The Strange Sharingan

A chill entered Kazue's eyes. The moment she threw her kunai, she moved at high speed and charged forward.

When she saw Genitsu, her expression faltered slightly.

"Are you really going this far against a fellow student, Kazue? This isn't like you."

Genitsu easily knocked away the kunai. He suddenly lowered his body, braced one hand against the ground, then delivered a sideways kick. The sheer force made Kazue grunt on the spot.

With a backward flip, Kazue opened up the distance, staring at him with both wariness and astonishment.

"Why are you here? And your strength..." Kazue's expression changed slightly as she pulled out another kunai and gripped it tightly.

This place was the reason she had grown stronger over the past year. It was the foundation that had allowed her to break free from her mediocre talent and earn her clan's attention. She absolutely could not allow an outsider to discover it!

"You really have worked hard. To think you made such tremendous progress over the past year through a method like this... You've practically eaten away a layer of soil over the past year, haven't you? If I hadn't arrived an hour early today, I never would've found you..."

Genitsu studied Kazue. This was the first time he had seriously observed this Uchiha.

Hmm, for now, he didn't see any signs of genetic mutation, such as extra organs growing out or anything...

"To guide such dangerous power in a positive direction on a broad scale... Kazue, they were all wrong about you. You're a genius—a true genius."

Genitsu spoke with a solemn expression.

Kazue revealed a look of confusion and shock.

"How did you know?!"

"The reason is simple..."

Genitsu formed hand seals with both hands. Then, under Kazue's wary gaze, he crouched slightly and slammed his palm against the ground!

Smack!

The radiation buried deep underground was instantly absorbed by Genitsu. Even if someone noticed something was wrong later, they would never find any trace of it.

"I admire your courage and your resolve to grow stronger. If you want to keep getting stronger, come find me... At the very least, I won't make you eat dirt anymore."

Genitsu smiled, then simply turned around, exposing his back to the utterly shocked Kazue as he unhurriedly walked away.

"..." A storm raged in Kazue's heart. After repeatedly checking, she confirmed that the strange power that stimulated her body and made her stronger had disappeared...

"Who exactly are you?!"

Ninja Academy.

Anyone entering through the gates could see Might Guy running laps around the field like an idiot, while his father, Might Duy, stood outside the fence and loudly cheered him on.

By the time Genitsu arrived at the academy—

"Kai, you bastard!"

Duy threw a fierce punch through the fence and sent his son Guy flying.

"Waaah! I'm sorry, Father, I've disappointed you again! I'm almost eleven, but I still can't run a thousand laps around the field! I'm such trash!"

Might Guy dropped to his knees and burst into tears.

"Guy, my son! You must not give up so easily! Your taijutsu is the medal that bears witness to your youth. Youth never lies!"

"Waaah, I understand, Father! I'll do eight hundred push-ups right now! If I can't do eight hundred push-ups, I'll jump rope fifteen hundred times!"

"Guy!"

"Father!"

Father and son embraced each other and wept bitterly.

"..."

Genitsu felt like he was going blind.

At last, he understood why he had unusually not seen Duy and Guy that morning.

"Oh! Genitsu-san, you're here unusually early today!"

Duy waved at Genitsu, respect showing on his face.

"You're as diligent as ever, Mr. Duy. But didn't Guy already graduate early? Why is he back here?"

Genitsu walked over, ignoring the pointing fingers and contemptuous looks around him as he smiled.

Among this year's students, Kakashi had graduated at five, while "dead last" Might Guy had graduated at eight. They were the only two.

Duy adjusted the forehead protector on his head. "That's right. Guy and I received a mission from the village to return to the Ninja Academy and maintain order. There's still time before the competition begins, and we absolutely cannot waste it! Striving forward is youth!"

"Genitsu-san, thank you. Once the war is over, we'll definitely work desperately to earn money and make up for your losses!"

Duy and Guy both gave a ninety-degree bow, tears of gratitude streaming down their faces.

"The Will of Fire burning within you is so powerful that I can clearly feel it. But if you keep saying that, I'll get angry. We're all Konoha ninja; it's only right that we contribute to the village. Besides, I greatly agree with your views."

Genitsu nodded and praised them.

Guy clenched his fists and encouraged him, "Genitsu-san, with your strength, if you work hard, you might be able to graduate early too!"

At that moment, the passing crowd around them burst into laughter.

"Someone like Genitsu wants to graduate early?!"

"No matter how good you are at theory, it's useless!"

"Damn it, what was the village thinking, letting a dead last like Guy graduate early..."

Students from every grade passed by, and some were deeply jealous.

Kakashi was powerful, so it was understandable that he could graduate early. But why did a dead last like Might Guy deserve it? His theory grades were terrible, and he barely knew any ninjutsu or genjutsu. He had relied entirely on his powerful taijutsu to crush everyone in his year.

Yet he had somehow become the second person to graduate early!

"What kind of ninja only knows taijutsu? You father and son are the village's laughingstock!"

"Oh, thank you for your support!"

Duy gave a thumbs-up to everyone mocking them.

