Uchiha-style Swordsmanship, Uchiha Setsuna

Uchiha Fugaku walked over to the coffee table and sat down, then waved Uchiha Jun over. "Sit. This is my son, Itachi."

Itachi Uchiha stood up and gave Uchiha Jun a solemn bow. "Hello, I'm Itachi Uchiha."

His voice was childish, but his tone did not sound like that of a four-year-old.

Uchiha Jun suppressed the stir in his heart and merely gave a gentle smile. "Hello, I'm Uchiha Jun, one of your father's students."

Itachi Uchiha nodded, then knelt back down. He was quiet as a porcelain doll.

But Uchiha Jun noticed that those clear eyes had been watching him the entire time. It was not the curious scrutiny of a child, but something closer to appraisal.

To have that kind of gaze at four years old—was it any wonder he was Itachi Uchiha?

Uchiha Fugaku did not notice the subtle atmosphere between them. He poured Uchiha Jun a cup of tea before speaking. "I've already learned the details of this mission from the messenger."

"To come away unscathed after facing an Iwa-nin Elite Jonin is very well done!"

"It was all thanks to Senior Yamazaki and Lord Orochimaru," Uchiha Jun said modestly.

"No need to belittle yourself."

Uchiha Fugaku shook his head, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Orochimaru has never been generous with praise. Since he was willing to attend the mission for you, it means he acknowledges your strength."

At that, Uchiha Fugaku paused, then stood up.

"Come on. I promised that I'd teach you Uchiha-style Swordsmanship once you returned from your mission. I happen to be free today, so let's go to the training ground."

Delighted, Uchiha Jun immediately got up and followed him.

Itachi Uchiha also climbed to his feet and tugged on Uchiha Fugaku's sleeve. "Father, can I come watch?"

Uchiha Fugaku looked down at his son. Thinking of the battlefield on the front lines, he hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "Come along, then."

Uchiha Clan Grounds, training ground.

This was a place specially used by Uchiha Clan members to practice taijutsu and swordsmanship. Fine sand covered the ground, while training posts and straw dummies stood around the perimeter.

The training ground was empty at the moment. Afternoon sunlight slanted across the sand, stirring up a faint haze of heat.

Uchiha Fugaku took two wooden swords from the weapon rack beside the training ground. He kept one for himself and tossed the other to Uchiha Jun.

Uchiha Jun tested it in his hand. The wooden sword weighed about the same as a real blade, and the grip had been worn smooth from frequent use.

"The greatest difference between Uchiha-style Swordsmanship and conventional swordsmanship lies in its coordination with the Sharingan."

Uchiha Fugaku stood in the center of the training ground with his sword in hand, his expression stern. "But since you have yet to awaken the Sharingan, I'll first teach you the basic sword forms. Once you awaken it in the future, you can integrate the two."

Uchiha Jun did not explain himself. He simply nodded.

"Watch carefully."

Uchiha Fugaku gripped his wooden sword, and his body suddenly moved.

The first strike: Horizontal Slash.

The blade drew a sharp arc through the air. It was not especially fast, but its trajectory was tricky, aimed specifically at an opponent's throat and chest.

The second strike: Reverse Kasaya.

A diagonal upward slash, specially used against an enemy's thrusts and surprise attacks.

The third strike: Continuous Dance.

The wooden sword slashed three times through the air in rapid succession, swift as lightning, leaving the blade nearly invisible.

After the three forms, Uchiha Fugaku sheathed his sword and stood still.

"These are the three basic forms of Uchiha-style Swordsmanship: Horizontal Slash, Reverse Kasaya, and Continuous Dance. Combine the three, and you have the core of Uchiha-style Swordsmanship—Instant Slash."

"Try it first."

Uchiha Jun held the wooden sword and closed his eyes in thought for a moment.

...Fuck, I can't do it.

Switch to [Second Pillar].

A few breaths later, Uchiha Jun opened his eyes.

The wooden sword left its sheath.

Horizontal Slash.

The blade cut through the air with a soft hum.

Its speed, angle, and force were almost exactly identical to the strike Uchiha Fugaku had just demonstrated!

Uchiha Fugaku's brow rose slightly.

Reverse Kasaya.

The wooden sword swept upward from below, kicking up a spray of fine sand. Its tip grazed a training post, leaving behind a neat mark.

Continuous Dance.

Three consecutive slashes!

Three sharp bursts of air rang out across the sandy ground, and three marks of equal depth appeared on the training post at once!

