna's words, Tsukasa couldn't help but be stunned.
Besides Fire Release, shuriken techniques, and Susanoo combat, the Uchiha have such things? S-rank sword technique secrets? Even Konoha doesn't have many of those, right?
During Tsukasa's moment of confusion, no one could have predicted that Setsuna would suddenly leap backward, reverse-grip his sword hilt, and strike him on the back of the head.
The blow was like a hammer, leaving Tsukasa dazed and collapsing to the ground.
"Damn you, old man—you sucker-punched me!"
Tsukasa cursed bitterly as his vision darkened and consciousness faded.
He could only vaguely hear Setsuna's final, cold laughter:
"That's right—hate me! Hate me! And then, ugly as it may be, LIVE ON!"
With that leap, Tsukasa seemed to glimpse a sudden, blazing flame that ignited the entire volcano.
A blurred figure wielded a flaming sword that pierced heaven and earth. With a single strike, the volcano collapsed and shattered.
Like a god!
Then came a splash, as if something had fallen into the boiling sea about to erupt.
Consciousness faded into darkness.
Only then did a system notification echo in his mind:
[Ding!]
[You courageously counterattacked an enemy who taunted you, but they were already deceased and unable to retaliate.]
[The counterattack was devastating, resulting in a critical hit bonus.]
[You have gained a random skill from the enemy: Death Prison Barrier (Proficient, A-Rank)]
[Skill critical hit! Current attribute: Supreme Death Prison Barrier (Mastery, S-Rank)]
[Your Mental Fortitude level has increased.]
Uchiha Setsuna: A male character from the Japanese manga "Naruto" and its derivatives. A jonin of the Uchiha clan from Konohagakure in the Land of Fire, and member of the Konoha Police Force. A cunning individual who inherited Madara's will, deeply dissatisfied with Second Hokage Senju Tobirama's policies toward the Uchiha clan. He has always sought to reclaim power from the Senju and represents the hawkish Uchiha faction. —From the Official Databook
End of Chapter 24
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