The So-Called Family

Under the cover of lead-grey cumulonimbus clouds, the night had shut out the moonlight. The Uchiha compound was filled with an oppressive atmosphere, like a dark tide.

Inside Uchiha Kai's home, the young man emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair. He heard the sound of boiling water nearby.

"Dinner time. I'm in a rush, so I'll just make some instant noodles," the young man said, stretching his back. He took some greens and eggs from the refrigerator and opened a bucket of noodles to prepare them.

"Heh, perfect timing. Let's see my training results," the young man muttered to himself, holding the steaming hot noodle bucket.

Then, his hands moved rapidly, forming hand seals.

Ushi - Inu - Tatsu - Ne - Inu - I - Mi - Tora.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

With a pop, white smoke exploded. Chakra rapidly drained from his body, and an identical copy of Uchiha Kai appeared before him.

"Eh~" "Eh~" Two Uchiha Kais greeted each other simultaneously, even their waving gestures were the same.

"Who are you!" "Who are you!"

"I am you!" "I am you!"

"I am you!" "I am you!"

The playful young man immediately began experimenting, pressing his fingers onto the shadow clone's shoulder.

"Ow! That hurts! What are you doing, main body!"

The shadow clone, in pain, immediately complained loudly, its voice startling the young man.

"Hmm, so it seems it won't dissipate from minor attacks. Unlike the regular Clone Technique, which just creates a false afterimage," the young man mused, rubbing his chin.

"Isn't that obvious! Besides, Shadow Clones feel pain too!" the clone shouted in shock, its flailing movements somewhat comical.

"It can freely distribute Chakra, and it knows all the ninjutsu the main body knows. Most importantly, after dispelling the clone, its memories, senses, and even training progress are shared. It truly lives up to its reputation as a fundamental ninjutsu of the Ninja World..."

The young man turned his head, completely ignoring the protesting shadow clone beside him.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a really terrible person..."

"Well, it also has independent thought. I wonder what it's based on. Am I really that unreliable?" Looking at the lively, clearly comical shadow clone, the young man couldn't help but ask himself.

"I am your clone. Of course, my personality depends on you. I am you, and you are me. What's the difference?"

"Alright, stop chattering. I've split half my Chakra with you, and I still have to maintain the Shadow Clone's existence. It's quite a drain on me right now," the young man waved his hand, signaling it to stop talking.

"Now, let's conduct the final experiment." As soon as he finished speaking, Uchiha Kai suddenly drew a kunai and gathered his strength.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You're not going to!" The clone looked shocked.

The sharp kunai pierced the shadow clone's chest without resistance.

Thump! After a dull thud, the constipated-looking shadow clone dissipated, leaving behind a resentful voice.

"You're even ruthless to yourself... you bastard."

The next moment, as the shadow clone dissipated, a short segment of memories flooded into the young man's mind. Along with it came a slight discomfort from the forced dispelling due to the attack.

"Ugh, it's manageable. Being dispersed by a kunai only caused a little discomfort. The memories aren't re-experienced completely, but more like a playback. Surprisingly practical."

"However, this is just the aftereffect of dispelling a single Shadow Clone. If the number increases to ten, a hundred, or even thousands or tens of thousands, the impact would be unbearable for an ordinary person." The young man pondered.

"I can't imagine what it would feel like for Naruto Uzumaki in the original work to dispel hundreds or thousands of Shadow Clones. He truly is the chosen protagonist, the reincarnation of Asura..."

After a moment of contemplation, Uchiha Kai opened his Panel to examine it.

[Host: Uchiha Kai]
[Body: 4.3]
[Spirit: 6]
[Energy (Chakra): 125]
[Energy Control: Fire (Mastered) Wind (Beginner) Lightning (Locked) Water (Locked) Earth (Locked) Yin (Locked) Yang (Locked)]
[Special Talent: Sharingan (Single Tomoe), Proof of Sweat]
[Skills: Great Fireball Technique, Three Basic Ninjutsu Techniques, Genjutsu - Sharingan, Shurikenjutsu, Konoha Style Taijutsu, Shadow Clone Jutsu]
[Overall Rating: A barely repaired piece of porcelain, possessing a sliver of power, a mayfly in a chaotic world]

After adding the twenty points of energy from the mission reward, Uchiha Kai's Chakra reached 125. A new entry, "Proof of Sweat," appeared under Special Talent.

Its effect was terrifying. The young man had initially thought the bonus would be negligible, but after obtaining the Shadow Clone Jutsu and experimenting, he found he could master and release it freely in just half an hour.

Considering his original talent, mastering the essence of the Shadow Clone Jutsu would have taken at least half a day of dedicated study.

Now, it was reduced by more than tenfold. This gap was something countless ordinary people could never bridge in their lifetime, elevating Uchiha Kai from an ordinary genius to a genius unparalleled in the Ninja World.

"Turning years of arduous training into talent? 'Proof of Sweat' is truly a fitting name." The young man smiled with satisfaction.

"The future is bright, the future is bright."

Excitedly rubbing his chopsticks together, the instant noodles were almost ready. He lifted the lid, and the familiar aroma filled his nostrils.

Knock, knock, knock!

The sound of knocking on the door interrupted the young man's actions.

"It's so late, who could it be?" the young man, slightly annoyed at being disturbed, walked over and opened the door.

A middle-aged man in a long robe with short hair appeared before him. The man looked apologetic and carried a pile of things, one of which, an oil-paper package, emitted a rich aroma.

"Haha, knocking so late, you won't blame this old man, will you?" the newcomer said leisurely.

"How could I, Lord Yashiro? You can always knock on my door," Uchiha Kai replied respectfully.

"Are you here for Uchiha Ko, Lord Yashiro?" the young man asked directly, without hesitation, his gaze fixed on Uchiha Yashiro outside the door.

"Of course--not!" Yashiro deliberately drew out his words.

"I've already finished looking into that scoundrel's business. You did nothing wrong; in fact, you did an excellent job. You even removed any excuses for certain people in the village to make a fuss. The clan is already praising you."

"How could we possibly blame you? The clan isn't that senile yet," Uchiha Yashiro said earnestly.

"Speaking of which, are you only eating instant noodles again tonight, kid? You won't get enough nutrition at your age if you eat like this," the man tilted his head, looking at the steaming bowl of instant noodles on the table inside.

"Ah, I also cooked some vegetables and eggs, so I'm getting enough nutrition," the young man replied.

"Sigh, that's not what I meant. You're a ninja now, you should take better care of yourself. Eating only instant noodles while staying cooped up at home is just too shabby,"

"Here, I brought this from that famous beef restaurant in the village. Young people should eat more meat," Yashiro smiled and handed over the oil-paper package, the aroma intensifying.

"Ah, thank you, Lord Yashiro. I appreciate you going to the trouble. Have you eaten dinner yet? Would you like to stay and join me?" The young man took the roasted beef from Yashiro and invited him in.

"No, I've already eaten. Besides, I'm not just here on my own behalf this time," Yashiro refused and then opened another bundle he was holding.

"This is a small token from the clan to congratulate you on your promotion to Genin."

"This scroll records several ninjutsu that the clan has mastered. I recall you have both Wind and Fire chakra natures, right? Most clan members aren't very proficient in Wind Release. I found a Wind Release ninjutsu that isn't too difficult to learn and is quite practical. It's also recorded in here."