Father and Son Battle

Naraku was not familiar with Hiruko, and rushing over to strike up a conversation would likely prove counterproductive.

The Second Shinobi World War was nearing its end, and this was precisely the time when Hiruko would be lamenting his own weakness and preparing to develop the Chimera Technique.

Once I take control of the Police Force, I can arrest him before the Third Hokage catches wind of it. It will be much easier to discuss cooperation then.

After paying his bill, Naraku turned these thoughts over in his mind, suppressing the urge to approach Hiruko. He turned and walked away from Ichiraku Ramen.

That guy seems to be watching me.

After Naraku left, Hiruko looked in the direction he had gone.

My strength is far too meager. Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade are already known as the Sannin of Konoha; if I don't strive to catch up, I fear I will never be able to bridge the gap.

Having suffered repeated setbacks and several brushes with death during the war, Hiruko had come to realize his own weakness and mediocre talent.

The desire to enhance his strength had taken root. Since his potential was capped, the only way to improve was to break through his own shackles.

The Uchiha clan compound.

At Naraku's home.

Naraku's mother, Uchiha Mei, watched Sanzang and Naraku standing opposite each other in the courtyard.

"Mother, don't worry. Father and I are just sparring."

"Mei, go back inside. Our son is grown now; I'm going to test him."

Hearing their exchange, Uchiha Mei's eyes filled with even more concern, but she obeyed Uchiha Sanzang and retreated, no longer watching.

"Boy, let me see just how far you've grown."

Sanzang said calmly. As the nominal strongest ninja of the Uchiha, he couldn't help but shake his head inwardly at Naraku's audacity in challenging him.

This child thinks he's invincible just because he's earned the title of 'Copy Ninja.' Today, I'll teach him that there is always someone better.

The thought flashed through Uchiha Sanzang's mind.

"Father, you are no match for me," Naraku said calmly.

"Hahahaha! Boy, you are excellent—perhaps even stronger than I was at your age—but to me, you are still too young."

Hearing Naraku's arrogant words, Sanzang couldn't help but feel pleased; a son of his should be this bold.

"Then let's begin."

Naraku channeled chakra into his eyes, which instantly turned crimson as three tomoe began to rotate slowly within them.

"Sharingan!"

Sanzang did not hold back, activating his own three-tomoe Sharingan as well.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Naraku grabbed kunai and shuriken from his ninja pouch and launched them at Sanzang.

Uchiha Sanzang leaped high to dodge the shuriken while simultaneously firing kunai from mid-air.

The sound of kunai and shuriken slicing through the air echoed across the courtyard.

Naraku swayed his body left and right, letting the kunai graze past him with effortless grace.

After Sanzang landed from his mid-air volley, he stood up and looked at Naraku.

Naraku met his gaze without a hint of fear, the tomoe in Uchiha Sanzang's Sharingan spinning rapidly.

"Demonic Illusion: Sharingan," Uchiha Sanzang said softly.

Once an Uchiha's bloodline Sharingan reaches the three-tomoe stage, merely channeling chakra to activate the tomoe and locking eyes with an opponent is enough to pull them into an illusion, rendering them immobile.

Within the mental space, a pair of massive, scarlet Sharingan eyes hung in the sky. Naraku's body was pinned in place, pierced through his limbs and torso by several stakes, unable to move a muscle.

The Demonic Illusion: Sharingan could be transitioned at any moment into the specific genjutsu known as the Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique.

The Shackling Stakes Technique, also known as the "Binding Illusion," was a form of immobilization jutsu and a powerful manifestation of the Sharingan's prowess.

Because the Uchiha clan served as the Police Force and resided permanently within Konoha, there were almost no Uchiha jonin sent out on long-term missions.

Most ordinary ninjas in Konoha who didn't commit crimes rarely had any contact with Uchiha officers.

