The Next Uchiha Madara?

"Nagi, I didn't know you were this strong."

Kushina looked at Uchiha Nagi with admiration.

"And that Substitution Technique you just used was even better than the one Teacher Inoue taught us!"

Uchiha Nagi neither confirmed nor denied it. After all, he had copied his Three Basic Techniques from Teacher Inoue, and his chakra control was now so good that he had basically surpassed him in every way.

So naturally, his Three Basic Techniques were more effective than Teacher Inoue's.

"You're pretty amazing too," Uchiha Nagi said, praising Kushina's physique.

At that, Kushina looked a little dejected. "But I didn't react to his Substitution Technique at all."

"Don't be discouraged. He's a Genin, after all, and a few years older than us. It's no wonder you didn't react in time," Uchiha Nagi said, reassuring her.

"Besides, I meant you were amazing in another way."

"Huh?"

Kushina was a little confused. Thinking back to her fight with the Genin, she couldn't think of anything she'd done particularly well.

Seeing how puzzled she was, Uchiha Nagi didn't keep her guessing. He explained, "You're in incredible shape. You're almost as strong as that Genin, and a lot stronger than I am."

"Huh? Really?" Kushina's eyes lit up. She stared at Uchiha Nagi, looking eager to test it out.

"Hey, what are you planning?!" Uchiha Nagi took a few wary steps back.

"Nagi, I just want to try it out. Come on, let's see who's stronger." Kushina walked toward him.

Uchiha Nagi looked at Kushina, then finally agreed. He wanted to find out how much stronger she was than him, too.

A moment later...

Uchiha Nagi lay pinned beneath Kushina, feeling utterly defeated.

Kushina grinned, her earlier dejection long gone. "Nagi, you were right!"

"Kushina, you're repaying kindness with betrayal." Uchiha Nagi gave her a helpless look. "Now get off me."

"Heh!" Kushina stood up with a couple of triumphant snorts, then shook a fist at Uchiha Nagi. "If you ever bully me, I'll punch you!"

Uchiha Nagi brushed the dust off his clothes. "A ninja's battles aren't decided by physical strength alone."

Kushina's smile froze as she remembered the Three Basic Techniques he'd used.

She could only manage the simplest Transformation Technique, and she still wasn't very good at the Clone Technique.

Uchiha Nagi, on the other hand, could use the hardest technique, the Substitution Technique, and was quite skilled at it. He'd even managed to fool a Genin...

"Hmph, I'll catch up to you!"

Kushina glared at Uchiha Nagi, baring her little canine teeth in a threatening grin.

"I'll be waiting." Uchiha Nagi couldn't help reaching out to pat her on the head.

Even though she'd just pinned him beneath her, given their size, there hadn't been anything remotely suggestive about it. Still, she looked pretty cute just then.

"You... You! What are you doing?!" Kushina blushed and knocked his hand away, staring wide-eyed at him.

She hadn't expected Uchiha Nagi to act so familiar with her.

"Oh, I just thought you looked pretty cute a moment ago. It's getting late, so you should head home," Uchiha Nagi said honestly.

"C-c-cute?" Kushina stammered.

Uchiha Nagi looked at her strangely. Had he said something wrong?

Kids were pretty cute to him, as long as they weren't Demon Pills.

"Do you want me to walk you home, too?"

Since he couldn't figure out what was going on, Uchiha Nagi decided not to dwell on it and asked instead.

Kushina finally came around. She kind of wanted him to, but her pride made her turn away with a huff.

"Of course not!"

"Okay, then. Be careful on your way. I doubt anyone else foolish enough to ambush you is waiting out there."

With that, Uchiha Nagi turned and left without hesitation.

Kushina stared blankly at his retreating figure. So much had happened today that her mind could barely keep up.

But soon, a smile spread across her face.

"Today was such a wonderful day!"

Then Kushina skipped home to her residence, a mansion that looked old but not at all run-down.

"Grandma, I'm home!"

Uzumaki Mito looked at Kushina in surprise. Ever since she'd brought Kushina over from the Land of Whirlpools, this was the first time she'd seen her so happy.

"She must have had something nice happen to her, right?"

Uzumaki Mito smiled, too. She didn't know exactly what had happened, but she believed things would only get better from here.

Konoha Hospital.

The same three people were there: Uchiha Nagi, Tsunade, and the Yamanaka Clan Head.

This was already Uchiha Nagi's third time coming here for a checkup.

By now, the Yamanaka Clan Head had finished using his secret technique, but his expression was one of utter shock.

"What's wrong?" Tsunade had noticed his reaction and couldn't help asking.

"Lady Tsunade, I wasn't sure last time, but now I can confirm something." The Yamanaka Clan Head looked at Uchiha Nagi, a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"His spirit is growing at an astonishing rate. When I first used my technique to enter his consciousness and examine his spirit, it wasn't nearly this vast."

Tsunade looked surprised, too. Whatever the Yamanaka Clan Head had found must have been extraordinary to leave him so shocked.

The Yamanaka Clan Head swallowed, as though he'd thought of something terrifying. A trace of fear showed on his face.

"Given how quickly he's growing, I can't say for sure, but he might grow into the next Uchiha Madara!"

At the name, Tsunade's heart jolted.

The older generation knew what that name meant. He was the man who could stand toe-to-toe with her grandfather, the man known as the Asura of the Ninja World!

Their power was beyond anything people like them could imagine.

The Yamanaka Clan Head had such high hopes for Uchiha Nagi...

Tsunade's thoughts grew complicated.

Uchiha Madara was nothing like an ordinary Uchiha.

She couldn't even imagine the Uchiha Clan producing another Uchiha Madara, while Konoha had no one who could become another First...

If Uchiha Nagi really was different from the other Uchiha—and even more different from Uchiha Madara—then that would be one thing. Otherwise... the consequences for Konoha would be unimaginable.

At that thought, Tsunade fell completely silent, her emotions churning.

The Yamanaka Clan Head said nothing more. He'd already told her everything he could. The rest was up to Tsunade to decide.