Kaze, Seeing You Reminds Me of Kagami Uchiha (Revised)

"I never expected Kaze to develop Lightning Release to such an extent."

"It's practically identical to the Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode."

Watching Kaze deactivate his "Lightning Release Chakra Mode," Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help but feel a surge of emotion.

When he was young, he had once clashed with the Third Raikage.

Even now, the Third Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode remained vivid in his mind.

In that state of Nintaijutsu, the body's functions were immensely stimulated. Not only was one's speed astonishing, but one's offensive and defensive power were equally absurd.

Even against a Tailed Beast, one would have the strength to fight.

Quite a few people who had witnessed the Raikage's abilities had wanted to obtain the secret technique of Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

But unfortunately, throughout the development of the shinobi world, aside from the Raikage lineage that inherited it directly, no outsider had mastered this Nintaijutsu.

Even he, hailed as the Professor, had been unable to glimpse the mysteries of Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

And yet now...

Kaze, a mere Fifteen years old Chunin, had somehow stumbled into learning the Raikage's ultimate technique through his exploration of Lightning Release!

It completely overturned his understanding.

"And yet... he's an Uchiha."

Once he realized Kaze's background, Hiruzen could not help but feel a trace of disappointment.

From Madara Uchiha to Kagami Uchiha, then Fugaku and Shisui...

And now, Kaze and Itachi.

In nearly every generation, the Uchiha Clan produced extraordinary geniuses.

Yet there were very few Uchiha who truly possessed a powerful Will of Fire and were willing to devote their entire lives to Konoha.

The vast majority of the Uchiha could not, like the Sarutobi Clan, rise above their narrow clan-centric views and fully integrate into Konoha.

How tragic. How regrettable.

Still...

Hiruzen did not want to give up on a Lightning Release genius like Kaze so easily.

After all, Konoha was currently in desperate need of powerful combat power. The Fourth Hokage had died in battle, while one of the Sannin had defected and the other two had left.

Because of this, Kaze's performance had changed some of Hiruzen's thinking.

According to his original plan, Hiruzen had intended to hand over Kaze's corpse.

He would let Kaze's death make an outstanding contribution to Konoha's future development.

But now...

Handing such an exceptional Lightning Release genius over to Kumogakure would be far too wasteful!

"Danzo, there's nothing for you to do here anymore."

As he spoke, Hiruzen waved a hand, signaling for Danzo to leave the Meeting Room.

He was no longer needed here.

"Hiruzen." Danzo had never expected Hiruzen to treat him this way in front of the Uchiha Clan.

His eyes revealed considerable displeasure.

"Don't make me repeat myself." Hiruzen's tone was remarkably calm.

No matter what, Hiruzen was Konoha's Hokage.

His authority far surpassed Danzo's.

And Danzo's unauthorized actions had already challenged that authority.

If not for the stability of the Konoha leadership, Hiruzen would not have merely ordered Danzo to leave.

Though Danzo was dissatisfied, seeing Hiruzen's attitude, he could only flick his sleeve and depart.

"Kaze."

Only after Danzo had left the Meeting Room did Hiruzen slowly speak, breaking the silence within.

"Although Danzo's recklessness was not my intention, as the Hokage presiding over this meeting..."

"I still need to bear responsibility for his mistakes."

"Here, I am willing to apologize to you for Danzo's actions just now. I hope you can forgive his personal conduct."

For a moment, everyone's eyes focused on Kaze. No one had expected...

That Lord Hokage, who held such a lofty position, would actually apologize to Kaze, a Chunin!

"Forget it."

Kaze and Hiruzen looked at each other, then Kaze waved a hand. "Since Lord Hokage has said so, I won't pursue Danzo's mistakes this time."

No matter what, the Uchiha Clan's internal issues had yet to be resolved.

Now was not the time to completely fall out with Hiruzen Sarutobi.

On the contrary, seeing Kaze speak to Lord Hokage in such a tone only made the Uchiha Clan members admire him even more!

Seeing this, Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction and said softly, "Seeing you now, I cannot help but think of an old friend."

"Kagami Uchiha."

The moment he heard Kagami Uchiha's name, Kaze immediately furrowed his brow, practically three question marks floating above his head.

He could even clearly see the wistful expression appearing on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face.

"Though Kagami was born into the Uchiha Clan, he inherited an even more outstanding Will of Fire from Lord Tobirama than any of us."

