The "Yata Mirror" and an afternoon at the training grounds

After unlocking the "Yata Mirror Hypothesis," Shuo felt as though something had been added to his mind, but he could not quite say what.

It was as if he suddenly understood that light could not only travel in straight lines, but also... turn corners? Or rather, "bounce" off certain things?

He tried experimenting in his small living room.

He concentrated, stared at a spot on the opposite wall, and thought, Let light energy shoot straight from here to there, but not in a straight line.

Nothing happened. Never mind a light bullet-not even a spark appeared.

"Hypothesis... it really is just a 'hypothesis.'" Shuo slumped back onto the sofa and gave up.

It seemed this ability was only a concept for now, a long way from practical use. He would probably need more imitation points, or a deeper understanding of "light."

He was not too disappointed. Things from the system could not be rushed.

Anyway, he was safely back in the village now, with plenty of time to... slack off at leisure and do some research on the side.

That afternoon, he visited the Konoha Military Police Force's logistics office and presented his voucher to collect his "Family Cultivation Resource Subsidy."

It was a small package containing several Soldier Pills of decent quality, a little bottle of Herbal Extract supposedly capable of accelerating chakra recovery-which might not do much for him-and two basic D-rank ninjutsu scrolls: basic explanations of Fire Release: Flame Bullet and the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.

There was not much, but it had the advantage of being free.

Shuo put away the Soldier Pills and the extract, casually flipped through the ninjutsu scrolls, then stuffed them into his Ninja Tool Pouch.

The original owner's memories contained some grounding in Fire Release, but that required Chakra Nature Transformation. His current chakra reserves were still pitiful, and his attention was mainly on "light," so he had no time to practice it for now.

The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique was rather interesting, though. Perhaps he could combine it with "Light Shuriken" later? Provided he unlocked that skill first.

After collecting his supplies, he took the opportunity to wander around the village.

The war had only just neared its end, and the village was regaining its vitality. More pedestrians filled the streets, and most shops were open for business. He saw that Ichiraku Ramen had opened, with a queue outside.

He saw the newly released "Icha Icha Paradise" series on display in a bookstore, with several masked fellows who looked like ANBU lurking furtively nearby.

He saw ninja teams outside the mission office already checking the newly updated mission list and discussing which ones to take.

Everything was beginning to get back on track.

Shuo bought some fresh ingredients and daily necessities, then ambled home.

That evening, he cooked himself a simple pot of stew. It tasted mediocre, but it was better than Soldier Pills.

Before bed, he brought up the system panel for his customary look.

[Current imitation points: 206/100]

[Available unlock: Skill expansion · Light Shuriken (requires 180 points)]

[Physique enhancement · Light energy affinity (beginner) (requires 250 points)]

Light Shuriken... sounds more practical than Ama no Murakumo. At least it's ranged. After some thought, he chose to unlock it.

[Unlock successful: Skill expansion · Light Shuriken.]

[Description: Allows a minute amount of unstable light energy to be attached to the surface of thrown ninja tools, such as Shuriken and Kunai, slightly increasing their initial velocity and sharpness. There is also a low probability of a faint flash erupting upon striking a target or encountering an obstruction, disrupting vision. Note: Light energy consumption is extremely low, but attachment requires approximately one second of focused channeling. The light energy will rapidly dissipate over time; throw promptly.]

Not bad. Another means of harassment and disruption.

It took less effort than firing light bullets directly from his hands, and it fit a ninja's fighting style better, making it less likely to arouse suspicion.

He tried picking up an ordinary Shuriken, concentrating as he guided the faint light energy inside him toward his palm, then attempted to wrap it around the Shuriken.

The process was very sluggish.

The light energy was like unruly mercury. He finally managed to gather a little, only for it to drain away rapidly when it touched the metal.

After several minutes of struggling, a barely visible pale golden film finally appeared over the Shuriken's surface, and even that dissipated completely after a few seconds.

