Konoha's late autumn was mild and thin, passing through the layers of maple leaves in the Uchiha Clan Compound and scattering into shifting patches of golden-red light across the ground.
Uchiha Gen, who should still have been on the Eastern Battlefield in the Land of Fire, stood silently before two gravestones.
No one knew that today was Uchiha Gen's birthday, as well as the twelfth anniversary of his arrival in the Shinobi World.
An orphan of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Gen had grown up without family or relatives, and every birthday had passed in silence. Even at the orphanage reserved for the Uchiha, the director would not celebrate everyone's birthday individually.
The sun sank in the west, and dusk washed over all of Konoha.
Looking up at the setting sun, Uchiha Gen's lips curled slightly.
Check in.
[Ding! Congratulations on obtaining item-Zanpakutō-Ryūjin Jakka.]
Happy birthday, Uchiha Gen.
"Happy birthday, kid."
A familiar voice came from behind him. Uchiha Gen did not turn around, but closed his eyes, sensing something.
"Hm? Sword force?!"
Hatake Sakumo, who had arrived with the Body Flicker Technique carrying a cake, suddenly opened his eyes wide. As he looked at Uchiha Gen's back, an invisible wave of scorching heat rushed straight at him.
Having awakened Thunderclap Sword Force, Hatake Sakumo was all too familiar with this intangible presence!
This was the nascent form of a sword force on the verge of awakening!
What did this kid do? Didn't he say before that he put up these two gravestones for himself? How could looking at gravestones give him an insight?
And... this scorching heat must mean a sword force related to flames, right? Gravestones and fire? What do they have to do with each other?
Watching Uchiha Gen with the cake in hand, Hatake Sakumo