"I want to fight—the kind where every punch lands, a real, exhilarating battle!"
"Sure, sure."
"I want the Spirit Transformation Technique, and a body that can fight independently."
"No problem, no problem."
"I also want Wood Release secret techniques, like the Advent of a World of Flowering Trees, the kind that can dominate the Shinobi World."
"Of course, of course. You'll get it."
"Main body, you bastard! All you do is make promises!"
Inside the Chakra Flame space, Senba of the Forest—clad in red armor—had Chiyu pinned to the ground by the throat.
Chiyu looked at him helplessly.
He hadn't expected his clone to be so eager for battle. Just transferring his memories of killing Tetsuzo the samurai had stirred up such intense fighting spirit.
"Senba of the Forest, calm down. Calm down. You'll get everything you want; it's only a matter of time. For now, you should help me look over these new techniques. The ones Grandma Momoka gave me this time aren't high-ranking, but they're all very versatile."
"Besides, if you leave, I'm afraid I won't be able to maintain the bloodline inside me. You wouldn't want to see that happen, would you?"
Chiyu got to his feet and put an arm around the other man's red shoulder armor, patiently trying to persuade him. It didn't work particularly well. In the end, all he got was a haughty snort.
Watching Senba of the Forest sit beside the Chakra bonfire, his hand stretched into the blue flames, Chiyu understood his impatience. It was already the year 52 of Konoha.
In the next few years, Orochimaru would defect, and Kumogakure would try to seize the Byakugan. In the original story, these events were only mentioned in passing, but in the Shinobi World, each one was earth-shattering.
He still had to work harder. As he gazed out the window at the snowdrifts gleaming white beneath the moonlight, Chiyu fell into a deep sleep on the cot beside his grandfather's hospital bed. Lately, he'd been spending every night in the hospital, keeping the old man company through his final days.
Meanwhile, beneath Konoha, someone was plotting to send the Third Hokage on his way early. Hiruzen Sarutobi's escort detail was the smallest it had ever been, yet he still had to risk leaving the village. It was a heaven-sent opportunity.
"Take 'A' with you on this mission. Remember, if it fails, you may die. 'A' must not."
"Understood!"
Afterward, the place fell as silent as Konoha at night. It would remain so until the day the sun broke through the darkness and illuminated it with a new scene.
The next morning, the rising sun cast its rays across the village. Chiyu made his way into the Senju Ancestral Home, as familiar with the route as ever. The guards and servants along the way treated him with even greater respect than usual. Word had clearly spread about his meal with Grandma Momoka the day before.
Among the younger generation before Chiyu, Tsunade was the only one who had dined with Grandma Momoka. Though Tsunade was quite a bit older than Chiyu, to the other members of the Senju Clan, it meant something extraordinary.
Savory miso soup, sweet tamagoyaki, fragrant white rice, and thick-cut tonkatsu sent Chiyu's energy soaring. He needed a high-level skirmish between a couple of rookies.
After saying goodbye to Grandma Momoka, he set off, sprinting across the village rooftops. He passed patrols and scouting hawks in the sky, but as long as they saw the Forehead Protector on his brow, they let him through without question.
The Konoha training grounds lay under a blanket of white after the snowfall. Half a foot of snow crunched beneath their feet, and the branches of the trees nearby occasionally snapped under the heavy load, startling a few sparrows into flight.
Uchiha Yue stood in the snow, rapidly forming Hand Seals as she faced the drifts before her. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
This second-most-merciful technique in the world of Naruto erupted from her mouth as a Great Fireball over two meters in diameter, rolling forward and melting the snow.
The next moment—
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Chiyu Style Original Combination Technique: Wind and Fire Slay Each Other!"
A huge gust rushed in from the side and wrapped around the fireball. It began to expand at a visible pace, scattering and melting a wide swath of the thick snow in an instant.
BOOM!
A deafening roar rang out as walls of fire burst in every direction, forcing Chiyu and Uchiha Yue to retreat. It was obvious that their combination technique had failed.
Chiyu wasn't disappointed, though. Instead, he looked thoughtful. The Great Breakthrough and the technique name had just been jokes, but the power was right up his alley.
But this wasn't the time to dwell on that. Uchiha Yue was already charging at him, Rain Cutter in hand.
"Uchiha Style: Leaping Flame Sword, Slash!"
Rain Cutter, wrapped in flames, came slashing toward Chiyu's neck. The scorching heat made his hairs stand on end. He leaned back, and the searing air swept past his face.
Chiyu resisted the urge to use a technique and stretched out his right hand. A huge Wind Demon Shuriken appeared, its four blades unfolding one after another. A tearing sound filled the air as it spun in his grasp.
At that moment, someone landed at the edge of the training ground. A toothpick between his teeth, he leaned against a tree and watched them fight.
Seeing Genma Shiranui, Chiyu's eyes darted about. He charged at Uchiha Yue and called out the name of his move.
"Yue, take this! Wind Demon Shuriken: True Jizo, Evil-Slaying, Gale-Splitting, Sky-Piercing Sun-Piercing Slash, Second Form!"
"What kind of ridiculous name is that?!"
Uchiha Yue was clearly stunned by Chiyu's absurdly long move name. The next second, the huge Wind Demon Shuriken cut through the snowy air with a shrill whistle, flying straight at her face.
"Uchiha Style Swordsmanship: Deflecting Block!"
Uchiha Yue used the spine of her sword to deflect the Wind Demon Shuriken and knock it away, but a numbness spread through her palm.
Before she could react, Chiyu was already right in front of her. Another Wind Demon Shuriken appeared in his left hand. Its four crescent blades folded together as he raised it high and brought it down hard.
The tremendous force drove Uchiha Yue backward, and the numbness in her grip grew more intense. Just as she was about to lose hold of Rain Cutter, Chiyu's attack stopped.
"Are you okay, Yue?" Chiyu looked at the edge of the Wind Demon Shuriken in his hand, chewed up like a dog had gnawed it, then at the still-sharp Rain Cutter in Yue's hand. Wisely, he stopped.
There was little point in sparring without using techniques. One of them had superb swordsmanship; the other relied entirely on overpowering strength. What was there to spar over?
Genma Shiranui, watching from the edge of the training ground, clapped lightly and called them over.
"Chiyu, what was the name of that Wind Demon Shuriken move you just used?"
"I made it up on the spot." Seeing the baffled look on Genma's face, Chiyu explained that he'd heard an elder of his clan describe the Fourth Hokage and had admired him, so he'd imitated him a little.
Genma Shiranui looked moved. He patted Chiyu on the shoulder, feeling more satisfied with him than ever.
Nearby, Uchiha Yue lowered her head to inspect her Ninja Tools, apparently checking for damage from the clash. But a mischievous smile flickered in her big eyes.
She didn't believe what Chiyu had said at all. He'd once privately described the Fourth Hokage as "a good husband." He hadn't elaborated, but she absolutely didn't believe he'd said it out of admiration.
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