Two years later.
Forest of Death.
"Storm Release: Kunai Electromagnetic Cannon!"
The childishness had mostly faded from Keigo Uchiha's face. He brought his hands together, and the chakra inside him flowed with incredible smoothness.
In the next instant,
a hand cannon appeared in his hands!
It fired kunai in a flash, so fast they were almost impossible to see. They struck a target three hundred meters away with pinpoint accuracy!
The target and the tree behind it were blown apart, scattering splinters everywhere!
"Now all my ninjutsu are much more powerful, and my Nintaijutsu has become second nature. My physical abilities are every bit as good as those of a Jonin who specializes in Taijutsu!"
"And my Sharingan has become a Three-Tomoe Sharingan!"
A flash of scarlet passed through Keigo Uchiha's eyes.
The Three Tomoe in his eyes spun gently, beautiful yet faintly uncanny, as if they possessed a power that could steal the soul and draw anyone who looked into them.
"System! Show me the abilities I've mastered, excluding any ninjutsu below A-rank!"
He had mastered too many abilities.
He had a veritable mountain of ninjutsu below A-rank.
Including all of them would make the system interface far too cumbersome.
[ Ding! Displaying the host's personal status panel! ]
[ Host: Keigo Uchiha! ]
[ Ninjutsu: Storm Release: Storm Cutter, Storm Release: Storm Dragon Technique, Storm Release: Storm Cloud Tornado, Storm Release: Spiral Spear, Storm Release: Storm Armor Technique, Storm Release: Kunai Electromagnetic Cannon, Storm Release: Thundercloud Cavity Wave, Storm Release: Heaven and Earth Cage, Storm Release: Laser Sword, Rasengan, Chidori, Lightning Blade... ]
[ Age: Ten! ]
[ Chakra Level: Elite Jonin! ]
[ Kekkei Genkai: Three-Tomoe Sharingan, Storm Release! ]
[ Talents: Absolute Control, Infinite Potential! ]
[ Item: Perfect Card! ]
Keigo Uchiha looked over the clear, easy-to-read status panel and chuckled.
This was how strong he was now!
After training with Absolute Control, his chakra had risen from Chunin level two years ago to Elite Jonin level. Absolute Control had played a major part in that.
"My biggest improvements over these past two years, aside from reaching Elite Jonin level in chakra, came from the two Golden Egg draws!"
Keigo Uchiha looked eagerly at the talent: Infinite Talent.
And the Perfect Card!
"Infinite Talent and the Perfect Card. Those are what I won in the draws over the past two years!"
[ Infinite Talent: There is no limit to the host's growth through training. As long as the host absorbs energy, training will have no bottlenecks, and the host can grow stronger forever! ]
[ Perfect Card: Allows the user to master one ability perfectly, with a one hundred percent success rate! ]
Keigo Uchiha's lips lifted into a slight smile. "As expected of things I got from the system. Both Infinite Talent and the Perfect Card are incredibly important to me."
"Infinite Talent means I won't have any bottlenecks. It doesn't directly break the limits of the human body, but it lets me keep getting stronger!"
The human body had limits.
For some people, that limit was Chunin level.
For others, it was Jonin level.
They had no way to improve beyond that. Now that he had Infinite Talent, though, even after reaching Six Paths level, he would still be able to keep growing stronger!
"When other people reach a certain level of strength, their bodies stop improving and may even start to decline. But as I get stronger, my body grows stronger too, and I train faster—which makes me even stronger!"
"My rate of growth won't just stay the same. It might even increase!"
Keigo Uchiha's lips lifted into a satisfied smile. He was very pleased with this ability.
It was a little like the baldy Saitama breaking through the limiter on the human body. But Saitama had become the strongest outright, while Keigo would need to keep growing stronger and training.
As he continued to improve, perhaps one day he could even compare himself to Saitama!
"As for the Perfect Card, it's also an ability that can instantly raise my strength by an entire tier!"
Keigo Uchiha pondered.
He had quite a few abilities already, but there were two ways he could get stronger from here.
