The Uchiha's Path to the Top, Starting from Konoha

Chapter 2 Tobirama Senju's Shadow Guard

The Land of Hot Springs, located in the northeastern border region of the Land of Fire, is a small country in the ninja world famous for its hot springs. The once bustling and crowded hot spring town has long since fallen into ruin. Every now and then, a few ninjas fight on the rooftops, and then a corpse splattered with warm blood falls from mid-air.

The headbands on their bodies did not bear the insignia of the five great nations; most of them were cannon fodder ninjas from small countries, or wandering ninjas who didn't even have headbands. The victors suppressed their excitement, but before they could even loot the corpses, they were killed by a kunai that came from nowhere.

Killing and being killed have been a recurring cycle in this hot spring town that has amassed the vast majority of the wealth of the Land of Hot Springs.

After the First Shinobi World War, it will be another feast for nobles and powerful people. The streets will be unclaimed after the reshuffling, filled with a dazzling array of shops and inns. With just a little investment, there will be a steady stream of golden goose eggs to be laid.

These had nothing to do with ordinary ninjas. However, through the ninja cat Tachibana, Uchiha Takeoshi, who was connected with his clan, had completed several missions in the hot spring town, all of which involved killing enemy ninjas and asserting sovereignty over their interests.

"People die for money, birds die for food."

Uchiha Wu'an wore an exquisite and luxurious samurai outfit, red on top and white on the bottom, with a samurai sword hanging at his waist. His smooth, long black hair was tied into a high ponytail and swung behind him, revealing the handsome face that had been passed down through generations of the Uchiha clan.

He strolled slowly down the hot spring street, his curious gaze sweeping around like that of a young nobleman just starting out. The hyena ninjas hiding in the shadows drooled with envy until one of them could no longer contain his desire to make a final profit before the war ended, and launched a swift and deadly attack.

shhhhh!

The sound of kunai slicing through the air was heard as Uchiha Takeo calmly swung his katana. These attacks, which were both weak and slow, didn't even require activating his Sharingan. With a flick of his wrist, the incoming kunai were sent flying back with even faster and more unpredictable trajectories.

The hissing sounds of blood spurting from pierced throats, and the thuds of bodies collapsing to the ground, terrified the nearby hyena ninjas, who dared not move.

This level of ninja is not someone they can mess with—damn it, so strong, yet they act like they're some kind of noble young master!

While they remained still, Uchiha Wu'an was far from idle. His figure vanished instantly from his spot, and in a few blinks, he killed all the hyena ninjas around him who had harbored murderous intent towards him.

Because of the system's existence, and in order to survive and thrive in this absurd world where even children have to go to war, a love of killing is unavoidable.

Uchiha Muan could only remind himself that those he killed were all people who had died for a just cause, so as to avoid his mind sinking into the sea of ​​killing and becoming a heartless killing machine.

"If you don't court death, you won't die. Not just anyone can be a bandit or robber."

Uchiha Takeo, who was setting up a trap, straightened his clothes and glanced at the increased advancement points. They were all genin, and even chunin were scarce.

It seems the war is indeed coming to an end. The division of spoils has been completed, and there are no longer any powerful ninjas to be seen in the surrounding area.

When the battle for territory first began, Jonin were everywhere, almost making Uchiha Muan think that this was the main battlefield. Later, he realized that most of them were clan ninjas from various major ninja clans who were not registered.

Those who are dying now are basically wandering ninjas and ninjas from small countries who don't even have water to wash their feet. After the war ends, 99% of them will become mountain bandits and robbers, becoming experience points for the lower-ranking ninjas of the five great nations to experience bloodshed for the first time.

"Lord Wu'an, meow."

A large orange cat with yellow and white stripes leaped out of the void, its wealthy-looking face beaming with excitement. "We have news about the location where the Second Hokage and the Raikage are negotiating. They are right there..."

boom!boom!

A violent explosion rang out from afar, and the intense and malevolent chakra fluctuations caused Uchiha Muan to involuntarily reveal his Sharingan. Tachibana Juzu huddled in Uchiha Muan's arms, meowing incessantly.

"This powerful, violent, and evil chakra... it's a tailed beast!"

