However, Kikyo soon realized that she had completely underestimated the Uchiha.
Instead of the expected dejection or retreat below, there was a faint commotion, followed by a few suppressed chuckles.
The laughter gradually grew louder, turning unrestrained!
"A strong heart?"
"Several years?"
"Heh..."
The Uchiha Clan members looked at one another. Not only was there not the slightest hint of discouragement in their eyes, but an even fiercer, almost provocative light burned deep in every pupil.
An unyielding will? The heart of a strong warrior?
Wasn't that exactly what the Uchiha were?!
When had the Uchiha Clan, who had fought their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood since the Warring States era, ever lacked the heart of the strong?
They were proud, arrogant, and convinced of the power of their bloodline.
That pride and confidence etched into their bones were themselves the purest manifestation of a "strong heart"!
Didn't the awakening and evolution of the Sharingan also require intense emotions and obsessions?
To some extent, that perfectly aligned with the requirements for cultivating Haki!
Watching the Uchiha below, who were not intimidated in the slightest but instead had blazing eyes and looked eager to try, as though their fighting spirit had been ignited.
Kikyo's heart skipped a beat, and her sense of foreboding grew stronger.
The days that followed completely confirmed her fears.
The Uchiha Clan displayed a training enthusiasm that left people dumbfounded, along with...
An adaptability that could only be called monstrous!
At first, they might have found the sensation of "sensing the body's energy, guiding its flow, condensing and hardening it" unfamiliar.
But don't forget, the Uchiha had the Sharingan!
Although they could not directly copy Armament Haki, the Sharingan's powerful insight and learning ability.
Allowed them to imitate with extreme precision the energy flow paths and exertion techniques demonstrated by Sandersonia and the others, then quickly make fine adjustments.
More importantly, their pride and confidence, born from their bloodline and strength.
Truly fit Haki's requirements for willpower perfectly.
When Uchiha Clan members believed they were strong enough and believed they could master this power.
That unyielding will naturally emerged, driving the potential within their bodies to erupt.
In just one month, gifted radical faction core members such as Uchiha Yashiro and Uchiha Tekka had made breakthroughs.
They were the first to successfully condense a faint, nearly imperceptible black sheen across the surface of their bodies. Though it vanished in an instant, it marked their successful entry into the threshold of Armament Haki!
Two months later, the number of people who had successfully gotten started exceeded fifty!
After three months, that number directly doubled, reaching more than a hundred!
Although most of them remained at the most basic "hardening" stage, with small coverage, short duration, and heavy consumption, they had undeniably mastered Armament Haki!
Several warriors from Kuja Island who had been sent to teach Haki, Sandersonia included.
Stared so hard at the Uchiha ninja training in the grounds—some with faint black covering their fists, others with weak black glimmers wrapped around their Kunai—that their eyes nearly popped out.
"W-What kind of joke is this..."
A Kuja Warrior muttered, "It's only been three months... Are they really human?"
Kikyo silently watched the scene before her, deeply shaken.
How long had it taken her to master Haki back then?
About a year, she thought. Even then, that had already made her one of the Kuja Tribe's finest warriors.
And now, looking at these Uchiha...
She finally understood what a true warrior race was.
This group calling themselves Uchiha, their talent and potential, were probably indeed better suited to cultivating Haki.
Not just one or two of them.
This was a whole group of people with the hearts of the strong!
Uchiha Yoru stood at the edge of the camp, watching everyone train Armament Haki with great enthusiasm, a satisfied smile on his face.
He turned to Shisui beside him, who was likewise trying to make a preliminary fusion of Chakra and Haki, and said softly:
"Look, these are our Uchiha clansmen. How full of vigor they are!"
Shisui nodded, feeling the faint but real sense of hardening at his fingertips.
As the Uchiha's undisputed genius, Shisui was naturally among the first group to master Haki.
He had now moved beyond basic Haki training and was attempting to advance toward a higher level of cultivation.
"This power is strong, but I still can't properly integrate it into ninjutsu."
Shisui shook his head.
What he actually wanted to do even more was combine this new power with Eye Techniques, but that was clearly more difficult.
"Take too big a step, and be careful not to tear your O."
Yoru offered the reminder and said nothing more.
Every genius had their own pride. Even someone as gentle as Shisui was no exception.
Once such people made up their minds, it was difficult for outsiders to change them.
"By the way, where's Itachi? Why haven't I seen him again today? Where did that guy run off to?"
Suddenly seeming to notice a blind spot, Yoru swept his gaze around the Uchiha Compound and asked Shisui.
Shisui was Itachi's best friend and mentor, and since they were like-minded, the two were incredibly close.
Many things Itachi discussed with Shisui, he was unwilling to confide in him, his Big Brother.
Nonsense!
My little brother has grown up and flown the nest. That stupid little brother isn't cute at all.
Fortunately, Kuja Island was neither too small nor all that large.
With nothing to do, Yoru took a walk around and finally spotted Itachi beside a low cliff.
He stood motionless at the cliff's edge, gazing out at the distant Grand Line.
No one knew what he was thinking about.
"Ahem, why aren't you training properly? Hiding here to slack off?"
Yoru pretended to cough twice, putting on a stern expression as he questioned him.
Unfortunately, that trick only worked on seven-year-old Sasuke now.
Itachi had been mentally mature like an old man since he was four, and he simply could not be teased.
"Big Brother, is this the New World you spoke of?"
Itachi's voice was calm. He did not turn around, his gaze still fixed on that boundless blue expanse.
The sea breeze brushed through the hair before his forehead, carrying a salty, damp scent along with the cries of distant seabirds.
Yoru walked to his side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him, also looking out at the Grand Line.
"This is barely anything. What you're seeing is only one ten-thousandth of this world. This world is enormous, truly enormous.
So, isn't this world much better than Konoha?"
Yoru raised his chin slightly, looking proud.
Why the hell fight with the Third Generation and the others? All that fighting and scheming only revolved around one village.
Seriously, was being a village chief really that impressive?
Too small, far too small. Their vision was far too narrow!
The cramped Konoha could not contain his heart that longed for the stars and the Grand Line.
With no immediate threat to his survival, Uchiha Yoru felt that he was already getting carried away!
"It's quiet."
Itachi ignored his Big Brother's strange expression and said softly:
"Unlike Konoha, it's quiet here. There aren't so many eyes watching from the shadows, nor is the air so heavy."
Yoru smiled. He knew Itachi was referring to the Konoha High Command's constant surveillance and the Uchiha Clan's long-standing oppressive atmosphere.
Come to think of it, the entire clan had been busy learning Haki lately. They really had become very proactive!
Sure enough, the Uchiha just needed something to do.
Busy Uchiha were good Uchiha!
Before you continue