The Uchiha Clan's True Greatest Prodigy

As if something had just occurred to him, Uchiha Yi asked Tsunade, "Teacher, have you studied Lightning Release?"

"Lightning Release?" Tsunade frowned and set down the scroll in her hands. She had assumed she would be teaching Uchiha Yi Fire Release and had spent the past few days frantically studying it. She hadn't expected him to ask about Lightning Release instead.

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻ Tsunade admitted she had miscalculated. Who could have guessed that an Uchiha would want to learn Lightning Release?!

"If it's Lightning Release, the Senju Clan has some Training Notes, though not many," Mito Uzumaki said slowly, lifting her teacup for a sip. "If you want them, Tsunade can look for them tonight and give them to you tomorrow."

Mito Uzumaki knew her granddaughter had intended to teach Uchiha Yi Fire Release. She had merely smiled and said nothing.

The Uchiha had built their reputation on Fire Release. Back then, Madara Uchiha's Fire Release had been the stuff of countless nightmares.

It was unusual for Uchiha Yi to want to study Lightning Release instead.

"Sorry for the trouble," Uchiha Yi said, relaxing a little. Tsunade and Mito Uzumaki were willing to let him read the Training Notes. Clearly, they sincerely wanted to nurture his abilities.

The Senju Clan had probably developed Lightning Release further than the Uchiha Clan had. He could build on their work.

Notes on advanced ninjutsu training were practically the heart of a clan's legacy.

Yet Mito Uzumaki was willing to hand them to him. Granny Mito really was a good person!

After dinner at Mito Uzumaki's home, Uchiha Yi took Uchiha Mikoto home. Not long after they left, Hiruzen Sarutobi came alone to the Senju Clan Compound and met privately with Mito Uzumaki.

"Thank you for the trouble, Lady Mito." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at her with deep respect.

Clearly, Hiruzen Sarutobi had played a part in arranging Uchiha Yi's visit to Mito Uzumaki.

"It was nothing." Mito Uzumaki shook her head slightly. "Yi is a good child. If you treat him sincerely, he won't do anything to harm Konoha. Perhaps he'll even resolve the problems surrounding the Uchiha Clan."

After a pause, Mito Uzumaki added, "This is a child who understood what it meant to be Hokage at six years old."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils contracted sharply. He understood what Mito Uzumaki meant. Uchiha Yi was not only exceptionally gifted and had grasped the Will of Fire; he also had an excellent sense for politics.

What was this? A fortunate dilemma.

If Uchiha Yi really could resolve the Uchiha Clan's problems for good, letting him become Hokage would not be out of the question.

But that was decades away. Hiruzen Sarutobi might not even be around by then.

Deep down, he hoped it would happen.

He would not deny the problems posed by the Uchiha Clan, nor would he deny their strength. War was about to break out, and he needed the Uchiha's power.

"Please keep an eye on this child, Lady Mito." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath as he made his request.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had assigned Kagami Uchiha the mission to Uzushio Village. He had never expected Kagami to die there, leaving Uchiha Yi an orphan. Hiruzen Sarutobi felt responsible. In the end, he had not even been able to recover Kagami's eyes. Part of him wanted to make it up to Uchiha Yi.

And if Mito Uzumaki could set Uchiha Yi on the right path, it would be good for both him and Konoha.

"What? Tsunade took you on as her student?" Uchiha Yi told Yohei Uchiha as soon as he got home, leaving Yohei stunned.

"Mm. Mikoto has permission to train with Teacher Tsunade too." Uchiha Yi nodded slightly. "This is good for us."

Yohei Uchiha stood and paced back and forth several times before speaking. "But now you'll be marked as one of their people. The Elder and the Clan Leader might use that against you."

"So what?" Uchiha Yi pursed his lips. "What are they going to do, throw me out of the Uchiha Clan?

"Or strip me of my Uchiha bloodline?

"Don't give them too much credit. A few decades ago, they were nobodies. When it comes down to it, those people just saw an opportunity and took it."

Uchiha Yi's words left Yohei Uchiha silent. It was true. How had the current Clan Leader risen to power? By betraying Madara Uchiha, hadn't he?

Strictly speaking, his claim to the position was hardly legitimate.

The Uchiha Clan had always respected strength above all else. Kagami Uchiha had been its strongest member. If he were still alive, the current Clan Leader might not have been able to hold on to his position much longer.

"So you want to side with the Hokage? They might not truly have your best interests at heart." Yohei Uchiha rubbed his temples as he questioned Uchiha Yi.

Yohei Uchiha belonged to the peace faction and wanted the village and the Family to get along. Even so, he did not want the village interfering too much in the Family's affairs.

His feelings were contradictory, in part because he had been born during the Warring States period.

"I know. But I need their help too, don't I?" Uchiha Yi looked intently at Yohei Uchiha. "Only by becoming one of them will I have a chance to compete for the position of Hokage someday."

Hokage? The thought stirred Yohei Uchiha. Both the Dove Faction and the Hawk Faction were fixated on that position. Yohei especially had once believed Kagami Uchiha stood a chance, only for Hiruzen Sarutobi to take it instead.

Were they now going to give Uchiha Yi that chance?

Yi's background certainly gave him a strong claim.

Yohei Uchiha sighed. "From now on, you and Mikoto focus on training under Tsunade. Leave the rest to me.

"I can still stand on my own two feet. If those people object, I'll deal with them for you.

"But you'll have to prove yourself too. At the very least, you need to surpass Fugaku."

The Uchiha Clan's young successor, Uchiha Fugaku, had graduated not long ago and already joined the Konoha Military Police Force to build his credentials. Rumor had it that he had awakened his Sharingan and was every bit as strong as an ordinary Chunin.

Before Uchiha Yi displayed his talent, Uchiha Fugaku had always been considered the greatest prodigy of his generation. It was even possible that he would awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan one day.

Yohei Uchiha wondered when Uchiha Yi would surpass Fugaku. He had high hopes for him.

"I will." Uchiha Yi smiled confidently. Forget the future—even now, Uchiha Fugaku was probably no match for him.