Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

"Roar~!"

As Number One's life force completely dissipated, a chilling roar erupted from the hole in his abdomen, where the needle was embedded in his waist.

Then its belly opened wide, and the black hole-like suction swallowed up the remains of Number One. The horrifying scene sent chills down Tsunade's spine.

Gululu~
Just before his physical body was completely destroyed by his abdomen, the Shukaku Hōzō he was clutching rolled all the way to the feet of Number Four.

But Number Four didn't even glance at the revealed enhancement item, turning to walk towards Tsunade, who was not far away.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

Seeing that Tsunade was unharmed, Number Four, who had been hesitating, breathed a sigh of relief. He also found his current state very strange; normally, he would never have cared about the life or death of a human.

But when facing Tsunade, a voice suddenly appeared from the depths of his being, repeatedly telling him to protect his family.

"It's alright, Grandpa Yin's scroll saved my life."

Looking at Number Four, whose tone and movements were slightly awkward and clumsy, Tsunade gently shook her head and asked two questions with a complicated expression.

"Who exactly are you? Where did my grandfather go?"

"I am... Ah!"

Just as Number Four was about to say something, the deep-seated code hidden in his subconscious was instantly triggered. His head throbbed with pain, and he clutched it, bending over in agony.

This is the instruction code Cixian uses to control each clone. Once a clone attempts to reveal any clues about their organization, its brain will be subjected to a baptism of mental energy. If it forcibly leaks information, the only outcome will be death on the spot.

"what happened to you?"

Seeing Number Four suddenly show signs of pain, Tsunade rushed forward to check on him. However, the moment her delicate hand touched the other's red armor, she was burned by an intense, terrifying heat and cried out in alarm.

"what!"

"Stay away from that guy!"

Just as Tsunade was at a loss, Madara Uchiha, who was frowning in the distance, spoke up to remind her.

He had seen Number Four in this state many times on clones; it would always end in a sudden death, followed by the body being completely devoured by the abdominal opening at the waist, leaving no trace.

"Not yet."

Number Four knew that this was the self-destruct program his master had left on him being triggered. If his master truly wanted him dead, he dared not disobey.
But at this moment, he didn't want to die. Looking at Tsunade's worried face beside him, the inexplicable voice in his heart became clearer and clearer.

"I want to protect my family."

With that ethereal voice, his subconscious self-destruct program suddenly stopped, and the excruciating pain receded like a receding tide.

"I want to protect."

Slowly straightening up, a glimmer of humanity gradually appeared in Number Four's empty eyes, as he gently turned his gaze to Tsunade beside him.

"family."

"what?"

Inside the secret base of the Valley Country,

With a blank expression, Cixian looked at the four numbered markers lined up in front of her, her brows furrowing slightly.
The lights on clones numbered one and two have gone out, signifying that clones number one and two have perished. The light on clone number three is flashing violently, indicating that it is engaged in a high-intensity battle, and the real-time data transmitted back is full of traces of combat.

However, what surprised Cixian the most was that the number four, which had just been turned off, suddenly turned on again.
"It clearly triggered the self-destruct program, yet it survived. Is it yet another mutated Tree-Man individual?"

She nodded slightly, a hint of curiosity flickering in her cold gaze.

Occasionally, one or two mutated individuals will appear among the mass-produced clones, differing from the others. These individuals usually possess combat abilities, combat strategies, and behavioral logic that are closer to the experimental parent clone.

For these individuals, Cixian would keep them behind for in-depth research, hoping to cultivate even more outstanding Divine Tree People based on their characteristics.

He hadn't expected there to be an individual like Number Four, a case of acquired mutation. This forced Cixian to consider whether he should personally retrieve and study it, as such experimental material was extremely valuable.

"Oh? The battle has begun?"

Just as he hesitated, the light representing the fourth life fluctuation suddenly began to flash violently. Cixian raised an eyebrow and temporarily put aside his idea of ​​going to retrieve it.
"Let me see your capacity."

If Number Four can survive the battle, then it will be worth taking back for research; if it dies, then it will be meaningless.

The scene shifts back to the Land of Rain.
"what happened?"

Madara Uchiha frowned in confusion. Not far away, Number Four, who should have self-destructed, had stood up once more. Not only was there nothing unusual about him, but his aura had also become more stable.
"Are you okay?"

Tsunade, her face beaming with delight, checked Number Four, who had returned to normal.
"I feel great right now."

Number Four nodded slightly. The subconscious command was temporarily suppressed by the power of that voice, thus gaining a moment of peace.

"Then you can?"

"Feel sorry."

