Ai, Convinced Beyond Doubt

Shaoyu gave his wrist a light flick.

The blue "Blue" became a streak of light, silent yet swift as lightning, shooting straight at the young Ai, who had just formed his Lightning Release Chakra Mode and had yet to familiarize himself with its power.

The young Ai's pupils constricted. He could feel the terrifying suction and destructive energy contained within that blue sphere.

With a furious roar, he pushed the newly mastered, still unstable Lightning Release Chakra Mode to its limit. Crossing his arms before his chest, lightning surged across his body as he attempted to withstand this unknown attack head-on.

"Block it for me!!!"

"Bzzzz—!!!"

The blue "Blue" instantly collided with the young Ai's crossed arms, striking the newly formed blue Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

There was no earth-shattering explosion.

Only a dull, teeth-grating hum, as though space itself were being forcibly compressed and torn apart.

The young Ai felt an irresistible force surge wildly from the point of impact, as if it intended to crush and pull away every bone and organ in his body.

His newly formed Lightning Release Chakra Mode violently rippled and flickered before the distorted gravitational pull and internal destructive force of "Blue," as fragile as glass. It let out overloaded cracking sounds while blue arcs of electricity frantically scattered and vanished.

"Urgh—!!!"

The young Ai let out a pained grunt. His entire body flew backward as though he had been struck head-on by a speeding train, his feet leaving the ground.

The Lightning Release Chakra Mode around his arms shattered first, followed by the armor around his chest and abdomen, which cracked apart inch by inch.

Though the blue "Blue" had failed to directly touch his body under his desperate resistance, its terrifying impact and lingering spatial distortion still left his insides churning violently as blood surged through him.

"Bang!!!"

His burly body slammed heavily into a massive boulder behind him, finally stopping his flight. Spiderweb-like cracks spread across the rock's surface.

The young Ai slid down to the ground and dropped to one knee. Unable to hold it back, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and his face instantly turned pale.

The Lightning Release Chakra Mode around him had completely dissipated. Only a few scattered blue arcs crawled over his skin for a moment before going out entirely.

The sleeves on both arms had been torn apart, and his skin was covered in fine bloody cuts, as though countless needles had raked over it. His chest burned with pain, and several ribs were likely cracked as well.

He had lost! And he had lost so thoroughly!

Even after breaking through and mastering the Lightning Release Chakra Mode in the middle of battle, he had still been utterly helpless before that terrifying blue attack called "Blue."

The young Ai panted heavily and raised his head to look at Uchiha Shaoyu, who still stood calmly in the distance and had already withdrawn his Mangekyō Sharingan. His eyes were filled with shock and lingering fear.

And... complete conviction.

He had personally experienced the power contained within that blue sphere, a power that seemed capable of twisting the very rules of reality.

He also understood the gulf between himself and true top-tier powerhouses—a chasm as vast as heaven and earth.

But more importantly, under the pressure of life and death, he had truly gained an initial grasp of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. That was undoubtedly an enormous gain.

He struggled to his feet. Though his body ached, his eyes shone unusually brightly.

Once again, he clenched his fist against his left chest. This time, his bow carried unprecedented solemnity and gratitude.

"Th-thank you, Elder... for your guidance! Ai... is completely convinced!"

"Are you all right?" Shaoyu asked, his gaze sweeping over the bloody cuts on the young Ai's arms and chest.

"I'm fine! These little injuries will heal soon enough."

The young Ai straightened his back. Though the motion tugged at his wounds and made the corners of his mouth twitch, his eyes remained exceptionally bright, full of excitement after his breakthrough and admiration for Shaoyu.

"Thank you for showing mercy, Elder, and... thank you for that attack." His final words of thanks were completely sincere.

Shaoyu smiled faintly and lowered his hand, his tone calm.

"Breaking through under pressure came from your own accumulation and talent. Now that you have entered the basics of Lightning Release Chakra Mode, continue cultivating diligently, and you will surely master it in time."

Having received Shaoyu's approval, the young Ai's smile widened with heartfelt joy.

He had always been cheerful and straightforward by nature. At that moment, his favorable impression of Shaoyu soared. Any lingering defiance or probing thoughts had long since disappeared, replaced by respect for a powerful man and a desire to befriend him.

Shaoyu looked at him, his thoughts turning slightly.

