Konoha Spark's Methods

"Tell me. Why did you infiltrate Konoha? How much do you really know?"

Uchiha Ran's voice was cold and stern, his gaze carrying an unquestionable authority.

The Sunagakure spy's eyes had already taken on the form of the Sharingan. Gasping for breath, he said with difficulty:

"We... we were only ordered to search for the Third Kazekage's whereabouts."

"He has been missing for seven days. Sunagakure's upper ranks suspect he may have been ambushed by another ninja village, so they activated me to investigate this matter."

"The Third Kazekage has disappeared?"

Uchiha Ran's brow furrowed slightly, and he immediately realized the gravity of the situation.

"Wasn't the trigger for the Third Shinobi World War the Third Kazekage's disappearance, combined with Sunagakure's deep internal conflicts?"

"To divert those conflicts and expand their living space, they brazenly gathered forces to attack Konoha, thus beginning the Third Shinobi World War."

Uchiha Ran was secretly alarmed. He had not expected to touch upon such a pivotal event of the Third Shinobi World War so soon.

If the timeline was correct, in a few months, Sunagakure, no longer able to restrain itself, would launch a war under the pretext that the Third Kazekage had been assassinated by Konoha.

At that moment, the Hidden Sand ninja, whose body had been burned by the Explosive Tag, was finally jolted awake by the pain and broke free from the genjutsu.

"Genjutsu? When did it happen? It hurts!"

The Hidden Sand ninja's pupils abruptly dilated. He had no idea when he had fallen under a genjutsu and had been completely unaware of it, but the moment he woke up, he felt as though blazing fire were scorching his body.

The two ANBU members also restrained him.

"Then I'll leave this spy to you."

Uchiha Ran said quietly, his voice carrying a rare trace of tremor.

The ANBU members swiftly moved into action, tying up the Sunagakure spy and preparing to take him to the interrogation room while he was still fresh.

"Thank you for your cooperation. May I ask your name?"

"Uchiha Ran."

"Masaka! So you are Konoha Spark. I have long admired you. Farewell!"

Afterward, they took the ninja back to the village to await further interrogation.

As for Uchiha Ran, he was once again looking forward to having barbecue after all this was over.

"This mission was completed well. Everyone worked hard today."

Uchiha Ran said, but a trace of gloom flashed through his eyes.

War... it had finally come!

But at least when he went to the battlefield, he would not have two burdens holding him back. That barely counted as a good thing.

The night remained dark as Uchiha Ran led the ANBU members into the dense forest, leaving behind only scorched traces from the flames.

Yet in his heart, he had already begun considering his next course of action.

His first plan was naturally the thirty-six strategies: retreat was best. In short, run away.

He felt no psychological burden whatsoever about abandoning the clan and fleeing.

After all, he had not been born and raised here.

It was just that his strength did not permit it. Konoha had indeed produced many rogue ninja, but which rogue ninja who survived was not Shadow Level?

For example, Snake Lady had survived all the way to Boruto: Unburnable after defecting. Someone like Mizuki, who could survive for two episodes, only managed it thanks to Kishimoto padding the story.

Not just anyone could escape the pursuit of Konoha's ANBU and Root, much less an Uchiha Clan member already viewed warily by the upper echelon currently controlled by the Third Hokage.

Those old geezers were ruthless enough to destroy the entire Uchiha Clan rather than let them flee!

Besides, even if he truly managed to escape Konoha by luck, the vast ninja world had no place for him.

How could those small ninja villages dare stand against the Five Great Ninja Villages? They definitely would not be able to protect him.

Fleeing to one of the other four great ninja villages would mean becoming a tool and breeding machine.

Though that honestly did not sound too bad. He was a tiny bit tempted.

But people still needed dreams. Since he had come to this world, if not becoming a ruler of one region, then at the very least, he had to become a powerful ninja with lots of money, little work, and a job close to home.

And that Konoha Spark title had truly caused him misery. He was now listed on the bounty board, worth the price of an Asuma!

If he ran into that diligent, money-loving, hundred-year-old Shadow Level elder, he would be in real danger too!

How should he put it? Uchiha Ran had never wanted to make such a name for himself.

When he had first learned that he was an Uchiha Clan member,

he had wanted to lie low and develop quietly, but his strength simply would not allow it.

Having lived two lives, his spiritual power was absurdly strong!

He entered clan training at the age of four and was completely unremarkable.

At five, he entered the Ninja Academy, only to be relentlessly provoked by several jealous little brats because he was too handsome.

Who knew the children here matured so early? They had even learned jealousy already.

He had no choice. He could not exactly let people spit on him and throw rocks at him every day.

Then, after being humiliated, he successfully awakened his One-Tomoe Sharingan and became invincible throughout his grade.

At seven, faced with upperclassmen who came after hearing of his reputation, he had no choice but to beat them down one by one, becoming invincible in the school aside from Kakashi.

At eight, he graduated early just like Kakashi, enjoying all kinds of envious, jealous, and resentful looks. He was also praised as one of Konoha's Twin Stars.

At nine, he began taking missions. Having been driven mad by poverty, he became a veritable D-rank mission Harvest machine, with a one hundred percent completion rate. When a bandit injured the ninja cat he kept, he furiously awakened his Two-Tomoe Sharingan.

Even the Uchiha jonin leading his team clicked his tongue in amazement.

He had seen many clan members awaken their eyes. Some awakened their Two-Tomoe Sharingan after their companions were injured or killed.

But awakening a Two-Tomoe Sharingan because a cat had been injured? That was truly a one-of-a-kind occurrence.

Uchiha Ran merely said they were making too much fuss. "I've even seen someone wipe out an entire gang because of a dog!"

What truly made him famous was when ten-year-old Uchiha Ran was still a Genin.

After completing a C-rank mission and preparing to return to the village, he unexpectedly encountered a Hidden Mist ambush unit.

After their team leader killed two jonin, exhausted his strength, and died in battle,

Uchiha Ran faced the pursuit and encirclement of one jonin and more than a dozen Chunin, while his two companions had also suffered grievous injuries.

Uchiha Ran first used the Summoning Jutsu he had only recently learned to hide his two companions somewhere safe.

Then he furiously awakened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, lured away the pursuers alone, and ultimately used the terrain and weather to kill every Hidden Mist ninja besieging him.

It was not until reinforcements arrived at Konoha's border that they found the barely living Uchiha Ran through clues provided by his other two teammates.

After that battle, Uchiha Ran was bestowed the title of "Konoha Spark." His fame spread far and wide, even overshadowing the genius Hatake Kakashi.

It also made many Hidden Mist ninja lose their minds. Ten years old? You fucking told me he was ten years old!

Was that even a record a child could achieve?!

After that battle, even Kirigakure's reputation declined considerably, and its mission volume dropped by five percent.

Originally, even the Third Hokage had wanted to directly grant him the rank of Chunin.

But Uchiha Ran refused, saying that aside from his strength, his abilities in all other aspects were still inadequate.

He even said in front of everyone:

"In Konoha, rank is not the only measure of a ninja's worth. A heart that protects is the true Will of Fire."