Uchiha Fugaku's pupils contracted sharply.

He watched Uchiha Jun sheath his sword. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "You... are really learning this for the first time?"

Uchiha Jun scratched his head, putting on a perfectly timed embarrassed smile. "It's thanks to how well Clan Head demonstrated it just now. I could only barely copy the motions."

Uchiha Fugaku gave him a long look.

This young man had surprised him from their first meeting. Every meeting since then had refreshed his understanding of the word "genius."

He had replicated Phoenix Sage Fire after seeing it only once.

He had also mastered the basics of Uchiha-style Swordsmanship after seeing them just once.

This kind of talent could no longer be described merely as "genius."

Uchiha Shisui's talent was already extraordinary, but the learning ability Uchiha Jun displayed was likely even more astonishing than Shisui's!

What a pity that, as an Uchiha, he lacked the Uchiha Clan's signature Sharingan.

He did not even have One Tomoe!

What a terrible waste.

Meanwhile, Itachi Uchiha, who had been quietly watching from the side, raised his head. His clear eyes lingered on Uchiha Jun for a second before withdrawing again.

No one noticed that when he lowered his eyelids, the corner of his mouth tightened slightly.

"Very good." Uchiha Fugaku suppressed the shock in his heart and nodded at Uchiha Jun. "You have already mastered the three basic forms. All that remains is to practice and use them more, until the forms become instinct."

He returned the wooden sword to the weapon rack, then took out a key from his sleeve and walked over to hand it to Uchiha Jun.

"This was your first mission, yet you completed an A-Rank Mission and even faced an Iwa-nin Elite Jonin head-on. You brought honor to the Uchiha Clan, so the clan has decided to assign you a residence within the Uchiha Clan Grounds."

Uchiha Jun took the key, stunned for a moment.

A residence in the clan grounds?

No more roleplaying wilderness survival.

"Thank you, Clan Head."

Uchiha Jun accepted the key and said earnestly, "I will offer my loyalty to the Uchiha Clan and to Konoha."

[ Ding! Uchiha Fugaku Favorability +5. Current Favorability: 75 (Trust) ]

[ Ding! Obtained 10 random A-Rank Ninja Fragments ]

[ Ding! Obtained reward: Uchiha Clan Grounds residence ×1 ]

Uchiha Jun's heart stirred as he put the key into his ninja tool pouch.

Uchiha Fugaku waved his hand. "Go back and rest."

Uchiha Jun gave a bow, then turned and left the training ground.

As he walked out through the training ground gates, he felt a gaze land on his back.

When he looked back, he saw Itachi Uchiha.

The four-year-old stood at the edge of the training ground, watching him with an indescribable look in his eyes.

Uchiha Jun smiled and waved at him, then left without looking back.

By the time he left the Uchiha Clan Grounds, it was nearly dark.

Humming a little tune, Uchiha Jun walked briskly. He planned to check out his new residence first, then find somewhere to have a good meal.

However, the moment he turned a street corner, someone blocked his path.

The person blocking him was a young man in Uchiha Clan attire, around twenty years old, with a hard and cold face. His forehead protector bore the mark of a Chunin.

"Uchiha Setsuna wants to see you."

The young man got straight to the point, his cold tone making it sound more like an order.

Uchiha Jun stopped and swept his gaze over the young man.

Uchiha Setsuna?

He had heard that name several times within the clan.

He was a core member of the Uchiha Hardliners, once one of Madara Uchiha's trusted men, and one of the few elders in the clan who had lived through more than half a century.

A warmonger and hardliner, his distrust of Konoha's upper ranks had seeped into his bones.

What good could come from that old bastard sending someone to find him?

It was nothing more than recruitment or a test.

But he had just accepted Uchiha Fugaku's house, only to turn around and go meet Uchiha Setsuna.

That would make him seem a bit like an ungrateful traitor.

Besides, contact with Uchiha Setsuna would not help his prospects with Orochimaru.

He had finally managed to get half a foot into the circle. He could not let that old bastard ruin it!

He did not want to split his forces and deal with the Four-Tails and Five-Tails jinchuriki.

"I'm not meeting him."

Uchiha Jun walked around the young man and continued forward.

The expression on the young man's face froze for an instant, then his eyes turned cold. "When Uchiha Setsuna summons you, you do not have the right to refuse."

He stretched out a hand to block Uchiha Jun's path, while his other hand gripped a kunai. The threat was unmistakable.