Consequently, the reputation of the Uchiha was still based on their status from thirty-eight years ago, when the village was founded. In those thirty-eight years, almost no ninja had actually crossed blades with an Uchiha.

"Son, you're still too green. Your training with the Sharingan has a long way to go."

Inside the illusion, Sanzang looked at the staked Naraku and spoke calmly.

"Oh? Is that so, Father?"

Naraku remained expressionless, asking the question softly.

Sanzang frowned slightly, feeling a flicker of suspicion at Naraku's composure.

At that moment, cracks appeared on the giant Sharingan hanging in the sky. One, then two—the cracks multiplied until the eye shattered, and the illusion crumbled along with it.

Caught off guard by this unexpected turn, Uchiha Sanzang felt a sharp pain in his eyes. He tried to reach up to press them, only to find he couldn't control his body—he was completely unable to move!

Only then did Uchiha Sanzang realize the gravity of the situation. The tide had turned; the roles were reversed, and it was now Sanzang who was pinned by the stakes.

Uchiha Sanzang could not move even a single finger. His shattered Sharingan eyes fused and reformed, yet these eyes did not belong to Sanzang; they were Naraku's Sharingan.

"Mirror, mirror of heaven and earth, the earth turns. Wh-when? And, why is your ocular power so... so formidable..."

Controlled by the genjutsu, Sanzang could not even utter a coherent sentence.

"As members of the Uchiha clan, clashes of genjutsu are naturally of the utmost importance. Father, you have held onto the Police Force for too long; your combat experience has become far too shallow."

Naraku's tone was indifferent. With a single gaze from his Sharingan, he directly activated Demonic Illusion: Sharingan, followed immediately by the Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique.

Having grown nearly accustomed to it, Sanzang had always been invincible when dealing with Konoha's low-to-mid-level ninja or the younger generation of the Uchiha.

Yet, at this moment, his Sharingan was pitted against the three-tomoe Sharingan of the young and vigorous Uchiha Naraku.

With just a little focus, Naraku turned Sanzang's own crude genjutsu back against him.

Naraku felt deeply disappointed by this battle; it wasn't even as stimulating as his fight with Fugaku.

"Father, you high-ranking Uchiha stand on the sidelines, critiquing at will, thinking yourselves to be the strong. Yet, you never imagined that once you entered the arena, you would be inferior to the small fighters within."

Uchiha Naraku shook his head and said faintly.

Uchiha Sanzang's face was deathly pale. Upon hearing Naraku's words, he frantically circulated his chakra in an attempt to break the genjutsu, but he was completely powerless to do so.

Naraku sighed, pressed his index and middle fingers together in front of his face, and gave a light shout:

"Release!"

He performed the Release seal. As it was applied to Sanzang's body, the chakra controlling him instantly dissipated.

Uchiha Sanzang regained his freedom and immediately gasped for air.

"Father, you have lost."

"How about we don't count this match and start over?"

The genjutsu had been lifted. After all, this was his father, and Naraku still felt the need to save him some face, so he whispered.

"A bet is a bet. Your father is not so shameless as to lack integrity in front of his own son."

Uchiha Sanzang's heavy breathing began to ease, his aura gradually stabilizing.

"Then, what about the control of the Police Force?" Naraku asked softly.

"You may serve as the captain, but have you considered Fugaku's feelings?"

"Wouldn't it be fine for Brother Fugaku to serve as the vice-captain?"

"Naraku, you are thinking too simply. The position of Uchiha Clan Head and the Captain of the Police Force have always been passed down within our family. In the past, your uncle Dazang controlled the Uchiha, and I controlled the Police Force. Now that the Uchiha is under your control, have you not thought about the reason why?"

"Father, you and Uncle reached a private agreement. Since I inherited the position of Clan Head that was originally Fugaku's, the captaincy you were going to pass to me is now to be granted to Fugaku?"

"Exactly. Back then, your uncle and I reached this agreement. To go back on it now would likely create a rift."