"Dismantle"

"Your chakra natures are Fire, Lightning, and Earth. Adding the Yin Release from your Sharingan, you're born with four chakra natures."

Shinra took the chakra test paper and said, "Not bad. These attributes suit our clan's techniques well."

"This guy... he's probably around the level of a Special Grade Cursed Spirit User." Sukuna's voice rang out.

In the Mental Space, Sukuna had finally secured two hours of external perception each day.

"Same as you."

"Brat... the reason I'm rated Special Grade is that Special Grade is the highest there is!"

"I know. So how many of your fingers do you think he's worth?" Kagami Uchiha only gave Sukuna this chance to observe because he treated him as a unit of measurement.

Sukuna felt the brat's words were a bit disrespectful... but after a few years, he'd gotten somewhat used to it.

"Three fingers. But brat, my current strength can't be described by mere twenty fingers anymore. I've already—"

Ignoring Sukuna's following words, Kagami focused his attention on Shinra.

Shinra wasn't an ordinary Three Tomoe user. His strength should be the strongest tier below the Mangekyo.

Originally, Kagami hated cross-world power comparisons, but now that he was stuck in this situation, he had to consider the issue.

Sukuna now could be considered at his peak, having grasped Space Slash. Compared to the Nine-Tails with Yin and Yang convergence...

It wasn't realistic to find out now. Konohagakure would never let the Nine-Tails come into contact with an Uchiha—there had been painful lessons.

"Fire Style and the Sharingan were the foundation of our Uchiha's survival during the Warring States period. I don't know Lightning Style Ninjutsu, and I'll teach you simple Earth Release later."

"You already know the Great Fireball Technique, so I'll teach you..."

"The Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

"The Great Fireball's main purpose is to obscure the enemy's vision and seal their position."

"The Great Dragon Fire is a high-speed flame attack meant to take down the enemy in one blow. Watch closely."

Shinra slowed his movements. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kagami had activated his Sharingan and nodded inwardly.

No need to remind him—he knew to open the Sharingan to observe chakra flow. Good.

Snake—Dragon—Rabbit—Tiger.

After completing the Hand Seals, a flame like a dragon's breath shot out at extreme speed, instantly exploding into a massive fireball at the center of the lake!

"This technique is best used with Sharingan assistance—it increases the chance of hitting the enemy."

After a few attempts, Kagami formed hand seals and channeled his chakra.

Boom!!

A jet of high-speed flame burst forth, a slightly smaller dragon fire explosion than the previous one.

"Excellent! As expected of you!"

Even the stern Elder Shenhuo couldn't help but smile.

"Then I'll teach you the next Fire—"

"Not for now." Kagami shook his head. "I still need to master this technique. Haste makes waste. Once I've fully grasped it, I'll learn the next one."

Shinra thought for a moment and smiled. "Haste makes waste... that's a rare insight for a child your age."

"Consolidation is indeed important. Then practice on your own. Ask me if you don't understand anything."

"It's just a matter of proficiency. I can practice during the day too." With that, Kagami took out the Kodachi Shinra had given him—Sode no Shirayuki.

"Elder Shenhuo, could you guide me in swordsmanship?"

In the Ninja World, swords and blades weren't clearly distinguished. Even those who used swords called it swordsmanship.

"Almost forgot. Compared to Fire Style, your swordsmanship talent is even better."

Shinra drew the longsword he carried and nodded.

"Come. You may attack whenever you're ready."

Shwip!

The moment the words fell, Kagami's small body shot forward. Sode no Shirayuki left its sheath, a flash of bright blade light gleaming.

Clang!!

Blocking Kagami's slash, Shinra evaluated, "Speed and timing are good. Your strength is about on par with a Chunin from the clan."

"Kagami, you're a genius worthy of our ancestors!"

Kagami knew who Shinra was comparing him to—Uchiha Izuna.

But unfortunately, even Uchiha Izuna's most remembered identity was just Madara's younger brother.

A red glint flashed in Kagami's eyes.

I don't want to be worthy of ancestors. I'm someone who will surpass them!

