Talent

After everyone had left, only Madara and three-year-old Qile remained in the empty training ground. Madara slowly moved his feet, then sat cross-legged so he could meet the child's gaze at eye level.

"Kid, I hope you'll listen carefully to what I'm about to say and prepare yourself. Starting tomorrow, your name will spread throughout Konoha. As for the things you said earlier, though, I think they'll only circulate among those so-called higher-ups." Madara furrowed his brow slightly, a trace of helplessness in his voice.

At this, Qile's heart gave a sudden jolt.

Qile had believed that since Konoha was still in its early days, and Madara was still stationed within the Uchiha Clan, even if White-Hair wanted to plant or turn some spies inside the Uchiha Clan, it would be difficult for him to succeed.

That was why Qile had gathered his courage and spoken up with such passionate words.

But if Qile had known that what he said would reach White-Hair's ears, he would undoubtedly have backed down without hesitation and kept his head down—let alone bravely stood up and spoken out.

That man's nature... he probably wasn't much kinder than the Asura of the Ninja World, Madara Uchiha, standing right in front of him!

Maybe he was just a tiny bit kinder, but not by much.

If he thought your existence might cause trouble, he'd take your life without a second thought—especially if your surname was Uchiha...

Right, Izuna...

And the most frustrating and helpless thing was that White-Hair was unbelievably clever!

He wasn't just skilled at developing all kinds of ninjutsu; he was also a master of schemes and plots!

"Um, didn't you just tell them not to spread this around? Why are you telling me to prepare myself now?" Qile asked, bewildered. He couldn't make heads or tails of the situation, no matter how hard he thought about it.

"Heh!" Madara gave a cold laugh, a mocking look crossing his face. "This brief peace is like an illusionary dream. It's made too many people lose themselves in it, blinding their once-clear eyes."

"Your words might resonate with a small number of people, but after their brief excitement, most will go right back to doing as they please."

"In just two short years, the Uchiha Clan has changed beyond recognition. There are so many complicated problems within the clan that even I, its leader, can barely see through them." Madara sighed deeply, his breath laden with weariness and helplessness.

Just as Qile was about to press him for more, he noticed Madara slowly rising to his feet.

"All right, come with me. There are a few things I need to confirm." Without another word, Madara turned away from Qile and strode forward at an unhurried pace.

Madara wasn't walking very fast, so Qile had no trouble keeping close behind him.

Before long, the two of them reached a shimmering lakeside beneath the moonlight and stopped.

At last, Madara broke the silence again. "Qile, tell me: what's the most important thing when it comes to becoming strong?"

"Hard work" nearly slipped out of Qile's mouth. But just as the words were about to leave his lips, it was as if an invisible force stopped him, and he swallowed them back down.

"Talent..." Qile lowered his head slightly and murmured the word so softly that perhaps only he could hear it.

For a ninja, talent was undoubtedly the most important thing. Perhaps relentless effort could let someone deliver a kick so dazzling that it left everyone amazed.

But could effort alone achieve something like that?

The answer was definitely no.

That dazzling kick probably came not only from day after day of rigorous training, but also from the foundation of inborn talent.

"Exactly. When it comes to ninjas, in the end, it all comes down to talent. All we can do is uncover and make the most of the talent hidden within us." Madara lowered his head slightly and looked at Qile again, speaking slowly.

He paused for a moment, as if considering how best to put what came next. "Your dream is incredibly ambitious. To make it a reality, you'll need the strength to back it up. So... can you already mold chakra?"

Qile was taken aback, then nodded. "...Yes."

According to the memories of his original self, he had indeed already learned to mold chakra.

After receiving the confirmation, Madara said no more. His hands swiftly formed Hand Seals, his movements flowing smoothly from one to the next.

At the same time, he clearly spoke the name of each seal. "Snake—Ram—Monkey—Boar—Horse—Tiger."

He formed the seals slowly, so Qile could see them with ease. The moment he finished the Tiger seal, Madara took a sharp breath, then exhaled.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

In an instant, the powerful gust of air lifted Madara's long black hair, which fell like a waterfall to his waist, sending it flying wildly.

Then, an astonishing sight unfolded—a gigantic fireball burst from Madara's mouth above the lake!

The roaring flames turned the whole lake crimson. Waves of heat rolled toward them, and the surrounding air seemed to ignite, rippling and warping.

Standing close beside Madara, Qile had witnessed the entire thing firsthand. Now he could feel the scorching heat radiating from the massive fireball.

He'd thought seeing such a shocking sight with his own eyes would fill him with excitement, but the opposite was true. At that moment, all he felt was a deep sense of dread...

After all, seeing a fireball like that on a screen and experiencing it in person were worlds apart!

Madara, having finished his demonstration, slowly turned around and fixed his gaze on Qile. His meaning was perfectly clear.

"Ahem... um... Clan Leader... what if I don't have Fire Style chakra? Besides, I'm still so young. Couldn't we wait until I've grown a little more before trying?" Qile asked cautiously.

But the only response was a sudden flash of red in Madara's eyes...

"Haha... actually, I'm really curious to find out how strong my talent is, too." Qile gave an awkward laugh, trying to ease the tension.

Then he began imitating Madara's Hand Seals, moving his fingers deftly but slowly.

Snake—Ram—Monkey—Boar—Horse—Tiger.

As he formed the seals, he could clearly feel something flowing inside him. The instant he finished the seals,

he drew in a sharp breath, then closed his eyes and exhaled forcefully...