The bonfire blazed brightly, illuminating the night sky in the wilderness. Amid the rustling sounds of leaves, faint cries and distant chaotic noises could be heard. Three people sat silently around the fire. Uchiha Shana glanced at the two others before speaking with a serious expression:

“This time, the real danger comes from an unforeseen event.”

“Just half a month ago, the Blood Pool Clan submitted their confession for the third time to the Daimyo of the Land of Thunder.”

“However, the envoy sent back by the Daimyo was killed on the way, and a bounty was mentioned at the underground exchange.”

“The Daimyo of the Land of Thunder was furious and decided to continue imprisoning the Blood Pool Clan.”

“In despair, the Blood Pool Clan realized they had no way out, so they secretly contacted the Cloud Village.”

“The Cloud Village plans to send people to liberate the Blood Pool Clan, and in exchange, the Blood Pool Clan will merge into Cloud Village, becoming a bloodline family of Cloud.”

Uchiha Seiichiro felt puzzled: “Isn’t the Blood Pool Clan already a bloodline family of the Land of Thunder? How could they negotiate such conditions with Cloud?”

Uchiha Shi slightly shook his head; he had some guesses about this from having read the original work.

During the Warring States Period, a daughter from the Blood Pool Clan married into the Daimyo’s family of the Land of Thunder as a concubine. Shortly after, the Daimyo died of illness, and the daughter of the Blood Pool Clan faced jealousy and slander, leading to the family being exiled to Hell Valley.

To put it bluntly, the Blood Pool Clan had originally risen to the status of nobility and naturally did not want to lower their status to join Cloud Village and engage in killing.

They would prefer to continue serving their time in Hell Valley, hoping for a day of amnesty to regain their status as great nobility of the Land of Thunder.

Now that the hope of amnesty had been shattered, there was no further hope in continuing, and they had no choice but to brace themselves and join the ranks of those barbarians from Cloud.

On the other hand, Cloud welcomed this development, as the Ninja World War was approaching, and the Blood Pool Clan was a formidable fighting force.

It is possible that the envoy who was killed was orchestrated by Cloud.

Understanding this, Uchiha Shi looked at the entire incident with a sense of clarity, as if clearing the fog to see the sun.

Elder Uchiha Shana did not explain too much to Seiichiro, only gravely stating:

“All you need to know is that the biggest danger now is Cloud, and that is enough.”

“So, the primary task now is to safely reach Hell Valley and meet up with the Uchiha members there.”

“It will soon be night. Seiichiro, you and Shi will take turns keeping watch and setting up warning traps around.”

“That’s all; go do it.”

Uchiha Shana waved his hand lightly, instructing Seiichiro.

Seiichiro didn’t receive an answer but was given plenty of dirty and tiring work, feeling a belly full of grievances as he got up grumbling.

At this moment, Uchiha Shi’s eyes brightened slightly, and he asked:

“Then why don't we travel at night?”

“In this situation, shouldn’t we reach Hell Valley as early as possible?”

Seiichiro showed a look of disdain, glancing over with a sideways glance, scoffing:

"That's ridiculous!"

“Kid, you can’t possibly have never read the Ninja Code, right?”

“Do you want me to recite it for you? The first rule of the code is that ninjas should avoid marching at night to prevent ambush.”

【Uchiha Seiichiro despises you.】

Looking at the floating subtitles before him, Uchiha Shi couldn’t help but shake his head in disbelief.

The reasoning was sound, but if they were to follow the usual path, they would set out tomorrow morning.

Wouldn’t that just leave the lurking Cloud ninjas with nothing?

He had left the village for three things: to fight, fight, and fight!

Moreover, Uchiha Shi’s suggestion was not without basis.

With this thought, Uchiha Shi smiled and stood up:

“Specific situations require specific analyses.”

“Tonight is dark and windy, with no visibility. Let alone ambushing people, I can’t even find toilet paper in the dark. Besides, we are Uchiha; I don’t know what you’re scared of.”

The confidence in Shi's words came from the Uchiha’s bloodline limit, the Sharingan.

Even in complete darkness, with the dynamic vision and the ability to perceive chakra flow from the Sharingan, ambushes from Cloud would pose no problem for the Uchiha.