With his scarlet eyes fixed on the distance, Uchiha Muan, carrying Tachibana no Satoshi, rushed over and entered the vast forest.

He remembered that during the First Shinobi World War, the two leaders of Kumogakure, known as "two beams of light in the clouds," suddenly staged a coup during the alliance ceremony between the Raikage of Kumogakure and the Hokage of Konoha. This resulted in the deaths of the Second Raikage and the Second Hokage. In the end, only the Second Hokage's Shadow Guard, who would later become the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, and other young people survived and returned.

Uchiha Takeo couldn't remember exactly what happened, but he knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If all the Senju forces of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, are wiped out in this alliance, leaving no successor for the Senju lineage, the Uchiha clan will inevitably dominate Konoha Village from now on.

The Uchiha and Senju clans were the two founding clans of Konoha Village and held the position of Hokage for two generations. The Senju clan, which has now declined, only has one elderly Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Mito Uzumaki, the wife of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. The rest are either too old or too young and have no competitive advantage.

The other ninja clans in Konoha, such as the Ino-Shika-Cho clan, are nothing more than vassals and servants of the Senju clan. The Hyuga clan, which claims to be the second most powerful clan in the ninja world, is even more like a skeleton in a tomb, stuck in its ways.

Therefore, in Uchiha Wu'an's eyes, they were all trash and easily defeated.

If they can become Hokage, the Uchiha clan will definitely be the first to lead a rebellion.

If the Uchiha clan can rise to power, and Uchiha Takeoshi, who possesses the Mangekyou Sharingan, is not the Third Hokage, then who else is qualified to become the Third Hokage? Based on the experience and knowledge of those in the clan who keep saying "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice"?

Anyone who dares to spout nonsense, let them see for themselves how swiftly a forty-meter-long broadsword can cut someone!

"Lord Wu'an, Meow Meow will be taking her leave now!"

With his excellent perception, Tachibana felt the distant, resounding, massive, and evil Tailed Beast Bullets while simultaneously enjoying the cold and malevolent chakra of Uchiha Muan. His yellow and white cat face turned deathly pale, his brown cat eyes were tightly closed, even his cat ears drooped down, and his voice carried a hint of sobbing.

"Orange, you're my summoned beast, how can you not see the world!"

Uchiha Wu'an said with exasperation, "You're scared of this little thing? What will you do when the world is about to be destroyed? You'll be so scared you'll wet your pants!"

"Meow meows won't wet their pants!"

Orange instinctively retorted, then exclaimed, "Lord Wu'an, those are the supreme Shadow and Tailed Beast of both countries! Orange is just a pitiful, weak, and helpless cat, and has no desire to see the world."

"Shut up! If no one witnesses my strength, how can I show off? Oh, no, how can I let the world know that the rising sun of the Uchiha clan, the destined future Third Hokage of Konoha Village—Uchiha Takeoshi!"

Having let slip his intention to show off in front of others, Uchiha Takeoshi simply confessed everything, proudly announcing it under Tachibana's disdainful gaze.

"But I'm just a cat, meow!"

"No, Orange, you're a gossipy, arrogant little ninja cat who spreads rumors far and wide."

Knowing full well what kind of person Tachibana was, Uchiha Takeoshi said disdainfully, "In front of these eyes, lies have nowhere to hide."

Orange was taken aback at first, then stretched out its paw to scratch Uchiha Takeo's face. Its cat face turned red with anger, and it shouted, "Are you even human? How could you hypnotize a cute, kind, and beautiful cat!"

"Cats have privacy too, you shameless scum of a human!"

"Hmph, I've touched you every inch of your body, you have no privacy whatsoever!"

Uchiha Muan grabbed Tachibana's nape with one hand, and amidst Tachibana's furious outbursts, his gaze shifted to the other side, settling on a thick tree branch.

Sensing someone approaching, Tachibana quieted down, nimbly swaying his body in the air, and squatted on Uchiha Takeoshi's shoulder along his arm.

The figures that emerged were, in order: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, Danzo Shimura, Torifu Akimichi, and Kagami Uchiha, belonging to the Shadow Guard of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!

These are the six people who will all die today!

(End of this chapter)