Konoha Year 54.
Konoha Village, Uchiha Clan Territory.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Uchiha Gen completed his hand seals and spat a large fireball towards the small river not far in front of him.
The fireball plunged into the water, exploding with a roar, like a powerful cannonball.
The small river was cut off by the tremendous explosive force of the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, and a large amount of steam billowed up.
This level of power, whether against people or steel, was irresistible, instantly tearing them into pieces with high temperatures and explosions.
However, Uchiha Gen, the user of the Ninjutsu, showed no joy on his face.
He stood not far from the small river, panting from the rapid consumption of Chakra, his eyes filled with gloomy emotions.
One Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique had drained most of his Chakra.
This strength was far greater than that of an ordinary person; fighting a hundred was nothing.
But within the Ninja system, it was merely the level of a Chunin, and not even a very strong one.
"Ten years of diligent cultivation have only brought me to this level. It seems I need to prepare to run away."
Uchiha Gen lay on his back on the ground, gazing at the boundless blue sky.
He murmured to himself, his heart filled with bitterness.
As a Transmigrator, reincarnated into the Naruto World to live a second life, he was initially very happy.
Not only did this world possess extraordinary power like Chakra, which could grant longevity if cultivated to the extreme, but the various characters he once liked also appeared vividly in Uchiha Gen's world.
However, when Uchiha Gen discovered that he was born into the Uchiha Clan and was the same age as Uchiha Itachi, his mood was not so pleasant.
It was well known.
In his thirteenth year, Uchiha Itachi, in collusion with Uchiha Obito and the Konoha Higher-Ups, initiated the Extinction Night, slaughtering all the old, young, and strong of the Uchiha Clan, leaving only Uchiha Sasuke as the sole heir to the Uchiha Clan's Bloodline.
If nothing unexpected happened, Uchiha Gen would also become a member of the Uchiha death list that year.
To avoid this tragic outcome, Uchiha Gen, who had just learned to walk, began to diligently cultivate, striving to possess the strength to protect himself before the Extinction Night, or even to change the destined tragedy.
But things did not go as he wished; Uchiha Gen, as a Transmigrator, did not possess extraordinary Ninja talent.
After ten years of cultivation, at twelve years old this year, he had only reached the Chunin level of strength. Let alone changing the destined tragic ending, he might not even be able to save his own life.
"The Clan Elders evaluated my Ninja talent as quite good. With physical maturity, I'm guaranteed Jonin strength after adulthood, and once I awaken the Sharingan, I can easily become an Elite Jonin."
"But compared to Itachi, who awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan at eleven and achieved Kage-level combat power, what does my talent and strength amount to? On the Extinction Night a year from now, I'll just be a roadside nobody casually killed by a Shuriken..."
Uchiha Gen sighed in his heart.
Whether talent was good or not was relative. His talent was considered good compared to those mediocre Ninja who remained Genin or Chunin their entire lives, but compared to the true geniuses in the Ninja World, he was also among the mediocre.
He couldn't compare to Itachi, much less to those Ōtsutsuki Immortals.
A year later, all the acquaintances who had grown up with him would disappear under the butcher's knife.
He could do nothing but watch the tragedy unfold.
"Then, I'll follow the original plan: take a mission out of the village, and then fake my abduction and disappearance."
Having made up his mind, Uchiha Gen slowly got up, left the small river located at the edge of the Uchiha Clan Territory, and walked towards his home deeper within the Uchiha Clan Territory.
For the past ten years, besides cultivation, Uchiha Gen had devoted his remaining time and energy to researching how to escape.
Uchiha Gen knew the geography of the Ninja World, local customs, and more, like the back of his hand.
To escape without a trace, he did not join the Police Force like most Uchiha Clan members after graduating from the Ninja Academy. Instead, after graduating early from the Ninja Academy, he normally joined a Ninja squad.
Underhandedly, he also wrote romance novels under a pseudonym, earning a considerable amount of money.
With ample funds, Uchiha Gen had set up numerous contingencies for his escape in various locations over the years.
His strength was average, so he wouldn't be particularly noticed by the Konoha Higher-Ups and Uchiha Obito.
At this time, the number of White Zetsu under Uchiha Obito was limited, only usable for monitoring key targets, and they couldn't constantly keep an eye on him.
With careful planning against an unsuspecting target, Uchiha Gen was confident he could disappear from under the noses of Konoha and Uchiha Obito without anyone knowing.
As long as he hid for a few years, until Tsunade took office, he would be temporarily safe.
If he hid until the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, and Uchiha Sasuke became a Six Paths Sage, he would be completely safe.
"Gen, are you done with your training?"
Along the way home, many people greeted Uchiha Gen.
The Uchiha couple selling pancakes, Uchiha Tekka patrolling near the Uchiha Clan Territory, and others...
The gloom in Uchiha Gen's eyes receded somewhat, replaced by a slight smile as he responded to everyone's greetings with a smile.