If they could pull this off, then there was a good chance that Uchiha Shana and Uchiha Seiichiro could directly break through Cloud’s preset defense line.

As for him, Uchiha Shi, since he had not awakened the Sharingan, surviving in such a battle was absolutely impossible!

With that, he could honorably throw himself away!

Elder Uchiha Shana raised his eyes slightly upon hearing this, glancing at the clouds accumulating in the sky.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Seiichiro let out a cold laugh.

Seiichiro stepped forward, grabbed Uchiha Shi by the collar, pulling him close and whispering coldly in his ear:

“Uchiha Shi, I'll tell you one more time—”

“Because of you, I got caught up in this messy task!”

Uchiha Seiichiro gritted his teeth, his gaze icy and tone extremely disdainful:

“What do you think you are?”

“Do you dare to question the Ninja Code compiled by the Second Hokage?”

“Do you know how many ninjas die every year in Konoha for not heeding the code?”

As his words fell, the surroundings fell silent, the wind ceasing and the clouds still.

Uchiha Shi calmly looked at Seiichiro, clearly seeing the cold anger in his eyes.

He paused for a moment before speaking淡淡地:

“Seiichiro-senpai, the reason ninjas climb over walls is that it is the easiest way.”

“If jumping over is more troublesome,”

“For ninjas, breaking down a wall to advance is also acceptable.”

Uchiha Shi smirked, glancing at him before slapping his hand away coldly:

“You have got it all backward.”

As these words fell, a deafening sound exploded in Uchiha Shi’s ears.

【Ding!】

#

Hot springs mostly occur in riverbeds in valleys, and the Land of Hot Water, famous for its hot springs, is primarily a terrain of high mountains and deep valleys.

From the Land of Fire to the Land of Hot Water, from hilly areas to high mountains.

Crossing the deep valleys between the mountains is the only passage across the border between the two countries.

At this moment,

Under a large tree behind the pass, two ninjas dressed in Cloud Village attire, carrying long swords, were enjoying themselves, leisurely roasting meat.

Another slightly younger Cloud ninja frowned and asked:

“Elder Ramii, Elder Tsuchidai, isn’t it a bit problematic to relax our vigilance like this?”

“Moroi, you’re too tense.” The older Ramii was very calm, even handing over a roasted rabbit leg, then explaining:

“We have spies from the Land of Hot Water keeping an eye on things ahead.”

“As soon as something happens, we will receive a signal immediately.”

“Besides, the Uchiha aren’t invincible; they’ve traveled all day and are exhausted. Knowing there’s danger ahead, they wouldn’t stick their heads out.”

“Just rest well; this time, the Uchiha dispatched that old man Uchiha Shana. Tomorrow will be a fierce battle.”

“He must die here to ensure the Two-Tails Jinchuriki can destroy the stationed forces in Hell Valley.”

Moroi glanced at the trio’s formation and thought for a moment, feeling reassured.

An elite Jonin, a Jonin, and himself as a Special Jonin.

No matter how he looked at it, taking down an already aging Uchiha was a sure thing.

Moreover, all three present were not simple characters.

Ramii, a veteran Jonin, had survived since the Warring States era, experienced the peace talks of the Second Ninja World War, and had witnessed the terrifying battles where even the Nine-Tails couldn’t defeat him, proving he was old yet still resilient.

Tsuchidai, an elite Jonin with one eye, wearing a black hat, was the right hand of the Third Raikage, possessing the bloodline limit of Lava Release, and had recently served as the chief examiner for the “Absolute Bull Thunder Plow Heat Blade” ability, in the prime of his life, with strength nearly reaching that of a Kage.

And he, Moroi, a Special Jonin, was the first captain of the Cloud’s Barrier Team, already determined to be the successor of the Barrier Team leader. He inherited sealing techniques from the Uzumaki Clan, capable of controlling even a Jonin if they let their guard down.

The three of them could be considered some of the top experts in Cloud Village!

With such a lineup, even if another Jonin team came, they would not be their opponents!

For the issue of the Blood Pool Clan joining Cloud Village, Cloud was truly investing heavily this time!

They just needed to wait for that hawkish Uchiha leader to arrive,

And then let him and his team be buried here!