Bring That Kid Along

Uzumaki Mito narrowed her eyes, making Tsunade nervous enough to clench both hands tightly.

"Salamander Hanzō is known as a demigod; the sheer depth of his power is not something you three little ones can withstand. Remember, a reputation is rarely without substance," Uzumaki Mito said calmly.

Tsunade gritted her teeth. "Grandmother, this is the first mission our teacher has entrusted to us. I don't want to give up! I know Salamander Hanzō is a Kage-level powerhouse, but how will we know if we don't try?"

A glimmer of something called determination shone in her eyes. Seeing this, Uzumaki Mito didn't feel happy; instead, she sighed.

"Since that is the case, I will not try to persuade you further. Just make sure you come back alive," Uzumaki Mito said, closing her eyes.

"I do not wish to lose you as a granddaughter," Uzumaki Mito's words drifted through the air, leaving Tsunade momentarily dazed. She couldn't help but reflect on her grandmother's life.

Married into Konoha from her homeland, living far from her kin, losing her husband in middle age and her children in her later years—now, the only people she had left with a blood connection were Tsunade and her younger brother.

Now that both siblings were heading to the battlefield, it was an incredibly difficult reality for an old woman to accept. Tsunade had been so focused on proving her own strength and showing that Senju Hashirama's granddaughter was a powerhouse that she had forgotten her grandmother at home only wanted the two of them to be safe and happy.

"I will, Grandmother. I will return safely," Tsunade's eyes turned slightly red, her voice trembling.

Uzumaki Mito suddenly thought of something. "Oh, Tsunade, I recall that a squad leader can bring a trusted subordinate along, right? Do you have a candidate?"

"Huh? Grandmother, I haven't chosen yet, but someone recommended a boy from the Kato family to me. I heard his Spirit Transformation Technique is quite unique," Tsunade said, wiping away her tears.

"Spirit Transformation Technique? In the end, it is merely a minor path," Uzumaki Mito shook her head. "I think that boy from the Uchiha clan would be a better choice."

"Kō-kun? His strength is only that of a genin!" Tsunade said in surprise.

Uzumaki Mito stood up and walked toward the door, then turned to look at Tsunade. "Although that little one's Sharingan is only a single tomoe, the chakra within it is more powerful than most two-tomoe Sharingan, perhaps even approaching the level of a three-tomoe."

Tsunade was stunned. Three-tomoe? Didn't that mean Kō-kun had the combat capability of a jōnin? Even so, the person from the Kato family also seemed to be a jōnin and possessed the unique talent of the Spirit Transformation Technique.

By comparison, Kō-kun still seemed to fall short. Just as Tsunade was feeling doubtful, Uzumaki Mito added, "That boy also possesses Magnet Release."

Tsunade's pupils constricted. Magnet Release! A Kekkei Genkai formed by combining wind and earth chakra, unique to their old rivals in Sunagakure—how could it appear in someone from the Uchiha clan?

"If Uchiha Kō has Magnet Release, why hasn't he used it before?" Tsunade was puzzled. She couldn't understand why Uchiha Kō would hide such a talent instead of showing it.

"That is where he is stronger than you. A tree that stands above the forest will be broken by the wind. He is not valued in his clan and even suffers discrimination; in the village, he is just an Uchiha. Who does he have that he can trust?" Uzumaki Mito smiled.

"Even I only discovered that trace of anomaly through the perception of my Mind's Eye of the Kagura. So, little Tsunade, find a way to bring Uchiha Kō along tomorrow. I have a feeling that boy is not simple," Uzumaki Mito said earnestly.

She then walked out of Tsunade's room without looking back, returning to her own quarters to sleep.

Tsunade took off her clothes and pondered carefully. The Spirit Transformation Technique was certainly unique, but it had significant drawbacks; the body had to be well-protected, or if someone struck it, the soul would be unable to return, resulting in certain death.

Moreover, the Spirit Transformation Technique was child's play to a Kage-level powerhouse; it had a high floor but a very low ceiling. The Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai was different. Even before Sunagakure was established, there were powerful users of Magnet Release.

Every user of Magnet Release was destined to become Kage-level. Wasn't the current Third Kazekage a Magnet Release user, specifically of the unique Iron Sand Magnet Release?

Beyond that, the Uchiha clan's Sharingan could also allow Kō to reach the Kage level. Comparing the two, the position of trusted subordinate was much better suited for Kō.

Thinking this, Tsunade made up her mind, though she decided she would still ask Kō-kun for his thoughts tomorrow; after all, a forced melon is never sweet.

With these thoughts, Tsunade drifted off to sleep.

The night passed quickly, and as the stars shifted, a new day dawned.

Around five in the morning, Uchiha Kō woke up. This was his body's biological clock. The first thing he did after getting up was fold his bedding and place it neatly back in its original spot.

He then went to wash up. Clear water flowed from the faucet, and Uchiha Kō cupped his hands, feeling the icy chill against his skin.

Uchiha Kō couldn't help but shiver, then splashed the water onto his face. Sss—refreshing! Though it was a bit uncomfortable the first time, he soon adapted, and it even felt pleasant.

After washing his face, Uchiha Kō wiped it dry and headed to the Senju clan's training ground; he could never skip his daily training.

He took eight shuriken from his ninja tool pouch and threw them using the Uchiha Style Shurikenjutsu he had mastered so thoroughly. The eight shuriken collided in mid-air, all flying toward the head of the wooden training dummy.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang

The tips of the eight shuriken embedded themselves into the dummy's temples, center of the forehead, and the back of the skull—all vital points, showing just how ruthless Uchiha Kō's technique was.

Next, Uchiha Kō took out a standard, ordinary longsword—or more accurately, a katana, though it was often referred to as a sword.

Uchiha Kō drew the blade, his eyes brightening. Relying on muscle memory, he performed a diagonal slash followed by a kick toward the target. A blade mark appeared on the dummy's carotid artery. Uchiha Kō then kicked the dummy's body, performed a 360-degree aerial flip, and landed perfectly.

Well, how should he put it? This was very "Uchiha"—high damage, but also possessing a flashy, performative quality.

If this strike had landed on a person, they would likely be clutching their throat and gasping their last breath by now.

Uchiha Kō twitched his mouth. This Uchiha style swordsmanship was powerful and exquisite, but how to put it? As a youth from the 21st century, he couldn't help but feel it was a bit... pretentious?

Suppressing these thoughts, he continued practicing swordsmanship for another forty minutes before sheathing his blade. He was careful to restrain his strength so as not to destroy the wooden dummy.

Since this wasn't his own training ground, and because the Senju Clan Compound was sparsely populated, this was the first time he had enjoyed the luxury of having the place to himself, which brought him some joy.

Uzumaki Mito was currently in her room, activating her Mind's Eye of the Kagura. In truth, she had woken up the moment she heard Uchiha Kō throwing shuriken. She simply wanted to see the extent of his training, so she remained in her room, observing him through her sensory technique.

She discovered that Uchiha Kō not only had a solid foundation but was also exceptionally diligent and hardworking, nothing like the exaggerated rumors circulating outside.