Uchiha Chirori

"Ah, I'm finally leaving the village!"

On the road through the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Uchiha Tenshu smiled as he smoothed his jet-black hair and adjusted the backpack on his back. It was packed with Sealing Scrolls, each one storing a large amount of supplies. He also had a short blade at his waist and ninja tool pouches strapped to his thighs. He was fully equipped.

Three days had passed since Elder Raimon had made his arrangements. During that time, Uchiha Tenshu had carried on as usual, training hard every day and simply preparing the supplies he'd need while away. Ash, whom Elder Raimon had assigned to him, had also offered plenty of advice.

He'd also organized the stories he'd written in advance, getting them ready to give to Yukino.

In his previous life, Uchiha Tenshu had been an avid reader. He'd read all kinds of novels, fables, stories, and fairy tales. That might not have been anything special in his old world, but in the Ninja World, he was practically a master storyteller!

Even after telling Yukino a story every day for two years, he still hadn't repeated a single one.

The stories Uchiha Tenshu had prepared would last three months if she read just one a day.

"Still, I hope this mission goes smoothly. It's a shame it won't be easy to finish quickly, even though it's not a difficult mission. At least I have a goal now!"

Uchiha Tenshu murmured to himself.

Then he set off.

Just then, a girl running at full speed crashed straight into him.

Uchiha Tenshu instinctively started to dodge, but stopped himself at the last moment. After all, he was only a Genin. He didn't want to draw too much attention in Konoha.

The girl's head hit Uchiha Tenshu's shoulder. Thanks to his intensive Taijutsu training, backed by plenty of medicine and nourishment, he'd grown nearly a head taller than other kids his age.

"Ow! I'm sorry!" the girl hurriedly apologized and looked up at him, her eyes filled with a hint of panic and urgency.

"It's fine!" Uchiha Tenshu waved her off and was about to leave when he suddenly noticed something.

He looked at her closely, trying to place her.

Those large eyes, pale purple hair, and pretty face stirred a vague sense of familiarity in him.

"What's your name?" Uchiha Tenshu asked.

"My name is Chirori. Uchiha Chirori."

Under Uchiha Tenshu's intent gaze, Uchiha Chirori answered with a slightly embarrassed expression.

"What? Your name is Chirori? Uchiha Chirori?"

Uchiha Tenshu froze. The girl standing before him was none other than Uchiha Chirori, who would one day awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan and put an end to the Uchiha Clan's civil war.

She had remarkable talent. To counter Izanagi, the Uchiha Clan's ultimate Genjutsu, she had developed Izanami all by herself. She was a once-in-centuries genius of the Uchiha Clan.

"Strange. Why haven't I seen her at the clan's elite ninja training?" Uchiha Tenshu wondered.

"Yeah! Big brother, do you know Chirori?"

Uchiha Chirori asked timidly.

"Mm! You..."

Before Uchiha Tenshu could ask anything else, several Uchiha boys of about seven or eight came running over, interrupting him.

"Grab her! Don't let her get away!"

Uchiha Naka shouted. The three boys beside her glared viciously at Uchiha Chirori.

"Strange. They're all members of the Uchiha Clan. Why are they treating Uchiha Chirori like this?"

Uchiha Tenshu froze, quickly trying to make sense of the situation. The sudden turn of events left him confused.

But remembering how important Chirori would be in the future, Uchiha Tenshu quickly came to his senses. He stepped in front of her and glared coldly at Uchiha Naka and the others. "Hey, you lot! Why are you chasing Chirori? Explain yourselves!"

"Don't give me that nonsense! How dare you take the side of a branch-family Uchiha? This wretched girl dared to steal my ninjutsu. I'm going to teach her a lesson!"

Uchiha Naka said fiercely, chin raised, though Uchiha Tenshu's height still made her nervous.

Height indicated age.

Age indicated how long someone had trained.

And the length of one's training naturally indicated how strong they were.

Uchiha Tenshu was nearly a head taller than Uchiha Naka, meaning he'd trained for at least two years longer.

Uchiha Naka remembered that she was in the right. Even if they took the matter to the elders, she wouldn't be at fault. Bracing herself, she said, "What, since when is it okay to openly steal someone else's ninjutsu in the Ninja World? It doesn't matter if you're from the same clan!"

Ninjutsu in the Ninja World was like secret martial arts manuals and legendary weapons in his previous life. Anyone who coveted them was bound to incur a grudge that could only end in death. There were plenty of deadly feuds in the Ninja World over things like this. Even within the Uchiha Clan, stealing another member's ninjutsu without their permission would earn a harsh reprimand.

Hearing Uchiha Naka's accusation, Uchiha Chirori hurriedly protested. She looked at Uchiha Tenshu beside her and clutched his arm, her eyes full of hurt. "I didn't steal it! I developed the ninjutsu myself! I'd learned all the techniques I could, and I wanted to learn a new, powerful one. But no one would teach me, so I developed one on my own! Then she saw it and accused me of stealing her technique!"

"You're lying! You didn't even get into the elite ninja training, and you expect us to believe you developed the Dragon Fire Technique? My dad taught me my ninjutsu himself! And no one in your family has ever learned the Dragon Fire Technique." Uchiha Naka folded her arms and spoke dismissively.

At Uchiha Naka's words, the boys behind her chimed in.

"Exactly!"

"What a liar!"

"..."

Uchiha Tenshu had already made up his mind. He knew Chirori had a talent for developing ninjutsu. In the future, she would even create the super S-rank Genjutsu Izanami, a technique that even the Mangekyō Sharingan couldn't counter. That showed just how extraordinary Uchiha Chirori's talent for developing ninjutsu was.

So Uchiha Tenshu sneered. "Talk is cheap. Why don't we have Chirori perform the Dragon Fire Technique here and now, and then you can perform yours? I'll judge the two techniques. If Chirori really did steal yours, I won't protect her."

Uchiha Naka snorted. "Hmph. If she can perform it, I'll believe her."

Uchiha Chirori took a deep breath and swiftly formed Hand Seals. "Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!" A blazing dragon-shaped flame burst from her mouth, its power astounding. It shot straight into the sky like a line of fire more than twenty meters long.

Uchiha Naka and her lackeys were stunned. They couldn't believe their eyes. Chirori really could use the technique, and hers was even more powerful than Uchiha Naka's.

"Well? That's enough to prove Chirori developed the technique herself, isn't it? Why don't you perform your Dragon Fire Technique too, so I can judge it?" Uchiha Tenshu said, looking at Uchiha Naka.

Uchiha Naka's face turned pale, then red. She stubbornly argued, "So what if she developed it herself? She's from a branch family. She must have seen me forming the Hand Seals."

Uchiha Tenshu laughed angrily. "In the Ninja World, strength is everything. If you're not convinced, challenge me and see who's truly worthy of wielding great power. This ends here. If you dare bother little Chirori again, I'll have to give you a lesson myself."

Overawed by Uchiha Tenshu's presence, Uchiha Naka didn't dare say another word. She slunk off with her lackeys.