“Who is it?” a vigilant voice came from behind the door.
The voice was somewhat old, carrying a hint of iron-blooded sternness.
He was Uchiha Setsuna’s butler and part-time guard.
Senya kept his voice very low, answering briefly and forcefully, “I am Uchiha Senya.
I have an important matter and request an audience with the elder.” ‘Uchiha Senya.’ The butler behind the door searched his memory, finally settling on a particularly handsome clansman.
‘Two-Tomoe Sharingan, outstanding looks, average family background, ordinary strength, an advocate for peace.’ Combining these five traits, the butler made his decision.
“The elder has exhausted himself working for the clan these past few days and is already asleep.
Come back another day.” “The clan is on the brink of life and death!
I hold crucial intelligence that concerns the clan’s very survival!
Furthermore, I am already under surveillance by Konoha’s Anbu.
In less than two days, I will be ‘suicided’ just like Uchiha Shisui.
I implore you to inform the elder.
Whether he sees me or not is for him to decide.” Senya spoke extremely fast, yet his enunciation was perfectly clear.
Hidden beneath that clarity was a tension and fear that ordinary people would find hard to detect.
A neat little trick brought about by his Level 2 Vocal Mimicry.
It worked wonderfully in this dark environment.
It created a sense of urgent desperation without making his words unintelligible.
Even better, he made sure the butler behind the door picked up on this hidden unease.
Taking the current situation into account, the butler subconsciously chose to believe that the person standing outside was telling the truth!
As Uchiha Setsuna’s trusted aide, he could intuitively sense just how treacherous the undercurrents hidden beneath the surface of peace truly were, far more than any ordinary clansman!
Instantly, his heart leaped into his throat.
With a creak, the door opened just enough for one person to slip through sideways.
The butler looked left and right, and after confirming no one was there, allowed Senya to come in and wait.
“You aren’t Uchiha Senya.
Who exactly are you?!” the butler demanded in shock, raising his lantern to see the visitor’s face clearly by the candlelight.
“I’ve already been targeted by those mad dogs.
Using the Transformation Jutsu was the only way to temporarily shake off their pursuit.” As Senya spoke, he dispelled the Transformation Jutsu and activated his Sharingan to prove his identity.
This action further corroborated that Senya was telling the ‘truth.’ “Wait here for now and don’t wander around.
I will go inform the elder, though I cannot guarantee he will see you.” Senya’s eyelid twitched.
Being told to stay put made him feel like he was being spoken to like a child.
He asked, “May I ask for your esteemed name, sir?” “Uchiha Hikura.” ‘Good thing he didn’t call me son.’ Senya said urgently, “I can feel the danger closing in.
The time left for me and the clan is running out.
I leave everything in your hands, Lord Hikura.” He first raised his pitch, then, as if afraid of being overheard by certain entities, hastily lowered it even further, making his voice sound somewhat strange: “For the clan!” In the dark of the night, Senya continuously stoked Uchiha Hikura’s sense of crisis and responsibility through his tone and words.
Only when their own vital interests were at stake would people truly put in the effort, rather than just going through the motions!
Uchiha Hikura solemnly repeated, “For the clan!” Senya remained in place and waited.
He had done the absolute best he could within his abilities.
If this didn’t work…
He would have to resort to a desperate gamble.
“Lord Setsuna, a shinobi from the clan named Uchiha Senya is requesting an audience.
He says it concerns the survival of the clan.” Uchiha Setsuna, who had just lain down, kept his eyes closed, preparing to have his butler send the boy away.
He was sick and tired of hearing such claims.
“Hikura, have you grown so old that your mind has gone soft as well?” Sensing his master’s impatience, Hikura hurriedly added, “He said he is under surveillance by Konoha’s Anbu and could be assassinated by them at any moment.” Uchiha Setsuna’s eyes snapped open in bed, and his aged voice rang out.
“Give me his details.” Uchiha Setsuna could afford to ignore the details of ordinary juniors in the clan, but as his butler, Hikura had to know them.
