Uchiha Kanon

Under the hazy moonlight, a breeze swept across the training ground in the Uchiha Clan Compound. A faint scent of scorched earth lingered in the air, clear evidence that someone had recently trained fiercely here.

At that moment, a slender figure stood in the center of the grounds. The girl's long, lustrous black hair fluttered slightly, and an unyielding gleam shone in her scarlet eyes.

Uchiha Kanon.

Born into an elite branch of the Uchiha Clan, she possessed exceptional talent and had displayed astonishing aptitude for ninjutsu and combat instincts since childhood.

Even so, one name had overshadowed her throughout her life—

Uchiha Shinichi.

That name had practically become synonymous with "genius" among their generation of Uchiha. Even at the Ninja Academy, her teachers constantly used him as an example, and many of her peers held him in the highest regard.

"Uchiha Shinichi? How could that lazy guy possibly be a genius?" Kanon couldn't help clenching her fists, a flicker of resentment crossing her eyes.

She refused to believe it.

At the Ninja Academy, Kanon had challenged Shinichi many times, but he had casually brushed her off every time.

"Aw, fighting is such a hassle."

"Why do we have to fight? Aren't things fine as they are?"

"Sparring is such a headache..."

Every response carried Shinichi's trademark laziness and easygoing air, as though fighting meant nothing to him.

It left Kanon utterly baffled—and even furious!

"How can someone so lazy be called a genius?"

Why should someone who lazed around all day, avoided effort whenever possible, and slacked off at every opportunity be called a genius?!

Kanon simply couldn't understand it.

Back then, she had yet to awaken her Sharingan. She hadn't even realized that the Shinichi she saw at the Ninja Academy might very well have been nothing more than a Shadow Clone!

The real Shinichi had never attended the Ninja Academy at all!

What she didn't know was that the person she had dealt with all those years was merely a clone Shinichi used to get through classes. His real body had long been elsewhere, diligently practicing Sealing Jutsu, researching ninjutsu, and even developing his own kekkei genkai under Tobirama's guidance!

And she had remained completely in the dark...

During their years at the Ninja Academy, there was one name almost everyone knew—Uchiha Shinichi.

It wasn't just because he was the Uchiha Clan's genius. His appearance and bearing also stood out throughout the entire academy.

His silvery-white hair was especially striking among the black-haired, brown-haired, and red-haired students. Combined with his handsome features, clear eyes, and approachable personality, it made him immensely popular throughout the Ninja Academy.

Especially... among the girls, his popularity had reached an almost terrifying level.

Are all the girls in the Shinobi World this precocious?

Shinichi had marveled at this countless times. He had never imagined that his days at the Ninja Academy would involve girls fawning over him like the "male lead of a shoujo manga."

Every day during breaks, little snacks, delicate envelopes, and even hand-sewn dolls would mysteriously appear on his desk.

Whenever he pushed open the classroom door, he would find a few girls in the corner stealing glances at him, their cheeks faintly flushed. The moment their eyes met, they would lower their heads and shyly hurry away.

Even more absurdly, whenever they had ninjutsu lessons or Taijutsu training, the girls would invariably compete to be in his group. Whenever their instructor announced that they could choose their own partners, he could feel burning gazes on his back that were almost tangible.

"Uchiha Shinichi, would you like to partner with me?"

"No, I asked first! Shinichi, didn't you promise last time that you'd partner with me?"

"Uchiha, I baked some treats. Would you like to try them?"

Faced with scenes like these, Shinichi's mouth twitched, and he couldn't help grumbling inwardly:

These girls are way too precocious!

Among all the girls who showed interest in Shinichi, one gave him a particularly bad headache—and even frightened him—

Hyuga Yuki, the little princess of the Hyuga Main Family.

Hyuga Yuki was a few months older than Shinichi, but she was one of the few gifted students at the Ninja Academy who had already awakened the Byakugan. Born with exceptional talent for the Gentle Fist, she also attracted considerable attention within the Hyuga Clan.

Yet this elegant, noble young lady of the Hyuga showed far too much affection for Shinichi—to the point that it frightened him.

Her obsession with him had reached the point where she followed him like a shadow.

