In the mountains behind Konoha, Uchiha Shisui brought his hands together. A misty vapor immediately appeared around him.
"It worked! This is what it looks like before activating Storm Release. Next, I just have to mix in Lightning Release Chakra."
Uchiha Shisui didn't dare let his guard down for a moment as he began trying to add Lightning Release Chakra.
The vapor, which had been drifting aimlessly, seemed to respond and began to gather.
Under the influence of the Lightning Release Chakra, it gradually turned into flowing, silvery-white beams.
"This is Storm Release in its initial state. As a Kekkei Genkai formed by combining Lightning Release and Water Release, it not only attacks at incredible speed but is also remarkably flexible and easy to control. Most importantly, adding Senjutsu Chakra makes it even more powerful than Dust Release, a Kekkei Tōta."
Uchiha Shisui dispersed the Storm Release beams in his hands. The template before him had only given him one jutsu, Storm Release: Laser Circus, so he had no choice but to develop this Kekkei Genkai himself.
The day after parting ways with Kakashi, he had handed the form about the Will of Fire to Teacher Onizuka. He had also been told that he no longer needed to attend the Ninja Academy, which left him plenty of time to develop this Kekkei Genkai.
Developing his own jutsu might have been difficult for others, but for Shisui it wasn't too hard. After all, he had already mastered both the nature transformation and shape transformation of chakra.
"Storm Release: Laser Circus!" Shisui spoke, then spat a white laser from his mouth. The trees ahead snapped almost as soon as it touched them, and it even carved an incredibly deep crack into the cliff face.
"So that's how Storm Release flows." After sensing the chakra moving through his body, Uchiha Shisui felt much more confident about developing new jutsu.
"Storm Release doesn't just take the form of lasers. It can also become flowing lightning. I'll base my next jutsu on that." Having made up his mind, Shisui began experimenting.
The days flew by. Uchiha Shisui spent nearly every day developing Storm Release, and his control over it grew increasingly refined.
One morning, Uchiha Shisui planned to train as usual and continue developing Storm Release.
"Shisui, over here!" Kakashi Hatake called out to Uchiha Shisui, wearing his Genin Forehead Protector.
"Kakashi? What are you doing here?" Shisui asked in confusion.
"See this?" Kakashi pointed to the Forehead Protector on his forehead. "Teacher Onizuka asked me to tell you to come take the Three Basic Jutsu test and your final exam."
"Kakashi, you rascal. You went and took the exam without telling me."
"Heh heh. From now on, you can call me Senior Kakashi."
"Don't get ahead of yourself. It's not certain who'll be the senior yet."
"That's true, that's true. Hurry up and take the exam. The Third Hokage and Teacher Onizuka are waiting for you. I'll go on a mission first." Kakashi waved. He had to meet up with his team leader; he'd only come by to deliver the message since he was passing through.
After seeing Kakashi use the Body Flicker Technique to leave, Uchiha Shisui headed for the exam grounds.
"I thought the final exam would be tough, but all I had to do was last for fifteen minutes against a Chunin. And that Chunin wasn't even as good as Kakashi. He lost after just a few moves. What a bore." Uchiha Shisui muttered as he walked out of the exam grounds, tossing the Forehead Protector that marked him as a Genin in his hand as he leisurely made his way to the training ground.
The Chunin in the hospital was utterly miserable. "Seriously, you geniuses from the big clans, quit picking on ordinary Chunins like us! Sob, wasn't the mission Lord Hokage assigned supposed to be D-rank? How did I end up getting hurt? The payment won't even cover my medical bills!"
In the mountains behind Konoha, Uchiha Shisui raised his hands and brought them together. When he opened his mouth again, a ring of light appeared between his palms.
"I'll call this Storm Release: Lightning Dragon Tornado!"
Uchiha Shisui thrust his hands forward. A massive waterspout shot out of the ring of light, pale silver in color and threaded with silver lightning. Like a roaring ancient beast, it swept toward the forest ahead with an earth-shattering force.
Wherever it passed, the ground split open under its immense power, trees were uprooted, and rocks were hurled high into the air before being ground to dust in an instant.
"Storm Release: Lightning Dragon Tornado compresses Lightning Release and Water Release Chakra to create a rapidly spinning tornado threaded with flashing lightning.
"It can sweep enemies inside, batter them with lightning, and tear at them with its high-speed rotation. It can also move under the user's control, giving it an enormous range."
Uchiha Shisui studied the destruction caused by his jutsu and analyzed it.
"This is already about the level of an A-rank jutsu."
"Next, I need a jutsu for fighting a single target: Storm Release: Phantom Sea Lightning Tide.
"First, I'll use the Sharingan together with Water Release to create an illusionary sea. It'll appear calm, but danger will lurk beneath the surface.
"As soon as the enemy steps inside, I'll trigger Lightning Release and turn the sea into a raging tide of lightning that surges at them from every direction, leaving them paralyzed and disoriented.
"With the combined effects of the two illusions and the paralysis and confusion caused by Lightning Release, there'll be no way for them to wake up immediately."
"I have a jutsu for groups and one for single targets. All that's left is a defensive jutsu." After speaking, Uchiha Shisui crushed the Storm Release Chakra in his hand and scattered it into the air.
"Storm Release: Scattered Lightning Storm!"
The fine traces of Storm Release Chakra in the air linked together like strands of a spiderweb. An insect flew into the field of lightning without noticing a thing.
A blinding flash burst forth, and all the chakra in the air exploded at once.
"Storm Release: Scattered Lightning Storm disperses Storm Release Chakra through the air in powder form. If it touches a target or is triggered, it sets off a chain of explosions, creating countless small lightning bursts. It's mainly used for surveillance, setting up defensive lines, and ambushes."
Uchiha Shisui pulled out a Kunai. The Storm Release Chakra in his hand instantly coated it.
"Ordinary kunai conduct chakra pretty poorly. Still, it'll do. Storm Release: Lightning Laser Blade."
The chakra flowing over the kunai crystallized, forming an incredibly hard, razor-sharp layer of light around it.
"Storm Release: Lightning Laser Blade uses controlled Storm Release Chakra to form a blade of flashing light across the palm or the surface of a weapon. It can cut through almost any ordinary ninja tool. Add Senjutsu, and even something as hard as a Truth-Seeking Orb can be sliced apart."
Uchiha Shisui gave a brief demonstration of everything he had developed during this time, then began to review and analyze his results.
"I should be at Special Jōnin level now."
Just as Uchiha Shisui was congratulating himself, a voice came from behind him.
"Shisui, you have another Kekkei Genkai? No wonder you're a Uchiha genius."
Shisui knew who it was as soon as he heard the voice. Perhaps Hiruzen Sarutobi had been keeping an eye on him ever since he submitted the form. Besides, Hiruzen Sarutobi had the Telescope Technique. As long as he remembered your chakra, he could watch your every move from an all-seeing perspective.
"Third Hokage, what brings you here?"
Shisui greeted him briefly.
"Your Will of Fire reminds me of the First, and you have such exceptional talent. I believe you'll become a bridge between the Uchiha Clan and the village. I came here to ask you to join the Hokage's direct forces, the Anbu. What do you think?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, a genial smile on his face as he waited for Uchiha Shisui's answer.
Shisui understood perfectly well that there was no refusing the Third Hokage when he came in person. Hiruzen Sarutobi would surely keep a tight grip on his talent and Kekkei Genkai.
After all, Konoha wasn't Kirigakure. It had plenty of Kekkei Genkai users.