“Uchiha Senya, sixteen years old this year.
Both parents are deceased.
His Sharingan has evolved to the two-tomoe stage.
Previously, he advocated for using moderate methods to resolve the conflict with Konoha.” After hearing this, the master of the house fell silent.
Uchiha Hikura stood outside the door, waiting patiently.
A moment later, Uchiha Setsuna’s voice sounded.
“Bring him to me.” Uchiha Hikura let out an inexplicable sigh of relief and returned to the entrance.
He brought back good news.
“The elder has agreed to see you.” ‘I’ve finally passed the first hurdle.’ Senya didn’t relax.
He still needed to be on high alert and handle the next part with extreme caution.
The courtyard was deep and tranquil.
The croaking of frogs occasionally drifted from the pond, and if one listened closely, the crisp clack of a bamboo deer chaser striking stone could be heard.
A candle was lit in the main hall.
Under the dim candlelight, a somewhat hunched silhouette was cast against the shoji doors.
“Lord Setsuna, Uchiha Senya has arrived,” Hikura reported softly.
“Let him in.
Keep watch outside.” Due to his advanced age, Uchiha Setsuna spoke rather slowly, his voice slightly muffled.
Senya walked into the room and got straight to the point.
“Reporting to the elder: our entire clan is about to be wiped out!
Not a single soul will be spared!” Right from the start, his words were meant to shock.
Uchiha Setsuna’s cloudy eyes suddenly turned sharp.
His gaze fixed on Senya, carrying a piercing intensity!
He rebuked, “Brat, our clan is a noble family with a legacy spanning a thousand years.
What kind of crisis haven’t we weathered over the years?
The Uchiha clan will never perish.
Do not spout such nonsense here.” While waiting, Senya had been recalling sad things.
For instance, never being able to drink soda again, never seeing those highly skilled actresses again, never playing fun video games again, never reading good novels again…
A thousand days of preparation for a single moment—let the tears flow!
Sorrow flowed like a river.
Crystal tears fell from the corners of his eyes as Senya spoke with indescribable grief: “Elder Setsuna, I didn’t expect even you to have this attitude.
It seems…
our clan…
has no hope left.” Having said his piece, Senya turned around cleanly and decisively to leave.
‘One, two, three, four…’ Senya counted silently in his heart.
He was waiting—waiting for Uchiha Setsuna to take the initiative and ask him to stay.
This abnormal behavior truly piqued Uchiha Setsuna’s attention.
He had originally thought it was just another junior in the clan trying to put on a show, but now it seemed…
“What are you going to do?” “Use my death to awaken the clansmen slumbering in their sweet dreams.” Senya’s tone was calm and indifferent, as if he were talking about something that had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Yet, one could feel the absolute resolve within it!
Uchiha Setsuna no longer hesitated and spoke up.
“You just said the clan is about to…
What is going on?” ‘It worked!’ Senya celebrated, mentally pumping his fist.
The hardest hurdle— ‘Gaining trust’ had been cleared.
Next up was his time to bluff.
“Big Brother Shisui…
Uchiha Shisui did not commit suicide!” Uchiha Setsuna remained expressionless, but Senya could read a clear message in his eyes: ‘If this is what you meant by the clan being wiped out, then get the hell out.’ Senya didn’t keep him in suspense, stating with absolute certainty, “It was the work of Shimura Danzo and…!” Uchiha Setsuna’s eyelids twitched, the wrinkles on his forehead bunching together as he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Shimura Danzo?!” He pressed, “Are you sure it was him?!” Senya pursed his lips, nodded heavily, and clenched his fists, speaking with grief and indignation: “I am absolutely sure!” Before Uchiha Setsuna could digest this, Senya dropped an even bigger bombshell, blasting Uchiha Setsuna into a state of dizzying shock.
“Uchiha Itachi has completely defected to Konoha and is preparing to join forces with them to massacre the clan!”