Three Years of Change

Three years flashed by, and the time had come to Konoha Year 32. Uchiha Kiyoshi had also reached the time for graduation.

Name: Uchiha Kiyoshi (Ten Years Old)

Chakra: 73 Ka/73 Ka (80 Ka)

Nature Transformation: Fire Release (Scorching)

Ninjutsu: Three Basic Techniques, Hemostasis Technique, Healing Technique, Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu

Secret Jutsu: Body Nourishment Technique, Substitution Body Flicker Technique

Other: Basic Barrier, Fire Sealing Method

Over the past three years, Uchiha Kiyoshi's progress had been obvious. With his talent beginning to show, his treatment within the clan had improved considerably. Every year, the clan allowed him to choose one Ninjutsu to practice, though this benefit came with restrictions: he could only choose something he was currently capable of cultivating.

After much consideration, Uchiha Kiyoshi chose a medical Ninjutsu, Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, and a Sealing Jutsu—the Fire Sealing Method that had appeared in the original story. The Fire Sealing Method was the classic sort of technique that was easy to learn but difficult to master. Its rank was not high, so learning it was not demanding, but attaining mastery was extremely difficult. In the original story, Jiraiya had even used this Sealing Jutsu to seal Amaterasu, which showed its potential for growth. As a great Fire Release clan, the Uchiha Clan's collection contained not only Fire Release techniques, but also records of all sorts of methods that countered Fire Release. The Uchiha Clan naturally possessed this Sealing Jutsu that countered its own Fire Release. Uchiha Kiyoshi chose it partly so he could study a Sealing Jutsu and verify what he had learned, and partly because he valued its potential.

Three years later, Uchiha Kiyoshi was already ten years old. His body had not yet entered its rapid growth stage, but it had begun developing. His Chakra had increased by a large margin, reaching more than seventy Ka. That already matched some weaker Chunin, and with the Taijutsu he had trained over the past three years, it would not be wrong to say that he possessed Chunin-level strength.

Over these three years, quite a few major events had also occurred in the Ninja World.

The biggest of them was the destruction of Whirlpool Country.

It had happened not long after Uchiha Kiyoshi entered his third year. Whirlpool Country had been destroyed by several other nations led by Kirigakure of the Water Country, and only a scattered handful of the Uzumaki Clan had escaped.

More than a month after the incident, Uzumaki Kushina, an orphan of Whirlpool Country and also its princess, arrived in Konoha under the escort of Konoha Shinobi and moved into the Senju Clan.

It was only then that Uchiha Kiyoshi learned about the destruction of Whirlpool Country from Nawaki. He had only found out after pressing Nawaki for answers.

After that, a Red Hot Chili Pepper appeared at the Ninja Academy, bullying elementary students all day long. Other than Uchiha Kiyoshi and Minato Namikaze, no one could subdue her. Uchiha Kiyoshi "couldn't attack," while Minato Namikaze was immersed in love and had never fought back. Thus, Red Hot Chili Pepper became the Academy's undisputed tyrant and big sister.

Of course, none of that mattered.

To Uchiha Kiyoshi, the most important thing was what the Whirlpool Country incident revealed: war was coming soon.

Unlike his previous speculation, this incident was highly reliable evidence.

The destruction of Whirlpool Country had not happened merely because of its immense Chakra reserves, population, and exceptional Sealing Jutsu. Those were more like added bonuses. What the other great nations truly cared about was Konoha's attitude.

More than a decade had passed in peace since the Second Shinobi World War. The major shinobi villages had developed to unprecedented heights, so naturally they would not be content to remain confined to one corner. Launching another war was inevitable.

But there was one thing they needed to determine: the condition of Uzumaki Mito, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Unlike during the First Shinobi World War, the overall strength of the major shinobi villages was now far greater. Yet their true top-tier combat power had not recovered. Against a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki capable of fully controlling the Tailed Beast, they had no confidence.

After Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama died, Uzumaki Mito had become Konoha's true stabilizing pillar. It was with her support that Sarutobi Hiruzen had gradually secured his position as Hokage. Even Danzo, who dared to assassinate the Hokage, had not dared go too far during that period.

In Uchiha Kiyoshi's view, Uzumaki Mito was a genuine Super Kage-level powerhouse. Unlike Senju Tobirama, who had barely entered the Super Kage-level through his strange Forbidden Techniques, Uzumaki Mito could suppress and seal the Nine-Tails by herself. She was unquestionably Super Kage-level.

