BOOM!
A massive paw, larger than a building, slammed down with thunderous force. The ground split beneath its weight.
Hero's eyes snapped open. The first thing he saw was the monstrous figure of the Two-Tails—its hulking form thrashing through the unfamiliar battlefield camp like a demon unleashed.
Cries of terror and pain rang out in every direction. Exploding tags roared. Kunai whistled past. The sky burned with chakra flares.
And then came the roar.
A beast's roar—loud enough to shake bones.
In the Two-Tails' mouth, a swirling mass of deep blue and black chakra condensed rapidly.
Then—
BOOM!
A Tailed Beast Bomb launched straight toward him.
There was no time to think.
Hero's heart pounded in his chest like a drum. His mind went white. His vision blurred as primal terror consumed him. It was the kind of fear buried deep in human instinct, fear of something ancient, colossal, and unstoppable.
But just as he began to freeze—
[Talent: Combat Instinct (S) – Triggered]
His vision darkened for a split second. Then, without conscious thought, his body moved.
"Cloud-nin attack! Everyone, up!"
Setsuna's voice exploded beside him like a shockwave.
A moment later, a hail of debris rained down from a nearby explosion. Somewhere, alarm bells rang.
Hero staggered, blinking away dust, coughing.
He had been unconscious.
Now he found himself wedged in the wreckage—caught between a broken beam and half a wall.
Ahead of him—
Uchiha Setsuna stood tall, facing off against three Kumo shinobi, all panting, their eyes locked on him with murder.
Nearby, Uchiha Seijuro gripped a kunai, his entire body trembling, his hands, legs, even his Sharingan-active eyes.
"Why… why me?! Why is a Chunin fighting enemies like this?!"
His voice cracked, a desperate scream laced with panic.
***
"Well, well… finally caught you Uchiha rats."
The oldest among the enemy, Jonin Ramii, sneered coldly. His hands flew into seals with practiced speed.
Tiger – Snake – Tiger – Snake – Tiger
Electricity bloomed in his hand.
Sparks snapped across his palm, a concentrated current of Lightning Release.
This was Lightning Release: Scatter Flow Muryuto.
Similar in form to Chidori, it gathered lightning chakra in the user's hand, but rather than piercing, it radiated destruction outward, turning the user into a walking area-of-effect kill zone.
Facing that electric glow, Setsuna's expression hardened.
He could sense it clearly: all three of these enemies were dangerous—well above the level of common Jonin.
Especially the one in the center.
A masked shinobi with one eye and a black straw hat, Tsuchidai.
One of the Third Raikage's most trusted men. A user of Lava Release. Near-Kage level strength.
His presence alone tipped the balance.
With Ramii applying pressure and Moroi sealing off escape routes—this wasn't a random patrol. This was a kill squad.
Setsuna's jaw clenched. He had seen enough.
He turned sharply, voice like steel:
"Hero. Seijuro."
"Leave."
"You'll complete the mission. I'll hold them."
Ramii's eyes narrowed as he caught the command.
"Moroi. Go kill those two. If Setsuna has intel—we can't let it get out."
Moroi hesitated. "If I leave, we can't guarantee containment—"
"Kill them quickly. Then return to reinforce the barrier," Ramii interrupted, his voice sharp.
"Today, we kill Uchiha Setsuna!"
"If we don't, and he makes it to Hell Valley, his ocular power could stall the Two-Tails. Our entire plan could collapse."
Moroi inhaled, then nodded—and sprinted toward Hero and Seijuro.
Setsuna tensed to intercept.
But Tsuchidai and Ramii blocked his path.
"You might beat me in a duel," Tsuchidai said calmly. "But the two of us together? We'll cancel your genjutsu and stall you long enough."
Setsuna's gaze was ice-cold. "You kids talk big."
***
Crack.
Hero pulled a kunai, smashed through the collapsed beam, and crawled from the debris.
Setsuna's order still echoed in his mind.
As he got to his feet, he pieced everything together.
This attack, was planned.
The Two-Tails had been deployed intentionally to Hell Valley, aiming to crush the Uchiha garrison and liberate the Chinoike Clan.
Uchiha Setsuna, with his potent Sharingan, was a threat to that plan.
That's why they sent three Jonin, to eliminate him.
Now one of them—Moroi—was heading straight for Hero and Seijuro. Their deaths would cut the last link to headquarters.
A crisis, but also a window of opportunity. Hero wiped the dust off and stepped forward.
In the original timeline, this must've been when Shisui escaped. Seijuro, the pacifist, likely died here, and that death triggered Shisui's eye awakening.
If Hero were to die here, he couldn't do worse than history.
At the very least—he had to succeed in the mission.
Because according to Will of Heaven Insurance policy, he was expected to do better, not worse.
He stepped forward to meet Moroi's charge.
Then turned to Seijuro, voice calm and clear:
"Seijuro-senpai. You fall back. I'll hold him."
"What?!" Seijuro gasped. "Are you insane?! That guy's a Special Jonin—he's in our intelligence briefings! Expert in kenjutsu and sealing!"
"You'll die!"
Hero simply shook his head and glanced at him.
"If no one covers the retreat, we both die. The intel is lost."
"If you die, they'll take your Sharingan. That's a loss for the clan."
"So between us, I'm the better choice."
Seijuro froze.
He couldn't understand it.
Why someone would treat life and death so lightly.
Why someone would give up their life—for him.
The enemy was a Jonin, not a sparring partner.
Hero's words nearly made him tear up.
He gave a shaky nod.
But then, realization struck him.
"Wait! Hero, I don't know how to contact the Ninja Cat Clan!"
Hero nearly choked.
"…You serious?"
He sighed, then pulled out a sealed scroll and handed it over.
"Here. A one-time summoning contract. Use it. Ask the envoy."
Seijuro's hands trembled as he accepted it.
This was battlefield treasure. An elite summoning contract.
And Hero handed it over without hesitation.
Like he was saying goodbye.
Before Seijuro could speak—
Hero's eyes narrowed. He shoved him away.
BOOM—Zzzzzzhhht!!
A sealing barrier shot up between them.
Moroi had finished his jutsu. The dome sealed Hero and Moroi inside.
Only the survivor would leave.
Had Hero hesitated a second longer, both of them would've been trapped.
Seijuro stumbled.
Then stared through the transparent barrier.
Hero looked at him, expression firm, gaze unwavering.
He mouthed the word—
"Go."
Seijuro's eyes widened. Tears slipped free.
In that moment, all his doubts, all his resentment toward Hero, dissolved.
All he saw now was a teammate standing tall.
A shield in human form.
He bit back a sob.
Then turned—and ran.
Crawling, climbing, sprinting, he gripped the contract scroll with both hands.
"Hero… wait for me!"
"I'll come back! I will bring help!"