Three Years of Change

Konoha Year 32 arrived in the blink of an eye, and Uchiha Kiyoshi had reached graduation age.

Name: Uchiha Kiyoshi (Ten years old)

Chakra: 73 Ka/73 Ka (80 Ka)

Nature Transformation: Fire Release (Burning)

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 select one Ninjutsu to practice, though this benefit came with restrictions: he could only choose techniques he was currently capable of learning.

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 work. The Fire Sealing Method was a typical technique that was easy to learn but difficult to master. Its rank was not high, and learning it was not difficult, but achieving mastery was extremely challenging. In the original work, Jiraiya had even used this Sealing Jutsu to seal Amaterasu, demonstrating its growth potential. As a great Fire Release clan, the Uchiha Clan's collection contained not only Fire Release techniques, but also records of every method that could counter Fire Release. Naturally, they possessed this Sealing Jutsu, which countered their own Fire Release. Uchiha Kiyoshi chose it partly to learn a Sealing Jutsu and verify his studies, and partly because he valued its potential.

Three years had passed, and Uchiha Kiyoshi was now ten years old. Though his body had not yet entered its rapid growth phase, it had begun developing, and his Chakra had increased substantially, reaching over seventy Ka. That was already comparable to some weaker Chunin. Combined with the taijutsu he had trained over these three years, it would not be wrong to say that he possessed Chunin-level strength.

Quite a few major events had also taken place in the Ninja World over these three years.

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 nations led by Kirigakure of the Water Country, and only a handful of Uzumaki Clan members escaped.

More than a month after the incident, Uzumaki Kushina, an orphan of Whirlpool Country and its princess, arrived in Konoha under the escort of Konoha Shinobi and took up residence with the Senju Clan.

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

After that, a Red Hot Chili Pepper appeared at the Ninja Academy, bullying the other 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 lost in love and never fought back. Thus, Red Hot Chili Pepper became the undisputed school tyrant—the academy's big sister.

Of course, none of that was important.

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

Unlike his previous speculation, this time the evidence was highly reliable.

Whirlpool Country had not been destroyed merely because of its enormous Chakra reserves, population, and exceptional Sealing Jutsu. Those were more like incidental benefits. What the other great nations truly cared about was Konoha's response.

More than a decade had passed peacefully since the Second Shinobi World War. The major shinobi villages had developed to unprecedented heights, and naturally, they were unwilling to remain confined to their own corners. War was inevitable.

However, 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 major shinobi villages were now stronger overall, but their true top-tier combat power had yet to recover. They had no confidence facing a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—especially one capable of completely controlling the Tailed Beast.

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

In Uchiha Kiyoshi's eyes, 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 had suppressed and sealed the Nine-Tails by herself. She was unquestionably Super Kage-level.

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

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

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

Even with a more conservative estimate, war was certain to begin within three years.

Over the next two years, Uchiha Kiyoshi trained diligently, and the results were good. He had reached Chunin-level combat power, and he was getting closer 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 increasingly easy. Perhaps even the Mangekyo could have its difficulty lowered this way. Otherwise, if he truly had to lose someone closest to him, Uchiha Kiyoshi could not accept that.

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

What he could accomplish ultimately depended more on strength, so when it came to training, Uchiha Kiyoshi never slacked off.

Over these three years, it was not just Uchiha Kiyoshi who had improved. Nawaki, the guy who shouted every day about becoming Hokage, had also been influenced and become more serious about training. He now possessed the strength of a seasoned Genin.

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

As a member of the Senju Clan with pure blood, Nawaki possessed an enormous amount of Chakra. Though it was not as exaggerated as the Uzumaki Clan's, it was still considerable. Even Uchiha Kiyoshi, who had practiced the Body Nourishment Technique, was far inferior. Based on Uchiha Kiyoshi's estimation, Nawaki had at least several hundred Ka of Chakra.

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

As for his 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 over time, he did achieve results. However, because he had learned too few Ninjutsu, Uchiha Kiyoshi had not been able to truly apply them yet. Still, he firmly believed that his research would one day prove useful.

Three years—and Uchiha Kiyoshi had learned only a few Ninjutsu, but he had practiced each of them to a deep level.

There was no need to mention the Three Basic Techniques. They were lifesaving divine skills, so Uchiha Kiyoshi practiced them every day. He had even increased the effective range of the Substitution Technique to four meters! That was the replacement distance achievable with just 1 Ka of Chakra. If Uchiha Kiyoshi was willing to spend it, with 50 Ka of Chakra, he could even substitute himself ten meters away!

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

This achievement alone had made Uchiha Kiyoshi's past three years worthwhile. A Substitution Technique capable of reaching ten meters could save his life at a critical moment!

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

Of course, practicing the Fireball Jutsu could not escape the higher-ups' notice. They had thought Uchiha Kiyoshi had finally come to his senses and understood the importance of learning offensive techniques, but his bizarre moves caught them completely off guard.

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

The technique was good, but what were you even using it for?!

Sure enough, he was beyond saving!

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