Therefore, the entire Ninja World was waiting for her death. Only then would the gap in high-end combat power be barely evened out.

The destruction of Whirlpool Country had also been a test. Konoha's response further showed that Uzumaki Mito was nearing the end of her life and could no longer endure any major upheaval.

The exact timing was unknown, but one thing was foreseeable: it would not be more than two years!

Even taking the most conservative estimate, war would inevitably begin within three years.

Over the following two years, Uchiha Kiyoshi trained diligently, and the results were good. He had reached Chunin-level combat power, and he was also close to awakening his Sharingan.

As for whether he could awaken the Sharingan, Uchiha Kiyoshi was not worried.

Had anyone ever seen an Uchiha Jonin without an awakened Sharingan?

No! That meant that before a certain age, as one continued training, awakening the Sharingan would become easier and easier. Perhaps even awakening the Mangekyo could have its difficulty reduced this way. Otherwise, if someone close to him had to die, Uchiha Kiyoshi could not bear it.

Of course, many things could not be explained clearly, and Uchiha Kiyoshi could only do his best.

What he could ultimately accomplish still depended more on his strength, so when it came to training, Uchiha Kiyoshi truly did not cut corners.

Over the past three years, it was not only Uchiha Kiyoshi who had improved. Nawaki, the guy who shouted all day about becoming Hokage, had also been influenced. He became more serious about training and now possessed the strength of an experienced Genin.

Still, Uchiha Kiyoshi often sighed that Nawaki was wasting his talent.

As a member of the Senju Clan with pure bloodline, Nawaki possessed enormous Chakra reserves. Though they were not as exaggerated as those of the Uzumaki Clan, they were still considerable. Even Uchiha Kiyoshi, who cultivated the Body Nourishment Technique, was far inferior. Based on Uchiha Kiyoshi's senses, Nawaki had at least several hundred Ka of Chakra.

Yet despite having so much Chakra, Nawaki could only display Genin-level strength. Uchiha Kiyoshi constantly complained that Nawaki was wasting all that Chakra. It was not just Uchiha Kiyoshi—any other shinobi would think the same. They worked themselves to the bone just to increase their Chakra, striving to draw out the maximum combat power from it at every level, yet Nawaki had Chakra and did not know how to use it. Wasn't that infuriating?

As for research, with Uchiha Kiyoshi's increased Chakra, many projects he had previously abandoned were resumed. He spent half an hour or an hour on them each day, and through steady accumulation, he had achieved some results. However, because he had learned too few Ninjutsu, Uchiha Kiyoshi had not yet been able to truly apply them. Still, he firmly believed that his research would someday prove useful.

Three years had passed, yet Uchiha Kiyoshi had only cultivated a few Ninjutsu, each of them to a considerable depth.

There was no need to mention the Three Basic Techniques. They were life-saving divine skills, so Uchiha Kiyoshi practiced them every day. He had even increased the Substitution Technique's effective range to four meters! That was merely the distance he could substitute using one Ka of Chakra. If Uchiha Kiyoshi was willing, with fifty Ka of Chakra, he could even substitute himself ten meters away!

No one had achieved that before! Not the distance, but the Chakra consumption. Other Jonin could also substitute themselves ten meters away, but they needed several thousand Ka of Chakra!

That achievement alone had made these three years worthwhile for Uchiha Kiyoshi. A Substitution Technique capable of reaching ten meters could save his life at a critical moment!

As for Fire Release, after acquiring the Fireball Jutsu, Uchiha Kiyoshi did not greedily pursue more Fire Release techniques. Instead, he focused entirely on this one Ninjutsu and cultivated Nature Transformation. He had brought the technique's maximum power to the point where it could kill an ordinary Chunin.

Of course, his practice of the Fireball Jutsu could not escape the higher-ups' notice. They had thought Uchiha Kiyoshi had finally come to his senses and understood the need to cultivate offensive methods, but his bizarre maneuvers caught them completely off guard.

What the hell was with spitting out a wall of fire? And he had actually compressed the Fireball Jutsu down to the size of a fist, then used it to alter the direction of an opponent's attack?

The technique was good, but what the hell was he using it for?

Sure enough, he was beyond saving!

The book can still be saved! Please recommend it!!! Please add it to your collection!!!