Forgery

Lihuo had thought of patting Lumiao on the head for two reasons. One was to distract her.

Once Lihuo made that gesture, no matter his reason, as long as Lumiao's attention shifted, he could use the opportunity to change the subject.

The other reason was that he was curious about the reward for patting Nara Lumiao on the head.

Lihuo wasn't curious about the Nara Clan's secret techniques. Like the Hatake Sword Technique, even if he learned one, he wouldn't be able to use it openly for a long time.

Lihuo had a clear cultivation goal. It was like playing a roguelike game: someone with golden modifiers all over their body wasn't necessarily strong, but a combination of complementary modifiers could let them dominate the game.

Lihuo understood that the Nara Clan's secret techniques relied on the subtle applications of Yin Release Chakra. And Yin Release Chakra, or mental energy, was also the main source of power behind the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan.

So Lihuo decided to take a gamble with Lumiao. As it turned out, he'd bet right.

"Still, Nara Lumiao really can't be underestimated." She was so young, yet the system rated her a C-rank ninja. "And that's without her having learned the Nara secret techniques."

On paper, she was at least on par with Kakashi as he was now. But when it came to actual combat, that was another matter.

"Ding! System reward issued."

As a cold, mechanical voice rang out, Lihuo felt no pain at all. Instead, a cool sensation seeped into his head, like the feeling of menthol balm.

But the sensation that followed was like gulping down cold water after eating a mint.

Gradually, Lihuo felt his senses expanding as if they'd been magnified without limit. Countless bits of information stabbed at his mind, making him lose focus for a moment.

Little by little, Lihuo came back to himself. Suddenly, everything around him seemed much clearer.

Unlike the last time, when his body had been strengthened, this time the enhancement focused on his senses, and more specifically, his eyes.

The Uchiha Clan was renowned for its powerful Sharingan. Sunagakure's tactical manual even contained the following rule: "When facing the Sharingan, always flee from a one-on-one fight."

But Lihuo understood his own condition very well. He hadn't awakened the Sharingan. The benefit of the Yin Release Chakra enhancement was a direct increase in his mental strength.

This mainly meant that after awakening his eyes, he'd be able to wield greater power and use stronger ocular techniques. Before awakening them, his resistance to genjutsu had been significantly enhanced.

If he fought Kakashi again now, Kakashi's hard-to-predict footwork would become crystal clear in Lihuo's eyes. He might even spot Kakashi's openings!

Coming back to himself, Lihuo looked at Guy, who was picking his teeth with a bamboo toothpick, and Kakashi, who looked bored. He shouted, "Let's go! Time to train!"

"Youth! Let's go!"

"I've been waiting!"

After that, the three of them headed to the Konoha Training Ground and began their usual training. Since Kakashi had just joined them, Lihuo explained their regular training routine.

They pushed themselves past their limits by driving their bodies to exhaustion. Having finished explaining, Lihuo invited Kakashi to join them.

Perhaps because the Hatake Sword Technique also required a strong physique, Kakashi didn't refuse Lihuo's invitation and trained alongside them.

But during their workout, Kakashi noticed that both Lihuo and Guy were wearing heavy weights. The discovery shocked him.

"So he fought me in this condition!"

And from the way they moved, they'd long since gotten used to the weights. They even made them look effortless. The thick-browed one especially—his Taijutsu really was impressive!

Seeing such an expert among his peers, Kakashi couldn't help but feel his competitive spirit ignite. He began training with even greater dedication.

The sun sank in the west, and the three of them were nearing the end of their training.

Guy panted, "Lihuo... How did your stamina get so incredible?"

"It feels like every part of your body has become several times stronger!"

Lihuo just laughed it off. "Maybe I was born with extraordinary talent." Then he said no more and began thinking about increasing his weights.

When training ended, the three kids headed home. Lihuo gave Guy some money because Uncle Dai wasn't around, and he was worried Guy would skimp on meals.

Sakumo was surprised when Kakashi returned home. Though Kakashi trained hard every day, most of his workouts focused on technique. Today's training had been far more intense than usual.

