Uchiha Ascendant: Rewriting the Ninja World

The next day in Konoha, the rain stopped, and the village basked in the sunlight of a bright, serene morning. A rainbow arched across the sky, bringing smiles to the faces of villagers and children playing in the streets.

Even passing shinobi couldn't help but pause and admire the fleeting beauty of the rainbow, finding a rare moment of peace amidst the ongoing war.

"Congratulations, Mikoto! You're about to become a Special Jonin."

Back in the village, Uchiha Yo smiled as he congratulated Mikoto.

However, Mikoto's expression was tinged with sadness, her voice heavy as she replied, "Grandfather's health has been deteriorating. Even though my Sharingan has only reached two tomoe, I have to shoulder more responsibility for the clan."

Her words carried subtle but significant implications. Uchiha Setsuna, the hawkish elder of the clan, was nearing the end of his life. As his only direct descendant, Mikoto would inherit his position and influence within the clan.

"What about Elder Setsuna?"

Yo's heart stirred with hidden joy at the news, but outwardly, he maintained a concerned expression.

Mikoto laughed self-deprecatingly. "It's nothing. If he passes sooner, it'll be less trouble for the clan."

The two continued walking toward the Uchiha compound, though Yo's mind was racing with the new information.

Mikoto's promotion to Special Jonin was a stretch given her current strength, but her two-tomoe Sharingan, youth, and familial ties to Setsuna made her an obvious candidate to inherit his hawkish faction.

This might just be the leg up I need.

Suddenly, Mikoto stopped in her tracks, turning to look directly at Yo. Her slender hands cupped his face, her eyes searching his own.

"Yo," she said softly, her tone serious.

"The time we have left is short. Your Chunin appointment will be announced soon, but you need to awaken your Sharingan as soon as possible. I'll need you in the days to come."

Hearing this, Yo's expression hardened with determination. He nodded firmly.

"Mikoto, don't worry. I'll do everything I can to help you."

Inside, Yo smirked. This soft power isn't bad. Mikoto's expectations are heavy, but they come with opportunities.

With Setsuna's decline, Mikoto was in a precarious position. She needed allies, and Yo's potential was her best bet. Her insistence on his Sharingan awakening stemmed from her desperate need to consolidate her position.

As they arrived at the compound, news swept through like wildfire.

"Something's happened to Nawaki, the grandson of the First Hokage!"

The announcement left Mikoto and Yo stunned for different reasons.

Mikoto was shocked because Nawaki was the sole direct descendant of the First Hokage's bloodline.

Yo, on the other hand, was floored because even with Tsunade's forewarning, Nawaki had still fallen.

---

At the Memorial Stone.

Rows of engraved stones stood solemnly as Tsunade, clad in a blue coat, stood silently before a fresh gravestone.

Clutching her brother's necklace in her hand, tears streamed freely down her face. Her grief was palpable, and her body radiated an almost suffocating killing intent.

"Nawaki…"

The sound of footsteps approached, breaking the stillness.

Turning, she saw Uchiha Yo. His clothes were still dirty from his mission, and he carried a small bouquet of white chrysanthemums.

"I heard the news as soon as I got back this morning, Tsunade-sama. Wasn't everything already—"

Smack!

Tsunade's hand lashed out, sending Yo flying several meters into the dirt. The chrysanthemums scattered into the wind.

Tsunade glared at him with bloodshot eyes, her killing intent now fully focused on him.

"Cough, cough…"

Yo slowly got up, wiping the blood from his mouth. Without a word, he began picking up the fallen chrysanthemums.

"Tsunade-sama," he said, his voice trembling with disbelief. "This must be someone trying to sow discord between you and the village!"

His words cut through the air, heavy with meaning. How could Nawaki's death happen under such tight protection? Even if the forewarning wasn't enough, shouldn't they have been more prepared?

Tsunade's anger flared at his audacity. "Shut up, you wicked Uchiha brat!"

She already suspected that Yo was merely a pawn, but she needed to maintain the façade for the sake of those watching from the shadows.

"This intelligence came from your clan's Setsuna! You brought it to me yourself!"

Her words were laced with venom, and tears glistened in her eyes as she stared him down.

Yo's face turned pale, and then resolute. "Tsunade-sama, I will personally eliminate the traitor responsible for this!"

"Shut your mouth!" Tsunade's voice cracked like a whip.

Her sharp glare froze him in place. The idea of assassinating Elder Setsuna was absurd, but Yo's fiery declaration seemed perfectly in line with the fervent ideals of someone indoctrinated by the Will of Fire.

Tsunade suppressed her frustration, maintaining her icy demeanor. "Brat, remember the confidentiality rules for shinobi. Keep your mouth shut!"

Yo's head dropped in apparent shame, his silence masking the calculations running through his mind.

A breeze rustled through the clearing as Tsunade turned back to Nawaki's grave.

Yo quietly placed the white chrysanthemums in front of the gravestone, his expression solemn.

Tsunade glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Though she felt a pang of guilt for her earlier outburst, she couldn't afford to reveal the truth. Nawaki's survival was a closely guarded secret.

"This intelligence," Tsunade rasped, "came from enemy spies. That's the end of it."

Her words were final, a declaration that any further discussion would be forbidden.

Yo's head dipped lower, his face a mask of sorrow. His mind raced. This is war. The truth can't come out, or it would destabilize Konoha itself.

After a moment of heavy silence, Yo clenched his fists, as though reaching a difficult decision.

Suddenly, he turned to face Tsunade, his expression resolute.

"Tsunade-sama, I request to be deployed to the battlefield in the Land of Rain!"

The air seemed to freeze.

Yo's words carried the weight of someone willing to sacrifice himself to erase the truth and prove his loyalty.

This damned one-track-minded Uchiha brat!

Tsunade's inner frustration boiled over. She wanted to curse, but she knew this was typical of the Uchiha—passionate to the point of madness.

Before she could respond, Yo's body suddenly stiffened, his face contorted in pain.

"Brat!

"

Tsunade's sharp instincts immediately detected something wrong. In an instant, she was at his side.

Something's not right!