First, he could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Second... he could learn Sage Mode!
"The Perfect Card teaches an ability, so using it to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan clearly won't work. Maybe I can use it to learn Sage Mode instead."
Keigo Uchiha considered the idea.
Sage Mode was incredibly powerful in Naruto.
It was because Naruto had mastered Sage Mode that he could stand a chance against Pain.
And if Keigo mastered Sage Mode and combined it with Storm Release, he would reveal a truly terrifying power!
"My morning training is over. I should head back to school. Today... is graduation day!"
Keigo Uchiha gave a quiet laugh, his eyes glinting.
Nothing major had happened over the past two years.
Although the Second Shinobi World War had broken out, it had caused no real damage to Konoha. If anything, it had given the new generation of ninja a better opportunity to hone their skills.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru had now earned the title of Sannin.
They could each stand on their own!
The Sannin were now undisputed Quasi-Kage-level powerhouses. With their talent, it was only a matter of time before they reached Kage Level!
His figure vanished in an instant.
Ninja Academy.
Kamimura Yanoi looked at the eleven little prodigies who had arrived early, then at Keigo Uchiha, who was still nowhere to be seen. He frowned and said helplessly, "That kid Keigo used to at least send a Shadow Clone to class a year ago. Now he can't even be bothered with that!"
He sighed helplessly.
"Today... is the graduation test, of all days."
He truly had no idea what to do with this student.
In his view, Keigo's strength had already far surpassed his own. He might even have become a Jonin!
A ten-year-old Jonin—Konoha had never had a precedent like that!
"Sorry, sensei. Training took a little longer today."
Just then, a figure appeared atop the fence. The boy had an exceptionally handsome face and a gentle smile. He had arrived without a sound, and no one had noticed how he got there!
A breeze stirred his hair. His dark eyes were calm, no matter what the situation.
As if nothing could cloud his judgment.
Calm and composed.
"Keigo, you're late. Everyone's been waiting for you!"
Akimichi Lie grinned and rubbed his fists. "This is the graduation test, and our strength definitely won't be any worse than yours! Following your advice, I've been compressing the power from my Multi-Size Technique again and again, so I can keep my body the same size while moving even faster!"
"I'm already as strong as a Chunin!"
His eyes brimmed with confidence!
Growing larger made him stronger.
But what if he compressed his enlarged body again, making it incredibly dense?
That was the advice Keigo Uchiha had given him.
Now his body was unbelievably strong!
"And me. Keigo, I still haven't learned to form Hand Seals with one hand, but I can now split off my shadow by itself and fight alongside it. It can even perform a ninjutsu similar to Rotation!"
Nara Shikamaru chuckled.
His eyes showed both satisfaction and admiration!
"Now I even feel like I could... become a Special Jonin!"
Kano's usually unmotivated eyes now held a fierce fighting spirit!
If it weren't for Keigo, he could never have become this strong.
He could make five Hand Seals per second now, but still couldn't form them with one hand.
He still had a ways to go before he could manage that, but splitting off his shadow had given him a new combat asset and plenty of new ideas for fighting!
"Hmph!"
Hyuga Ruri gave a haughty little snort. Over time, her proud face had grown even more aloof and beautiful, and her presence had become even more striking!
She stood there like a goddess.
No one dared to underestimate her!
"Keigo Uchiha, I've mastered a new ability. I still might not be able to defeat you, but I've gotten much closer! It's only a matter of time before I beat you!"
"Oh? Really?"
Kurama Shimotsuki's lovely face was full of disbelief. She covered her mouth with one hand. "Keigo is so strong. How could you possibly be a match for him, Ruri? Don't make things hard for yourself."
"Second place in the class isn't so bad."
Her voice was calm, but her words struck a nerve with Hyuga Ruri!
Hyuga Ruri's cool, beautiful face instantly flushed with embarrassment and anger.
Second place in the class?
She'd been second in the class for three years!
It was humiliating!
"Keigo Uchiha, I will defeat you and defend the Hyuga Clan's honor!"
