[The previous chapter was the wrong chapter]
At a training ground within the Hidden Leaf Village, Uchiha Kaede—the vessel integrated with Shiraishi's consciousness—stood alone.
As an independent conscious entity, although Kaede's soul and Shiraishi's were fundamentally one, they existed separately. This gave Kaede a personality and temperament that differed slightly from the main body.
Four shuriken were whipped through the air, whistling as they cut the wind. Kaede's eyes snapped open, revealing the Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
His enhanced kinetic vision and observational powers instantly mapped the trajectories. He followed up by launching three kunai, which struck the mid-air shuriken at precise angles to correct their course, ensuring every single projectile hit its mark perfectly.
The Uchiha were one of Konoha's strongest clans, world-renowned for their mastery of the Sharingan.
From the information Shiraishi had gathered from Ashura, the Uchiha were descendants of Indra, the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths.
They inherited the "Eyes of the Sage" and co-founded the Leaf with the Senju clan at the end of the Warring States period.
However, after the final battle between Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, the hearts of the clan began to change. Dissatisfaction with the Senju's dominance over the village grew.
Some sought important positions to break the Senju's monopoly; some even plotted for the seat of Hokage. Meanwhile, the Senju and other clans remained resentful of Madara's rebellion, leading to a growing rift of mistrust.
After the First Hokage's death, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, established the Konoha Military Police Force to prevent internal strife without resorting to an all-out purge.
By putting the Uchiha in charge, he ostensibly showed trust while simultaneously keeping their movements under constant observation.
Since then, while the clan's prestige and power reached a peak, they were gradually pushed further away from the village's true core of power.
The Uchiha compound was massive, essentially a self-governing district. The training ground Kaede occupied was just one of dozens in the sector.
As a descendant of Uchiha Kagami's line, Kaede's situation wasn't as favorable as his cousin Shisui's. Until he demonstrated sufficient genius, neither the village nor the clan would take much notice of him.
But as a split entity of the "Five Phantoms" technique, Kaede had inherited a vast array of Fire-type skills from Shiraishi's main body—including the power of the Cyan Flame.
The main body hadn't delved deeply into pure fire Ninjutsu because his repertoire was already too vast; he focused primarily on the Scorch Release: Great Sunny Day style.
Kaede was different. His Uchiha bloodline made his body naturally suited for Fire Release. Currently, he had mastered ten high-level Fire-type skill cards from the system.
The Flame-Ninjutsu Style
Standing in the center of the field, Kaede felt his chakra flow. With a sudden surge of air, a faint crimson glow of fire surrounded his body.
Fire Release: Flame Charge! (Nitsu no Totsugeki)
Wrapped in flames, Kaede stepped forward. In an instant, he turned into a fiery meteor, scorching the grass beneath his feet. His speed was staggering.
This technique functioned similarly to "High-Speed Movement," but used fire to enhance physical speed, combining attack and support into a single Nin-Taijutsu style.
As he flickered across the field, Kaede lunged with his hand, projecting a chain of fire. Under his control, dozens of burning crimson links lashed out, piercing through his targets.
While the targets crumbled under the heat of the Fire Release: Fire Whip, Kaede's Sharingan spun rapidly, analyzing the movements of his second technique to eliminate any unnecessary or inefficient motions for the next strike.
The Fire Whip possessed corrosive heat, capable of weakening a foe's physical defense while maintaining a blistering attack speed.
Finally, Kaede gathered a massive amount of explosive high-temperature energy into his fist. Combined with the momentum of Flame Charge, he struck a target with the force of a volcanic eruption.
Fire Release: Fire Punch! (Honoo no Panichi)
The target was vaporized instantly, and the massive shockwave left a deep fissure in the rock wall behind it. This was an explosive high-heat physical attack, similar in principle to Tsunade's Chakra Enhanced Strength, serving as his definitive finishing move.
The Observation of Shisui and Danzo
As the flames dissipated, Kaede deactivated his Sharingan. He intended to focus his training on these three techniques—Flame Charge, Fire Whip, and Fire Punch—to create a three-in-one Nin-Taijutsu style suited for his relatively modest chakra reserves.
"Kaede-niisan, what are you doing?"
A familiar voice called out. Uchiha Shisui, one of the few kin who remained close to Kaede, had come to offer his well-wishes for Kaede's recovery. He hadn't expected to find his cousin training so intensely.
Shisui's brow furrowed as he looked at the scorched field. Is he still insisting on the Fire Release attack style?
As descendants of Kagami, their primary inheritance consisted of Body Flicker (Shunshin), Kenjutsu, and Genjutsu. Fire Release was traditionally used only as a diversion or support for their blade work.
Shisui had tried to persuade Kaede to change his focus before, but Kaede had always been stubborn. He had hoped that nearly dying would make Kaede reconsider, but it seemed the boy was as headstrong as ever.
"Is there something you need, Shisui?" Kaede asked after a moment of silence.
"Nothing... I'm just very happy to see you recovered."
Despite his disappointment in Kaede's training choices, Shisui genuinely cared for his cousin. He offered a few more words of comfort before leaving.
Meanwhile, at the Leaf's intelligence headquarters, Danzo Shimura skimmed over a report stating that Uchiha Kaede was still fixated on Fire Release. He tossed the paper aside with a dismissive grunt, shifting his focus entirely to the more talented Shisui.
"What is the Fifth Kazekage's current status?" Danzo asked.
The Sand was Danzo's primary obsession; more than half of Root's intelligence resources were dedicated to monitoring them.
"The Fifth Kazekage is currently focused on investment and trade," a Root agent replied. "He is working to improve the living conditions of the Sand's residents. He seems to have slackened his pace on military expansion."
"Improving civilian life instead of just arming the village, is he?" Danzo muttered, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
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