Three Tomoe? When Did That Open!

In the center of the courtyard stood a gazebo.

A thin old man wearing a loose kimono was quietly brewing tea.

His lips were pressed together lightly, exuding an air of natural authority that commanded respect without the need for anger.

Having long since retired from performing missions for the village, he wore no forehead protector; the only symbol of his status was the Uchiha clan crest embroidered on the back of his garment.

Still the same as ever...

In the eyes of Uchiha Xiu, the lifestyle of Elder Shin was more akin to that of the Hyuga Clan—fastidious in certain respects and deeply traditional.

"Elder Shin." Uchiha Xiu bowed slightly.

Facing a moderate elder who had personally taught him chakra cultivation and various basic ninjutsu during his youth, he must never become arrogant or adopt the ugly posture of a petty man who had achieved a small success.

Uchiha Xiu was certainly not like a certain "Three":

Still unsatisfied even after reaching level thirty?

"You, stop being so formal. Have you eaten yet?"

Uchiha Shin spoke to himself with a smile, then turned his head and called out, "Old woman, hurry and bring a bowl of miso soup for Xiu, and some grilled fish too."

"The brat is in luck today. Did you know I went night fishing at the Naka River last night? Is that why you came over specifically?"

Amidst the banter, a kind voice rang out from inside the house: "Xiu, it has been a long time since you came to Grandma's house to mooch a meal. You used to love the shrimp tempura I fried when you were little."

"..." Uchiha Xiu.

This was one of the obsessions that fueled his return.

To let the tragedy unfold, allowing the Konoha higher-ups and that weasel Itachi to slaughter everyone—regardless of gender, age, or stance—even ordinary clansmen who lacked the ability to be ninjas but merely carried the Uchiha Bloodline, and then handing their corpses over to Root for secret research... that would be nothing short of hell!

Seeing the serious expression on Uchiha Xiu's face, Elder Shin was puzzled. After gesturing for him to sit, he handed him a cup of clear tea:

"It's just a Chunin promotion exam. Why do you look so worried? You look like it's a matter of life and death."

"With the Sharingan, even if the village arranges for a veteran Chunin to face you, victory is inevitable..."

Halfway through his sentence, he froze instantly.

In the eyes of Uchiha Xiu, who sat opposite him, there were clearly three tomoe!

Early in the morning, has this old man fallen under a genjutsu?

What kind of joke is this!

In an instant, Uchiha Shin also revealed his own Sharingan. As the two locked eyes, he, an elder, actually felt the pressure of ocular power.

Just how stimulating must that "royal" book be? I think it's called "Young Obito." I heard it's even more absurd than Jiraiya's Icha Icha Paradise series... to think it actually let him upgrade from One Tomoe to Three Tomoe.

Absurd thoughts flashed through Uchiha Shin's mind.

Because they were relatively close, Elder Shin knew that the reason this child had awakened his eyes back then was because two of his Ninja Academy classmates and teammates had died right in front of him.

—As a war orphan, he cherished such feelings and bonds above all else; it was hard to imagine an event more mentally devastating than that.

After all, as far as he knew, Uchiha Xiu did not have many close friends, and his social circle was small.

Yet, the evolution mechanism of the Sharingan was built precisely upon the foundation of intense emotional turmoil!

Parents sacrificed, brothers sacrificed, children killed in battle—Shin knew all too well what kind of tragedy lay behind eyes of this caliber.

The person involved felt no joy whatsoever!

Therefore... he found it difficult to press for details, nor could he utter abstract words like "I grieve for you, yet I congratulate you."

Unless Uchiha Xiu brought it up himself.

"Sigh."

"..."

Lowering his head to sip his tea, Uchiha Xiu felt somewhat uncomfortable under the gaze, so he decided to get straight to the point:

"Elder, I want to practice higher-level ninjutsu."

"Good."

Shocked and struggling to calm his emotions, Elder Shin stood up. "Let's go to the clan's dueling arena. You can copy them during combat; that way, you'll master them faster."

Kakashi had carved out the title of "Copy Ninja" with just a single Sharingan, let alone an entire clan.

Hundreds and thousands of years of generational accumulation!

From the Warring States period to the establishment of the hidden villages, Uchiha ninjas had fought across the entire Ninja World. Aside from ninjutsu that required a specific Kekkei Genkai to function, any other skill used in front of a clansman who had awakened their eyes was immediately stolen.

Training ground.

The area where younger clansmen practiced daily was in the outer circle, the open space filled with various training facilities: wooden stakes, ponds, targets, and weapon racks...

The inner circle, however, resembled a bird's nest, surrounded by thick, high walls, used by the clan's powerhouses for sparring.

"Elder."

"Elder."

The few diligent brats lowered their heads one after another:

"Big Brother Xiu~"

"Hmm."

Only after the two had walked inside did they begin to whisper.

"Isn't Big Brother Xiu only a Genin? Why did the Elder take him inside the arena?"

"My dad said that next week the village is promoting a batch of team-leading Chunin, and Big Brother Xiu is a top-tier candidate who is one hundred percent guaranteed to pass."

"I wouldn't call him top-tier. Senior Itachi, who is about the same age as him, has already awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. He'll likely join the Anbu and work directly under the Hokage."

At the mere mention of Itachi, the simple-minded children all revealed expressions of longing, no longer discussing the unremarkable little genius that was Uchiha Xiu.

In the center of the training ground.

Uchiha Shin stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the youth across from him who had quietly surprised him, and habitually began to lecture:

"Xiu, I am about to begin. Remember..."

"Whether it is Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or even Taijutsu, simply copying them only means you can use them. When to release them and how to exert greater effect—these are things you must judge for yourself."

"You must never become lazy in your training just because you possess the Sharingan!"

Possessing a terrifying reserve of chakra yet remaining completely humble, Uchiha Xiu responded in a deep voice:

"Yes, please enlighten me, Elder."

The moment the words fell, Uchiha Shin moved. He did not close the distance immediately, but instead formed hand seals with both hands, moving so fast that only afterimages remained:

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

Surging water appeared out of thin air, gathering into a ferocious dragon head that roared as it charged forward with an astonishing momentum that no ordinary Jonin could command.

Facing the sudden assault, Uchiha Xiu's eyes narrowed.

"Earth Style: Earth Wall."

With a thunderous sound, a sturdy, plain earthen wall rose from the ground, precisely blocking the path of the Water Dragon Jutsu.

Immediately, water and mud splattered everywhere; the wall shook violently but did not collapse.

"Oh? Precise judgment, rapid release, and your chakra reserves... they seem quite substantial." Elder Shin, maintaining his elder's air, remained in a posture of instruction.

"But defense is always passive."

Almost the instant the Water Dragon was blocked, he used a Shadow Clone to complete the hand seals for his next technique—

"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Jutsu!"

As chakra poured out, the fireball transformed into the shape of a dragon, pouncing forward ferociously.

"Copying successful."

Having awakened the Wood Release bloodline trait due to the Hashirama Cells, Uchiha Xiu now possessed water-attribute power within him. He chose to return the favor in kind: "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu."

A ferocious water dragon flew out to meet the attack.

Sizzle~

Steam filled the air frantically. For a fleeting moment, Uchiha Shin was reminded of the Bloody Mist Village in the Land of Water.