She cried out, then looked at Kamimura Yanoi. "Sensei, we can start the graduation test now!"
"Shimotsuki, it seems all that progress you've made over the past two years has helped you regain your confidence."
Keigo Uchiha narrowed his dark eyes and smiled faintly.
This girl...
She really was no pushover.
Everyone else had improved their strength, but this girl had grown even more devious as she grew stronger!
Kurama Shimotsuki stiffened. As she looked into Keigo Uchiha's dark eyes, she had no idea why, but she felt as if he could see right through her.
A chill ran down her spine!
This guy... he was even more of a monster than before!
Just one glance from him was enough to make her uneasy!
"Okay, okay. We'll begin the Genin exam now. The Three Basic Techniques are simple, so they shouldn't be difficult for any of you. Besides those, you'll also need to demonstrate the ability you're most proud of!"
Kamimura Yanoi rapped on the blackboard, his face clouding over!
Under Keigo's leadership, this bunch had become completely unruly!
Keigo was their leader.
Anyone else trying to lead them would only annoy them.
Last year, they'd even gotten into a fight with the previous year's students and beaten them up badly.
They were always eager to challenge Keigo, but that was a sign of respect.
And Keigo Uchiha was the only one who could earn their loyalty!
Even Hyuga Ruri agreed with that!
"First up, Inuzuka Mi. Show us the Three Basic Techniques and the ninjutsu you're best at!"
Kamimura Yanoi called the first name.
"Good luck, Mi-chan. You're definitely strong enough."
Keigo Uchiha smiled encouragingly. Inuzuka Mi had been his desk mate for three years, and he had given her more guidance than anyone else. She was certainly no pushover!
"Th-thank you, Keigo!"
Inuzuka Mi blushed. A lazy Ninja Cat lounged on her head—the very one Keigo Uchiha had given her.
She walked onto the training ground, her expression serious, and performed the Three Basic Techniques in succession!
Then she shouted, "Shirayuki, weapon form—Sode no Shirayuki!"
In an instant,
the Ninja Cat above her head transformed into a gleaming white sword!
"Dance of Ice and Snow!"
At Inuzuka Mi's shout, the sword in her hand slashed out, unleashing a terrifying sword wave with the sharp, icy chill of snow!
Wherever the sword wave struck, not a blade of grass remained!
Terrifying ice spread across every spot the attack touched!
The wooden dummy was cleaved in two in an instant!
"That's a great ability, and you have excellent control!"
Keigo Uchiha exclaimed, "You don't have Ice Release, Mi-chan, but your Ninja Cat Shirayuki does. You didn't rely on the traditional method of training in beast form and turning yourself into a Ninja Cat."
"Even as a Ninja Cat, its small size would keep it from making full use of its advantages!"
"Instead, you turned Shirayuki into a sword and made her your weapon. Then you used your chakra control to wield Ice Release and swordsmanship, greatly boosting your strength. You're already strong enough to rival a Chunin!"
Inuzuka Mi learned incredibly quickly!
Her chakra control was the best of anyone there.
Aside from him, with his Absolute Control, even Hyuga Ruri couldn't match Inuzuka Mi's talent for chakra control.
Inuzuka Mi was a true genius!
Once she gained some combat experience, she was strong enough to hold her own against an Elite Jonin!
"Th-that's amazing!"
Everyone was stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing as they stared at Inuzuka Mi.
"Mi-chan hardly ever trained. I never imagined she'd be this strong!"
Yuhi Kixia swallowed hard, shock filling her beautiful eyes.
"That's right. Mi-chan is much stronger than I imagined."
Kurama Shimotsuki was sweating nervously.
She still remembered how her genjutsu had never worked on Inuzuka Mi when they first met.
Inuzuka Mi looked so delicate and frail, yet she had given Shimotsuki a feeling that she was impossible to overcome!
"You're mistaken."
Keigo Uchiha shook his head. Looking at Inuzuka Mi, he said with approval, "Mi-chan is certainly talented, but as an Inuzuka, a member of the clan that commands Ninja Dogs, she hasn't even used the family's standard techniques."
