Leading Jonin Yoshiwara Yuto

In the woods within the Uchiha compound, afternoon sunlight filtered through the dense branches and leaves, casting fine, mottled specks of light.

Uchiha Eiji lay flat on the grass, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for air, his vacant eyes staring upward.

After a moment, Uchiha Eiji's breathing gradually steadied. Then his eyes shifted slightly toward Uchiha Yuan, who stood not far ahead of him.

"I never thought I'd lose to you again. This is the eleventh time I've lost to you."

Uchiha Yuan stood with his arms folded, silently watching Uchiha Eiji.

Uchiha Eiji sighed helplessly and continued, "Ever since I awakened my Sharingan, my Chakra has grown rapidly, and I've kept training in its use.

"I can feel myself getting stronger, but when I face you, it seems like I've never grown stronger at all."

Uchiha Yuan smiled faintly. "Eiji, don't doubt yourself. You have indeed become stronger."

After Uchiha Eiji awakened his Sharingan, Uchiha Yuan had used his sensory abilities to examine Eiji's body every time he accepted his challenge.

He had discovered that Eiji's body was gradually changing under the Sharingan's special Chakra, and his physical qualities had improved.

Uchiha Eiji rose to his feet and looked at Uchiha Yuan with a complicated expression. "Yuan, why can't I defeat you even after awakening the Sharingan?

"I can see every one of your movements clearly, and my body can react in time to block your attacks."

Uchiha Yuan's expression turned serious. "Eiji, did you really block my attacks?"

"It's true that in our recent matches, you've been able to keep up with my movements. But every time you took one of my attacks, it didn't feel good, did it?"

Uchiha Eiji fell silent and nodded.

Uchiha Yuan continued, "Eiji, we may soon be heading to the battlefield. I hope you understand that the Sharingan is powerful because we are powerful, not that we are powerful because of the Sharingan."

Hearing that, Uchiha Eiji frowned slightly in confusion. "Yuan, I don't quite understand what you mean."

Uchiha Yuan said, "Eiji, there are many ninja in the Ninja World with special abilities. The Sharingan's power may be formidable, but against truly powerful opponents, its abilities might not affect them at all."

"Take me, for example. With the Sharingan's aid, you can perceive my attacks—but so what?

"The power contained in each of my strikes is more than you can bear."

Uchiha Eiji said thoughtfully, "Yuan, I understand what you mean. Thank you for the warning."

Then he pulled a scroll from his robes and tossed it to Uchiha Yuan.

Uchiha Yuan raised a hand and caught the scroll. When he opened it, a trace of surprise appeared on his face.

"It's actually a B-rank genjutsu."

Uchiha Eiji said, "You've basically mastered all the other intermediate ninjutsu, while low-level ninjutsu isn't worthy of being the stake in our matches."

Though he had never won a match against Uchiha Yuan, Uchiha Eiji knew full well that after every exchange, he could find his own shortcomings and improve his strength.

Glancing around the grass nearby, Uchiha Eiji asked, "Why aren't Daishi and the others here? I haven't seen them in a while."

At this moment, only Uchiha Kawa and several other followers from ninja families stood near the grass, watching the match.

Uchiha Eiji knew these people, but he did not think much of them. They were all clan members with mediocre performance at the Ninja Academy.

"Daishi and the others don't have talent as ninja, after all. They need to help their families with work."

"That's right. Without Chakra, training Taijutsu is only a waste of time. No matter how hard they work, they'll still be helpless against ninja."

Uchiha Eiji nodded.

Ninja Academy.

Uchiha Yuan sat in the classroom, with Hatake Harukaze, Senju Gen, and Hyuga Kagami seated around him.

All the students sat quietly, looking both nervous and excited. Today was the day these Ninja Academy students would graduate.

More than a year had passed since war broke out again after the Fourth Hokage's sacrifice during Nine-Tails Night.

The fighting had been at its fiercest over the past year, with ninja from every village suffering heavy casualties.

And among those casualties, a great number of Genin were simply expendable resources in the war.

Now, Konoha's forces on the front lines had become insufficient, so Ninja Academy students had been summoned to replenish them.

Uchiha Yuan's year was among those summoned this time.

Now, they waited in the classroom for the village to assign their squad leaders.

Sarutobi Retsu entered the classroom holding a booklet containing the group assignments.

"Inuzuka Hayashi, Chonan Eita, Gekko Susumu."

As the names were called, the three students stood and walked to the front of the classroom. Then a middle-aged ninja appeared at the classroom door.

The three immediately followed him out of the classroom.

"Aburame Utata, Kurosaki Kyu, Sakuragi Kata."

"Nohara Shinsuke, Akagi Kō, Mito Shiro."

"..."

"Uehara Isami, ..."

Hyuga Kagami and Hatake Harukaze were assigned to Class Eight, and a girl named Kobayashi Yuka became their teammate.

Then Sarutobi Retsu called Senju Gen's name, followed by Uchiha Yuan's. The two were assigned to Class Nine together.

The third member of Class Nine was a boy from a civilian family named Aida Kai.

A scar-faced middle-aged ninja appeared at the classroom door. The sight of him made Uchiha Yuan frown.

The middle-aged ninja led the three to a Training Ground. Other classes of ninja were there as well, and Uchiha Yuan saw Hatake Harukaze's Class Eight nearby.

The middle-aged ninja's sinister gaze slowly swept over the three of them. "I am Yoshiwara Yuto, a Special Jonin of the village. Starting today, I am your captain. Once we reach the battlefield, you will obey my orders completely.

"Now, introduce yourselves. What are you good at, what do you like, and what do you hate?"

Under Yoshiwara Yuto's gaze, Aida Kai shrank back somewhat.

At once, he said, "My name is Aida Kai. I'm truly sorry, but I'm not good at anything. I like grilled meat, and I hate garlic."

Then Senju Gen spoke. "Senju Gen. I specialize in Water Release ninjutsu. I like sweets, and there's nothing I dislike."

When it was Uchiha Yuan's turn to introduce himself, he said slowly, "Uchiha Yuan. I specialize in Taijutsu, and there's nothing I particularly like."

At that point, Uchiha Yuan's cold gaze fell on Yoshiwara Yuto. "As for what I hate, that would be you, Special Jonin Yoshiwara Yuto."

At those words, Yoshiwara Yuto and the other three, including Senju Gen, were all stunned.

"Yuan, don't talk nonsense! Hurry and apologize to Special Jonin Yoshiwara."

Senju Gen spoke up anxiously. He did not understand why Uchiha Yuan would provoke Yoshiwara Yuto with his words. This should have been their first meeting.