Kushina Uzumaki

"Hmph, Fugaku. In my opinion, you should let him train at Konoha Hospital for a few years, then send him back to the Konoha Military Police Force."

Elder Setsuna's cloudy eyes narrowed to slits.

It was impossible to tell whether they were open or closed.

"Elder Setsuna, I know what I'm doing."

Uchiha Fugaku glanced at the old man beside him, then continued watching the fight below.

Shimizu darted around the arena, making it difficult for Uchiha Taro to find his footing. Taro didn't dare attack blindly and leave himself open.

"Found you."

Though Uchiha Taro sensed a gust of wind coming from the side, he threw three Kunai and pushed off hard with both feet, hoping to launch a jutsu at Shimizu in midair.

"Fire Release: Great Fire—"

Uchiha Taro formed Hand Seals rapidly. Chakra surged up to his throat, and he was about to spit out the blazing fire when a faster voice rang out from below.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Boom!

It was Shimizu's voice. He spat out a fireball, forming the Hand Seals far faster than Uchiha Taro.

Uchiha Taro hadn't expected the fireball to appear so suddenly.

Shimizu had been dodging the whole time, and he had only just graduated. Uchiha Taro had never even considered that Shimizu might know the jutsu.

In a panic, he released the Fire Release jutsu he'd only halfway formed. The two enormous fireballs collided.

The powerful shock wave threw Uchiha Taro off balance, and he crashed heavily to the ground.

At the same time, a Kunai flew between his strands of hair and embedded itself in the earth.

"You lose."

Shimizu's voice was calm.

If he'd thrown the Kunai just a little farther off target, it could have taken Uchiha Taro's life.

Uchiha Taro knew Shimizu had held back. His expression darkened, but he managed to force a smile.

"I've been slacking in my training."

Uchiha Taro brushed himself off and stood up.

As a Chunin, losing to Shimizu, a Genin, was certainly embarrassing.

But his ninja way was to persevere.

If he couldn't win this time, he'd just challenge Shimizu again another time.

What he didn't know was that Shimizu's strength kept rising at an incredible pace.

Shimizu had already held back deliberately. If he'd been serious, he would have beaten Uchiha Taro in their very first exchange.

"Uchiha Shimizu wins!"

The referee was a middle-aged Uchiha who was completely bald.

"Uchiha Shimizu is that strong in a fight?"

"I remember he's only nine or ten. He can already use Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique?"

The watching clan members erupted in excitement.

A Chunin losing to a Genin was such a dramatic turn of events that it immediately sparked a flurry of discussion.

"Shimizu, when did you learn the Great Fireball Technique?"

Uchiha Tekka, watching from a distance, let out a wail. He'd been hoping to challenge Shimizu and win some pocket money from him.

Now that Shimizu could use the Great Fireball Technique, going after him would be asking for humiliation.

"I can use it too, actually."

Uchiha Inabi patted Tekka on the shoulder.

He was a few years older than Shimizu and Tekka, giving him a few extra years to learn jutsu.

"So that means I'm the only dead last now?"

"I'm afraid so."

"..."

Shimizu and Uchiha Taro left the arena and took their places among the spectators.

The referee began announcing the next pair of names. Uchiha Fugaku walked up behind Shimizu.

"Shimizu, you have a real talent for combat, but I hope you'll keep the greater good in mind."

Uchiha Fugaku spoke to Shimizu earnestly.

As the head of the Konoha Military Police Force, he had plenty of sources of information.

He'd learned that Shimizu had studied many advanced jutsu under Nonō and had shown extraordinary talent.

If Shimizu kept studying, then in time the Uchiha would gain a deeper understanding of their Kekkei Genkai, and the entire clan would grow stronger.

Fugaku didn't know much about Medical Ninjutsu, but he'd heard of a technique called cloning.

Unfortunately, it was highly unethical, and very few people knew how to use it.

If Shimizu could clone the clan members' Sharingan, then everyone could awaken their Kekkei Genkai, just like the Hyuga Clan, and the Uchiha would no longer be limited by the Sharingan.

"Yes, Lord Fugaku."

Shimizu smiled, looking perfectly earnest.

Uchiha Fugaku continued speaking with Shimizu for a few moments, then left.

Shimizu's smile gradually faded. There was no way he'd give up combat jutsu for Medical Ninjutsu.

He'd studied medicine to become stronger, and to avoid being sent to the front lines so he could spend more time improving his abilities.

"Once I become a Chunin, Fugaku will pressure me to study the Sharingan. Is he pushing me to learn Medical Ninjutsu so urgently because he wants to avoid going blind himself?"

Shimizu tapped his fingers against the railing in the spectator area and watched the Uchiha fighting below, lost in thought.

Everything had its pros and cons. By choosing Medical Ninjutsu, Shimizu had secured more time for himself.

But it had also shown Fugaku that Shimizu could be useful, giving him a way to pressure Shimizu in the name of the Uchiha's greater good.

Shimizu was still far weaker than Uchiha Fugaku. It wasn't time to turn the tables yet.

A person's chakra increased as they grew, only gradually declining after they passed the prime of their life.

As one became more proficient with a jutsu and gained a deeper understanding of it, its power also increased.

Shimizu knew many jutsu now, but he'd only learned the basics. He was still a long way from using them in a real fight to the death against seasoned veterans who'd seen countless battles.

Most importantly, Shimizu couldn't be sure whether Fugaku had the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Had Fugaku learned from the stone tablet that he would go blind, or had he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan himself and reached that conclusion after noticing his eyesight deteriorate?

Never mind.

Shimizu shook his head. He already had the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. He'd awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan sooner or later, so there was no need to rush.

That afternoon.

Outside the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Uchiha Mikoto held her best friend Kushina Uzumaki's hand as they picked out some pretty potted plants.

"Mikoto, why do you look so much healthier lately?"

Kushina looked at Mikoto in puzzlement. Her complexion had improved considerably from its usual pallor.

"It's Shimizu, Uchiha Shimizu. He helped me get my health back on track."

"Shimizu..."

A flicker of recognition passed through Kushina's eyes. She thought she'd seen a young boy treating someone at Konoha Hospital. She was pretty sure his name had been Shimizu.

"Oh, look, there he is."

Mikoto happened to glance to her left and spotted Shimizu walking alone down the street. She hurriedly waved at him.

"Shimizu, do you want anything? Your big sister will get it for you."

Shimizu followed the sound of her voice and saw Mikoto.

Beside Mikoto stood a red-haired woman with a hair clip at her temple.

The Uzumaki Clan crest was embroidered on the shoulders of her white jacket. She wore short, chainmail-like shorts that showed off her smooth thighs, paired with long boots that reached her calves. The whole look had a distinctive charm.