"She's just as good as anyone at developing ninjutsu. Even during class, she's always practicing Hand Seals, and her hands are often frostbitten. That means Mi-chan trains every night."
"This is the result of both her talent and her hard work. You can't sum it up by saying she's simply talented."
As Inuzuka Mi's deskmate, he knew better than anyone how hard she worked.
Inuzuka Mi was a genius.
A genius who worked hard, too!
"I see..."
Yuhi Kixia's lovely face filled with remorse. She apologized, "I'm sorry, Mi-chan. I shouldn't have said that."
"It's okay. You just didn't know. Besides... this is the only way I can... become stronger, fight alongside everyone... and not be a burden."
Her delicate face flushed red.
Her bashful eyes looked at Keigo Uchiha.
"Then let's work hard together from now on, Mi-chan."
Keigo Uchiha smiled and ruffled Inuzuka Mi's hair. "You'll definitely become a powerful ninja."
Inuzuka Mi's cheeks reddened, but she didn't pull away. Her bright eyes gazed at Keigo Uchiha.
"Hmph! Now it's my turn!"
Hyuga Ruri let out a little huff. Watching Inuzuka Mi and Keigo Uchiha interact, she felt a flicker of displeasure in her pale eyes!
"There's no need to use the Three Basic Techniques. Next... Rotation!"
In an instant,
with a graceful movement, a circular chakra barrier appeared around her!
It was Rotation, a defense capable of fending off any attack!
A faint blue glimmer flickered in her pale eyes...
"Th-that's amazing! Your Rotation is even more solid than it was two years ago, Ruri. Now, even an A-rank ninjutsu might not be able to break through your defense!"
Kamimura Yanoi couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.
Every one of these kids was a monster!
After using Rotation, Hyuga Ruri wasn't even out of breath. This was an A-rank ninjutsu—could her chakra reserves really rival those of a Special Jonin?
Kamimura Yanoi was practically in tears. What kind of monsters were these kids?
He was still only an Elite Jonin.
Yet at least two of his students had already surpassed him!
"Rotation is already one of the simplest techniques for me. I've learned an even stronger one. Keigo Uchiha will definitely lose to me!"
Hyuga Ruri glared at Keigo Uchiha, looking as if she were throwing a tantrum.
"Next up is Yuhi Kixia!"
At Teacher Kamimura's call, each of the promising students took their turn demonstrating their abilities.
From what Keigo Uchiha could tell, they all had the strength of Chunin!
After real combat experience, they'd all become Elite Chunin within a year.
The strongest, aside from him and Hyuga Ruri, were Inuzuka Mi and Nara Kano.
Inuzuka Mi excelled at chakra control. Even ordinary ninjutsu became more powerful in her hands. And now that she had a Ninja Cat who could use Ice Release, she'd grown even stronger.
Nara Kano, on the other hand, relied on his shadow!
That had instantly given Nara Kano an extra ally.
His shadow could restrain and defend, and even help him form Hand Seals!
With all those advantages, Nara Kano was stronger than the other promising students!
If Nara Kano ever learned to form Hand Seals with one hand, he'd be almost unbeatable in a one-on-one fight against anyone below Kage Level.
After all, he could form Hand Seals with one hand, use his shadow to immobilize his opponent, and throw a Kunai with the other. The fight would practically be over.
"Everyone else has finished testing. Now it's your turn, Keigo. Show us the ninjutsu you're most proud of!"
Kamimura Yanoi was practically beaming with excitement.
He couldn't wait.
Just how strong had Keigo become?
He really wanted to know!
Keigo was far too good at hiding his abilities. To this day, nobody knew just how strong he was.
"Teacher, don't look at me like that. I'll get the wrong idea. Since everyone wants to see, I'll demonstrate one of my techniques."
Keigo Uchiha thought it over.
They were about to graduate, so it was time to show Teacher Kamimura how much his most promising student had grown.
He closed his eyes.
The next moment,
a sinister red gleam flashed in his eyes!
