By the lake, nestled between the mountains.
On the bridge over the lake.
Ruohuo remembered that when Fugaku taught Itachi the Great Fireball, he'd done it beside a lake much like this one.
That way, they didn't have to worry about damaging the environment or starting a fire.
Still, Ruohuo couldn't shake the feeling he was getting the short end of the stick...
Of course, for the sake of learning ninjutsu, he supposed he could forgive it.
"Ruohuo, this technique requires a lot of chakra. If you can't learn it, don't push yourself."
"You have a lot of talent. Memorize the hand seals and the flow of chakra, and keep refining your chakra. Sooner or later, you'll be able to use it."
"Watch closely!"
After a few words of advice, Fugaku went through the hand seals in slow motion.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Jutsu!"
Whoosh—!
This was another signature Uchiha technique!
It was an A-rank jutsu, both in difficulty and minimum power.
It could unleash four dragon-shaped fireballs from different directions, leaving an enemy nowhere to dodge and forcing them to take the attack head-on.
[Technique Type: A-rank Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Jutsu.]
[Learning Requirements: 3]
[A-rank Fire Nature Transformation Saturation: √]
[A-rank Chakra Control: ×]
[B-rank Chakra Reserves: ×]
["Light of Fire Style" activated. Requirements for learning/using Fire Style ninjutsu reduced by 50%.]
[Successfully learned ninjutsu: Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Jutsu.]
Thanks to Light of Fire Style, Ruohuo had learned another new Fire Style technique.
So my chakra reserves are only C-rank right now.
Ruohuo understood that clearly.
He and Obito had both tested their chakra with Chakra Paper. They'd both started with pure Fire Release chakra.
With his One-Tomoe Sharingan, his chakra control was naturally decent, but evidently, it still wasn't enough.
As for his chakra reserves, his age was definitely a major weakness.
I'll just wait for my Sharingan to level up.
Tailed Beasts, Cursed Seals, Hashirama Cells. If all else fails, I can learn the Yin Seal or try to steal Samehada from the Hidden Mist.
Ruohuo quickly jotted it all down in his little notebook.
Every step he took now might be a small step for himself, but in the future, it would become a giant leap for the Uchiha.
What could he say? He was just such a responsible clan leader.
"I think I've learned it, Clan Head."
Ruohuo deliberately paused, waiting for Fugaku to let his guard down before delivering the blow.
Swish, swish, swish—
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Jutsu!"
Whoosh—!
Four flaming dragon heads erupted!
They were just a little smaller and less powerful than Fugaku's demonstration.
The technique was difficult because it required chakra control, but it also consumed a lot of chakra.
Still, he'd used it. That meant he'd learned it.
No matter how you looked at it, Ruohuo had mastered the technique!
In truth, if he hadn't wanted to conserve chakra, he could've gone all in and used it at even greater power, thanks to his Fire Style Little Genius title.
But why bother?
He'd come here to score some free lessons. If he used up all his tricks on one flashy move, how was he supposed to get more out of Fugaku?
"Clan Head..."
After admiring Fugaku's expression for two seconds, Ruohuo furrowed his brow.
"Teacher Oki said I could graduate early."
"So, Clan Head, could you teach me some proper ninjutsu?"
"???" Fugaku's eye twitched.
This was a genuine A-rank Fire Style technique. How was it not proper!?
Kid, just because you're incredibly talented doesn't mean you can go around slandering people!
"Um... Ruohuo, what's wrong with this technique?" Fugaku asked, his expression strange.
He felt he could understand that Ninja Academy teacher named Oki now.
"It's a little flashy and impractical," Ruohuo said with a shake of his head.
"If the point is to use four fireballs to block an enemy's escape routes, why not use a wide-area Fire Style technique instead? It'd be much easier to control."
"Haha." Fugaku relaxed.
"Ruohuo, you're not wrong."
"But a Fire Style technique with a wider range takes more chakra."
"Fine... I'll show you what I mean. You should understand once you see it. Watch closely!"
Fugaku formed hand seals again. He still did them in slow motion, but this time there were clearly more of them.
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
Whoosh—!
High-temperature flames poured from Fugaku's mouth, sweeping over the lake like a wave of fire!
The system immediately displayed a prompt.
[Technique Type: B-rank Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame.]
[Learning Requirements: 3]
[B-rank Fire Nature Transformation Saturation: √]
[B-rank Chakra Control: √]
[B-rank Chakra Reserves: ×]
["Light of Fire Style" activated. Requirements for learning/using Fire Style ninjutsu reduced by 50%.]
[Successfully learned ninjutsu: Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame.]
[Please note: "Light of Fire Style" is about to meet its upgrade requirements. Current requirement: 1 B-rank Fire Style technique.]
Just one more? Ruohuo's eyes lit up.
Just as he was wondering how to convince Fugaku to demonstrate another technique, Fugaku, his trusty tool, took the initiative and offered him another lesson.
"See? This is the effect you wanted. It doesn't require precise control, but it consumes more than twice the chakra of Dragon Flame Song Jutsu."
"There's no right or wrong in ninjutsu. It's all about when you use it. The difference between these two techniques comes down to how many enemies you're facing."
Fugaku paused to catch his breath. Even for him, using two B-rank Fire Style techniques in a row took a lot out of him.
But so what?
He was the father figure in the children's hearts, and the clan head of the Uchiha Clan!
"Besides the technique I just showed you, there's another Fire Style technique that fits your idea."
"Watch closely..."
Fugaku took a deep breath.
Today, no matter what, he had to establish himself as an excellent clan head in the children's eyes!
He should at least know a few "proper" techniques, right?
"Fire Style: Majestic Demolisher Flame!"
Just one character's difference in the name, but they were two completely different techniques!
Majestic Destroyer Flame was a wide-area Fire Style technique that unleashed a broad wave of flames from the mouth.
In Uchiha Madara's hands, it became a raging sea of fire!
Majestic Demolisher Flame, on the other hand, was more like an ultra-pro version of the Great Fireball, launched across a flat plane.
In Uchiha Madara's hands, paired with Susanoo's height, he could unleash it from above, making the jutsu look like a meteor descending from the sky!
"How was that?" Fugaku took a moment to recover.
Looking at Ruohuo's stunned face, he suddenly felt pretty good about himself.
What, too shocked to speak, little genius?
He really was.
Ruohuo watched the system's prompts appear one after another and found himself genuinely torn.
[Successfully learned ninjutsu: Fire Style: Majestic Demolisher Flame.]
[Current B-rank Fire Style ninjutsu mastered: 3. Your "Star of Fire Style" can be upgraded. Choose an upgrade path.]
[Path One: Amaterasu Flame. Your Fire Style ninjutsu consumption increases to 1000%, but is converted into Amaterasu Flame.]
[Amaterasu Flame: The ultimate form of Fire Style. It burns at an extremely high temperature and never goes out until its target has been completely incinerated.]
[Path Two: Child of Flame. The cost of learning/using ninjutsu is reduced to 30%. You can learn all nature transformations, but all the ninjutsu you learn will be replaced by flames.]
[Path Three: Decline to choose.]
[Please note: Your choice cannot be changed once made. If you do not choose within 24 hours, Path Three will be selected by default.]
The question was...
Should all his Fire Style techniques turn into Amaterasu?
Or should all his ninjutsu turn into Fire Style?
Before you continue