"Then I'll be the Dumpling Sage!"
Hearing his two younger brothers claiming the title he had thought of, the eldest panda brother didn't get angry. Instead, he paused for a moment, then excitedly declared, "Then I'll be the Barbecue Sage!"
Once the three had decided, Yuki Seisui's voice echoed softly from outside.
"When autumn comes on the eighth day of September. After my flowers bloom, a hundred flowers shall die!
The soaring fragrance pierces the bamboo grove,
The whole city clad in sage-armored might!"
Hearing the lines of poetry Yuki Seisui recited, the eldest panda's eyes lit up.
"Hurry, second brother, third brother, write it down!" he urged.
"When we defeat the boss, we'll say this in front of him!"
"Alright!"
"Alright!"
The eldest panda repeated the four lines in a low voice, tears streaming down his face.
"Second brother, third brother…"
"Elder brother, second brother!"
"Little brother, third brother!"
"Since Seisui-sama first summoned us, how long has it been?" the eldest panda suddenly asked, glaring sharply at the second brother.
"I don't know… I forgot."
"Not sure," came the reply from the third.
Hearing their answers, the eldest sighed softly.
"I may have forgotten the time, but our bond is unbreakable!"
"Back then, we three made a pact in the bamboo forest, aiming higher than the heavens. Now it's time to challenge the boss!"
"When we return, we'll confront him!"
"Alright!"
"Let the boss witness our true power!"
"Exactly! Let him see how strong the three of us are!"
"Alright!"
The eldest panda was invigorated. He looked at his brothers.
"Then let's get to work! Once we're done, we'll challenge the boss!"
"We'll attack together!"
"Yes, we are one! It's only fitting that we act as one!"
Outside, Yuki Seisui listened to their conversation, his feelings a mix of amusement and apprehension.
A true bamboo forest pact.
And now, they were preparing to face the Sage himself.
Shaking his head, Yuki Seisui could only hope they wouldn't offer him up as a sacrifice.
Panda sages were notoriously unreasonable.
Though concerned, he didn't worry too much.
=======
Meanwhile, within the Uchiha clan…
In a secret chamber, a young Uchiha spoke up.
"Elder Setsuna, let's go kill Sarutobi Hiruzen and support you as Hokage!"
"Exactly! Yes!"
"Sending the Uchiha to the Mist battlefield… Does he even know we excel in fire techniques?!"
Seeing the clan members' anger below, Uchiha Setsuna rubbed his temples.
He really didn't want a rebellion—at least, not yet.
Then, a fiercer Uchiha stood forward, his eyes revealing the crimson three-tomoe Mangekyo Sharingan.
"That Sarutobi Hiruzen sent us to the Mist battlefield on purpose!"
"He wants to drain the strength of our Uchiha clan!"
"Let's go kill him now!"
His words ignited the rest of the Uchiha. One by one, they revealed their Sharingan, crimson eyes gleaming in the dim chamber.
Uchiha Setsuna rubbed his forehead in frustration.
He truly didn't want rebellion—at least not yet.
The other Uchiha waited for his decision, the chamber falling silent enough to hear a pin drop.
After a long moment, Setsuna lowered his hand from his forehead.
"Now is not the time to act."
"Why?!" The Uchiha with the Mangekyo Sharingan spoke in disbelief.
"Most of the village's shinobi are out, plus Miss Haru. We could kill Sarutobi Hiruzen easily!"
Setsuna took a deep breath and explained.
"It's true that much of the village's forces are deployed elsewhere. But even if we kill Hiruzen and I become Hokage, no one would accept it."
"The most likely outcome is that after killing him, the entire village would turn against us, the Uchiha clan."
"It's not worth it."
He sighed again.
Ever since discovering his granddaughter awakened her Mangekyo, he had lost the desire for rebellion.
And after learning that Yuki Seisui also awakened the Mangekyo, the last of his rebellious thoughts vanished.
Though he didn't understand how Seisui possessed Uchiha blood, he attributed it to intermarriage between clans—a common practice.
The Uchiha never forbade marriage outside the clan.
Thus, Seisui having Uchiha blood made sense.
This wasn't just his opinion; most of the Uchiha, including Fugaku, and even Hiruzen and Danzo, shared the view.
It wasn't a secret that the Uchiha could marry outside the clan.
Yuki Seisui had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, and his granddaughter had as well.
Though Setsuna didn't particularly like Seisui, he had to admit—his talent was unmatched.
Both Seisui and his granddaughter awakened the Mangekyo earlier than Madara.
His intelligence told him that Seisui was destined to be the next Hokage.
With his granddaughter and Seisui mutually fond of each other, all he wanted now was to see his great-grandchild.
Two Mangekyo Sharingan, coupled with Uzumaki blood—how powerful would his great-grandchild be?
That was his sincerest thought.
Yet, this thinking would never sit well with the radical Uchiha faction.
As Setsuna explained why they couldn't act, the chamber grew silent.
The Uchiha who had spoken earlier opened his mouth to argue, but Setsuna's eyes suddenly revealed his own Mangekyo Sharingan, cold and devoid of emotion.
The intricate patterns in his eyes exuded raw, unmistakable murderous intent.
The young Uchiha could say nothing.
He felt certain: if he spoke another word, Setsuna would kill him.
"Does anyone else have something to say?" Setsuna's icy, murderous gaze swept across the room.
"If not, then this ends here."
…..
Completed version available on Available on [P]atreon.[c]om/Veltoria [remove brackets]