Chapter 5: The Unseen Threat
Now that the system can level up, does that mean I can get more pickups per day?
With their unit on high alert but not yet engaged, Uchiha Raizen had a moment to spare and turned his focus inward, conversing with the system in his mind.
[Affirmative. Each system level upgrade will add three daily pickups to the base amount.]
So, if I reach level 100, I could pick up three hundred things in a single day? The thought sent a thrill of excitement through him.
[That is correct.]
The system's confirmation made his heart race. The prospect of harvesting hundreds of items from a single battlefield was staggering. He could amass an arsenal of one-time-use ninjutsu that would make him a walking cataclysm.
By the way, system, besides the status panel and the pickup function, what else can you do? he asked, a hint of playful complaint in his mental tone. You feel a bit barebones.
[Primary functions include item storage. Additional functions are locked and can only be accessed after the host's level meets the prerequisite requirements.]
…
After finishing his internal dialogue, Uchiha Raizen scanned the distant tree line where the main battle raged. This time, his goal wasn't just powerful ninjutsu. He needed to find items that would permanently enhance his physique and chakra reserves. Most of all, he coveted another Senju bloodline fragment. The primary fragment had boosted his physical potential so dramatically; what could an intermediate or advanced fragment do?
Boom!
A deafening explosion from the front lines shattered his reverie, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.
"Everyone, attention!" Uchiha Tamura's voice cut through the ensuing silence. "The frontal assault has begun. Our moment is now! We will strike the Senju's left flank and sow chaos in their ranks! Move out!"
A unified shout of readiness rose from the Uchiha shinobi. But before anyone could take a step, a lone voice shouted out in desperate opposition.
"Stop! You can't go down there!"
It was Uchiha Raizen. He stood with his arm outstretched, his face pale but his eyes burning with conviction.
Uchiha Tamura turned a thunderous gaze upon him. "Explain yourself, recruit. You are new here, but you must know the penalty for disobeying a direct military order is death." His voice was cold steel.
"I…" Uchiha Raizen faltered for a second.
"Sergeant, please, it's his first time on the battlefield, he's just nervous," Uchiha Ryoken quickly interjected, trying to defuse the situation.
"I'm not nervous!" Uchiha Raizen insisted, his voice regaining its strength. He pointed a trembling finger toward a distant, rocky mountain pass. "We really can't go. I saw… I saw our people… our clansmen's spirits there! Their souls are trapped and crying out!"
He was lying, of course. He couldn't see spirits. But he could see what others couldn't: a dense, glowing cluster of items littering that pass. [Uchiha Primary Physique Fragment], [Uchiha Intermediate Physique Fragment], [Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique]. The evidence was clear to him—a significant number of Uchiha had died there recently. Based on his experience, these "drops" only appeared where shinobi had fallen. If they charged down now, they would be running straight into a perfectly laid ambush.
All eyes turned to the mountain pass. It was a known location, a back-cliff area. If there were Senju there, their scouts should have reported it. But there had been no word.
"Nonsense! Spreading superstitious fear among the troops is a capital offense!" Uchiha Tamura's killing intent intensified, but a sliver of doubt had been planted. Why would this boy, who had just proven his worth, risk everything on a blatant lie?
"Believe me! If the enemy is really lying in wait there, charging down will make us turtles in a jar—trapped and slaughtered!" Uchiha Raizen pleaded, his voice raw with urgency.
"You say you saw something. What, exactly, did you see?" Uchiha Tamura's voice was lower now, demanding specifics.
"I saw the lingering souls of our Uchiha clansmen," Uchiha Raizen repeated, committing to his story. "They are writhing and roaring in that pass, warning us." It was the only explanation he could give that wouldn't reveal his system.
Uchiha Tamura's brow furrowed deeply. He was a pragmatic man, not given to beliefs in ghosts, but the boy's desperation felt genuine.
"Zuosuke, Hyakuji," he barked, turning to two of his most skilled trackers. "Scout that pass. If you detect anything—anything—out of the ordinary, fire the signal flare immediately. Do not engage."
The two ninja nodded and vanished in a blur of movement.
The unit waited in tense silence. One minute. Five. Ten. The two scouts did not return. At their level of skill, even a full perimeter check of the area shouldn't have taken this long. They were overdue.
A grim understanding settled on Uchiha Tamura's face. The boy had been right.
"Everyone! Change of plan!" he roared, his voice echoing with renewed fury. "We assault the back mountain pass! They've ambushed our scouts! We will make them pay!"
As the unit pivoted and began their swift, silent advance toward the cliff, Uchiha Tamura shot a final, deeply complex look at Uchiha Raizen—a look that held suspicion, gratitude, and a burning question. Then, he turned and led the charge, his form disappearing into the forest as he raced toward the unseen threat.