Meeting Tsunade's urgent gaze, Number Four showed no intention of answering the previous question. Although he had the duty to protect Tsunade, he also had the responsibility to carry out his master's orders.

“You are different from other clones. Join us and we will help you regain your true memories.”

Looking at the "docile" Number Four, Madara Uchiha felt a pang of pity.

This clone's situation is somewhat similar to Erzhuzi's; both are special individuals who might inherit Hasi Lama's memories. Taking them in to form his henchman army couldn't be more suitable.

The thought of having a bunch of hot moms in the future made Madara Uchiha's mouth water uncontrollably.

"How about it? Consider it. I have a member on my team who is in a similar situation to you."

“I’m sorry, but my master’s orders are absolute.”

Faced with Madara Uchiha's offer, Number Four, feeling a chill run down her spine, rejected it swiftly and without the slightest hesitation.
"Master? Another clone without a self. Don't you have any dreams?"

"Self? Dream?"

The confusion in Number Four's eyes didn't seem feigned; he simply didn't have the relevant knowledge in his database.

Meeting the questioning eyes of Number Four, Madara Uchiha pursed his lips in disappointment, then raised the card-collecting gun in his hand again. This Number Four was definitely not someone he could let escape.

"Well, then I'll just have to break your limbs first, and then take you back for my older cousin to study."

Even though Number Four showed great goodwill towards Tsunade, this cannot erase his origins; any clone created by Jigen is his target.
"Grandpa Ban!"

"Tsunade, calm down. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. He's just a clone of your grandfather."

Looking at Tsunade, who was standing in front of Number Four, Madara Uchiha rarely showed a hint of anger.

"But."

"You're not a child anymore, you're a ninja now!"

He has shown Tsunade enough patience; as an adult, she should have her own judgment.
Even if Number Four looks remarkably like Hashirama Senju, Tsunade can't treat an enemy like her grandfather. "Hmm."

Tsunade, who had been sternly reprimanded by Madara Uchiha, bit her lip. She knew that she had indeed become somewhat emotional after seeing Number Four's true face.

But all of this stemmed from her longing for her grandfather, especially after feeling the familial kindness and goodwill conveyed by Number Four, she became even more unable to control her emotions.
“I understand how you feel, but you’re still young and you’ll encounter many similar situations in the future. If you continue to act impulsively, you’ll only end up hurting yourself.”

Madara Uchiha looked at Tsunade, who seemed somewhat dejected, and sighed inwardly. As an elder, he offered words of comfort and encouragement.
He knew very well that the biggest setback Tsunade, who had grown up in a greenhouse, had probably suffered so far was simply bad luck with gambling.
It's understandable that they made those absurd decisions because they hadn't matured enough to make rational judgments.

“I know.”

Listening to Madara Uchiha's earnest advice, Tsunade, with her head bowed, couldn't help but shed small tears.
"But."

The fourth clone may be fake, but his familial devotion to his family is real.
"despair!"

Just as Tsunade felt extremely wronged and isolated, a tall figure stood in front of her, separating her from Madara Uchiha's gaze.

"what?"

"I haven't even dealt with you yet, and you've already stepped forward on your own."

Madara Uchiha looked at Number Four, who was blocking Tsunade's path, with displeasure and questioned him in an unfriendly tone.

“I’m talking to my friend’s granddaughter, and you, an outsider who’s not even a human being, are you trying to be a stunt?”

Number Four ignored the rude Madara Uchiha, instead turning his head away in a gentle tone and giving Tsunade, whose eyes were brimming with tears, a reassuring gesture.

"Hide behind me."

"Damn it, a mere imposter!"

Left out in the cold, Madara Uchiha was furious, the chill in his crimson eyes almost tangible.
"Crack!"

To avoid accidentally injuring Tsunade behind Number Four, Madara Uchiha flicked his wrist, transforming the card-shaped gun into a sword. He then bent his knee and launched himself like a streak of crimson lightning straight at Number Four's face, kicking up a cloud of dust two to three meters high.

The sharp gust of wind that rushed towards him didn't even make Number Four flinch. He calmly raised his hands, assuming a classic blocking stance to meet the attack.

"Bah!"

A sickeningly loud crash rang out, and a burst of intense flames erupted from the point where the two red figures collided. The towering flames tore through the mist enveloping everyone's heads.
"Tick-tock~ Tick-tock~"

A rare ray of sunlight then shone down, making the bright red stains beneath their feet appear particularly glaring.

"Crack~ Boom!"

Madara Uchiha braced himself against the card-shaped sword in his hand, but his gaze remained fixed on Number Four's bleeding arms.
His gauntlet, shattered just moments before, hadn't even been repaired when this attack struck the same spot again. The sharp blade easily pierced through Number Four's pale skin, only to be stopped by his hard bones.

