In the guest room at Uchiha Lei's home...
Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Lei thought nothing of the cooking smoke inside, assuming Mikoto's mother, Uchiha Miko, was making dinner in the kitchen. The two happily walked into the room hand in hand.
A sharp gaze swept over their joined hands. It belonged to the Uchiha grand elder, Uchiha Yama!
His hairstyle resembled Mikoto's. He had high, straight, swordlike eyebrows, sharp, cold eyes, a high nose bridge, and some beard along his cheeks!
He wore a dark blue Uchiha kimono and blue wooden ninja sandals, and had an imposing presence!
Uchiha Yama sat upright before the wooden table. Seeing them holding hands, he knitted his brows deeply and gave two light coughs as a reminder!
"Ahem!"
Upon hearing her father's cough...
Uchiha Mikoto quickly released Uchiha Lei's hand. Noticing her father's cold gaze, she bowed slightly and greeted him:
"Hello, Father!"
Seeing his handsome future father-in-law, Uchiha Lei straightened his clothes as well, imitated Mikoto's slight bow, and said:
"Uchiha Lei pays his respects, Uncle."
Seeing Uchiha Lei's formal greeting, Uchiha Yama's expression returned to normal. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment and instructed:
"Mm, Lei, sit down! Mikoto, go brew a pot of tea!"
"Yes, Uncle." / "Yes, Father."
Uchiha sat cross-legged with both hands resting on his knees, looking at Uchiha Yama with a smile.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Mikoto headed to the kitchen to prepare tea!
Uchiha Yama examined Uchiha Lei. Discovering that his body was no longer frail and his gaze was no longer timid when looking at him, he nodded in satisfaction and asked:
"Lei, have you recovered?"
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle. I mysteriously recovered today!"
Uchiha Lei smiled slightly as he answered Uchiha Yama's concerned question!
That afternoon, Uchiha Yama had received word from his informant about Uchiha Lei rescuing the future Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kushina Uzumaki!
The report had specifically mentioned that Uchiha Lei could use the Body Flicker Technique and Substitution Technique, so Uchiha Yama had come to ask about his circumstances in detail, hoping to recruit him into his faction!
Uchiha Yama continued asking:
"Lei, I heard you saved a girl this afternoon and used ninjutsu. Is that true?"
"It's true, Uncle!"
Uchiha Lei's eyes lit up. Understanding why Grand Elder Uchiha Yama had come, he thought:
I still need Uchiha Yama's protection right now!
Besides, he's my future father-in-law...
If I join his faction, asking for a few ninjutsu wouldn't be too much, would it?
Uchiha Lei asked Uchiha Yama:
"Uncle, you've taken an interest in my talent and want to recruit me into your faction, right?"
Uchiha Yama widened his eyes, looking at the young Uchiha Lei before him with a hint of surprise!
"Lei, you really are clever! That's exactly what I mean!"
By then...
Uchiha Mikoto had finished brewing the tea and walked over to the side of the wooden table with a steaming teapot and teacups!
Mikoto knelt beside the wooden table, placing a teacup before her father, Uchiha Yama, first, then another before Uchiha Lei opposite him, before filling their cups!
After doing all this, Mikoto glanced at Lei, then rose and went back to help in the kitchen!
Uchiha Yama picked up his tea with his right hand and took a sip, silently watching Uchiha Lei as he waited for his reply!
After watching Uchiha Yama's movements, Uchiha Lei also picked up his teacup, blew on the tea, and took a sip. He frowned slightly, set the tea down, and continued:
"Uncle, I can join your faction, but you have to draw up a marriage contract for Mikoto and me!"
"No. Pick another condition!"
Before he finished speaking, Uchiha Yama's cold refusal came from across the table!
Uchiha Lei understood inwardly: So it really won't work?
He then smiled and requested:
"Then I want scrolls for ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and genjutsu. That should be all right, shouldn't it?"
Uchiha Yama frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement:
"All right, but are you sure you don't need someone assigned to teach you?"
Uchiha Lei shook his head in refusal:
"No need, Uncle! I know my own reputation. I'll learn by myself! Rest assured."
He thought to himself:
Apart from your family, everyone looks down on me! Teaching me would just be surveillance!
But with my top-tier learning talent, learning ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and genjutsu will be a breeze.