Wherever Shinichi went, he could always vaguely sense a pair of white eyes watching him. Occasionally, when he looked back, he would spot Hyuga Yuki nearby, pretending to be "passing through," her head slightly lowered and her cheeks flushed as she acted as though she were doing something else.

If that had been all, Shinichi could have tolerated it. After all, he had never had much resistance to cute girls.

But the problem was... she had the Byakugan!

One of Shinichi's greatest fears was that one day, while using the bathroom, he would suddenly feel Hyuga Yuki watching him with her Byakugan!!!

This is terrifying! This goes way beyond simply liking someone. Isn't this outright perverted voyeurism?! Shinichi thought, inwardly falling apart.

So he began instinctively avoiding Hyuga Yuki. He even deliberately took long detours whenever he needed the bathroom, making sure he stayed outside her "field of vision."

However, Hyuga Yuki seemed to notice Shinichi's "deliberate avoidance," which only strengthened her conviction: Shinichi must be shy. He likes me too!

Shinichi: "???"

No, you're reading way too much into this, little princess!

Am I, Uchiha Shinichi, going to become the most popular guy among girls in the Shinobi World?

Eventually, Shinichi couldn't resist complaining to Tsunade about his recent experiences at the Ninja Academy.

"Tsunade, you know what? I think... the girls in the Shinobi World are really terrifying!" Shinichi said with a perfectly serious expression. "Especially Hyuga Yuki. She really might use her Byakugan to watch me in the bathroom!"

After hearing him out, Tsunade couldn't help rolling her eyes. She looked at him with disdain. "What are you complaining about? With so many people liking you, shouldn't you be happy?"

Shinichi rolled his eyes in return. "I just want to coast through life. I don't want to deal with a bunch of crazy fangirls every day."

Tsunade snorted and patted his shoulder, her tone loaded with meaning. "You'd better pray some girl doesn't end up having you wrapped around her finger. Otherwise, you really won't have any freedom left."

Returning to the matter at hand, Uchiha Kanon was one of the Uchiha Clan's gifted young girls. She was the same age as Shinichi and possessed exceptional talent.

Unlike the girls at the Ninja Academy who were infatuated with Shinichi, she wasn't drawn to his looks or bearing. Instead, she burned with the desire to fight him and refused to accept that he was better.

She had one obsession—defeating Uchiha Shinichi and becoming the Uchiha Clan's greatest genius!

She was determined to defeat Shinichi and become the Uchiha Clan's greatest genius.

"Grandfather said Shinichi doesn't have the Sharingan, so there's a limit to what he'll achieve."

Uchiha Kanon's grandfather was Uchiha Setsuna, the most stubborn radical in the Uchiha Clan. He had once been a fanatical follower of Madara Uchiha and firmly believed that the Uchiha's glory should rest on absolute strength, rather than dependence on Konoha's system.

Since childhood, Kanon had been taught this belief:

"The Uchiha's power comes from the Sharingan. An Uchiha without the Sharingan doesn't deserve to be called a genius."

Her grandfather, Uchiha Setsuna, often told her—

"Shinichi may be talented, but he doesn't have the Sharingan."

"His future is ultimately limited, because he can never truly master the Uchiha's real power."

"A true Uchiha must awaken the Sharingan. Otherwise, they're nothing but a mediocrity."

This belief had taken deep root in Kanon's heart. Whenever she saw Uchiha Shinichi, the boy hailed as the Uchiha Clan's "monstrous genius," resentment filled her.

"Without the Sharingan, what right does he have to be called a genius?"

"No matter how strong he is, without the Sharingan, he'll never be anything but second-rate!"

"One day, I'll defeat him myself and show everyone that only those who awaken the Sharingan deserve to be called Uchiha geniuses!"

Her childhood obsession became an endless series of challenges.

From their days at the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Kanon had challenged Shinichi repeatedly, only for him to casually brush her off every time.

She never understood why this boy, who was always lazy, loved slacking off, and barely seemed interested in fighting, could display such terrifying strength in battle after battle.

What angered her even more was that Shinichi had never taken her challenges seriously!

Even before awakening her Sharingan, she had wanted to defeat Shinichi with her own talent. Yet no matter how hard she worked, no matter how much she improved her fire release or Lightning Release, he would always dodge her attacks effortlessly and leisurely retreat to the side.

