Chapter 23
After Uchiha Sanpō stepped down from the platform, Uchiha Kusuri, Uchiha Inaka, and Uchiha Tetsuka immediately gathered around him.
Uchiha Tetsuka pushed his way to the front, shouting excitedly: "Sanpō-niisan, how did you secretly get so strong?! Teach us quick!"
Sanpō gave a slight smile, his gaze sweeping over the three—Kusuri (quiet but highly capable), Inaka (meticulous and analytical), and Tetsuka (passionate, impulsive, and exceptionally talented). These three were the future confidants he had carefully selected.
With his recent promotion to battalion commander and a shortage of manpower, Uchiha Sanpō also wanted to show off a bit—it would make it easier to attract more clansmen to join.
He deliberately raised his voice so more surrounding Uchiha could hear: "Alright, perfect timing. Let me show you the ninjutsu I created myself: Divine Demon Transformation!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, his figure blurred—Body Flicker Technique activated—and he instantly appeared fifty meters away in an open clearing. The flawless execution immediately drew a wave of admiration.
He formed seals with both hands: Rat – Monkey – Boar… Tiger (Divine Demon Transformation).
The moment the final seal completed, a fiery red-haired head sprouted from his right shoulder, and two thick, powerful arms extended from beneath his original ones. The two-headed, four-armed form made him look like an asura from legend, radiating suffocating pressure.
Uchiha Inaka's eyes widened; his Three Tomoe Sharingan spun frantically as he tried to analyze the technique's principles: "This… this is Divine Demon Transformation… it's quite complex. Should be a B-rank ninjutsu, right?"
Transformation techniques weren't rare, but one that simultaneously added a head and extra arms while maintaining perfect coordination was unheard of.
The red-haired head on Sanpō's right shoulder grinned arrogantly and shouted: "Watch closely—Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A blazing white fireball erupted from his mouth, rapidly expanding to twelve meters in diameter—an effect only possible after reaching Great Accomplishment proficiency and pouring in massive chakra.
The left head controlled another pair of hands and performed a different technique: "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
A dozen fierce gusts howled forth. The flames, empowered by the wind, instantly transformed—becoming far more ferocious. Like a roaring fire dragon, they swept forward in an unstoppable wave.
In an instant, a fire wall roughly twelve meters wide and sixty-six meters long appeared across the training ground.
Flames roared across the field; heat waves distorted the air, bathing over four thousand stunned faces in red light.
"This… this is already stronger than some A-rank ninjutsu!" an Uchiha jōnin in the crowd exclaimed in shock.
Whispers spread through the onlookers. A-rank techniques were usually reserved for elite jōnin, yet Uchiha Sanpō had combined a B-rank and two C-rank techniques to reach equivalent power—this completely overturned their understanding of ninjutsu ranking.
Feeling the crowd's awe, Sanpō smiled faintly—this was exactly the effect he wanted. The Uchiha had a natural reverence for the strong. Show overwhelming power, and followers would come.
"There's more—watch me continue the show!"
All four arms moved in unison; complex seals flashed in an instant.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
"Wind Release: Gale Succession Waves!"
This time the chakra consumption was staggering. The B-rank technique, under dual seals and combination effects, grew exponentially in power. A terrifying fan-shaped fire wall seventy-two meters wide swept outward. The mere scattered heat waves forced the watching ninjas to retreat more than ten meters.
"Enough, Sanpō. Keep going and the cost of rebuilding the training ground will come out of your mission rewards," Uchiha Fugaku's gentle voice came from the platform.
The crowd burst into laughter; the tension dissolved.
Uchiha Sanpō released Divine Demon Transformation, returning to normal. He bowed respectfully: "My apologies, Lord Fugaku."
Uchiha Fugaku smiled warmly and nodded: "This Divine Demon Transformation ninjutsu is truly impressive. From today onward, your battalion is officially named the 'Divine Demon Battalion.' I hope you continue to achieve greatness."
"Thank you, Lord Fugaku!" Uchiha Sanpō bowed deeply, a glint of ambition flashing in his eyes.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, Uchiha Kusuri, Uchiha Inaka, and Uchiha Tetsuka immediately surrounded him again.
"Sanpō-niisan, can you teach us that Divine Demon Transformation ninjutsu?" Kusuri—usually silent—spoke up first. Even his calm eyes now burned with desire.
Uchiha Sanpō's lips curved upward. He looked around at the increasing number of approaching Uchiha clansmen and raised his voice: "The Divine Demon Battalion is now recruiting! Anyone who passes the test can learn Divine Demon Transformation!"
These words landed like a boulder in still water. Within half an hour, over two hundred Uchiha clansmen had signed up.
Uchiha Sanpō carefully evaluated each familiar face. He had worked with these people on missions for over a year; he knew their strengths and character well.
"Uchiha Kusuri, Uchiha Inaka, Uchiha Tetsuka—you three pass."
After careful selection, thirty-five ninjas stood out—eleven jōnin and twenty-four chūnin, each a proven elite in their own way. Looking at his neatly lined-up new subordinates, Uchiha Sanpō felt boundless ambition swell in his chest.
"Follow me. We need a quiet place to begin Divine Demon Transformation training."
As the sun set, the valley echoed with the sounds of ninjutsu practice. Occasional pained groans rang out, but far more common were triumphant cheers of breakthrough.
Uchiha Sanpō stood on high ground, silently observing everyone's progress.
Uchiha Kusuri advanced fastest—he could already briefly maintain the two-headed, four-armed form. Uchiha Inaka was slower but extremely precise in control. Uchiha Tetsuka, relying on astonishing chakra reserves, directly attempted the two-headed state—though he only held it for three seconds before releasing.
When night fell, Sanpō declared the first day's training over. Most were exhausted, but their eyes still burned with excitement. They vaguely sensed they stood at the starting point of a great change.
"Same time tomorrow—continue." Uchiha Sanpō gave brief instructions and dismissed them.
That night, when he returned to the outpost, an Uchiha ninja was waiting: "Sanpō-sama, the Clan Head requests your presence."
Uchiha Fugaku sat kneeling at the head position, two cups of clear tea before him.
He spoke warmly: "Sanpō, you did very well today. Divine Demon Transformation has immense strategic value. If chūnin learn this technique and polish it slightly, they can possess jōnin-level destructive power. It will become a crucial asset for our clan."
Uchiha Sanpō bowed humbly: "Clan Head overpraises me. I only wish to contribute my humble strength to the glory of the Uchiha clan."
Uchiha Fugaku took a sip of tea: "However, I'm very curious… is this ninjutsu truly suitable for all Uchiha clansmen to learn?"
"I'm not certain yet. Let me have my selected squad members try it first… and we'll see."
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