Torifu Akimichi

This was a well-known fact among the older generation of Konoha: the Second Hokage had six disciples in his lifetime—Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Kagami Uchiha, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and the most inconspicuous of them all, Torifu Akimichi.

Of course, the term "disciple" was somewhat inflated.

They had merely received instruction from the Second Hokage at the Ninja Academy; in truth, only the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, could be considered his true personal disciple. Still, the Second Hokage never denied the others calling him their teacher, effectively acknowledging their status as students.

By now, the Second Hokage's disciples had all risen to become Konoha's high-ranking officials, figures of great renown within the village.

Only the early-departed Kagami Uchiha and the low-profile Torifu Akimichi, who kept to the shadows like a Translucent, remained little known.

But those in the know never underestimated the strongest of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Having once served as the Second Hokage's direct bodyguard, he had left behind a string of legendary tales across the shinobi world. It was only after he grew older—more precisely, after the night of the Nine-Tails' Rampage—that the old man chose to retire and go home.

Nowadays, he would occasionally step out as the head of the Akimichi Clan to attend meetings and clear his mind... while also serving as the muscle of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio to keep things in line.

Take today, for instance: Torifu Akimichi had been invited by Nara Shikaku to replace his friend Choza at the meeting. After all, the Third Hokage was preparing to confront the Uchiha, and no one could predict how this situation would unfold. To prepare for the worst possible outcomes, it was only natural to be ready.

"Could it be... Yang Release?"

Torifu Akimichi muttered to himself in a voice barely audible to others.

In this era when the Senju name had lost its former glory, the Akimichi Clan were Konoha's experts in Yang Release techniques. Their clan's Expansion Jutsu was derived from Yang Release.

The plump old man had seen it clearly: the punch Sōken had used to send Danzō flying was definitely an application of Yang Release, strikingly similar to the Monster Strength Technique of that violent girl Tsunade. He wasn't a Sensor Ninja, so he couldn't determine if they were identical, but he was certain it was Yang Release.

"Torifu, what's wrong?"

The Third Hokage spoke up, inquiring.

He wouldn't underestimate this quietly shrewd old classmate. Back when the Ino-Shika-Cho trio were active, Torifu Akimichi had stood out enough to be taken as a student by the Second Hokage—he was no simple character.

"Nothing. It just feels like a scene I've seen before, reminding me of when Madara Uchiha left the village. I was just a kid back then!"

"Is that so?"

The Third Hokage gave Torifu a deep look. His ears weren't failing him yet; he had clearly heard the words "Yang Release" just now.

"Torifu, what are you saying? How can that brat be compared to Madara Uchiha!"

Utatane Koharu retorted.

"Whatever you say!" Torifu Akimichi couldn't be bothered to argue. Winning brought no benefit, losing brought no benefit—why waste the energy and stamina?

The plump old man simply stared at the hole in the wall and at Sōken and Danzō, who had started fighting again in the corridor, and said, "Hiruzen, are you really prepared to go to war with the Uchiha? If you don't rein this in, it'll spiral out of control. Don't say I didn't warn you—unless you bring back Jiraiya and Tsunade, the village's current strength might not be enough to handle the Uchiha Clan."

Even as he spoke these words, his mind was quietly pondering: was the Uchiha Clan about to climb to another peak?

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio might seem like perpetual vassals and allies of the Sarutobi Clan, steadfast supporters of the Third Hokage, but this subordinate relationship wasn't actually that old. It had begun with the Third Hokage's father, Sasuke Sarutobi—a powerful shinobi who had carved out a fearsome reputation even during the era when Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha dominated the shinobi world. Sasuke Uchiha's name was derived from him.

Before Sasuke Sarutobi's rise, the Sarutobi Clan had been just another unremarkable ninja family among countless others in the shinobi world—no Kekkei Genkai, no secret clan techniques, and even less famous than the monkey Summoned Beasts they contracted with.

The Akimichi Clan's history stretched back far longer than the Sarutobi Clan's. Moreover, they had inherited the secrets of Yang Release, so Torifu Akimichi understood well what monsters those who truly mastered Yang Release or Yin Release could become.

To give a recent example: the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, had cultivated Yang Release to its utmost limit, while Madara Uchiha had advanced Yin Release to an unprecedented level—at least, in the Akimichi Clan's historical records, no one had surpassed those two.

And now, an Uchiha had mastered Yang Release, while the Sharingan, a Kekkei Genkai, was itself a symbol of Yin Release... This was a truly unsettling combination.

Especially the overwhelming life force faintly revealed when he threw that punch...

The plump old man subtly made a hand signal. Though Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi were puzzled, they chose to slow their pace and didn't firmly follow the Third Hokage as he rushed out to stop the fight between Sōken and Danzō.

In the corridor, Sōken and Danzō had already broken into a full-scale brawl.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Sphere!"

Danzō struck first with his signature Wind Style Technique.

Caught off guard and sent flying by Sōken's punch, his internal organs had been subtly shaken. His rage drove him to attack with the intent to kill Sōken.

"Such techniques are meaningless!"

Sōken's expression was cold as he flicked out shuriken. With chakra infused into them, each shuriken possessed the destructive power of a D-grade treasure.

The high-pressure wind bullets, like gunshots, were easily shattered by the shuriken. The unspent momentum of the shuriken punched several more holes in the wall, their terrifying power making the Third Hokage, who had been about to intervene, pause in shock.

Wasn't the Uchiha style of shurikenjutsu known for its precision and cunning? When had it gained such raw power?

Instinctively, he recalled Torifu Akimichi's earlier mention of "Yang Release," and hesitation crept into his heart. Could it be true, as his quietly shrewd old classmate had said, that without Jiraiya and Tsunade, the village might not be able to handle the Uchiha now?

"Ryoma!"

Danzō growled.

The next second, a pitch-black cloud of insects surged from one side of the corridor, filled with an irritating, fine buzzing, and lunged straight at Sōken.

"Shisui!"

Sōken stared coldly at Danzō. Who did he think he was looking down on? He wasn't some lone wolf—he was now the head of the Uchiha Clan and the new chief of the Konoha Police Force.

Flames bloomed in the corridor. Shisui, sighing inwardly, stepped in to block Aburame Ryoma.

If he had been ordered to attack the Third Hokage, Shisui might have hesitated. But against one of Danzō's lackeys, there was no need for restraint.

"Everyone, this is a personal grudge between my clan and Danzō. Please don't interfere!" Sōken turned back to look at the assembled clan heads in the meeting room, issuing a warning.

At the same time, it was a subtle indication that the Uchiha Clan had no intention of opposing the other families—provided they didn't come looking for trouble themselves.