"Kanon, you're too serious. Try slacking off a little," Shinichi would always tease her.

It infuriated her, but there was nothing she could do.

Her pride wouldn't let her admit defeat, yet her strength never caught up with Shinichi's.

Until one day, she finally awakened her Sharingan!

At nine years old, while carrying out a clan mission, Uchiha Kanon witnessed a comrade die in battle right before her eyes. The sight shook her to her core, and under that intense emotional shock, she finally awakened her Sharingan—jumping straight to two tomoe!

To the clan elders, this was unquestionably tremendous news. Awakening two tomoe at just nine years old was unprecedented in the Uchiha Clan's history!

Uchiha Setsuna was especially delighted and told Kanon:

"Kanon, your strength has already far surpassed Shinichi's."

"The Sharingan is the Uchiha's true power. Now, you're strong enough to prove it."

"In the end, Shinichi is nothing but a 'false genius' without the Sharingan. You can defeat him!"

After hearing this, Kanon's obsession grew even stronger. She would prove to everyone that only an Uchiha with the Sharingan deserved to be called the strongest!

Madara Uchiha stood in a dim cavern, quietly observing distant Konoha through the information White Zetsu relayed to him.

White Zetsu's figure slowly emerged, his tone faintly amused. "Lord Madara, your suspicions were correct. Uchiha Shinichi's talent is indeed extraordinary. His Ice Release has begun to take shape, and he has displayed combat strength on par with a Hokage. But... this brat's personality doesn't seem suited to being controlled."

Madara Uchiha narrowed his eyes slightly, his penetrating gaze seeming to pierce the void and settle on that lazy yet extraordinarily gifted Uchiha boy.

"Indeed. He's too independent, too rational..." Madara murmured. The Mangekyō Sharingan in his eyes slowly turned, gleaming with an inscrutable light.

"He's even more arrogant than I was in my youth. He refuses to be bound by anyone." A trace of displeasure colored Madara Uchiha's voice, alongside a barely perceptible hint of admiration.

If he could bring such a talent to his side, the boy might become his strongest asset. But if he couldn't control him, he would become his greatest liability.

"Furthermore..." White Zetsu continued, "Shinichi has now become the Uchiha Clan's young clan leader. Tobirama Senju's influence is behind him, and he's also one of the Senju Clan's most important prospects. Given his close relationship with Tsunade, he'll likely become a bridge between the Senju and the Uchiha, rather than a blade."

Madara Uchiha snorted, a chill entering his eyes. "Tobirama Senju... he really isn't someone to underestimate."

He raised a hand and gently rubbed his chin with his fingertips, sinking into thought.

Though Shinichi's talent was astonishing, his lazy, rational, and unrestrained personality made it difficult to turn him into Madara's pawn.

He wasn't a piece that could be moved at will, but a beast poised to strike, capable of upsetting the balance of the board at any moment.

But another name surfaced in Madara Uchiha's mind—

Uchiha Kanon.

"That girl would make a fine choice," Madara Uchiha said quietly, a sharp gleam flashing through his eyes.

Her talent was equally extraordinary.

At just nine years old, she had awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan and displayed remarkable aptitude for both Lightning Release and fire release.

Most importantly, her heart was filled with faith in the Uchiha.

Unlike the independent, lazy, and rational Shinichi, Uchiha Kanon had been influenced since childhood by her grandfather, Uchiha Setsuna. She firmly believed that the Sharingan was the Uchiha's true power and devotedly upheld the Uchiha Clan's beliefs.

Her goal was to surpass Uchiha Shinichi and become the Uchiha Clan's most brilliant genius.

And her loyalty lay not with Konoha, nor with the Senju, but with the Uchiha name itself.

Madara Uchiha chuckled, his eyes as deep as an abyss. "Compared with that uncontrollable Shinichi, this girl is far better suited to becoming my heir."

She was smart enough, talented enough, and most importantly—easy enough to control!

"White Zetsu," Madara Uchiha said slowly, his low voice filled with authority, "continue watching Uchiha Kanon. When the time is right... give her some 'guidance.'"

White Zetsu's mouth stretched into an eerie grin. "Understood, Lord Madara."

In the darkness, Madara Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan glimmered with a dangerous red light.

His successor had been chosen.

And a new game was quietly beginning.