Rising Once Again

Passing through the wooden lattice windows of the side hall, soaring over the Training Ground, drifting over the walls of the Clan Academy, passing by clansmen working in the fields, students sweating profusely on the training ground, and Research Ninja buried in data recording in the laboratory, stretching all the way into the distance—

The port of Spirit Awakening Island, the patrol post of Sourceguard Island, the watchtower of Hillguard Island, and even the Heavenly Star Guard fast ships sailing on the West Blue route.

Every member of the Uchiha clan felt it.

On the Training Ground, several children who were practicing Shuriken throwing stopped at the same time.

They looked at each other, their One-Tomoe Sharingan lighting up involuntarily, spinning at nearly twice the normal speed.

A girl with a ponytail looked down at her palm, frowning in confusion. She couldn't quite describe the feeling, but it felt like something inside her was awakening.

Not far away, the Nightingale Guard Jonin charge of guidance also froze in place, his Three Tomoe slowly rotating in his eye sockets. He could clearly sense that his Chakra channels were being reorganized by a gentle yet irresistible force. It wasn't a sudden increase in Chakra, but something more fundamental—like every drop of blood and every meridian being reactivated.

In the laboratory, Uchiha Feihong was conducting comparative analysis with several Research Ninja around a new batch of Gene Serum samples. She suddenly stopped, almost dropping the petri dish in her hand.

As that power surged through her body, her Mangekyo Sharingan activated uncontrollably, the crimson light in her eyes reflecting on the glass surface of the petri dish, flickering on and off. She instinctively pressed her hand to her chest, her heart pounding as if she had just finished a high-intensity battle against Kage Level opponent.

Feiyan, leaning on the lab table, slowly sat down, looked up and met her sister's gaze. They both spoke at the same time, their voices trembling with disbelief. "It's happening again—just like last time."

At the port dock, a member of the Heavenly Star Guard, who was registering merchant ship information, paused, and the ink smeared onto the registration form, creating a small dot.

He looked up at his companion across from him and found that the other was also looking back at him with the same surprised and uncertain gaze.

Neither of them spoke, but they could both feel their Chakra flowing more smoothly, and their Observation Haki's range expanded outwards in that instant.

On the watchtower not far away, Uchiha Ryosuke, who was on duty, leaned on the railing, his scarlet Three Tomoe slowly rotating in their sockets. He could clearly sense the presence of everyone within a radius of several hundred meters—merchants, sailors, porters, and even the few sea fish swimming under the dock were all clearly visible.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly exhaled and whispered, "What is Lord Natsu doing now?"

Meanwhile, in a tavern across the dock, several merchant ship captains, who were clinking glasses, glanced casually out the window.

The Uchiha guy in charge of registration seemed even colder than before; his eyes, which occasionally swept across the dock, sent a chill down their spines.

The Uchiha clansman on the watchtower seemed even more upright than before, standing there like a javelin.

They couldn't quite put their finger on what had changed, but they instinctively lowered the sound of their glasses clinking together.

Meanwhile, at their temporary base on the highlands of Spirit Awakening Island, the Whitebeard Pirates ' crew members were drying fishing nets on the deck, while several Division Commander chatted idly by the ship's side.

No one noticed anything unusual—the sea breeze smelled the same, the sunlight was the same temperature, only the occasional Uchiha Patrol Team seemed quieter and their eyes sharper than usual, but that was how the Uchiha were, so no one paid any attention.

In the side hall, Uchiha Setsuna sat by the window, his teacup already cold.

He looked down at his palm, a calloused hand that had held knives all his life, and it was trembling slightly.

It wasn't fear, it was excitement.

He could feel a new vitality surging from the depths of his bone marrow into his body, which was long past its prime.

That feeling was almost exactly the same as when I first experienced the blessing of the Time Traveler tag two years ago.

He slowly raised his head and exchanged a glance with Uchiha Kei opposite him.

Qi didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly.

Neither of them asked Natsu what she had done, because they were already used to it—there was no need to ask, just to trust.

Natsu leaned back in her chair, taking in everyone's reactions.

He saw it all: the confused yet excited looks in the children's eyes on the Training Ground, the trembling fingers of the two medical ninjas in the laboratory, the ink stains left by the Heavenly Star Guard at the port, and the faces of the old guys in the side hall who were clearly excited but forced to maintain a calm demeanor.

He picked up the half-cooled teacup on the table, took a sip, and then gently set it down, his tone as indifferent as if he were remarking on the nice weather. "You all feel it, right? Those who need to train, train; those who need to conduct research, conduct research; those who need to patrol, continue patrolling. Don't just stand here daydreaming."

The side hall was quiet for a few moments, then someone chuckled.

Laughter quickly spread, both suppressed and exhilarating, like a torrential downpour that had been held back all night finally bursting forth.

They didn't know what Natsu had done, but that didn't matter.

It was like this two years ago, and it's still like this two years later.

As long as they follow this boy, the Uchiha's path will continue to rise.

In the side hall of Naka Shrine, the clansmen gradually dispersed, each returning to their posts with the lingering warmth within them.

Natsu remained leaning back in his chair, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the rim of his teacup, his gaze fixed on the system screen in the void that only he could see.

Several newly printed entries were arranged quietly, their light calm and profound, and his body was also undergoing changes.

The power that came was not as surging as the previous times—it lacked the violent intensity that almost tore through the meridians when the Sage Body was first activated, and it also lacked the soul-scorching pain that came with the Awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan during the Summit War.

It was very quiet, as quiet as Harusame seeping into the soil, silently permeating every inch of flesh, every vein, and every cell.

He could clearly sense that his physical fitness had improved slightly from its original level.

Not much. At his level, even a slight increase in pure physical strength is incredibly difficult, but this slight increase comes from the very foundation—it doesn't require the support of Chakra or the amplification of Sage Mode; it's simply the power of his flesh and blood itself, which is stronger than before.

The flow of Senjutsu Chakra was also smoother than before. The Yin-Yang Release, which was already perfectly harmonious under the coordination of the Ōkuninushi, was now as if it had been gently straightened by some invisible hand, and its flow was more relaxed and effortless.

But what truly made him feel different was the Will Kin.