"...A long road ahead." Shuo tossed the Shuriken back into his Ninja Tool Pouch, lay down, and went to sleep.

The next morning, Shuo arrived at the Uchiha Clan's training grounds right on time.

The training grounds were large and divided into different areas.

There seemed to be some small clan matches or instructional sessions that day. Many young Uchiha had gathered there, making the atmosphere livelier than usual.

The location Shuo had been told to report to was a relatively secluded corner with a small target range.

When he arrived, the other two clan members who had been named were already there, standing nervously before an Uchiha Jonin.

The Jonin looked about thirty, with a stern face and sharp eyes. He wore standard Uchiha clothing and carried a short sword at his waist.

Shuo searched the original owner's memories and found a vague impression. This was a squad leader in the Konoha Military Police Force named Uchiha Tekka, known for his strict taijutsu and swordsmanship.

Uchiha Tekka also noticed Shuo strolling over. His brows drew together almost imperceptibly, seemingly displeased with Shuo's lax sense of time and leisurely gait.

"Uchiha Saku?" Tekka's voice was as cold and hard as his appearance.

"Yes."

Shuo stopped and nodded.

"Come stand here."

Tekka motioned for him to join the other two. "I am Uchiha Tekka. On the clan head's orders, I will assess the three of you on your recent progress today and provide appropriate guidance."

His gaze swept over the three of them. "You have all distinguished yourselves on the battlefield. But the battlefield is one thing; systematic training and the clan's traditions are another. The Uchiha's strength is rooted in the Sharingan and solid fundamentals. Today, we will begin with the most basic taijutsu, Shurikenjutsu, and chakra control."

The other two immediately straightened their backs and answered loudly, "Yes!"

Shuo answered along with them, his voice normal, but his posture... remained less than perfectly upright.

Tekka said no more and began at once.

First came some simple taijutsu warm-ups and sparring. Shuo was paired with a clan member named Uchiha Yōta.

Yōta looked a year or two younger than Shuo, but his eyes were bright and his movements swift. It was obvious he had trained hard.

As the spar began, Yōta gave a low shout and took the initiative, his punches and kicks stirring the air. Shuo focused mainly on dodging and blocking.

His movements were not fast, but thanks to the subtle physical improvements brought by "light particle activation," along with the instinct for more economical evasions along his opponent's attack paths afforded by his newly acquired "Yata Mirror Hypothesis," he always managed to avoid attacks with minimal movement in seemingly precarious situations, or deflect their force with a deft touch.

After several minutes, Yōta had barely touched even the hem of Shuo's clothes. Instead, his frequent attacks had consumed considerable stamina, leaving him breathing somewhat hard.

"Stop."

Tekka halted them and looked at Shuo, his gaze more probing than before. "Your way of dodging... is unusual. It isn't traditional Uchiha taijutsu."

Shuo wiped away nonexistent sweat and steadied his breathing-he was not actually very tired, but he had to put on a convincing show. "On the battlefield... I got used to doing whatever took the least effort."

"The least effort?"

Tekka mulled over the words without offering an opinion, then said, "Next, Shurikenjutsu."

The range had both stationary and moving targets.

Tekka demonstrated a standard high-speed sequence against multiple targets. His Shuriken struck the bull's-eyes precisely, his movements fluid and sharp. Then he had the three try in turn.

Although nervous, the other two performed respectably. Yōta even tried curved throws, with a good hit rate.

Then it was Shuo's turn. He picked up three Shuriken. Rather than taking the standard preparatory stance like the others, he simply stood casually and looked at the stationary target twenty meters away.

He quietly tried drawing on his light energy and attaching it to the Shuriken.

He was a tiny bit more practiced than last night. A barely perceptible layer of golden light just managed to envelop the blades.

He raised his hand and threw. His movement was not fast; it was even a little casual.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The three Shuriken flew out in succession. They seemed a fraction faster than usual, leaving faint golden trails through the air-almost impossible to notice without looking closely.

Thud, thud, thud!

