Fugaku's Terrifying Future

Fugaku could never forget how his entire body had been drenched in cold sweat, as if someone had dumped a bucket of water over him.

After resting for a day, he felt a little better. He immediately invited Shimizu over, intending to pressure him into speeding up his research into medical techniques.

"You've been training in Fire Release lately? Are you trying to develop a technique?"

Fugaku asked.

He had sent someone to keep an eye on Shimizu today and discovered that he'd been practicing all sorts of random techniques.

"Yes, just a little parlor trick. E-rank."

"Why not devote all your time to Medical Ninjutsu?"

"I've been practicing Medical Ninjutsu, too. I've put a lot of time into it."

Shimizu smiled faintly, but Fugaku couldn't see even a trace of amusement in his eyes.

"Are you going to waste your talent like this?"

A hint of authority crept into Fugaku's voice, his tone full of frustration at Shimizu's lack of ambition.

To have such talent and still act this way was practically showing no regard for the Uchiha Clan.

"Lord Fugaku, I practice Medical Ninjutsu because I want to. I practice Fire Release because I want to. I know how to divide my time between the two."

Shimizu met Fugaku's gaze with his dark eyes and sneered inwardly.

He'd been training in Fire Release at home, and Fugaku had still found out. It was obvious he'd sent someone to watch him.

Shimizu wasn't foolish enough to let anyone know he was developing a particularly powerful technique. Every time he trained, he controlled his chakra to slow down his Body Flicker Technique.

Anyone watching would think it was a D- or C-rank technique.

"As for my training in Medical Ninjutsu, I won't let my progress fall behind. Please rest assured, Lord Fugaku. Medical research never yields results overnight. Spending ten or even eight years on it would be perfectly normal."

Shimizu felt that Fugaku was getting impatient. Was it because, as clan head, he'd keenly sensed the undercurrents swirling through the village? Or did he want to keep the light in his eyes forever?

Whatever the reason, Shimizu didn't care. He wasn't interested.

He'd humored Fugaku before because he really did need to spend a lot of time learning Medical Ninjutsu.

Now, after several all-nighters, he'd successfully developed Fire Body Flicker.

The strengthened chakra network had also made it much easier for Shimizu to develop techniques.

He no longer had to worry so much about his fragile chakra network, so he could take some bold approaches.

For a regular ninjutsu technique, it was like having to navigate a winding mountain road with countless twists and turns before it could be performed. To develop it, you had to carefully figure out every bend without making a single mistake.

Shimizu, however, could take the expressway: a wider road and a faster ride.

If anyone else tried that, the chakra would inevitably backlash against them and damage their chakra network. In serious cases, they could lose the ability to be a ninja.

With Fire Body Flicker and Rasengan, and with his chakra reserves having increased lately, Shimizu's strength had improved dramatically. He now had the confidence to speak his mind.

He could just agree to Fugaku's orders in public and ignore them in private.

"Shimizu, you..."

There was nothing wrong with what Shimizu had said. Medical research did take time. But from the look of him, it was obvious he intended to keep wasting time practicing other techniques.

"I'll assign a few clan members to you. In your spare time, teach them Medical Ninjutsu. I want to see you make progress."

In the end, Fugaku decided to give Shimizu a few students to train. It would also give him a way to keep an eye on Shimizu while he was away.

The border had been unsettled lately, and before long, Fugaku would be assigned to guard it for a time. He planned to use that opportunity to take stock of some of the Uchiha's assets and prepare for the future.

Fugaku didn't know when that horrifying future would arrive, but he hoped they could speed up their research into cloning technology.

At this, Shimizu's lips curled into an unwavering smile. Instead of answering Fugaku's question, he asked, "Lord Fugaku, I'd like to ask you something. If one day an Uchiha clan member slaughtered the entire clan, would you seek revenge for your people?"

"Of course. We're all Uchiha."

Fugaku found the question strange, but answered without hesitation.

"Oh, is that so? I hope you mean it."

Shimizu's gaze had turned cold. He wanted Shimizu to teach people?

How was that anything but a waste of time? Even with Nohara Rin, Shimizu spent most of the time handing her materials to read on her own, only checking in once in a while.

And now Uchiha Fugaku wanted him to teach people every day. It was obvious he meant to keep tabs on him.

"Lord Hokage assigned me a mission. I have to carry it out tomorrow, so I'm going to get some rest tonight."

With that, Shimizu stood up.

"Shimizu!"

Fugaku was deeply displeased by his attitude.

For a moment, Fugaku wanted to go over and teach Shimizu a lesson.

Then he shook the thought away.

They were clan members. There was no need to get physical.

Shimizu kept his chakra gathered at all times, and Fugaku's reaction was exactly what he'd expected.

Fugaku had always been this weak. When Itachi had a conflict with the clan members, Fugaku had even begged them.

They'd been taking advantage of his patience for too long. Shimizu didn't feel like putting up with it anymore.

From the corner of his eye, he took one last, lingering look at Mikoto in the kitchen, then walked out through the entryway.

Perhaps it was time for the Uchiha Clan to have a new leader.

Things had been unsettled lately, and as clan head, Fugaku was likely to be assigned to guard the border for a time.

Once Fugaku left, Shimizu would have his best opportunity.

"What's wrong?"

Mikoto came out of the kitchen. Fugaku's sudden shout had startled her.

Fugaku didn't respond to Mikoto. He kept staring in the direction Shimizu had left, trying to see right through him.

What was Shimizu really thinking?

Was that attitude he showed on the outside just an act?

Fugaku suddenly realized that perhaps he didn't understand his own clan members well enough. He'd been judging them by appearances.

The next day.

Shimizu stood in the courtyard, flames seeming to spread over his feet.

Boom!

His figure shot from where he stood to a spot five meters away in an instant, leaving behind a long trail of flame that gradually faded from the air.

"It's almost twice as fast as ordinary Body Flicker, but it only uses a fifth as much chakra. Let's try using it consecutively."

In the courtyard, trails of flame crisscrossed in every direction, making the eye dizzy as they formed a blooming lotus.

"Not bad. The flames can hide my figure perfectly."

Shimizu was very pleased with the result.

He'd originally planned to use a different approach, but changed his mind after his chakra network was strengthened.

He had Fire Release chakra wrap around his feet, then generated thrust from the soles to propel himself forward at explosive speed.

This was only a basic application.

Once he understood Fire Release more deeply, perhaps he could try using that thrust to fly.

Just like Ōnoki's Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique, he'd be able to fly freely.

It would be an extremely useful ability for fighting, traveling, or escaping.

"Next, I'll work on body conditioning."

Shimizu didn't know much about how Lightning Release chakra flowed through the chakra network.

But he could simply envelop his whole body in pure Lightning Release chakra, activating the skin cells and improving his defense.