Magic Lantern Body Technique

The days that followed did indeed usher in a long period of peace.

During that time, classes at the Ninja Academy continued as usual. Uchiha Yu still spent his days sleeping alongside the others, while at night, he trained Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Deidara.

For the first year, Deidara maintained a solid advantage. Later on, though, he found it much harder to deal with Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.

In fact, he was often at a disadvantage.

The advantage his age had given him was gradually erased by Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto's incredible talent.

It wasn't that Deidara wasn't smart enough. In fact, he was already considered a genius among the ninja of Iwagakure. But compared to the reincarnations of Indra and Asura...

He was still a little behind.

And Uchiha Yu's teaching had a lot to do with it, too.

Later on, Uchiha Yu even had Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Deidara attend class using their clones, while their real bodies continued training at the Old Uchiha Training Ground.

Their progress over the past few years had been terrifying!

As for Uchiha Yu himself, with the several hundred thousand he had in his pocket and the system, he had also grown considerably stronger.

He had even secretly taken on a few missions and earned plenty of rewards.

Five years later.

The Uchiha training ground.

Everyone was now twelve years old, while Deidara had already turned fifteen.

Deidara looked at Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto in front of him, cold sweat covering his forehead.

They had been fighting for two whole hours, and he had been at a disadvantage the entire time.

Was he going to lose again tonight?

Uzumaki Naruto clenched a fist, and a dozen or so clones beside him immediately got ready.

Some distance away, Sasuke glared at Deidara with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, studying every move he made. He formed Hand Seals, and a layer of crackling electricity instantly danced across his hand.

"Chidori!" Sasuke grunted.

"Rasengan!"

Uzumaki Naruto refused to be outdone. He and Sasuke charged at Deidara at the same time.

With nowhere left to dodge, Deidara climbed onto the Clay Bird beneath him and flew into the air.

Sasuke and Naruto simply leaped after him, thrusting their Chidori and Rasengan at the Clay Bird at the same time.

"Damn it!" Deidara formed a Hand Seal with one hand, his face full of frustration.

Sasuke had gotten smarter. He knew that Lightning Release could render Deidara's Explosive Clay useless.

With no other choice, Deidara gritted his teeth and detonated the Clay Bird early.

A tremendous explosion tore through the air!

The shock wave swept across the area, uprooting a whole line of trees!

The fierce shock wave hurtled toward Uchiha Yu, who had been watching from the side!

A moment earlier, Uchiha Yu had been enjoying Three-Color Dango as he watched the three fight.

Then he suddenly saw a massive blast wave charging straight at him!

"What a nuisance!" Uchiha Yu remained expressionless as he activated his ocular power, Great Luo Heaven, and raised an invisible wall of repulsive force in front of himself!

The powerful shock wave couldn't overcome his ocular power. It spread out in every direction, leaving Uchiha Yu completely untouched.

After the explosion.

Three figures lay on the ground, each looking utterly dejected.

Their Chakra was depleted, and they had sustained quite a few injuries. They barely had the strength to keep fighting.

Uchiha Yu swallowed the last dango, tossed the skewer aside, and formed Hand Seals.

An endless flow of Wood Release power, infused with tremendous vitality, entered their bodies and restored their Chakra and injuries.

"Not bad. You're only twelve, yet you've reached the peak of Chunin and are even close to Jonin level." Uchiha Yu smiled faintly.

They hadn't reached Jonin level yet, but they had already surpassed plenty of Konoha Ninja.

There were hardly any ninja their age who had even reached Chunin level.

Their progress was already astonishing!

"Damn it! If I'd tried a little harder, I would've taken this guy down!" Uchiha Sasuke snorted. He sat up and looked at Deidara.

Deidara watched his wounds heal and gave a scornful laugh. "You? If you couldn't use Lightning Release, I'd have killed you eight hundred times by now! Don't underestimate my art!"

Uchiha Yu smiled faintly as he watched the three bicker.

He was used to it by now.

Over the past few years, his own strength had increased even more dramatically.

By his rough estimate, he had at least reached the initial stage of Kage Level.

He was still a novice among those at Kage Level, but for a twelve-year-old ninja, reaching that level was already incredible.

Thanks to the system, he had also learned quite a few special techniques.

The Rasengan, for instance, was something he had taught Naruto.

As for Sasuke's Chidori, Uchiha Yu had asked Kakashi to teach it to him.

Though Uchiha Yu had mastered both Chidori and Lightning Blade long ago.

"Let's see... Of the Kekkei Genkai, I've only got Magnet Release and Crystal Release left to learn. I've also learned quite a few forbidden techniques, including the Eight Inner Gates, Impure World Reincarnation, and Dead Demon Consuming Seal. But... I don't want to use any of those..."

Uchiha Yu had also pulled Senju Hashirama's Red Armor from the system.

After several rounds of upgrades, the Red Armor and the Kusanagi Sword had become incredibly powerful.

The Red Armor was not only incredibly durable, capable of blocking most attacks, but could also absorb Chakra.

The Kusanagi Sword, meanwhile, could be controlled to fly freely. When enhanced with Chakra Nature Transformation, its power doubled, making it just as formidable!

Those two items could be called the most powerful ninja tools in the entire Ninja World!

Uchiha Yu used the Kusanagi Sword from time to time.

But the Red Armor was just too conspicuous. It might make people suspect that he was cosplaying as Senju Hashirama, so he kept it in the system storage.

Besides, there were hardly anyone around who could make Uchiha Yu resort to wearing the Red Armor.

"In another three years, the Fourth Ninja World War should begin." Uchiha Yu looked up at the sky and narrowed his eyes slightly.

At their current rate of progress, they should be able to gain an advantage in the war.

Making it through the Fourth Ninja World War unscathed was Uchiha Yu's goal now.

That was why he kept training Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Deidara.

He wanted to build a powerful team under his command.

Still, he had no idea whether things would go as smoothly as he hoped.

In a cave somewhere outside Amegakure.

Nine figures flickered within.

Magic Lantern Body Technique!

"I hear Konoha is quite powerful these days."

Pain smiled faintly.

Kakuzu spoke slowly. "Konoha only has one Tailed Beast. We should focus on the other villages first!"

Pain slowly shook his head.

"Konoha may have only one Tailed Beast, but it's the Nine-Tails! Before we officially begin capturing the Tailed Beasts, we should weaken the major ninja villages as much as possible." Pain continued, "After all, the Uchiha Clan is in power in Konoha now! Their Sharingan can control Tailed Beasts!"

"So you're saying we should weaken the Uchiha first?" Sasori asked.

Pain nodded.

Then he continued, "Do you remember what our Akatsuki organization is best at?"

Kakuzu nodded. "Got it! Stir up a war! Weaken Konoha!"