Genitsu shook his head, offered them a few more words of encouragement, then headed straight for the classroom.

Might Guy watched Genitsu's retreating back.

"Genitsu-san is truly a great man. He supports my father and me, yet he's never discriminated against us. He's encouraged us from beginning to end... He isn't good at fighting, so I have to protect him with everything I've got!"

In secret, Guy clenched his fists tightly, two flames blazing in his eyes.

Genitsu, walking ahead, sensed something and nodded to himself as well.

What fine eyes. He deeply looked forward to the day when Guy would burn all his youth for him.

Very soon, Genitsu returned to his classroom.

Many students were quietly discussing the day's practical combat class, their faces filled with apprehension and anticipation.

Early graduation!

It was an honor only geniuses were qualified to receive.

Other than a very few who had received vague news from their elders and felt slightly worried, most were still naïvely dreaming of becoming the next Kakashi rather than the next Might Guy.

The village's goal in setting Kakashi up as the benchmark for the new generation had been achieved.

Genitsu returned to his seat and waited for the upcoming new round of practical combat classes.

Genitsu was completely indifferent toward these practical combat classes. For now, they only claimed they would select outstanding students for early graduation. In reality, before long, everyone in Genitsu's year would be forcibly graduated and sent to the battlefield to shine for the village.

Moreover, Genitsu had now gained a preliminary grasp of the power of Nuclear Release, so he had some ability to protect himself.

As long as he wasn't crazy enough to challenge a jonin head-on, Nuclear Release combined with his own constitution would be enough for self-preservation.

"You really are relaxed. Aren't you worried about your future at all?" a pale-skinned boy beside him casually asked.

Gekko Hayate.

For some reason, Gekko Hayate had already looked sickly even back when they were in the academy.

"Worrying won't help. I just need to give it my all."

Genitsu smiled.

Gekko Hayate shook his head, somewhat unable to understand Genitsu's laid-back attitude.

The Hayate Clan and the Shiranui Clan were both small Konoha clans. At least the Hayate Clan had swordsmanship as a clan inheritance, but the Shiranui Clan was even worse off—they had nothing at all.

If they absolutely had to name something... perhaps the Senbon Throwing Technique?

The future of the Shiranui Clan rested directly on Shiranui Genma in the neighboring class.

As for Genitsu, he was a master of theory and king of talking. In the future, he could perhaps serve as Genma's assistant or something, but taking charge was impossible.

At that moment, Uchiha Kazue entered the classroom. Her gaze stayed straight ahead, and she did not spare Genitsu a second glance, as though nothing had happened.

Soon, Yoshino Masada entered the classroom and directly led everyone out to the field.

Students from the other classes arrived one after another as well, and the place quickly became extremely noisy.

"So it's cross-class matches..."

Genitsu stroked his chin.

This was probably to observe the strength of their year and assess the possibility of having everyone graduate early and sending them all to the battlefield.

The six-year program was about to become a four-year program. The most brutal period of the Third Shinobi World War was about to arrive.

A ninja appeared using the Body Flicker Technique and formally announced the start of this practical combat class.

"First match: Uchiha Kazue versus Hyuga Iroha!"

The crowd stirred.

"Huh! The very first match is a battle between the two great clans, Uchiha and Hyuga?"

"These two are considered quite strong among their peers. They may not compare to Kakashi, but their grades are among the best."

Kazue raised her head calmly and stepped into the arena, forming the Seal of Confrontation with Hyuga Iroha.

"Hyuga Iroha from the neighboring class..."

Genitsu pondered for a moment, studying him with interest.

Hyuga Iroha had not "officially appeared" in the original story until the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Yet now, he was a member of the same year as Kakashi and Genitsu.

Crack!

"I've heard of you. You're the most outstanding genius the Uchiha Clan has produced in recent years. But I won't lose to you." Hyuga Iroha wore a confident expression as he directly activated his Byakugan.

"The Byakugan, huh? They are indeed a fine pair of eyes. But before these eyes of mine, your pride is worthless."

Kazue shook her head and slowly closed her eyes under everyone's disbelieving gazes.

Whoosh!

When she opened them again—

Her one-tomoe Sharingan had already activated. They were a beautiful pair of eyes, yet they carried a trace of pressure as well. A closer look would reveal that the tomoe in her eyes were far blurrier than those of an ordinary Sharingan, while the vast crimson red was far richer.

"What? Kazue awakened the Sharingan? When did that happen?"

Even Yoshino Masada was dumbfounded. He had taught Kazue for four years, yet he had never known about this!

Awakening the Sharingan at this age—was this what a genius was?

(Regarding Shiranui Genma, his age is a mystery. Judging from his ninja registration number, which is very close to Kakashi's, the two should have become genin at nearly the same time. Since Kakashi graduated at five, Shiranui Genma should be at least three to five years older than Kakashi. Yet when Might Duy fought the Mist Seven Swordsmen in the original story, Genma was teamed up with Guy, and judging from the content, the two seemed about the same height and build, so they should roughly be the same age... This is probably a bug in the original work. This book chooses to place Shiranui Genma in the same year.)