The Power of the Otsutsuki Bloodline

After speaking, Uchiha Shisui quickly formed hand seals with both hands.

To ensure Uchiha Ao could see clearly, he deliberately slowed down the speed of his hand seals, making every movement extremely distinct.

"Shadow Clone Technique."

As Shisui's low voice faded, a soft "poof" sounded, and a figure identical to Shisui in both appearance and demeanor instantly appeared beside him.

"How about it? Did you see that clearly?" Uchiha Shisui asked as he lowered his hands.

Uchiha Ao nodded, then mimicked the hand seals he had just witnessed, his chakra surging within him.

Under Uchiha Shisui's astonished gaze, a figure exactly like Ao appeared beside him.

"Ao, this talent of yours..." Uchiha Shisui was at a loss for words.

Although the Shadow Clone Technique was not the most difficult among the many ninjutsu, learning it after seeing it only once could only be attributed to two possibilities: either possessing the copy ability of the Sharingan, or being gifted with extraordinary talent.

But Shisui knew clearly that Ao had not yet awakened his Sharingan, so the only explanation was that Ao possessed a terrifying talent that surpassed anyone's imagination.

"It's incredible, Ao." Shisui's eyes were filled with amazement. "It took me quite a bit of time to learn the Shadow Clone Technique back then, and I had to practice it repeatedly before I succeeded, yet you mastered it after just one look."

Uchiha Ao scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "Maybe it's because I've been practicing my chakra control a lot lately, and since your explanation was so clear, it went more smoothly."

He knew his own situation; his talent hadn't been this impressive before.

All these earth-shattering changes were owed to the Otsutsuki Bloodline he had obtained.

The Otsutsuki Bloodline was like a magical key, allowing his affinity for and control over chakra to reach an unprecedented height.

In truth, he hadn't fully seen those rapidly changing hand gestures when Shisui was performing them, but he had been able to keenly perceive the subtle fluctuations of chakra as the technique was executed, thanks to the Otsutsuki Bloodline.

In other words, he didn't even need to form hand seals to perform the Shadow Clone Technique; much like Senju Hashirama, he could simply clap his hands together and manifest whatever he desired.

With a mere thought, he could make it happen.

Thinking of this, a surge of indescribable excitement welled up in Ao's heart, though he quickly suppressed the emotion.

The Otsutsuki Bloodline was powerful, but it still required time to develop.

"Well... since you've learned it, I'll be heading off then." Uchiha Shisui turned to leave, but after a few steps, he suddenly stopped, looked back, and said with a concerned expression, "Ao, remember to always act within your limits. Don't overexert yourself using the Shadow Clone Technique."

Uchiha Ao nodded to show he understood.

After Shisui left, Ao couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.

If one were to ask who loved the clan the most between Shisui and Itachi, it was undoubtedly Shisui.

As for Itachi, in Ao's eyes, while he also cared for the clan, the so-called "greater good" deep in his heart led him to slaughter his own kin to maintain the village's superficial peace, leaving only his younger brother, Sasuke, behind.

In terms of strength, comparing the night of the clan's annihilation, Itachi was no match for Shisui.

One could even say that if it weren't for the fact that Fugaku had lost heart and given up resistance, the Uchiha clan might still exist today.

One must remember that Fugaku was also a powerhouse who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, and he had awakened it many years before Itachi. Even though his physical state was no longer at its peak at that time, he would have been more than capable of handling Itachi.

"Itachi, I hope you don't make the wrong choice this time," Uchiha Ao whispered.

"I'll use a shadow clone to teach Hinata from now on, otherwise Sister Izumi will end up tailing me again." The thought of Izumi's previous stalking gave Ao a headache, and he hurriedly began calculating a new plan in his mind.

"Wait, was there something I forgot to ask Shisui?" Ao scratched his head, looking puzzled, unable to recall what he had missed.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Not long after Uchiha Shisui had walked away, a figure blocked his path.

"Why are you looking for him!" The owner of the voice seemed somewhat angry.

"I have already realized how naive my previous thoughts were. Seeking him out this time was just to ask his opinion on the current situation." Uchiha Shisui raised his eyes, and upon seeing who it was, he frowned slightly, feeling a bit helpless.

"Hmph, I don't care what business you have with him. If you dare to hurt him, I will never forgive you." The person crossed their arms, their tone cold, their eyes filled with vigilance and threat.

Shisui sighed softly, a wry smile appearing on his face. "Ao and I are both members of the Uchiha clan; how could I possibly hurt him?"

The person did not lower their guard, their gaze fixed intently on Shisui. "It's not like you don't know that the situation in the clan is tense right now, with the radicals and the moderates at each other's throats. Who knows which side you're on."

"And you're dragging Ao into this—are you trying to ruin him!"

Shisui looked up slightly toward the direction of Konoha, his expression complex. "I stand with neither the radicals nor the moderates. I only hope that the Uchiha can have a bright future and truly coexist peacefully with Konoha."

"As for whether dragging Ao into this will harm him..." Shisui paused, his eyes suddenly becoming incredibly firm. "Rest assured, even if I die, I will never let him suffer the slightest harm."

The person remained silent for a moment before finally lowering their arms. "Fine, I will trust you for now. But if you dare to lie to me, I will not let it go."

With that, they turned and walked away quickly, leaving Shisui standing in place, watching their retreating figure, lost in thought.

On the other side, Uchiha Ao finally remembered what he had forgotten to ask.

How exactly was his main quest supposed to be completed!

"Forget it, it's not important. I'll ask next time we meet."

Uchiha Ao shook his head, casting his confusion about the main quest to the back of his mind.

What mattered now was completing the current main quest and training hard!

"System." Uchiha Ao called out silently in his heart.

Name: Uchiha Ao

[Age: 9]

[Chakra Reserves: 10 Kakashi-units]

[Chakra Nature: All Natures]

[Skills: Shadow Clone Technique...]

Even without doing anything, my chakra reserves have already reached ten Kakashi-units.

Uchiha Ao looked at the panel, his heart filled with emotion.

This is the importance of bloodline.

All the effort he had put in over the past few years didn't even compare to the automatic growth he'd experienced in these last two days.

Currently, I know too few ninjutsu, Uchiha Ao pondered to himself, his brows knitting slightly.

He wasn't worried about learning new ninjutsu.

With Shisui acting as a walking ninjutsu library, he could just fleece a few more from him the next time they met.

Hinata has already gained a bit of basic self-confidence; the next step is to help her gradually strengthen it. Uchiha Ao rubbed his chin, quickly formulating a new training plan in his mind.

He didn't want to spend too much time on Hinata's mission; he had to reach Kage-level strength within four years.

After resolving the self-confidence issue, I also need to help Hinata overcome her fear of her father.

Uchiha Ao knew clearly that Hiashi Hyuga's imposing image weighed on Hinata like a mountain, severely stifling her growth.

Only by helping Hinata break through this psychological barrier could she unleash her potential without reservation.

Hmm... it looks like I'll have to bring on Hinata's rebellious phase a little earlier.