I'll Bring Him Back Myself

Hidden Leaf Village.

Five years ago, after Uchiha Madara left the Hidden Leaf Village, Hashirama Senju did not fall into despair. Instead, with his younger brother Tobirama's assistance, he governed the village in perfect order, allowing it to flourish.

He continuously refined the ninja village's policies, using funds invested by the Land of Fire's government as startup capital and pouring resources into the construction of the Hidden Leaf Village. Tobirama also founded the Ninja Academy to cultivate highly capable ninjas.

Regardless of clan lineage or social status, any child capable of condensing Chakra could receive a proper Ninjutsu Sect education, even commoners.

At the same time, the Hidden Leaf Village dispatched ninjas to accept mission commissions from all sides. This earned them substantial rewards and spurred the Land of Fire's economic growth.

With ample fiscal funds from the Land of Fire, money could also be allocated for military expenditures, allowing the nation to maintain a large number of Hidden Leaf Village ninjas as its military force over the long term. Combined with its uniquely advantageous geographical conditions, the Land of Fire swiftly became the strongest nation in the world in terms of overall strength.

Without exception.

At this moment, at a training ground in the Hidden Leaf Forest.

Figures darted through the forest, accompanied from time to time by two or three crisp metallic clashes. It seemed that several people were fighting, their breathing rapid and dense.

Two groans rang out, and two youths flew from the treetops at the same time, crashing heavily onto the ground.

"It's not over yet!"

A spiky-haired youth burst out from a concealed corner. Forming Hand Seals with both hands, he shouted, "Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!"

He spat out a thin, transparent line of wind that shot straight into the treetop from earlier!

Shattered leaves scattered through the air, and a cool voice came from within the canopy. "Danzo, you hid yourself all this time just for that move?"

Danzo tilted his head, and the wind line from his mouth slashed diagonally downward like a long blade. The canopy was instantly split in two, its branches and leaves cleanly severed.

A youth leaped up from the treetop. The sun blurred his outline, leaving only a shadow.

A trace of frustration flashed across Danzo's face. He had missed his target.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Nail Crimson!"

The next moment, firelight illuminated Danzo's eyes as dozens of blazing fireballs flew out from the shadow!

"Uchiha Kagami! Don't underestimate me!"

Danzo shouted lowly, changed his Hand Seals, and thrust both palms forward. "Wind Style: Slashing Air Wave!"

Wind pressure gathered in his palms, blasting out bullet-like streams of air. Under the force of that attack, the fireballs trembled and swayed before being extinguished one after another in the raging wind.

But Danzo did not relax, because he saw spinning Shuriken emerging from the extinguished flames!

"Not good!" he cried out.

"Buzz!"

Countless concealed Threads appeared in the air. The Shuriken paused slightly before Danzo's face, then shot back into the bushes like birds returning to their nests, landing in the youth's hand.

The youth landed sideways, his black clothes fluttering in the wind. He stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from everyone, the Gunbai clan emblem on his back strikingly conspicuous.

"You've lost," Uchiha Kagami said calmly.

On the ground, a monkey-faced youth with pineapple-shaped hair struggled to climb up and said unwillingly, "I... I can still fight!"

"Hiruzen, I already showed mercy." Kagami's voice was clear and cold. "The gap between a Jonin and Chunin cannot be made up by numbers."

"Hmph, as long as I can still move, I haven't lost!" Sarutobi Hiruzen glared furiously. He sprang up from the ground, drew a Kunai, and charged straight at the figure's back.

"Very well. Let me show you what the Uchiha's true power is..."

As the Kunai drew closer, Uchiha Kagami remained standing in place without moving. He made no unnecessary motion. He merely turned back and glared.

Three tadpole-like Tomoe rotated slightly within his crimson Pupils. Sarutobi Hiruzen fell to the ground with a thud like a kite with its string cut, completely motionless.

"What?!" Mitokado Homura and Shimura Danzo both cried out in disbelief.

That bastard had been playing with us the whole time... Mitokado Homura nervously pushed up his glasses. If he wanted to, he could have ended the fight in an instant!

"So this is... the power of the Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan..." Danzo stood frozen on the Original Spot.

At that moment, Uchiha Kagami walked over to Hiruzen, bent down to pick up the Kunai, and held it against the back of Hiruzen's neck.

"This should be enough, right? If this were a battlefield, you would already be dead twice over." He said, "Whether it's Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, or Illusion Technique, I can crush you all and win with ease."

Danzo pressed down on his trembling right hand and forced himself to remain calm. "Even so, you still won't earn our recognition!"

Kagami frowned slightly. "I agreed to all your demands. When I was promoted to Jonin, you challenged me, and I accepted. Whether it was fighting you one after another or all of you ganging up on me, I accepted it all. Do I have to lose to you for it to count?"

"That's far too arrogant! We aren't weak enough to accept that!" Danzo let out a Cold snort.

"I know you don't like me, but we are all members of the Hidden Leaf Village. We should get along peacefully. Only by standing united can the Hidden Leaf Village become stronger. I truly..." Kagami sighed softly. "I truly want to become friends with everyone."

"Become friends? What are you thinking? One of your Uchiha became a traitor, and you still dream of integrating with us?"

"...What?" Kagami suddenly fell silent.

Danzo seemed to recall something. The more he spoke, the more excited he became, as though doing so could recover the dignity he had lost in defeat.

"That's right! Five years ago, your traitorous Brother defected from the Hidden Leaf Village and killed so many comrades. Among them were quite a few Jonin from our Shimura Clan. This debt is one you, Uchiha Kagami, will never be able to repay!"

Kagami's voice sank. "Say that again?"

"Hmph, I said, that damned traitorous Brother of yours—ugh!"

The Wind Sound rose and fell. A Kunai was pressed against Danzo's throat. It happened so suddenly that Danzo did not even have time to react. All he felt was a blur before his eyes and a sharp pain in his neck as the Kunai's tip pierced his skin.

Warm blood seeped out, swiftly spreading across his neck. When the wind blew, the cold pierced to the bone.

Uchiha Kagami slowly bent down. Unutterable hostility churned in his scarlet Eyes, and an icy aura traveled along the Kunai. Danzo could not help but shudder.

"I will personally bring him back to the village! That is the only thing that has driven me to train so hard until now!" Kagami leaned close to Danzo's ear and said word by word, "Before then, you are not allowed to wag your tongue!"

"Thud!"

Danzo collapsed onto the ground, his eyes still filled with lingering terror as he gasped for breath.

"Uchiha Shin'yu..." Mitokado Homura simply sprawled flat on the ground and let out a long breath. His voice carried lingering fear. "That guy was insanely strong. That night, no fewer than sixteen Jonin died by his hand. Even Lord Tobirama could do nothing against him. To bring him back..."

He looked at Uchiha Kagami, his tone weakening. "Jonin-level strength alone is probably... not enough."

"Lord Tobirama acknowledged my resolve and has already agreed to take me as his personal disciple. As long as I can learn that technique..."

Uchiha Kagami gazed toward the heavens. The fiery red setting sun coated his Eyes in a layer of Golden Light. That was the direction of the Hidden Leaf Village Entrance.

"Brother, no matter where you are, no matter the price, I will personally... bring you back to the village!"