The Great Elder's Discerning Eye

C-rank ninjutsu, even if they strike an enemy, only deal a certain amount of damage and cannot guarantee a kill, often requiring additional support.

For ninjas with powerful physiques, C-rank ninjutsu might even have no effect at all.

B-rank ninjutsu are sufficient to cause significant damage; even trees seven or eight meters in diameter would tremble, their trunks suffering considerable destruction.

And A-rank ninjutsu are powerful enough to destroy an entire massive tree!

Just like the Water Severing Wave that Keigo was currently unleashing!

But the problem is... Keigo is only eight years old, yet he has already mastered an A-rank ninjutsu.

This is simply absurd!

"No, what we should be concerned about is Keigo's hand seal speed. Did you see that? It was nearly seven seals per second! Even I can't reach that level! My fastest is only five seals per second!"

"Seven seals per second—is there any ninja in Konoha right now with that kind of speed?"

All the elites of the Uchiha Clan were shocked, left completely dumbfounded!

Is this really supposed to be a demonstration for them?

Are you sure this isn't just a show-off?

In this aspect alone, Keigo is already stronger than everyone present!

"Hahaha, if Keigo's talent wasn't monstrous to this degree, why would I have called you all here? This is the most gifted youth of the Uchiha Clan!"

Kyo Uchiha laughed with satisfaction.

His eyes were filled with pride, wearing the expression of a smug old man.

This is a genius he cultivated himself!

Yet, deep within his eyes, a trace of shock flickered!

Even he hadn't expected Keigo's hand seal speed to reach such a level—it was faster than his own!

However, he could not panic, nor could he show his astonishment.

He had to keep up this act!

The corners of his mouth curled upward uncontrollably; this feeling... was simply too satisfying!

"My chakra is still insufficient; otherwise, I could have unleashed even greater power with the Water Severing Wave."

Keigo Uchiha looked at the damage he had caused, lost in thought.

"But to continue practicing ninjutsu, I should conserve the chakra in my body."

He couldn't help but let his breathing quicken slightly.

That single strike had consumed one-sixth of his total chakra!

If others knew what Keigo was thinking right now, they would likely cry themselves to sleep in the bathroom.

Using an A-rank ninjutsu and only consuming one-sixth of his chakra—this is basically the standard chakra level of an average Jonin.

And Keigo is only eight years old.

In other words, his chakra reserves have already reached the level of a Jonin.

This is mainly thanks to Keigo awakening the Sharingan and the Storm Release.

Awakening a Kekkei Genkai inherently allows for a certain degree of increase in chakra volume.

Don't you see that in the original story, ninjas with Kekkei Genkai generally don't suffer from a lack of chakra like Kakashi? It is precisely because awakening a Kekkei Genkai boosts one's chakra reserves.

Keigo first awakened the Storm Release, which provided a significant boost to his chakra. Later, he awakened the Sharingan, which increased his reserves once more, allowing him to reach the level of an average Jonin at only eight years old.

Yet, even with this, Keigo was still complaining about insufficient chakra.

It really is enough to make others die of anger.

Keigo turned his gaze toward the tree that had been snapped in half.

"The power could be even greater, but my chakra is insufficient, so I can only unleash it to this extent for now."

In the original story.

Senju Tobirama even used the Water Severing Wave to cut through the roots of the Divine Tree, which is proof enough of how formidable this technique is. The more chakra used and the more water condensed, the thinner and more compressed the Water Severing Wave becomes.

The power unleashed is all the greater!

One could even say... this ninjutsu has no limits!

This will be a very important ninjutsu for him moving forward!

The elites: "..."

Their mouths twitched.

Is this even human language?!

Are you just showing off?

You must be showing off!

To be able to reach this level and still not be satisfied?

That was a tree decades old; if that Water Severing Wave had landed on a person just now, they would have been sliced in two.

"The hand-seal Water Release ninjutsu has been mastered, and I am familiar with it, so now it is time to begin developing Storm Release ninjutsu."

Keigo Uchiha chuckled softly.

With the theoretical study complete.

The experiments officially began!

Now came the truly exhilarating moment!

"Storm Release: Storm Cutter!"

Keigo Uchiha's eyes turned sharp as he let out a soft shout.

He slammed his hands together!

The next moment.

A thin beam of light, condensed from lightning and a water pillar, erupted from his mouth!

It was about the thickness of a finger.

This was a ninjutsu improved upon the Water Release: Water Severing Wave, incorporating not only the cutting power of Water Release but also the explosive force of lightning!

Keigo Uchiha's eyes were bright and focused; under the 'Absolute Control' talent, the ninjutsu was as easy to wield as his own arm, presenting no difficulties whatsoever.

He could also control the thickness of the water pillar!

But what was being compressed here was not just the water pressure, but the original lightning as well!

His chakra consumption rose at a terrifying rate!

Yet at the same time, the thinner this lightning-water pillar became, the greater the power it could unleash!

A lightning-water pillar over twenty meters long slashed violently toward the surface of the lake!

The lake roared!

The once-calm surface of the lake was instantly sliced in two, as if it were tofu being cut by a blade!

Immediately following that, terrifying blue lightning permeated the entire lake!

This contained not only the cutting power of the Water Severing Wave.

But also the terrifying offensive power of lightning!

"What... what kind of ninjutsu is this!? This power is approaching S-rank!"

"Impossible, Keigo is only eight years old, how could he possibly have mastered chakra nature transformation?!"

"But this power is too terrifying! The entire lake was split open; who among you could achieve this level?!"

All the elites of the Uchiha Clan gaped in horror.

They forced a laugh, their eyes filled with shock.

Is this kid really just an eight-year-old boy?

These are methods that only an Elite Jonin could master!

"No, what Keigo is displaying now is not just the Kekkei Genkai Storm Release, but... a near-perfect manipulation of the ninjutsu's form, which is why he can unleash such terrifying power!"

The Scarred Man's gaze was calm, but he could not hide the shock in his eyes!

"This level of power is not yet enough to rival an S-rank ninjutsu!"

"But it is close enough, and the reason it cannot yet rival an S-rank ninjutsu is not because the technique itself is weak, but because of Keigo's age; as he grows older, this ninjutsu will become even more powerful!"

He was the strongest among these ninjas.

He saw the reason at a single glance.

It was because Keigo's chakra was insufficient!

Eight years old!

Is this what a genius is?

For a moment, he felt dazed.

Damn it, comparing people only leads to frustration, and comparing goods only leads to throwing them away!

"Great Elder, did you know that Keigo's strength had reached such a terrifying level?"

The Scarred Man couldn't help but ask.

He had never seen a genius like this before.

"Even the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara in their youth were likely no better than this, right? Could it be that our Uchiha Clan is about to give birth to someone as powerful as Uchiha Madara again?"

"We... are witnessing history!"

His face carried a trace of excitement.

He gripped his palms tightly.

He was so moved he could hardly contain himself!

The surrounding Uchiha elites were stunned for a moment, then their gazes ignited with excitement, locking onto Keigo Uchiha as if... they were looking at some priceless treasure!

The Great Elder's expression stiffened, his smile turning awkward.

After a long pause, he chuckled and stroked his beard, saying with feigned certainty, "Of course, I saw Keigo's talent long ago, which is why I summoned you all here!"

The Scarred Man felt relieved and said respectfully, "The Great Elder has a discerning eye!"