"Kakashi, did you train with the little boy in the green jumpsuit?"

"Yes, Father. His name is Might Guy. There was another boy named Uchiha Lihuo. They're both very strong."

"Is that so? Have you made friends? But their way of building up their bodies isn't right for you."

"Tomorrow, I'll teach you a Hatake Clan training method. It'll complement the Hatake Sword Technique."

"Thank you, Father."

Lihuo returned home, but he wasn't as relaxed as usual. Instead, his expression was tense.

He hadn't forgotten what Lumiao had said, or the Third Hokage's two observations. He knew he needed to cover his tracks at once.

He recalled how to use the Telescope Technique. Using the mirror at home as a medium, he released his chakra around the house in a way that was almost impossible to detect.

Thanks to his Kage Level chakra control, Lihuo could operate the Telescope Technique with precision, using it to check for anyone spying on him without alerting the Third Hokage.

After confirming that no one was watching, Lihuo found some blank scrolls his parents had left behind and quickly began writing.

"The only ninjutsu I've revealed so far are the Double Suicide Decapitation Technique and the Shadow Clone Technique."

"To make their origins seem plausible, I have to forge fake scrolls."

Lihuo quickly wrote two scrolls and laid them open on the desk. This would let the ink dry quickly and create the impression that he'd been studying them day and night.

After that, Lihuo rearranged the scrolls in his parents' room and wiped the dust off all of them, making it look as if someone had been searching through them.

By the time everything was ready, Lihuo was drenched in sweat from exhaustion.

Lihuo understood that he needed to reveal his strength in moderation. In this world, and in this clan, everyone believed in the supremacy of strength. Only a genius could gain more resources and greater protection.

He had to show just enough strength to establish himself as a genius while avoiding suspicion and envy.

As he thought about it, Lihuo drifted into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, in the Uchiha Clan Grounds, in a vast Japanese-style mansion (like the clan head's residence where Sasuke lived), Aotian dragged his exhausted body home.

"Master Aotian, you've worked hard. We'll help you change and prepare your bath."

At the housekeeper's voice, a middle-aged Uchiha man sitting in the central hall could no longer stay seated. He hurried over to Aotian.

"Aotian! You can't keep pushing yourself like this. Your father was wrong. Who cares about having the right temperament? None of that matters. Just don't train yourself into an injury!"

"You misspoke during your earlier match, but you apologized. There's no need to train so hard."

Aotian knew his father was worried about him, but he firmly refused.

"Thanks, Dad, but I really want to defeat Lihuo. He's my goal!"

With that, Aotian headed to his bedroom, leaving Uchiha Ting frozen in place.

"If the boy wants to grow stronger, don't stand in his way." The door to the side room slid open, and Uchiha Tang, Ting's younger brother, stepped out.

Ting sighed. "Give the order. Find the young master a private tutor tomorrow and devote all our resources to training him!"

After saying this, Ting looked at his younger brother. The kindness on his face vanished, replaced by a trace of severity.

"Who exactly is Uchiha Lihuo?"

"A junior. He's been making a name for himself at the Ninja Academy lately. Today, he also tied with Hatake Kakashi."

"The Dove Faction has been gaining influence lately, and young Fugaku is in his prime but has no drive. He'll never amount to much."

"That old man Setsuna is still locked up. The Hawk Faction is already losing ground, and we can't afford not to cultivate capable successors."

"What do you mean, Brother?"

"If Uchiha Lihuo is truly strong, we can give him some of our resources and bring him into the Hawk Faction."

"Wouldn't that be too soon?"

"Then persuade him with 'courtesy' and win him over with sincerity. If he really is a genius, what's the harm in showing him some favor? We simply can't let the Dove Faction get him!"

That's right. Uchiha Aotian's father was a powerful elder in the Uchiha Clan's Hawk Faction. He and his younger brother, Uchiha Tang, were the faction's leaders.

"Tell the young master I'd like to invite Lihuo to dinner in a few days. Ask him to mention it."

"When?"

"Let the young master decide."