An Outsider of the Uchiha Clan, the Art of Speech Trait

Autumn, Year 44 of Konoha.

Above Naka Shrine, Uchiha Compound.

The rain had continued without end. Fine strands of drizzle pattered against the wall carved with Flame War Fans along one side of the street, leaving behind a nearly imperceptible sheen of water.

Last month, something major had happened to the Uchiha.

While carrying out a mission, they had found an Uchiha who had not been born in Konoha!

As the saying went, if you found one cockroach, there was surely a whole nest hiding somewhere.

No one knew whether there were still Uchiha bloodlines scattered throughout the Shinobi World like Kiyoshi.

To prevent the continued loss of Uchiha bloodlines and the covetous eyes of other ninja clans, the Uchiha who had discovered Kiyoshi immediately brought him back.

"But why has only one of his Sharingan awakened?"

"Yeah, has anyone else in the clan ever had this happen?"

The Uchiha Clan members discussed it among themselves. Such a situation had never occurred before, so the commotion it caused was only natural.

From time to time, gazes turned toward Kiyoshi, seated at the very back.

Kiyoshi paid those looks no mind.

"While you were in the Land of Lightning, did you encounter anyone else with eyes as red as yours? We are all family. You may tell me, and I will have clan members bring them back."

Fugaku, seated at the highest position, probed Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi Uchiha had lived in the Land of Lightning for several years. What exactly had happened during those years was difficult to investigate.

After a month of investigation, the only thing they could confirm was that Kiyoshi's background was clean.

He had learned some crude Chakra refinement, but there were no traces of training on his body.

Yet the struggles between ninja villages had always been cruel.

The newly appointed clan head, Fugaku Uchiha, could not afford to be careless.

"I never saw anyone with eyes like mine, Lord Fugaku."

Kiyoshi spoke evenly and raised his head.

He was a transmigrator, and he had been one for several years.

From the moment he was born, he had seen through the mystery of the womb, awakened memories of a past life, and gained the wisdom of his previous existence.

His mother died giving birth to him.

As for his father... he had been nowhere to be seen after Kiyoshi was born.

Only when Kiyoshi turned two and could fend for himself did he finally meet his father.

Unfortunately, his father died on the battlefield not long afterward.

That was nothing. In the Shinobi World, losing both parents was merely a normal starting point.

Naruto, Sasuke, Konan, Itachi, Orochimaru, and the rest—which one of them had not lost both parents?

His previous name had been Yotsuki Kiyoshi. He was a distant relative of the Yagura Clan who had been scattered abroad, living in a remote town.

Then, after awakening his Sharingan, he happened to encounter Uchiha Yakumi, who was passing through on a mission, and was sent to Konoha.

"That is good. No matter what, as long as Uchiha blood flows through your veins, you are a member of the Uchiha Clan. I will arrange for you to enroll in the Ninja Academy afterward."

Fugaku's scarlet eyes stared at Kiyoshi for a long while.

The Uchiha Clan's historical records stated that Uchiha had once gone to the Land of Lightning. It was even possible that Uchiha had lived there.

It was said that this had happened in an era even more ancient than the time when Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha fought fiercely.

In what was now the Land of Lightning, a lord's wife had once hired the Uchiha Clan to drive out the Chinoike Clan.

But later, due to the war with the Senju Clan, much of the information had been lost to history.

Even Fugaku could no longer learn the precise details.

He did not release any Eye Power. He merely stared.

The air seemed to become cloaked in a thick, viscous atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.

Kiyoshi remained expressionless.

He knew what Fugaku was thinking.

Nothing more than whether his identity had a legitimate origin.

Unfortunately, the Uchiha and the Land of Lightning truly did have a history together.

This matter was also recorded in the official novel Sasuke Shinden: Book of Sunrise.

At last, Fugaku withdrew his gaze.

When all was said and done, he was only a child of a few years old.

How could he possibly remain composed under the pressure of Fugaku's Sharingan?

If he could, would that not be far too terrifying?

Even the talented son of Hatake Sakumo, who had recently risen to fame, might not possess such mental fortitude.

"Lord Fugaku, finding out that I am part of the Uchiha Clan, I... I am so happy. From now on, I definitely will not tarnish the Uchiha Clan's name!"

Kiyoshi's tone seemed utterly sincere.

"You have comprehended the trait: Art of Speech (White)."

Trait: Art of Speech (White)

Requirement: Speak false words without changing expression before a person of high status. Required number: 5.

Progress: (Completed).

Effect: The words you speak will be more likely to convince others. Those of lower status than you will be more easily influenced.

Note: Can continue to advance in the future.

"Finally."

The corners of Kiyoshi's mouth curled into a faint smile.

If he did not want to be a stinking beggar in the Shinobi World, he needed strength.

As everyone knew, in the world of Naruto, powerful strength could only be passed down through motherhood, lineage, or blood.

Either one had good bloodline, or one had a good teacher and inherited that teacher's network of connections along the way.

If neither worked, then like the transmission of blood, one needed fairly intimate contact. Your "Will of Fire" had to run deep enough before you could learn a trick or two of ninjutsu.

Kiyoshi, however, happened to possess something beyond those three things: his own hard work.

As well as a rudimentary trait system.

It recorded the names of traits Kiyoshi obtained, their requirements, effects, and so on.

But none of these came for free. Kiyoshi had to fulfill the requirements.

For instance, for this Art of Speech trait, Kiyoshi had said at least five things against his heart in front of Fugaku Uchiha.

Being born an Uchiha made him happy?

How could he possibly be happy?

Kiyoshi felt nothing but crushing pressure.

The Night of the Uchiha Massacre, then the two Shinobi World Wars that followed...

His life had already begun its countdown, all right?

Not even mentioning the distant future, in just over a decade, your dear son Itachi Uchiha would wipe out the entire clan!

"Not bad."

Fugaku nodded. Hearing Kiyoshi's sincere words made him feel far more comfortable. This was a promising child.

Such pure words allowed one to feel the emotions hidden within them.

Kiyoshi's awareness was even higher than that of some ordinary Uchiha Clan members.

He then gestured for Kiyoshi to leave first.

After Kiyoshi left, Uchiha Yashiro looked at the expressionless yet imposing Fugaku Uchiha before him and said:

"Kiyoshi is a descendant Yakumi and the others found in the Land of Lightning. It is said that he also has traits of the Yagura Clan. Could he be a spy planted among us?"

"That still requires further investigation. But his bloodline must belong to the Uchiha Clan. If outsiders transplant Sharingan, they cannot shut them off, and it places an enormous burden on them."

Fugaku Uchiha shook his head and continued, "Tsunade will come shortly to examine Kiyoshi's Sharingan."

"Fugaku, I'll make arrangements for the child."

Mikoto rose from the tatami mats within Naka Shrine.