"Ding! Through tireless effort, your Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet has automatically completed its training!"
A month later, the Chunin Ninja Exams began in Konoha.
Uchiha Sora and his two teammates took part as planned.
They passed the first round, the written exam, without trouble. During the second round, the survival test, Uchiha Sora coasted the whole way, taking a supporting role and letting his two teammates show what they could do.
In the elimination round that followed, Uchiha Sora deliberately left an opening, allowing his opponent to defeat him and knock him out.
For the finals, Uchiha Sora became a spectator, cheering from the stands for Uzuki Yugao, the only one of his teammates to make it through the elimination round.
In the end, Uzuki Yugao won the final with her outstanding swordsmanship and successfully advanced to Chunin.
Hirai Mitsuteru and Uchiha Sora remained Genin.
The day after becoming a Chunin, Uzuki Yugao treated the two of them and their former teacher, Uenaka Masaki, to a lavish meal.
In the days ahead, Uzuki Yugao would take on higher-ranking missions to hone her skills as a Chunin.
Hirai Mitsuteru was deeply envious.
"Ah, Sora, Masaki-sensei is heading off on high-ranking missions this year too. That leaves just us two poor Genin. We probably won't get many chances to go on missions together anymore, will we?" After the meal, everyone went their separate ways. Hirai Mitsuteru patted Uchiha Sora on the shoulder, sounding wistful.
Uchiha Sora smiled faintly. "As long as you work hard, you'll get a chance to advance. There's no rush."
"Yeah. Honestly, I don't think I'm all that suited to those dangerous missions. Once I become a Chunin, I think I'll apply to teach at the Ninja Academy," Hirai Mitsuteru said with a nod.
"Teaching sounds great. I'm behind you!" Uchiha Sora said with a smile.
"Really? You won't think I lack ambition?"
"Heh, everyone has their own dreams. Besides, teaching at the Ninja Academy isn't that easy. Even if you want the job, you might not get it!"
"Haha, Sora, hearing you say that makes me even more determined!" Hirai Mitsuteru laughed. "Then here's hoping I'll be a teacher the next time we meet!"
The two parted, each heading home in a different direction.
A slight smile touched Uchiha Sora's lips. His two teammates were starting new lives, so it was time for him to enter a new stage too.
There were far too many things he needed to improve next.
Ever since his Sharingan had reached two tomoe through automatic training, it had shown no signs of evolving further. It probably needed some sort of trigger.
His chakra, on the other hand, was progressing rapidly. By now, he had at least as much chakra as an ordinary Jonin. His physique also benefited from his sage body, while his taijutsu and swordsmanship continued to improve steadily through automatic training.
As for ninjutsu, aside from the basic Three Body Technique, a few fire release techniques, and the Shadow Clone he had learned from Uzuki Yugao, all he had was one A-rank technique, the Rasengan.
He knew even less about genjutsu.
His overall strength was already considerable, but Uchiha Sora still wasn't satisfied with his current state.
In particular, he lacked a trump card that could save his life.
If only I could get my hands on the Scroll of Seals! Uchiha Sora thought.
The Scroll of Seals contained numerous forbidden techniques and S-rank ninjutsu. If he could learn the Flying Thunder God Technique, he would no longer need to fear Obito lurking in the shadows.
So Uchiha Sora's next task was to find a way to obtain the training method for the Flying Thunder God Technique.
The Scroll of Seals was kept in the Third Hokage's home, with ANBU guarding the area. With his current abilities, stealing it was impossible.
And his identity as a member of the Uchiha Clan meant he had no chance of approaching the Scroll of Seals through conventional channels either.
Suddenly, Uchiha Sora remembered an event from the original story.
The Kumogakure negotiations incident.
It could be called one of the most humiliating events in Konoha's history.
In short, Kumogakure had taken advantage of its visit to Konoha to sign a peace treaty and suddenly targeted the young heiress of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family, attempting to abduct her. Hyuga Hiashi discovered the intruder, however, and killed the Kumogakure ninja on the spot.
Despite being caught in the act, Kumogakure turned around and accused Konoha instead. Threatening war, it demanded that the Hyuga Clan hand over Hiashi's body. In the end, Konoha chose to yield, sacrificing Neji's father in exchange for peace.
That incident should happen before long.
Uchiha Sora remembered that the day Konoha and Kumogakure signed the treaty was also Hinata Hyuga's birthday, near the end of the year.
That was only about three months away.
On that day, once Kumogakure confronted the Konoha High Command and the Hyuga Clan, most of Konoha's attention would be focused on the incident. That would give him a chance to steal the Scroll of Seals!
So, starting now, Uchiha Sora had to prepare to steal the Scroll of Seals in three months.
There wasn't actually much to prepare. With his knowledge of the plot, Uchiha Sora already had timing and circumstances on his side. If he used a few tricks when the time came, his chances of obtaining the Scroll of Seals would be extremely high!
Before that, however, Uchiha Sora had to improve his genjutsu and Sharingan.
Powerful genjutsu combined with the Sharingan could certainly take ordinary ninja down without anyone noticing. That would also be a tremendous help when he infiltrated the Third Hokage's home.
Thinking of genjutsu naturally brought Uchiha Sora's thoughts to Shisui Uchiha, a genius even more gifted than Uchiha Itachi.
Shisui Uchiha was indisputably the strongest member of the entire Uchiha Clan, and he was currently serving in the ANBU.
However, Uchiha Sora barely knew Shisui. The two had hardly ever spoken.
To find Shisui, he would probably have to go through Itachi.
After all, Itachi and Shisui were very close at the moment.
"Itachi, it's been a while. How have you been?" Three days later, Uchiha Sora arranged to meet Itachi in the small grove where they often trained.
Since graduating, both had developed their own circles, leaving them less and less time to talk. It had been at least six months since they last saw each other.
Uchiha Itachi seemed to have grown even quieter and more reserved.
"Itachi, I heard you've awakened your Sharingan. Can you show me?" Uchiha Sora continued.
Itachi nodded, closed his eyes, then opened them again. They instantly turned scarlet, with two black tomoe in each.
"The Two-Tomoe Sharingan. Not bad! Just what I'd expect from you, Itachi!" Uchiha Sora offered a small compliment.
Uchiha Itachi had no idea that the friend standing before him had awakened his own Sharingan two years earlier than he had.
He quietly raised his head. "Sora, did you know? These eyes are cursed. They give me great power, but they also keep taking things away from me."
Before you continue