Although Uchiha Gen's parents in this life died early, perishing on a mission when he was very young, Uchiha Gen lived quite well under the care of his clansmen.
Besides inheriting all of his parents' legacy, he received a monthly living allowance from the Clan.
In addition, if he wanted to cultivate or learn, he could always seek guidance from the Clan elders.
In the Clan over the years, Uchiha Gen had learned skills that ordinary Ninja couldn't, including Uchiha-style Taijutsu, Kenjutsu, Shurikenjutsu, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, and more.
This was the Uchiha, known as the Clan of Love; as long as you were recognized as one of their own, you would receive unconditional care.
It was precisely because he had received such care and lived so well here that Uchiha Gen was reluctant to leave.
The thought of all these clansmen dying filled his heart with burning anger.
Unfortunately, Uchiha Gen was not a protagonist like Naruto or Sasuke; despair and anger could not bring him strength.
His talent was insufficient, the purity of his Uchiha Bloodline was not high enough, and he couldn't awaken the Sharingan. No amount of anger could be transformed into tangible combat power to prevent the tragedy from happening.
In this situation, he could only find a way to save himself.
"Gen!"
A girl's cheerful voice rang out.
Uchiha Gen turned his gaze and saw the beautiful girl Uchiha Izumi waving at him not far away, and standing beside her was the filial son, Uchiha Itachi.
Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Itachi, and Uchiha Gen were all Ninja Academy students of the same class and had known each other since childhood.
However, their circumstances were not the same: Uchiha Gen joined a Ninja squad for missions after graduating early, Uchiha Itachi joined the Anbu, and Uchiha Izumi had recently joined the Police Force.
Uchiha Gen had once tried to influence Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, to change the minds of these two top Uchiha combatants, and thereby prevent the Extinction Night from happening.
But he failed.
The weak have no voice; what the weak say is not heeded by the strong.
This was especially true for Ninja of the Uchiha Clan.
The moment they awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, obstinacy and arrogance were already etched into their bones.
Uchiha Gen, at Chunin level and without awakened eyes, was undoubtedly weak compared to Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan and possessed Kage-level combat power. His ideas could not influence them in the slightest.
Thus, Uchiha Shisui still died at Danzo's hands a year ago, and Uchiha Itachi was still pushed to the brink by the clashing Konoha Higher-Ups and the Clan.
If nothing unexpected happened, he would personally initiate the Extinction Night within a few months, or at most a year.
Because of this, although Uchiha Gen knew Uchiha Itachi, they were like strangers.
At this moment, Uchiha Gen heard Uchiha Izumi's greeting, smiled and nodded in response, but said nothing more.
Then, he brushed past Uchiha Itachi, completely ignoring his presence.
The next day, Uchiha Gen traveled light.
As a Chunin squad leader, he took two civilian teammates and accepted a C-rank mission at the Hokage building to escort a nobleman on a trip, leaving Konoha.
It was unclear whether Uchiha Gen was lucky enough, or if his preparations beforehand were meticulous enough.
In any case, the plan to slip out of Konoha went smoothly.
After completing the escort mission, while passing through a city in the Land of Rivers, Uchiha Gen, with the help of a team of rogue Ninja hired at a high price, faked his kidnapping and disappeared from his two teammates' sight.
The Ninja of the Ninja World were so dedicated; disciplined by various noble Daimyo since the establishment of Ninshu a millennium ago, once they took money, they would meticulously help their employers achieve their goals.
After an investigation by Konoha, it was discovered that Uchiha Gen showed no signs of defection; many of his personal belongings, parents' relics, and savings were left in Konoha and not taken with him, and his teammates also confirmed that they encountered a sudden attack on their way back from completing the mission.
Thus, both the Konoha Higher-Ups and the Uchiha Clan concluded that someone coveted the Uchiha Bloodline.
They had plotted for a long time, launched a sudden attack, and abducted Uchiha Gen to use as research material for a Bloodline Limit.
At this moment, this young Uchiha was likely in grave danger.
However, due to the volatile situation between the Uchiha Clan and the Konoha Higher-Ups within Konoha Village, the investigation into Uchiha Gen's whereabouts eventually came to nothing.
Both sides intended to thoroughly investigate Uchiha Gen's whereabouts after determining a victor.
They wanted him dead or alive.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Gen was already in a secret base tailored specifically for him.
As a handsome Uchiha and a writer, Uchiha Gen had some fans who served as his connections.
This secret base was arranged for Uchiha Gen by a noble lady who had inherited her family's wealth.
It was located deep underground, covered by barrier runes to conceal its presence, and stocked with enough supplies to live for several years.
For a long time to come, Uchiha Gen would live and cultivate here.
It was at this moment, less than two days after settling down, that Uchiha Gen was astonished to find.
A pop-up appeared on the old-fashioned computer in front of him, which he used for writing in his spare time and had no internet connection whatsoever.
'Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you want to truly live?'
'Yes / No'