Naruto: Traveling Through Time Starting with Seizing the Dragon Vein

The Second Elder snorted coldly, a hint of undisguised disgust flashing in his eyes. "They couldn't even handle this simple matter properly, and they even lost two pairs of Kaleidoscopes! It's a huge loss to the family!"

"However, the commotion they caused before their deaths did create a gap in the sealing array of Cherry Blossom Valley, and our subsequent supply teams have successfully slipped through," another high-ranking official added calmly.

"Now that the supply line is open, these two tools have served their purpose."

The Grand Elder didn't even lift his eyelids, and waved his hand. "Go and erase their code names from the roster, and stop the supply rations to their tattered tent. Also, pass down the order to bring out the 'consumables' for the newly awakened three-magatama in the dungeon. The 'Fountain of Return to Light' cannot be stopped. Let's see if we can replicate a few more handy swords."

In this dark tent, the fall of two peerless geniuses who had awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan and risked their lives for their families did not even earn them a second of silence.

They only discussed the tool wear rate and how to replenish the next batch of consumables.

In the shadows not far from the camp, Uchiha Rinpoche, his body hunched over, listened quietly to everything.

A profound sorrow flashed in her deep eyes.

"Light...moon..."

Those two young lives, who had been spitting fireballs in front of her that morning—one indifferent, the other noisy—died silently in the infighting within their families.

The Uchiha clan... is beyond saving.

A cold glint flashed in Zhili's eyes, and his remaining eye, with its three tomoe-like markings, began to rotate.

This can't go on any longer; the Uchiha clan can't be wiped out here.

……

It was completely different from the suffocating coldness of the Uchiha camp.

Hundreds of miles away from Cherry Blossom Valley, deep within an extremely secluded natural cave, a warm flame is rising.

"Cough cough cough... What are you doing?! Stop it! Cough cough..."

Uchiha Yue, covered in soot, jumped up from beside the fire, his only remaining right eye wide open, and snatched the wooden stick that was still emitting eerie black smoke from Uchiha Hikaru's hand.

He just squatted blankly by the fire, his pale face smeared with two streaks of black ash, making him look somewhat comical.

She blinked her beautiful, large black eyes, her tone carrying an unusually rare innocence.

"Grilled fish, I saw you heat the food up like this before. But it wasn't cooked through, so I added just a tiny bit..."

You call this adding just a tiny bit?!

Yue was so angry at the black, unidentified object on the wooden stick that was still emitting a faint "Amaterasu" aura that she almost had a stroke.

"Who taught you to use Amaterasu to grill fish?! Don't you know that black flames can't be burned out! If I hadn't reacted quickly and used gravity to deflect it, you would not only have burned these fat fish that we finally caught to ashes, but you would have also set this cave that we finally found on fire!"

Guang lowered his head, looking at his muddy hands, and pursed his lips tightly.

For the past ten years or so, her hands have been used only for hand seals, wielding knives, and killing.

This was the first time she had tried to touch something beyond "killing".

For example, cook a regular meal.

But it is clear that as the "ultimate weapon," her ability to take care of herself is almost non-existent.

"I'm sorry..." Hikari's voice carried a hint of grievance that she herself didn't even realize, "Tools... Hikari doesn't have cooking skills."

Obeying the Moon's command, Hikaru promised never again to refer to himself as a tool.

Light is light, and it only calls itself light.

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Without any hesitation, Yue reached out and flicked her forehead lightly with her finger.

"Thump!"

He felt the pain, covered his forehead, and moved to the side.

"Alright, let me let you try my grilled fish skills. It's been a long time since I've had time to grill fish."

Yue strung the two cleaned fresh fish back together, placed them on the fire, and skillfully began to grill them.

"Fuck-"

Fish oil drips onto the charcoal fire, releasing an enticing aroma.

Yue pulled out a handful of coarse salt from somewhere and sprinkled it sparingly on the golden, crispy fish skin.

The amount was small, but it was sprinkled very evenly.

"Here, take this, be careful it's hot."

Moon stuffed the best-roasted fish into Light's hand, while she picked up the slightly burnt one and began to gnaw on it without a care for appearances.

Guang held the steaming hot grilled fish and carefully took a bite.

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a hint of saltiness and the aroma of firewood.

It doesn't have the nauseating bitterness of military rations, nor does it taste bloody.

"Is it delicious?" Yue asked vaguely.

Guang didn't speak, but silently increased the speed of his chewing.

Her eyes were slightly red in the firelight.

I don't know if it was from the smoke or from the scorching heat of this "everyday" temperature.

After eating and drinking her fill, Guang hugged her knees and leaned against the warm rock wall, listening to the faint sound of the waterfall outside the cave. An unprecedented drowsiness swept over her brain, which "didn't need sleep."