Three dull impacts sounded almost simultaneously. The three Shuriken embedded themselves in a triangular arrangement... below and to the right of the bull's-eye. They had not missed the target, but neither were they particularly accurate.

But the instant the Shuriken struck the wooden target-

The impact made the extremely unstable film of light on one of them burst with a puff into a fist-sized flash of gold, not dazzling, but enough to draw attention!

Pop!

Like a little light bulb exploding.

Although the flash quickly faded, that momentary light and sound still made Tekka and the other two clan members pause, their eyes turning toward the target in unison.

Shuo himself blinked as well.

Oh-ho, that "low-probability" flash triggered? What "good" luck.

Uchiha Tekka walked over to the target and carefully examined the depth and angle of the embedded Shuriken, then inspected the burst point, where a faint scorch mark remained. He pulled out the Shuriken. Its metal blade still seemed slightly warm.

"What is this?"

Tekka turned to Shuo, his gaze as sharp as a blade. "A special Explosive Tag? Or some sort of Lightning Release or Fire Release enhancement technique? I have never seen it within the clan."

Here it comes. Shuo had long been prepared. His face showed an appropriate measure of confusion and a hint of embarrassment at being stumped. "This... I'm not too sure myself. Maybe... my chakra underwent an accidental nature transformation? Or it's some secret ninja tool technique my parents left behind? I'm not very practiced with it either..."

His voice grew quieter as he spoke, fully employing the strategy of "knowing nothing when asked and passing responsibility to deceased parents and mysticism."

Tekka stared at him for several seconds, seemingly judging whether his words were true.

In the end, he did not press further, merely saying gravely, "Using unfamiliar, uncontrollable techniques in combat is a way to get yourself killed. Next time, understand the principles and how to control it first."

"Yes..." Shuo nodded obediently.

In the subsequent chakra control tests-Water Walking and tree climbing-Shuo's performance was much more ordinary, even a little "clumsy." His chakra control barely met the passing standard for a Chunin, with nothing outstanding about it.

This instead eased some of the earlier suspicion in Tekka's eyes-it seemed the boy merely had a little ingenuity for unorthodox tricks. His fundamentals were not solid, and he posed little threat.

Once the assessment ended, Tekka offered each of the three some suggestions for improvement.

For the other two, these were mostly encouragement and guidance on specific techniques. For Shuo, he emphasized "solidifying the fundamentals" and "not relying excessively on shortcuts."

Shuo accepted humbly-on the surface.

Before he left, Tekka stopped Shuo and spoke to him alone. "The clan head is paying close attention to you. Work hard, and do not disappoint the clan's expectations. The Sharingan is the Uchiha's future."

"I understand." Shuo nodded, his expression earnest.

Only after leaving the training grounds and reaching a corner where no one was watching did Shuo let out a soft breath.

The Sharingan? He touched his eyes.

The original owner had never awakened it, even by the time he died. As for him? He had no particular obsession with the thing. Constant emotional shocks, seeing memories he did not want to see, and a tendency to go blind... Just thinking about it was troublesome.

He would stick to slowly figuring out his own "light."

He looked up at the sky. The sunshine was just right.

What should I do this afternoon?

Hmm... the juice at that shop yesterday was pretty good.

I'll buy another bottle, then go home and keep researching the "Yata Mirror Hypothesis."

With his hands in his pockets, he whistled as he ambled toward the Shopping District.

The solemnity of the training grounds, the clan's expectations, the pressure of the Sharingan...

It all seemed to fall behind him with each step.

Sunlight fell upon his rather slender back, and the edges of his lengthening shadow seemed a little blurrier and more golden than usual.

[Continued adherence to the behavioral patterns of "selectively accepting advice" and "remaining in one's comfort zone" during "noncombat daily life." "Beginner's laziness" and "Yata Mirror Hypothesis" (conceptual stage) have produced a subtle resonance. Imitation points +8.]

[Current imitation points: 214/100.]