"Three-Tomoe Sharingan!"
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan was revealed to everyone. It was eerie and mesmerizing, exuding an unusual charm that drew people in, as if those eyes held a beauty beyond compare.
"Gasp! A Three-Tomoe Sharingan?! You've already reached this level?"
Kamimura Yanoi sucked in a sharp breath. "Th-this is the strongest eye of the Uchiha Clan! They say anyone who awakens it is at least a Jonin, and becoming an Elite Jonin is practically guaranteed!"
"In three years, Keigo, you've gone from an ordinary person to a Jonin!"
"A ten-year-old Jonin! If you weren't so young, you could be awarded a Jonin vest right now!"
He exclaimed in utter disbelief.
In Konoha, these eyes were a symbol of strength!
But even the youngest people who had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan had been around eighteen or nineteen!
Keigo had awakened it at ten.
Now that was a true monster!
Kamimura Yanoi had imagined that Keigo Uchiha might become a Jonin, but even seeing it with his own eyes left him too stunned to speak!
"Keigo... just how much of a monster do you plan to become?"
He gave a bitter laugh, a hint of envy in his eyes.
This was a level of strength he hadn't reached himself.
"A Jonin!? Keigo is already a Jonin!?"
Hyuga Ruri's beautiful eyes trembled as she stared in disbelief at Keigo Uchiha's Three-Tomoe Sharingan. She felt utterly helpless.
"How can you improve so quickly? Are you even human?"
"I'm only a Special Jonin myself!"
She'd thought that after training desperately for the past two years, she'd finally be able to catch up to Keigo Uchiha.
But now,
it seemed the gap between them was only growing.
No wonder she'd felt dizzy lately whenever she looked into Keigo's eyes. It was because of his visual prowess!
And that was only the Sharingan.
Keigo Uchiha also had Storm Release!
"This is terrifying. I was so pleased with myself for reaching Chunin strength, and Keigo has already become a Jonin!"
Everyone shuddered.
They couldn't believe it.
In front of Keigo, every genius could only tremble!
"Now that the tests are over, how about we all go out for dinner tonight?"
Akimichi Lie suddenly spoke, nearly drooling.
Dinner meant happiness!
"You haven't earned any money yet, so how are you going to pay for dinner?"
Kamimura Yanoi shook his head helplessly.
Did these kids know how much grilled meat cost?
"That's fine. We can get Teacher Kamimura to pay, can't we?"
Akimichi Lie asked, looking puzzled. "If Teacher Kamimura's here, can't he treat us to dinner?"
Kamimura Yanoi: "..."
"I'm just a teacher. I don't earn that much!"
Teachers naturally earned less than ninjas!
He had to think twice before treating himself to grilled meat!
"So the teacher's poor after all!"
Senju Nawaki burst out laughing.
Kamimura Yanoi's face darkened.
"I'll treat everyone. I still have plenty of pocket money."
Keigo Uchiha smiled and said, "Now that the graduation exam is over, we should all have a good meal to celebrate!"
After coming to this world, he'd realized something.
Some things here were cheap, while others were truly expensive!
Ordinary fish wasn't costly; even ordinary people could afford it. But grilled meat—pork, beef, and lamb—was extremely expensive.
Even an Elite Jonin couldn't afford to eat grilled meat every day without a care.
Of course, that wasn't a problem for him.
The money his dear old dad had left him was enough to last a lifetime!
"Whoa! Long live Keigo! Let's go out to dinner!"
Everyone was thrilled.
They'd gone out with their parents before, but this was their first group dinner—and the first time they'd arranged one themselves as teenagers. The freedom of being in charge of their own lives filled them with excitement.
They were overjoyed.
"Time really flies."
Keigo Uchiha chuckled as he watched the night grow darker.
Three years had passed since he first arrived at the Ninja Academy.
And he'd gone from an ordinary person to a powerful Elite Jonin.
He was strong enough to make his way in this world!
"Now... I just need to get even stronger. Tomorrow's team assignments should be interesting."
Before you continue