Uchiha Yama took a scroll from inside his clothes, pushed it across the table to Uchiha Lei, and patiently explained:
"The ninjutsu in this scroll are:
B-rank ninjutsu: Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique and Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Claw Crimson!
C-rank ninjutsu: Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!
The Taijutsu is Uchiha Dance Taijutsu!
The genjutsu are Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change, Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique (Paralysis Genjutsu), and Genjutsu: Sharingan!"
Uchiha Lei felt somewhat disappointed when he did not hear the B-rank Majestic Destroyer Flame or Flame Formation!
Then he heard Mirror Heaven and Earth Exchange, which Itachi would use in the future to see through and reflect genjutsu!
And the Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique, which left its victims unable to move as though trapped in a nightmare, even when they knew they were under genjutsu!
Uchiha Lei quickly picked up the scroll and opened it. With a swift glance, he committed the ninjutsu Hand Seals, Chakra Nature Transformation, precise chakra control, Taijutsu movements, and applications of genjutsu and ocular techniques to memory, then tucked the scroll inside his clothes!
Uchiha Lei had just glanced at the system panel, and sure enough, records of these ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and genjutsu had appeared!
Uchiha Lei rubbed his hands together and asked Uchiha Yama with a smile:
"Uncle, do you know Majestic Destroyer Flame and Flame Formation? If you have them, you might as well give them to me too!"
Looking at Uchiha Lei's grinning face, Uchiha Yama's expression darkened, and his fist tightened slightly. Only after lifting his tea and taking a sip did he unclench his fist and explain coldly:
"Lei, I don't know how you learned about these two ninjutsu!
But Majestic Destroyer Flame is passed down personally by the clan head! As for Flame Formation, that will depend on your performance later."
Settling for the next best thing, Uchiha Lei thought of the Great Fireball Technique and asked with a smile:
"Uncle, could you explain the Great Fireball Technique, then?"
Seeing how eager Uchiha Lei was to learn, Uchiha Yama nodded and began explaining as he demonstrated:
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique has six seals!
Snake, ram, monkey, boar, horse, tiger."
Uchiha Yama raised both hands and formed the six seals, then said:
"The rest is precise chakra control, followed by Chakra Nature Transformation!
Like this. Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Uchiha Yama turned toward the doorway, quickly formed Hand Seals, and spat out a tiny red fireball the size of a fingernail!
The little fireball kept spinning and generating friction...
By the time it flew outside, just before it hit the ground, it had become a palm-sized fireball!
With a boom...
The fireball struck the ground, blasting out a small pit!
After watching Uchiha Yama's entire demonstration of the Great Fireball Technique...
Uchiha Lei had memorized the technique's use completely. Seeing that it had already appeared in the system information, he raised his hands and cupped his fist in thanks, excitement in his eyes:
"Thank you for explaining the Great Fireball Technique, Uncle. I've basically understood it!"
Watching the changes in Uchiha Lei's expression, Uchiha Yama sensed that he was not lying. He looked at Lei with some surprise and, wanting to test his talent, ordered:
"Lei, since you understand it, try doing it just as I did!"
"All right, Uncle. I'll give it a try!"
Uchiha Lei turned to face the yellow earth outside the door, recalling the movements in the ninjutsu scroll and combining them with Uchiha Yama's movements!
Uchiha Lei deliberately formed the seals one by one with both hands:
"Snake, ram, monkey, boar, horse, tiger!
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
He raised his right hand to his mouth in a loose fist, bent forward slightly, then puffed out his cheeks a little and spat out a tiny fireball the size of a fingernail!
The little fireball spun rapidly through the air, generating friction...
With a hum...
A streak of red light flashed through the air, as swift as a red bullet...
With a boom...
A large, round pit with a radius of an entire palm instantly appeared where the small pit had been!
Red light glowed inside the pit, the surrounding ground cracked, and the smell of scorched earth rose into the air...
Having seen Uchiha Lei's Fire Release Ninjutsu just now, Uchiha Yama noticed his precise chakra control and Chakra Nature Transformation. His mouth fell slightly open, and his eyes filled with surprise!
With delight in his voice, Uchiha Yama could not help asking:
"Lei, is this your first time learning Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique?"
Uchiha Lei turned around and explained with a smile:
"That's right, Uncle. You know what my health was like before!"
Before you continue