The young Ai was not only the Third Raikage's only son, but also the undisputed leader of Kumogakure's younger generation. He was forthright, loyal, and possessed limitless potential.

Although Shaoyu was certainly going to compete for the position of Fourth Raikage in the future, and given his strength, barring any surprises, the position of Fourth Raikage was almost certainly his.

Still, befriending someone like this would bring nothing but benefits to the Uchiha Clan, which had only just gained a foothold in Kumogakure and still lacked a solid foundation.

It was not merely a matter of interests. The young Ai himself was indeed someone worth befriending.

"If Young Master Ai is interested in taijutsu applications or has any other questions about cultivation, you may come by often in the future."

Shaoyu took the initiative to extend an olive branch, his tone sincere.

"Exchanging insights and confirming each other's understanding will benefit us both. We Uchiha have only recently arrived, and there is much we need to learn from Kumogakure as well."

The young Ai's eyes immediately lit up. He had been worrying over how to get closer to this unfathomably powerful new elder who had earned his complete respect, yet the other party had actually invited him first.

"Really? That's great!"

The young Ai beamed. He nearly patted Shaoyu on the shoulder, but remembered in time that the other man was an elder and restrained himself. His voice was booming.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony, Elder Shaoyu. Just call me Ai! All this 'young master' business sounds awkward."

"The coordination between your taijutsu and Sharingan just now was incredible, and that 'Blue'... it was simply miraculous. I'll definitely come bother you often in the future, so don't find me annoying."

He had always yearned for strength. Shaoyu was not only overwhelmingly powerful, but also so approachable, naturally making him feel close to him.

"Why would I?"

Shaoyu smiled and shook his head.

"You are welcome anytime. We Uchiha also need to better understand Kumogakure's cultivation system, customs, and people."

The two exchanged smiles, and the atmosphere instantly grew harmonious.

Unexpectedly, the young Ai was quite the chatterbox. Once he got started, he could not stop, eagerly asking Shaoyu about the finer details of several taijutsu responses from their spar just now.

Shaoyu answered patiently, occasionally asking questions about Kumogakure's Lightning Release cultivation and the village's circumstances. Naturally, the young Ai answered everything he knew without holding anything back.

One was knowledgeable and unfathomably powerful, while the other was warm and straightforward, intimately familiar with the village and cultivation. The two found themselves getting along better and better.

They went from taijutsu insights to chakra nature transformation, from Kumogakure's grueling training to the local customs and specialty foods throughout the Land of Lightning.

The roar of the waterfall became the background to their conversation, while the tense atmosphere from their earlier spar had long since vanished.

Uchiha Renhuo and the others watched from afar as their Elder Shaoyu chatted so happily with the Raikage's son. They all breathed a sigh of relief, and smiles appeared on their faces. This was undoubtedly an excellent beginning.

On Kumogakure's side, several ninja who had come after hearing the news or had already been nearby helping out quietly revised their opinions of this new elder when they saw the scene.

He was powerful, yet not arrogant because of it. Young, yet composed and measured. He had even rapidly established a good relationship with the Raikage's son...

This Elder Uchiha Shaoyu seemed even more extraordinary than they had imagined.

"Oh, right, Elder Shaoyu," the young Ai said. In the middle of their lively conversation, he suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead. The motion pulled at his injuries, making him grimace in pain again.

"In a few days, the village will hold a joint exercise for young ninja. The various clans' outstanding juniors and capable young civilian ninja will all participate. It's meant to let everyone gauge one another and spur each other on. Since you've just arrived, would you like to take a look?"

"The Uchiha Clan's combat strength is renowned throughout the ninja world. Let your people participate too, and give the young ninja on our side something to see."

This was clearly a good opportunity to further integrate into Kumogakure and observe the strength of its new generation.

Uchiha Shaoyu considered it briefly, then nodded. "All right. Then I'll have to trouble you, Ai. Our Uchiha members will all take part when the time comes."

"It's no trouble at all!"

The young Ai waved his hands repeatedly, a brilliant smile on his face.

"Then it's settled! I'll come find you then. Um... I should head back first to treat my wounds and consolidate the breakthrough I just made. Elder Shaoyu, I've gained tremendously today, so I'll take my leave now."

"Take care. Rest well," Shaoyu said with a nod.

The young Ai gave him another solemn bow before turning away. Though injured, his steps were exceptionally light and vigorous.