Sode no Shirayuki thrust forward, aiming straight for Uchiha Shinra's throat.

The current Kagami Uchiha is no match for Shinra in a fight, so when they clash, he naturally goes all out, unleashing lethal moves without restraint.

Uchiha Shinra remains unhurried, sidestepping with a twist to easily evade this fierce strike, while simultaneously swinging his long blade in a smooth arc, aiming to slice at Kagami Uchiha's arm.

Turning back to parry, a sharp "clang" rings out as the two blades collide violently, scattering a shower of sparks.

On the training ground by the lake, for a time, flashes of blades and shadows of swords flicker endlessly.

Kagami Uchiha's assault grows faster and faster, while Shinra's defense remains impenetrably tight, occasionally even landing a few counterattacks.

Just as Shinra lets his guard down a little, Kagami Uchiha, who had been gripping his sword with both hands, suddenly frees one hand.

His left hand faces Shinra's face, fingers and palm spread flat.

Not good!!

Years of combat experience let Shinra sense the danger in an instant, and within his pupils, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan flashes into view.

"Dismantle"

Shrrrk--

An invisible slashing strike passes by, and at the very last moment, Shinra barely dodges the terrifying cut that would have sliced off half his face.

But a clear bloody gash still appears on his cheek, crimson blood trickling down.

"What... is that?"

Like a blade-shaped invisible edge, somewhat reminiscent of the Wind Blade he'd encountered before.

But that was a Rank A Wind Release ninjutsu—where did Kagami learn it?!

And there was no sound of wind either; if it were a Wind Blade, with the insight of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, he could have completely dodged it.

After that single strike, Kagami Uchiha's stamina is also exhausted, and he slumps to the ground, sitting.

This body is still too frail; he estimates that, not counting the chakra consumed by previous techniques, going all out he can only use "Dismantle" slashes three or four times.

Ryomen Sukuna's foundational ability, when developed to its extreme, becomes a spatial cutting slash.

"This is a secret slashing technique I comprehended myself."

"Heh, merely stealing from my power!" Sukuna scoffs disdainfully.

Ridiculous—no matter where it came from, tell me, didn't I use it myself?

After a moment of deliberation, Shinra smiles bitterly: "Kagami, using such a dangerous technique, you didn't even give me a heads-up before using it on me?"

Kagami Uchiha lets out a carefree, awkward laugh: "Ha, I believed Elder Shenhuo could definitely handle it!"

"Honestly, if this old man didn't have the Sharingan, blocking this kind of invisible slash would be very difficult."

"I won't ask how you learned this ability, but I suggest you keep it as a hidden trump card and don't use it lightly."

"If this technique catches someone off guard, it could instantly kill a Special Jonin!"

Shinobi are famously high in attack and low in defense; legend has it that even a ninja on the level of Hashirama Senju could be killed by a kunai.

Sukuna's slashes are like the Energy Disc—a cutting-type attack method that's far too effective against shinobi with frail bodies.

Excluding the overpowered anomalies and those few pairs of Mangekyo, Sukuna absolutely has the strength to slaughter the entire Ninja World.

"Elder Shenhuo, my body is too weak. I want to undergo a medicinal bath."

Aside from regular training, medicinal baths are also an important method for improving physique.

But that kind of consumption is ongoing; it takes at least a few years to see significant results. Even the Uchiha Clan can't produce many batches.

They'd also have to trade resources with other clans to obtain the herbs—very troublesome.

Recently, only Fugaku enjoyed this treatment when he was a youth.

This is also the reason Kagami Uchiha revealed "Dismantle."

To show his own value and make Shinra increase his investment.

No matter how loving a clan is, if they can't see your worth, they won't invest endlessly without limits.

Shinra ponders for a moment, touching the wound on his cheek.

"Alright, but the medicinal bath will last at least two years, without a single day's break."

"That means you won't be able to graduate early or carry out missions."

"Huh? When did I ever say I wanted to graduate early?"

Kagami Uchiha smiles: "With three years of rare training time, only an idiot would graduate early to go work their fingers to the bone for those old fogies."

"...You've got a point there."