The lake.
Second Pillar was practicing ninjutsu there.
At seven years old, he could already use the C-Rank ninjutsu Fugaku Uchiha had taught him on a whim: Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.
But that was too late.
Now, he wanted to learn the B-Rank ninjutsu Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique and amaze his father and nii-san with his growth!
As he focused on practicing ninjutsu, he noticed the figure of a young youngster in the corner of his eye. The figure seemed familiar, and he could not help looking over.
Upon getting a proper look, his face immediately filled with astonishment.
"Jinghuo Uchiha? You... why are you here?"
Jinghuo Uchiha glanced at Second Pillar and calmly said, "Practicing a new technique."
"Oh..." Second Pillar could not help showing a hint of unease and curiosity in his words and mannerisms.
His nii-san, Uchiha Itachi, did not seem to like talking about Jinghuo Uchiha. It was not dislike, though; it seemed more like disapproving admiration?
He did not quite understand.
But he knew about his father, Fugaku Uchiha.
Ever since the clan members had celebrated excitedly through the night that day, his father had never praised nii-san again.
Though he had not said it outright, Second Pillar could hear his father's appreciation for Jinghuo Uchiha in every word he spoke.
Once, he had overheard his father saying to his mother, "Mikoto, I'm sorry. He is unwilling to talk about Kushina's son... Once the Uchiha settle down, I will go and ask him."
Mikoto Uchiha shook her head slightly.
She knew this had to be a secret within the village, especially after seeing Uzumaki Naruto, whose identity was a mystery...
"Let it be. As long as you are all well, I'm fine with anything."
Everyone had selfish motives. The Uchiha's status was sensitive, and the Fourth's son... the Uchiha could not afford to touch him. Sigh.
At that moment, his father, Fugaku Uchiha, discovered him.
"Why are you still not asleep?"
Mikoto Uchiha immediately walked over, crouched in front of Second Pillar, and gently asked, "What's wrong?"
Second Pillar shook his head slightly and said to Fugaku Uchiha, "I'm thirsty..."
Fugaku Uchiha hummed. After a second, he added, "Don't tell anyone."
Second Pillar hurriedly nodded.
He did not know why, but he knew that the "him" his father had mentioned when he said "ask him" was probably Jinghuo Uchiha.
Now that he saw Jinghuo Uchiha approaching, he wanted to move aside and make some room for him.
But then he saw Jinghuo Uchiha calmly walking across the rippling surface of the lake as if he were walking on solid ground.
His pupils contracted.
Even his Chakra control is better than mine?!
At that moment, a voice came from behind him.
"What exquisite control."
He turned around and saw several clan members in their twenties following behind.
When they saw him looking over, they gave him gentle smiles.
But the way they looked at Jinghuo Uchiha held a different kind of light.
It was as though... it was the way children had looked at his father before his father stepped down.
It was admiration.
The clan members spoke as though it were only natural.
"Of course. Jinghuo can activate Fire Style Chakra Mode!"
"I heard you can only activate that mode by cultivating your Chakra nature to the extreme."
Second Pillar turned back and looked at Jinghuo Uchiha in confusion.
"Fire Style Chakra Mode?"
At that moment, Jinghuo Uchiha, who had reached the center of the lake, glanced in the direction of the Hyuga Clan. As if confirming his destination, scorching orange flame erupted from his entire body.
The lake water beneath his feet evaporated continuously, and enormous, terrifying clouds of steam surged upward.
Second Pillar sensed danger and clumsily tried to retreat.
Suddenly, a large hand wrapped around his waist and rapidly pulled him back.
Second Pillar stood there in a daze. When he came to his senses, he saw Uchiha Itachi.
"Nii-san!" Second Pillar was delighted.
When the clan members saw Uchiha Itachi arrive, their expressions felt familiar.
Right, it was the same look nii-san had when he looked at Jinghuo Uchiha!
Uchiha Itachi smiled at Second Pillar, set him down, rubbed his head, and looked toward Jinghuo Uchiha at the center of the lake, whose momentum was growing ever more imposing.
The steam rapidly evaporated and expanded like a mushroom cloud.
He asked, "Jinghuo, what are you doing?"
"Oh, I'm developing a technique that descends from the heavens."
"Descends from the heavens?" Not only Uchiha Itachi, but the clan members beside him were also utterly bewildered.
Why develop a technique like that?
What use was it?
They soon found out.
Jinghuo Uchiha transformed into an orange rocket and shot into the sky, piercing through the steam and charging toward the blinding sun. It was as if he had become a ray of light, vanishing into the high heavens.
No one knew how many thousand meters he had gone. They looked for a long time, yet still could not see Jinghuo Uchiha.
Until Jinghuo Uchiha began falling, covered in rolling crimson flames like Shockwaves, and panic seized them.
"We need to get the clan members to evacuate!"
The next second, their expressions turned strange.
The direction Jinghuo Uchiha was descending toward seemed somewhat off.
It appeared to be headed toward the compound of some clan in the village.
Which clan was it?
For a moment, they could not remember.
Only Uchiha Itachi's expression changed drastically.
He did not even have time to explain. Turning into a terrifying gale, he rushed out in a desperate sprint. His figure flashed rapidly as if teleporting, swiftly disappearing from before the clan members.
The clan members were completely confused.
But two seconds later, they remembered which clan's compound that was.
It was the Hyuga Clan's compound!
They recalled Jinghuo Uchiha's disdainful words—"Would going to Sarutobi Hiruzen be any use?"
Going to Sarutobi Hiruzen would not help, so you were going to crash into the Hyuga Clan instead?
They froze for a second.
Then, coming back to their senses, their expressions changed drastically.
"Fuck!!!"
Cold sweat poured down their faces as they hurriedly rushed out.
They acted for two reasons.
First, they feared the Hyuga Clan would suffer too many casualties and demand Jinghuo Uchiha's life in repayment, so they had to call the clan members to protect their Clan Head.
Second, they held onto a sliver of hope that they could stop Jinghuo Uchiha before he landed.
Everyone ran off, leaving only Second Pillar behind.
He did not know why, but after he blinked once, not only had the clan members disappeared, even nii-san was gone!
Still, from where he stood, he could see that direction clearly.
The orange flame high in the sky had become a magnificent flowing light, like a meteor.
Like a beautiful shooting star streaking across the heavens.
Its extreme speed caused a trace of rolling crimson, destructive fire to appear within the orange flowing light.
As it was scoured by violent winds, it shattered into fragments of red flame that blended with the orange flame, forming a brilliant tail flame.
Under the dazzling morning sunlight, it was painted with another layer of golden radiance.
Orange, red, and gold intertwined like a creation of heaven and earth, perfectly blending beauty and danger.
Combined with its terrifying descent, like a shockwave crashing down, it carried the irresistible might of nature itself.
It left people unable to suppress their awe.
Before you continue