Before he knew it, a year had passed since Uchiha Shisui's death.
During this year, Konoha remained calm. The sudden disappearance of the Uchiha clan's most powerful individual had forced them to halt their plans for a coup d'état. The pressure that Uchiha Shisui once held now fell upon Uchiha Itachi, who found himself in a state of confusion. The downfall of the Uchiha clan was imminent, and their history would soon be consigned to the annals of the ninja world, much like the Senju clan.
However, all of this was of no concern to Sato. He had been cautious and managed to avoid arousing suspicion among Konoha's senior management. Ever since he devoured Uchiha Shisui, his strength had been growing exponentially. Chakra, the fusion of physical and chakra, was being extracted in increasing amounts as his physical and mental energy continued to soar.
With each passing month after consuming Uchiha Shisui, Sato's Chakra reserves skyrocketed, surpassing even those of a sixth-grade Ninja Academy student. Within two months, the Chakra quantity of sixth graders became the benchmark for comparison. Three months later, Sato's Chakra extraction no longer seemed so outrageous.
Sato discovered a new secret through his "devouring" process. The energy transformed by the mysterious beads not only enhanced his physical and mental energy but also enlightened him. His comprehension, which had been lacking before, was now improving rapidly. At the age of five, he had already mastered the Three Body Technique, Body Flicker Technique, and invisibility, thanks to his adult-like thinking. However, he had yet to acquire the Shadow Clone Technique at that time.
Over the course of this year, in addition to his rapidly increasing Chakra reserves, Sato had learned numerous ninjutsu and even mastered Chakra Nature Transformation. Chakra Nature Transformation was a prerequisite for mastering high-level ninjutsu, such as A-rank and S-rank techniques, as well as for utilizing bloodline limits. Sato's Chakra Nature Transformation was aligned with the fire attribute.
Sato had inherited the water and yin attributes from his parents, while the wind, fire, and thunder attributes belonged to Uchiha Shisui. By devouring Uchiha Shisui, Sato had even assimilated his Chakra attribute. Apart from Chakra Nature Transformation, Sato had also learned three Fire Style techniques: the Fire Style Great Fireball Technique, Fire Style Great Fire Dragon Technique, and Fire Style Great Fire Extinguishing Technique.
The Fire Style Great Fire ball Technique was a signature technique of the Uchiha clan, originally a B-rank ninjutsu. However, with mastery of Chakra Nature Transformation, an abundance of Chakra, and precise Chakra control, its power could surpass even that of an S-rank technique. Uchiha Madara, when using this technique, could force an entire Water Style ninja class to resist it.
In addition to Fire Style, Sato had also learned the Water Style techniques inherited from his parents, as well as Illusion, Perception Technique, Instant Body Technique, Basic Medical Technique, and the Shadow Clone Technique. The Shadow Clone Technique was the primary reason why Sato had been able to master so many ninjutsu in just one year.
Despite possessing the qualifications to graduate early, Sato chose to remain patient. Being a civilian had its advantages and disadvantages. While it meant not being taken seriously, excelling in any way would easily draw attention and potentially make him a target. Therefore, Sato continued to practice diligently in a secluded waterfall away from the village, ensuring his progress
remained unnoticed.
Sato had gained valuable knowledge through Uchiha Shisui's memories, learning about the limitations of the Third Hokage's Crystal Telescope Technique. This technique could only monitor the village and not locations protected by barriers. To further maintain his anonymity, Sato would wear a mask and change his appearance whenever he practiced near the village. If not for the monthly visits from the orphanage staff to check on the young orphans, Sato would have considered moving away.
On this particular day, instead of his usual practice, Sato dressed neatly, holding an application form as he made his way toward the ninja school. It was the day when new students began their schooling. Children who reached the age of six were eligible to enter the ninja school, provided they passed the entrance examination.
The entrance examination was both simple and challenging. It was simple because anyone with the qualifications to become a ninja would be accepted. However, it was challenging because, without the necessary qualifications, one would not be able to enroll. For children like Sato and those from prominent ninja clans who possessed Chakra from birth, even mediocre results would guarantee their admission.
Sato, who was eligible for early graduation, effortlessly scored full marks in the entrance examination. He was assigned to Class 1, Grade 1, along with other children from prominent ninja clans and even Uzumaki Naruto, the Jinchūriki of the Nine Tails.