"Not only did he devote everything to the village."

"He also made indelible contributions to Konoha's development."

"Kaze, perhaps you have only heard of Kagami, but I hope you can inherit his will..."

As Hiruzen's voice fell, Kaze noticed...

Aside from Shisui and Itachi, whose expressions had turned solemn, most of the other Uchiha clansmen, including Fugaku, wore subtle expressions.

Some Uchiha even...

looked as though they had swallowed two pounds of fly droppings.

"If I hadn't watched Naruto, I might've actually believed him."

"What a life of devotion."

"If I remembered correctly, Kagami died at twenty-eight, and he didn't leave behind any children."

Kaze silently watched Hiruzen's sorrowful expression while inwardly mocking him.

Perhaps Kagami's greatest contribution to Konoha had been dying without descendants, sparing those higher-ups any trouble.

"Alright..."

As he spoke, Hiruzen pressed a hand against the table before him. Looking like a frail old man in his twilight years, he rose from his seat.

"We'll leave the matter of this incident at that for now."

Although Hiruzen had spoken very little during this meeting, his ability to read the situation was no worse than anyone present.

After Kaze's outburst, demanding that the Uchiha Clan hand someone over would only become more difficult.

Secondly...

He still had ways to negotiate with Kumogakure.

Compared with settling this incident and signing a new peace agreement, Hiruzen cared more about Kaze's attitude.

Was he an inheritor of the Will of Fire?

Or was he merely a narrow-minded clan supremacist?

Or rather...

Could he be made to rise above that narrow-minded clan supremacism and inherit Kagami's will?

That was what Hiruzen urgently wanted to know.

Such a formidable Lightning Release expert...

If he could devote himself wholeheartedly to Konoha, he might even be able to influence more Uchiha.

Thus, he simply ended the discussion.

As for the Cloud Ninja Leader, they would discuss it again in a few days.

And so...

Hiruzen turned around and left the meeting hall.

But just as he was about to disappear through the doorway, he suddenly stopped, turned back, and called to Shisui. "Shisui, come to my office later."

Koharu and Homura looked at each other and exchanged glances, but said nothing more.

Instead, Fugaku's voice sounded beside Kaze's ear.

"Kaze, come here."

Seeing the Third Hokage leave, Fugaku finally felt relieved. He crossed the distance in a few quick strides and grabbed Kaze by the arm.

In his eyes, Kaze's performance just now had been both rash and insane.

He was practically playing with fire!

Fugaku then used the Body Flicker Technique, taking Kaze outside.

With a whoosh, two dark figures appeared on the street to the right of the Hokage Building.

"Kaze!"

Fugaku glared fiercely at Kaze, looking as though he wanted to devour him whole.

"You were far too reckless."

"Not only did you expose your trump card, you even dragged Shisui into—"

But just as Fugaku was about to reprimand Kaze, Kaze cut him off directly.

"Clan Head, do you really have to talk about this here?"

Kaze scrutinized Fugaku as though he were looking at an idiot, while his right hand mimed putting on a mask.

The implication was obvious: Did he really have to discuss this in a place where Anbu ninja might be present?

Then, Kaze pointed toward a side path. "Let's talk while we walk."

It was worth mentioning...

Before Kaze had transmigrated into this world, he had not only watched Naruto, but also seen some of the One Piece storyline.

He had a certain understanding of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's abilities.

In the world of One Piece, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's user was named Enel.

Using Observation Haki as a foundation, combined with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's ability to emit Electric Waves, he had created a Mind Net capable of monitoring the entire Sky Island!

Although Kaze knew nothing about Observation Haki and could not create a Mind Net as exaggerated as Enel's, one capable of monitoring an entire Sky Island, he had still developed a technique that used the principles of Electric Waves to track the movements of living beings within a certain range.

Therefore...

He had not pointed out that path at random. He had deliberately chosen a side path with few Anbu ninja around.

Because there were certain traps he needed Fugaku to walk into.

"If the Uchiha Clan is to escape the fate of extermination, then an incompetent man like Fugaku absolutely cannot remain the clan's head."

A trace of ruthlessness inevitably flashed through Kaze's eyes.

The editor suddenly told me today that this book only has sixty readers following it, so it might not get a recommendation this week. Sob sob sob, please support this book more—add it to your favorites, vote with recommendation tickets, or something! Help me prove my editor wrong!