Then, Guang fell into a deep sleep.

Yue glanced at the sleeping Guang and casually draped a fairly clean coat over her shoulders.

The flickering firelight dispelled most of the chill in the cave.

Uchiha Tsuki sat quietly by the fire, listening to the soft breathing of Uchiha Hikaru beside him.

For this "weapon" who is always on edge, this was perhaps the most peaceful sleep she had ever had in her life.

Yue casually added a piece of dry firewood to the fire.

"Fake death and escape is only the first step. There are still many things to do next." Yue secretly planned her future path in her heart.

In the Warring States period, when human life was cheap, losing the protection of one's family meant losing all intelligence and resources.

Although he had gained the freedom he had always dreamed of, his completely blind left eye and the chakra he had overdrawn to maintain the fake death plan were both relentlessly reminding him of one fact.

He is very weak right now.

If there's no way to restore my pupil power, let alone finding the dragon vein to travel back to the future, even surviving in this era is uncertain.

He quickly sorted out the three most pressing priorities in his mind.

Chapter 24 Testing Uchiha Chiri

"First priority: the underlying techniques and construction principles of 'Fountain of Light'."

While the Uchiha high command's method of exploiting their own kind for ocular power is disgusting and utterly immoral, setting aside the bloody surface, its core "Yin Release Chakra Transfer and Ocular Power Purification Technology" is absolutely a groundbreaking and top-tier theory!

If he could obtain the original scroll of this formation, with his scientific thinking from his previous life, it would be entirely possible for him to reverse engineer and decipher it.

"Second priority: Uchiha's Yin Release techniques and secret methods."

Thinking of the old woman who brought them rice balls in the early morning, her eyes filled with compassion, Yue's heart warmed slightly.

She was the unparalleled genius who created "Izanami." Her understanding of spiritual energy and the Sharingan was absolutely unparalleled among the Uchiha clan throughout the Warring States period and even all eras.

If he could receive her complete instruction, it would not only greatly shorten the time it would take for him to improve the "Fountain of Light," but it could even allow him to make a qualitative leap in the application of the kaleidoscope.

This will greatly enhance his strength.

"As for the third priority... the Senju, Sarutobi, and the Five Elements Ninjutsu and sealing techniques of other clans."

Yue pouted.

While these things are tempting, such as Senju's Yang Release and Uzumaki's sealing techniques, it's best not to try to do too much at once before solving the fundamental problem of depleted eye power.

These can be left for last, to be planned after our strength has been restored.

"Of the three targets, she is the easiest to reach and the most promising."

The Uchiha leadership is utterly corrupt; stealing the scroll of "Return to the Spring" from their camp would be tantamount to suicide.

In contrast, she deeply resented the current state of her family and also held goodwill towards the two younger generations who were being treated as waste.

but……

"One must always be wary of others. This is the Warring States period, not the Konoha Village where we play house."

Although she was kind, she was ultimately an elder of the Uchiha clan.

Her kindness was based on the overarching premise of "saving her family."

If she finds out that she and Hikaru are not only alive, but also trying to steal the clan's core secrets, who can guarantee that this old man who created Izanami won't suppress them for the sake of the Uchiha's stability?

“I can’t go looking for her with the light on my side; that would be like handing my vulnerability to someone else’s knife. I have to make her come to us, and… I must keep the initiative in my hands.”

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

With a soft "bang," a wisp of white smoke dissipated beside the fire, revealing an unharmed Uchiha Tsuki.

Ben Yue tore a clean piece of cloth from his robes, bit his finger, and quickly wrote a cryptic message on it with his blood, followed by a coordinate:

[Thirty miles south of Cherry Blossom Valley, meet at Broken Moon Cliff at midnight tomorrow. —Two students you taught the Great Fireball Technique]

After finishing writing, the main body rolled up the blood-written letter and handed it to the shadow clone.

"Give this to Uchiha Inspector. Remember, do not alert any of the sentries in the camp. With her keen senses, she will naturally notice if you place the item within ten steps of her tent. After delivering it, deactivate the deactivation." The main body instructed in a low voice.

"Understood, but if she really does show up on time, how should we contact her?"

The shadow clone weighed the blood-stained letter in its hand and asked in return.

"At that time, I will bring you back to see her."

“I will wait here with the light. If she comes alone and is truly willing to cooperate with us, then you can state the conditions we need.”

"What if she brought high-ranking ambush troops, or tried to control you with illusions?"

The shadow clone grinned, having already guessed the original's plan.

"Then let's just dispel the spell. Even if it gets destroyed, the only loss will be a negligible amount of chakra. And we'll immediately cut off all leads and flee far away."