"what!"

Taking advantage of the moment when Madara's attention was drawn to his wounds, Number Four suddenly raised his arms high, ignoring the blood and flesh splattering from his wounds, and lifted his legs, levitating himself off the ground, and kicked towards Madara's wide-open abdomen.
"Oh!"

Madara Uchiha's expression tightened as he was suddenly struck in the abdomen. Hashirama Senju's monstrous strength was no joke; Number Four's kick nearly made him vomit up his scallion pancake for breakfast.
"Huuuu!"

Madara Uchiha, who had been sent flying several meters backward, landed steadily, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the churning urge in his stomach.
"Come again!"

Because this nearly caused him to suffer a humiliating kick, Madara Uchiha secretly vowed that he would never show mercy to Number Four again.

His large hand tightened around the sword hilt, and the sword danced with incredible speed and agility, transforming him into a crimson dragon, his speed increasing significantly.
Number Four remained silent, simply adopting a blocking stance, choosing to remain unchanged in the face of any change in situation.
"Bah!"

"Oh!"

"Boom!"

Under attacks from all directions, Number Four, who was initially able to parry the swords, gradually became overwhelmed. His red armor was covered with sword marks, and blood was splattered everywhere from his arms.

"Snapped!"

During a lull in the attack, Madara Uchiha seized the moment when Number Four was momentarily stunned and unleashed a barrage of light bullets, each trailing a blue flame.

"Crackling~ Popping~ Crackling~ Popping!"

The next moment, Number Four's figure was engulfed by blue light. The violent explosion was so loud that even Izuna and Number Three, who were fighting on the other side of the island, could hear it clearly.
Izuna, who was engaging in a flanking maneuver with the enhanced form of the Second Tail, nimbly sidestepped a sharp tiger claw that brushed past him, while simultaneously turning his thoughtful gaze toward the direction of the explosion.
"This attack is from Big Brother!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

He raised his hand and fired a burst of light bullets at the kidneys of number three beside him. Before the opponent could enrage, Izuna used several backflips to create distance.

"Sure enough, without my help, my brother can't do anything."

Hearing the distant explosions, Izuna shook his head with a sigh, then reached into his card case and took out eight cards.

"After we're done playing around, I'll take care of you in one go."

Looking at the diverse array of knights above, a slight smirk appeared on his lips. He then issued a death warrant to the impotently enraged Number Three.

"Roar!"

"Watch closely, this is my current fighting style."

"Click!~"

As cards were pushed in one by one, the light particles emanating from the gun barrel transformed into imposing Tailed Beast Riders, menacingly surrounding Number Three.

"Hehe~ Give him a beating!"

Watching Number Three get brutally beaten by the eight summoned knights, Uchiha Izuna, who was strategizing from the sidelines, revealed a smile full of satisfaction.
If he had known that summoning techniques were so powerful, why would he have bothered practicing fire jutsu or swordsmanship? He could have just called in reinforcements to take down that white-haired guy.

It's a pity that bastard Tobirama Senju died young, otherwise he would have definitely tasted the flavor of a righteous gang fight!
"Now only number four is left."

Jigen, who had been watching the battle closely, narrowed his eyes, shifting his gaze from the dim light symbolizing the fading of life number three to the ever-brighter life light of number four.

"Looks like he has a good capacity for things."

"boom!!!"

Madara Uchiha frowned as he stared at the epicenter of the explosion. He could sense that Number Four's chakra energy was not weakening but rather showing signs of expanding.
"This is."

Just as he was wondering, he suddenly noticed that the surrounding mist was gradually turning red.

No, this isn't mist, it's clearly visible tailed beast chakra!

The tailed beast chakra left over from the ancient knight war has multiplied wildly in this place for many years, and its current size is astonishing.

If an ordinary person were to come into contact with it, they would become frenzied and bloodthirsty. A ninja who absorbs it can gain immense power for a short period, but their body will rapidly age under the ravages of the tailed beast's chakra.
This chakra, as if drawn by something, was rapidly condensing, and the center of this condensation was precisely at the location of the explosion.

"Are you going to die?"

As the smoke completely dissipated, a figure bathed in crimson chakra stood within. Madara Uchiha's gaze sharpened, a rare look of astonishment appearing on his face.
This clone isn't afraid of consuming so much tailed beast chakra in one go?
Number Four, whose body was wreathed in chaotic tailed beast chakra, raised his head, his gaze passing over Madara Uchiha and landing on Tsunade, whose face was full of worry.
"You just asked me if I have a dream. I don't know what a dream is. I just want to protect my family." (End of Chapter)