Chapter 121: Chapter 121: The Fourth Battle, Training Before the Fight!
Chapter 121: The Fourth Battle, Training Before the Fight!
On the way back to camp after leaving the dense forest:
"Ci, I think—"
"Stop!" Uchiha Ci immediately interrupted Shisui.
He took a deep breath, furrowing his brow as he looked at Shisui with a solemn expression.
"Shisui, I'll keep this matter a secret for you, but you must stop associating with them."
"Trust me, it's dangerous."
At this point in time, the nascent Akatsuki still had a few years of activity ahead. However, when the Kannabi Bridge battle erupts in a few years, everything will change.
After Uchiha Obito's descent into darkness, the Akatsuki would quickly be pulled into a sinister script.
During the incident that forced Yahiko to commit suicide and caused Nagato to go berserk, Akatsuki was powerful enough to challenge the three great nations. With their strength, they could have turned the tide.
However, to push Nagato further into darkness, Obito intercepted and killed Akatsuki's reinforcements, leaving the organization in shambles, with no one to pick up the pieces.
Uchiha Ci estimated that he probably wouldn't survive to witness that day, so he had no desire for Shisui to take unnecessary risks.
Shisui remained silent for a moment before nodding.
At this point, the two of them arrived at the camp's gates.
"Oh, by the way, Ci, the Elder has arranged for Brother Shinichi to teach you the clan's techniques. Don't forget about it," Shisui reminded him, recalling the Elder's arrangements.
"This is something you'll need to demonstrate results for."
"When you don't have missions, you're expected to gather for training at 9 a.m. every day in the small forest behind the main camp."
Looking at the sky, Shisui added, "It's almost time now. Let's go see Brother Shinichi together."
Hearing this, Uchiha Ci's expression twitched slightly.
Training?
That was such a distant concept to him.
Since arriving in this world a year ago, he had only spent the first three months recalling and mastering basic skills like walking on water, tree climbing, and the Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu.
Afterward, he was consumed by a grueling cycle of D-rank missions that felt like working himself to death.
It wasn't that he didn't want to train in other techniques; it was simply that this body's aptitude was somewhat absurd.
He had spent six months training the D-rank Fire Release: Flame Bullet while also performing missions, yet his progress was negligible.
Of course, he would never admit that his low "Wisdom" attribute might be partly to blame.
It wasn't until later, with the help of Will of Steel and the Sharingan, that he managed to master a collection of flashy techniques.
But now, being asked to train seriously brought back memories of those unbearable, torturous days. His face immediately seemed to don a mask of pain.
After a moment of silence, Uchiha Ci sighed and said,
"Alright, let's go now."
However, at that moment, a Root ninja in a black cloak and bird-patterned mask appeared before him in a flash.
The masked figure's cold eyes locked onto Uchiha Ci as he said indifferently,
"Shura, Lord Ryoma has summoned you. Come with me immediately."
Seeing this, Shisui sighed helplessly and changed the meeting time.
"Alright then, go handle this first. But don't forget about the training."
Uchiha Ci nodded before following the Root ninja through the rain to a military tent.
Lifting the tent's flap, he saw Aburame Ryoma standing with his back to him, wearing a black robe with a distinctive purple mark on his face.
Ryoma stood before a map, exuding the aura of a commanding officer on the brink of issuing brilliant strategies.
Yet, as Uchiha Ci approached, he realized Ryoma wasn't even looking at the map or strategizing.
This quirky man was using his fingers to play with a stag beetle crawling across the map, chuckling to himself. His cheeks twitched, causing his sunglasses to jiggle.
"Ahem, Lord Ryoma," Uchiha Ci coughed lightly, thinking to himself how peculiar the Aburame clan's quirks were.
"Huh?!" Ryoma jolted, quickly scooping up the beetle and shoving it into his pocket. With his hands in his pockets, he stared intently at the map as if nothing had happened.
"Ahem." Clearing his throat, he turned to face Uchiha Ci with a serious expression.
"You're here."
"What were you just doing?" Uchiha Ci asked dryly.
"What? Nonsense! I was clearly studying strategies and figuring out how to help Lord Danzo eliminate the Sand's resistance!" Ryoma raised a hand to adjust his sunglasses, though the beetle peeking out from his fingers somewhat undermined his seriousness.
"Oh, I see." Uchiha Ci cast a speechless glance at this eccentric superior.
Shaking his head, he asked,
"So, what's the reason you called me here?"
Ryoma raised an eyebrow and led Uchiha Ci to the map, pointing to a red-circled area—a desert region near the Rain Country.
"Infiltrators from the Sand have brought intelligence that in three days, a shipment of strategic supplies will arrive here. Among these is a poison concocted based on a formula from Chiyo of the Sand."
"If we destroy these supplies, the Sand's next large-scale offensive will be much easier to handle, potentially saving hundreds of lives on our side."
Ryoma then pointed at the map, emphasizing the red-circled area.
"There will be a Sand unit of thirty people transporting these supplies."
Uchiha Ci activated his Sharingan, memorizing the information on the map before looking up and frowning.
"So, this is my mission? To eliminate those thirty people?"
"No." Ryoma shook his head, smirking. "That's my mission. Yours is here—"
He pointed to a Sand camp near the supply route.
"You will intercept them here."
"The enemy count is… three hundred."
Uchiha Ci blinked in disbelief, pointing at himself.
"Me? Alone?"
Ryoma nodded expressionlessly.
"Fight however you like, but until I launch the signal flare, you're to hold them off, even if it costs you your life."
"This shouldn't be hard for you. After all, Orochimaru said this should be—"
"An appetizer."
Swallowing hard, Uchiha Ci's eyes gleamed with determination.
"Understood!"
Without hesitation, he accepted the mission. After all, this was the kind of battle he had left the village for!
Ryoma nodded in approval but then chuckled as if remembering something.
"Oh, and one more thing—sleep in full gear these next two nights."
"Also, take this."
Ryoma tossed him a scroll marked with a serpent-like pattern.
"Orochimaru requires you to memorize this by tonight. Fail, and your mission will be canceled."
Uchiha Ci frowned deeply.
Damn that Orochimaru, feeding me a sweet date only to hit me with a stick! Treating me like a donkey to be led around!
Annoyed, he caught the scroll and opened it, only for his expression to freeze.
The cover read:
"Orochimaru-Style: Substitution Technique"!