Green Plums and Bamboo Horses

"Ren, this secret technique is too precious; I cannot learn it."

Uchiha Mikoto shook her head gently, her expression unusually serious and solemn.

Before the world of Naruto entered the "Gundam era" of its later stages, most battles between ninja were fought as intelligence wars.

One specialty, mastered to perfection, could conquer all.

One unexpected move could decide the outcome of the world.

The Flying Raijin developed by Senju Tobirama made its battlefield debut with unparalleled speed and trickery.

It dealt a devastating blow to the clan leader Uchiha Madara's younger brother, Uchiha Izuna, who also possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

It was precisely this unprecedented space-time ninjutsu that caught Izuna off guard, leading to a fatal slash that ultimately caused his death due to the severity of his wounds.

Mikoto feared that if she learned it, she might accidentally reveal traces of it during some future mission.

More seriously, on a battlefield where swords have no eyes, if she were to fall in battle, the intelligence inside her head could be seized by the enemy.

If that allowed the enemy to prepare for Ren's trump cards, or even use it to set a lethal trap... the mere thought made her heart tighten.

The young girl would rather something happen to herself than see a report of the boy's death.

"Alright, stop letting your imagination run wild."

Having spent over a decade together, the two knew each other inside and out.

Seeing the resistance on Mikoto's face, Ren knew exactly what she was thinking.

The Three Tomoe in his eyes manifested in an instant, and without a word of protest, he met her gaze.

Caught off guard, Mikoto felt the world around her sway, and before she could regain her senses, she felt as if she had already mastered this ocular technique.

Sharingan: Space Jump.

This ocular technique was of the same nature as the genjutsu that the Uchiha were famous for; it could be used with a mere glare.

It was not a traditional ninjutsu that required hand seals or the manipulation of chakra.

Nor was it a taijutsu that required a massive amount of time to train.

It was something that could be used as long as one possessed the Sharingan; there was no other way to learn it.

It was like a flash of mathematical insight—once you understood it, you understood it. No amount of effort could force that innate comprehension.

"Ren!"

Mikoto was so annoyed by his "forceful" behavior that her cheeks puffed out, and she immediately adopted the big sister stance she rarely displayed.

She crossed her arms over her chest, accentuating her graceful curves, and glared at Ren with feigned severity, attempting to suppress the exceptionally cheerful smile on his face under the warm sun.

Yet, the slight pout of her cherry lips only betrayed a hint of coquettishness she hadn't even noticed herself.

After staring at each other for only a few seconds, she crumbled under his smiling gaze.

In the end, she could only sigh with helplessness and reiterate in a voice that lacked any real intimidation.

"Don't do that again next time!"

Mikoto knew he did it for her own good, but she cared more about Ren's well-being, and she prepared to plant a psychological suggestion in her own mind later...

"You are not allowed to use psychological suggestion."

Ren knew exactly what she was thinking the moment she—a woman traditional and gentle to the bone, one who would sacrifice herself for her family—swayed her hips.

He spoke firmly.

"I intended to pass this ocular technique to the clan members gradually anyway. Before we set out, every trusted clan member who has awakened their eyes must master it."

"It will eventually become a mandatory technique for all Uchiha who awaken their eyes, just like the Great Fireball."

Ren's gaze was burning, his words filled with unshakable certainty.

"So, Mikoto, do not worry about intelligence leaks. The strength of the Uchiha has never relied on hiding one or two secret techniques."

"The foundation upon which we stand in the ninja world is the power and pride inherited in our blood."

"It was so in the past, it is so now, and in the future, it will be even more so!"

Mikoto looked up at Ren, her eyes flickering involuntarily as she followed his spirited explanation.

That composed, confident posture as he led the clan toward prosperity step by step was exactly the image she cherished most in her heart.

The little brother who used to follow behind me, calling me 'big sister,' has already become a man capable of shielding the clan from the wind and rain.

While Mikoto felt joy, a hint of indescribable loss seeped into her heart like cool dew, silent and unnoticed.

So, this powerful ocular technique was not a surprise gift prepared just for her.

This realization caused the smile she wore for him to fade, almost imperceptibly.

Mikoto quickly lowered her eyelashes—she was greedy after all; she hoped for her little brother to shine brilliantly, yet she secretly hoped for a unique, exclusive preference, given to her alone.

"I understand."

When she raised her eyes again, only gentleness remained, and she tucked all the subtle ripples deep into the depths of her clear eyes.

"I will study Space Jump thoroughly and combine it with other ninjutsu to construct an entirely new combat system."

The combat style of Uchiha clan members who have awakened their eyes is built entirely around the Sharingan.

Whether it is one-on-one or one-against-many, the opening move is always a steady gaze, using Sharingan genjutsu to seize the initiative.

Simultaneously, they throw shuriken, senbon, and other ninja tools to suppress or divide the enemy.

This is followed by a barrage of Fire Style, Wind Style, or other ninjutsu, while close-quarters combat relies on Uchiha Style taijutsu or swordsmanship.

This combat pattern, tempered through the fires of war, is rigorous, efficient, and leaves almost no room for error.

Now, with the addition of a space-time dōjutsu, the performance of the Uchiha clan in battle will undergo a massive transformation.

"The activation of Space Jump relies entirely on ocular power," Ren explained to Mikoto with a serious expression. "The stronger the ocular power, the wider the range of teleportation and the more times it can be used consecutively. Now, why don't you try to get a feel for it first."

In fact, before passing this dōjutsu on to Mikoto, the first person to master Sharingan: Space Jump was the loyal Uchiha Yashiro.

After several days of repeated testing and fully confirming that this dōjutsu was safe and sound, Ren decided to teach it to Mikoto.

However, there was no need for Mikoto to know about that part.

Upon hearing this, Mikoto smiled softly, the Three Tomoe in her eyes spinning with brilliance.

The next second, her figure followed the ripples in space and teleported to Ren's side.

Without a moment's hesitation, Mikoto leaned in, her soft, cherry-colored lips pressing against Ren's cheek, her breath sweet as orchids.

"Little brother, come and catch me~"

Before the words had even faded, the Three Tomoe in Mikoto's eyes shifted slightly, and her figure dissipated like smoke, leaving behind only a faint, lingering fragrance as she instantly appeared on the grass two meters away.

She looked back with a smile, her hair fluttering in the morning light, a mischievous provocation playing on her lips.

Ren raised a hand to lightly touch his cheek, which still held the warmth of her touch. With his Three Tomoe locked onto her nimble figure, the corners of his mouth curled up into a "big bad wolf about to eat Little Red Riding Hood" expression.

"Once I catch you, you're 'done for'."

"It's all space teleportation; you'll never catch me~"

As the two figures flashed repeatedly under the sunlight by the Naka River, the atmosphere at the Hokage Building on the other side was incredibly stifling.