Interlude Between Wars

Ninja Art: Circle

By condensing chakra and expanding it outward from one's own body as the center, a 360-degree, omnidirectional circular chakra membrane is formed. Once an enemy invades and touches this "membrane," they are immediately detected.

This is a reconnaissance ninjutsu that Suifeng developed specifically to counter the Silent Killing Technique of Kirigakure after encountering an ambush by them!

Every time he thought about this, Uchiha Haruki felt a throbbing headache.

Is this even possible? Can someone really be a genius to this extent?

The Silent Killing Technique!

A high-level assassination art famous throughout Kirigakure, yet it was cracked just because he encountered it once?

And it was truly cracked. Although he hadn't mastered this ninjutsu himself, just from the description, he knew it was an incredibly crude and effective reconnaissance technique.

Once the entire 360-degree space around the body is enveloped by the membrane, it is impossible for an enemy to succeed in a sneak attack from any angle.

It is just that the requirements for chakra control are too high.

Utilizing powerful control techniques to make chakra coil, condense, and diffuse is a tall order for most ninja.

Just like the Strength Enhancement Technique is to Tsunade, as Suifeng's chakra control improves, the ninjutsu he creates demand increasingly higher levels of control, making them seem more and more like they were tailor-made for him alone.

Unlike a technique like Iron Body, which is simple and brutal—something you can master just by getting beaten up enough times.

Thinking about how Suifeng had requested so much data on chakra control for the Strength Enhancement Technique, one wonders how his training in that is coming along?

How can someone like this be sent to the battlefield? Research institutes and laboratories are his true home; he should stay within the clan to study ninjutsu, not go to the front lines to kill.

Just like the Second Hokage—a brilliant inventor of ninjutsu, yet he had to go and become Hokage, only to die on the battlefield in the end. What a waste.

"My Lord, Great Elder, Fugaku has arrived!"

As he was deep in thought, a report reached his ears.

"Fugaku, is it? Let him in!"

The Great Elder set down the scroll in his hand, placed it into the box before him, and straightened his posture, his aura becoming dignified.

"Fugaku pays his respects to the Great Elder!"

At this time, Fugaku was still very young, in his early twenties, with a pair of eyes that shone with spirit—a far cry from the exhausted, last-generation clan head he would become over a decade later under the dual pressures of the clan and the village.

"Fugaku, you're here. No need for such formality!" Uchiha Haruki revealed a gentle smile, sighing inwardly. Regardless of his inner thoughts, the current Fugaku was in his prime, at the best stage for a ninja, and his steady demeanor made him the most suitable person to serve as clan head.

Looking him up and down, the Great Elder said, "Fugaku, I assume Eikawa has already spoken with you. In this war, you will be shouldering even greater responsibilities!"

"Yes, Great Elder. My father-in-law has already informed me!"

Uchiha Eikawa is the current head of the Uchiha clan and also the father of Uchiha Mikoto.

"Your talent and ability are plain for all to see. Among this generation of Uchiha, there is no one more outstanding than you. It is the consensus of us old fellows that you should take on greater responsibilities. Therefore, in this war, you must perform well and achieve results that will convince everyone!"

"Rest assured, Great Elder, I will not let down the high expectations of you all!"

"Hmm. Also, there is one more thing I must tell you in advance."

"Please, my Lord, give your orders!"

"Suifeng will be your guard, accompanying you to the battlefield!"

"Suifeng?!"

Uchiha Fugaku didn't react at first, stunned for a moment. "He is going to the battlefield too?!"

"He is already a Chunin; naturally, he must go to the battlefield."

"I mean, his age, surely...!"

"His strength is evident to all; he needs to be tempered on the battlefield."

Uchiha Haruki sighed softly and said, "Letting him follow you serves two purposes. First, it allows you to get to know each other better. There are some things you should guide him on; after all, he is still a child and is not very clear about the affairs of the clan and the village. Second, he has already been targeted by that man, Danzo. Being by your side is safer than anywhere else!"

"Danzo again?!" A sharp light flashed in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes. As the future clan head, the Uchiha clan had already opened all its secrets to him, including the nearly irreconcilable contradictions between the clan and Konoha, as well as the several ninjutsu Suifeng had recently developed.

As a Jonin, he had heard rumors about the friction between the clan and Konoha and vaguely knew a few things, but regarding Suifeng, he had previously only known him as a child called a genius who graduated from the Ninja Academy early and defeated Kakashi, the son of the White Fang. He hadn't paid much attention to him.

A genius! Who hasn't known a few geniuses, and who hasn't been called a genius themselves?

He, too, was called a genius when he was young, and he had remained a genius ever since.

But after seeing the two ninjutsu Suifeng developed that had already been designated as secret clan techniques, his understanding of the word "genius" had completely changed.

Compared to such a genius, what was his own title of genius but a joke?

He had originally planned to find an opportunity to meet Suifeng and win him over, but who would have thought the Great Elder would send him directly to his side.

"Suifeng's talent for developing ninjutsu is unparalleled. Last time he encountered Mist Ninja, he developed a new reconnaissance ninjutsu specifically to counter the Silent Killing Technique of Kirigakure!" The Great Elder took the scroll from the box and handed it to Fugaku. "Your mission this time is to guard the coastline of the Land of Fire and prevent Kirigakure from infiltrating while we are at war with Sunagakure. Having Suifeng by your side should be helpful."

"I understand!" Opening the scroll and glancing over it, Fugaku took a deep breath and bowed. "Thank you for your care, Great Elder!"

"Are you really going to the battlefield?!"

Konoha, Red Bean Dumpling Shop.

Rin handed the red bean dumpling in her hand to Suifeng, asking with a worried expression, "You only just graduated not long ago, why do they need you to go to the battlefield!"

"I'm already a Chunin!" Suifeng straightened his back. "No one will treat me like a child anymore."

"But the battlefield is very dangerous!"

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself!"

After finishing their dumplings, the two left the shop and strolled hand in hand through the streets of Konoha.

"Rin, listen to me, you must practice Medical Ninjutsu diligently. If you master it, even if you are sent to the battlefield, you'll be the one being protected. By then, I'll apply to be a guard for the medical unit, and your safety won't be an issue at all!"

"But, but...!" Rin's face flushed red.

"Don't hesitate, just focus on learning Medical Ninjutsu. The battlefield is no place for girls like you!" Suifeng smiled and patted Rin on the head.

A head-pat kill!!

A dimensional strike!

Target of the strike: twenty meters away, empty street corner, girl-stalking maniac, Obito Uchiha.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Suifeng, you bastard!"

In the deserted street corner, Obito poked his head out, watching Rin, whose face was flushed, eyes filled with smiles, and radiating happiness. He felt like he was falling apart. "It's not like this, it definitely can't be like this! Rin couldn't possibly like this hypocritical guy, it's impossible!"

His heart hammered like a drum, his mind in total chaos. He scrambled for countless explanations for the scene before him, but not a single one could convince himself.

"Are you Obito Uchiha?!"

Just then, two figures appeared abruptly in front of him.

"Who are you? Anbu?!"

Obito was still reeling from the dimensional strike of Suifeng's head-pat, his mind hazy and confused.

"Lord Danzo wants to see you. Come with us!"

"Who are you people?!" It wasn't until the men grabbed his shoulders that he finally snapped back to reality. He tensed his shoulders, trying to break free, but the hand resting on him felt like it was cast from iron; no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't shake it off.