Outside the Ninja Crow breeding base, Uchiha Gen raised his hand and looked into the distance, checking the time.
He turned to set off, bought some tonic medicine and throat-soothing fruit, and then walked toward a certain corner of the clan grounds.
At the entrance of a quiet and secluded residence.
Uchiha Sumi was wearing a large black velvet fur coat.
Accompanied by a young girl, he sat quietly on a small stool in front of the steps, basking in the sun and occasionally looking toward the intersection.
"It's rare to see you as happy as today, Sumi."
The girl's eyes were filled with affection as she looked at Uchiha Sumi's pale yet handsome and refined face.
"Yeah, yesterday I met that newly risen genius cousin rumored within the clan."
"Although we are worlds apart in terms of talent as a Ninja, I believe that my father's dying wish, which I cannot inherit, will surely bloom again through him."
A gentle, sun-like smile spread across Uchiha Sumi's sickly face.
And when a figure wearing blue-black high-collared clothes appeared at the intersection, the smile on Uchiha Sumi's face deepened.
"Gen, you're here."
"Mm, Brother Sumi, a small gift. This is..."
Uchiha Gen looked curiously at the girl beside Uchiha Sumi.
This girl didn't have much Chakra aura and wasn't a Ninja, but her clothes also bore the Uchiha Clan crest, clearly making her a civilian within the clan.
The Uchiha Clan had over two hundred members who had awakened the Sharingan alone, and the number of ordinary Ninjas and civilians was even greater; it was impossible for Uchiha Gen to know them all.
"Her name is Yuna, she is..."
Just as Uchiha Sumi spoke, he was interrupted by the girl beside him, who beat him to the answer:
"Hello, Cousin Gen. I'm Yuna, Brother Sumi's... well, neighbor."
The girl spoke frankly to Uchiha Gen.
"Brother Sumi?"
Uchiha Gen immediately understood the relationship between the two.
But it made sense.
Although Uchiha Sumi wasn't a Ninja, his father was at least a disciple of the Second Hokage and a once-famous powerhouse of the Uchiha Clan, so he surely left behind plenty of assets.
Not to mention, with a face so devastatingly handsome that even Uchiha Gen was a bit envious, there was no telling how many girls he could charm.
He certainly didn't lack female pursuers and was definitely in the most popular tier among ordinary people.
"Hello, Sister Yuna."
Uchiha Gen smiled at Yuna.
"Cough, cough. Yuna, please help me take these things inside. Let's head in first."
Uchiha Sumi couldn't help but cough a few times.
The group entered the residence and went into the living room.
An oilpaper-wrapped bundle lay quietly in the center of the living room.
Uchiha Sumi unwrapped the oilpaper, revealing a deep blue box with both the Konoha symbol and the Uchiha Clan crest on its surface.
"This is..."
Uchiha Gen looked at the seals covering the box.
"This is... cough... a secret technique left by my father."
"You only need to add a Seal of Reconciliation as a finisher after the hand signs for the Clone Technique to break this seal."
A slightly hoarse voice came from Uchiha Sumi:
"Inside this box is the Phantom Body Flicker Technique that my father was famous for during his life."
"I don't have the talent to become a Ninja, but..."
Uchiha Sumi looked at Uchiha Gen with determination and recognition in his eyes.
The person before him was a successor of the Will of Fire certified by the late Lady Mito, who could perceive human hearts!
"Gen, you're different."
"You have extraordinary talent and a caliber and will recognized even by Lady Mito."
The words Uchiha Gen had spoken before Mito surfaced in Uchiha Sumi's mind at this moment, causing his weak body to feel invigorated.
"This is the most profound manifestation of the great Will of Fire!"
The deep blue box was pushed in front of Gen by Uchiha Sumi.
"Brother Sumi, are you really sure?"
Uchiha Gen asked while looking at his cousin's weak, pale face, which was more delicate than a girl's.
It wasn't that he didn't want it, but such a precious thing, given away so easily?
How strong was Uchiha Kagami?
He didn't know before, but in this life as an Uchiha member, how could he not know how strong the strongest Uchiha since Madara's defection was?
Relying on a pair of Sharingan and his self-developed secret technique, the Phantom Body Flicker Technique, Uchiha Kagami's record and performance during the First Ninja World War were no worse than Danzō's.
He was a top-tier powerhouse with strength close to the Kage level.
Although the strongest aspect of Uchiha Shisui years later would be those Mangekyō Sharingan, his reputation was made in his youth as Shisui of the Body Flicker!
"Yes."
The latter smiled slightly and nodded, then took a step back and was about to bow to Uchiha Gen.
Uchiha Gen had to help his cousin up.
"Then I shall accept it. Gen thanks you for today's gift, brother."
"No, I should be the one saying thank you."
"Gen, you, who possess the Will of Fire and have awakened the Sharingan, are the only one who can inherit my late father's legacy."
Oh my god!
Uchiha Gen didn't even dare look at his cousin's gaze, which was so burning it almost scorched him.
He didn't have a damn bit of the Will of Fire; he only had his own will.
But fortunately, when it came to acting, Uchiha Gen was exceptionally gifted.
He performed on the spot without saying a word, merely lowering his head, firmly grasping Uchiha Sumi's hand, nodding heavily, and then lightly thumping the latter's chest.
"Brother, say no more; it's all understood!"
...
Since the assembly time was 2:00 PM and there was no rush yet, Uchiha Sumi specifically insisted that Uchiha Gen stay for lunch.
Yuna cooked a few home-style dishes.
Since one had a weak body and the other was about to go to war and was still young, they didn't drink alcohol, instead buying some ordinary drinks as a substitute.
Neither Uchiha Gen nor Uchiha Sumi had any direct blood relatives left alive.
This distant cousin relationship, already three degrees removed, actually brought the two closer at this moment.
After all, they were still within five degrees of kinship, and in the entire Konoha, neither could find anyone more closely related by blood than the other.
Although the lunch didn't have any expensive delicacies or fine wine, the atmosphere among the three was quite warm.
It lasted until past 1:00 PM, when the assembly time on the transfer order was approaching, before it finally ended.
Shortly after, at 2:00 sharp.
Thousands of fully armed Konoha Ninjas were lined up in formation according to their respective units, assembling at the main gate of Konoha, ready to set off at any moment.
At the very front of the ranks, three Konoha high-level officials—the Third Hokage, Danzō Shimura, and Homura Mitokado—were also equipped in their combat gear, waiting solemnly for the departure time.
Behind them, the Third Hokage's three disciples were stationed on either side of the ranks.
They will all take part in this war.