challenge

Beneath the sprawling village of Konoha, hidden in the hollowed-out expanse against the rocky wall, lay a complex network of buildings and interconnected underground passages. This was the secret base of Konoha's root operatives.

Inside the office of the Root's chief, Danzo scrutinized a freshly sorted document. His gaze, icy and unwavering, settled on a figure in the upper right corner of the document's image. He expressed his dissatisfaction, muttering, "No wonder Hiruzen suddenly changed his stance. It appears there's a connection to this child."

As one of Konoha's shadowy figures, Danzo made it his duty to stay informed about all matters, be they within or outside the village. Even seemingly trivial matters among children did not escape his occasional scrutiny.

When it came to the Uchiha clan, Danzo maintained an ever-watchful eye, regardless of the scale of the issue. Vigilance against the Uchiha was paramount, a lesson ingrained in him by his mentor.

"Hump, evil uchiha "

Therefore, when word reached Danzo's ears that Uchiha Chizuru, the Uchiha clan's prodigy, had been defeated by an orphan from an obscure orphanage, he took notice.

Danzo had been acquainted with the Uchiha clan since his youth, well aware of their formidable power. He too had been a promising prodigy in his own right, yet he had been bested by the younger Uchiha kagami.

Despite his reluctance, he acknowledged the Uchiha clan's strength. Consequently, he recognized the immense challenge it posed for someone of Chizuru's caliber to be defeated by a peer, especially one as young as Kirito.

Furthermore, Chizuru had already unlocked her Sharingan and undergone rigorous training by the Uchiha clan a year ago.

In Danzo's estimation, Kirito, an orphanage-raised child, stood no chance against Chizuru. The odds appeared insurmountable.

However, the situation revealed that Kirito possessed exceptional talent, possibly surpassing even Chizuru. Danzo had ordered a thorough investigation into Kirito's background, which confirmed his legitimacy. Kirito had also experienced a severe illness a month and a half ago, coinciding with his transformation.

Experience would suggest that one of Kirito's ancestors might have possessed a formidable bloodline limit, and his illness might have triggered the awakening of this bloodline.

"Regrettably, had I made an earlier request to hiruzen, this outstanding pawn would have been mine," Danzo lamented with deep regret.

It was evident that his close friend Hiruzen had protected Kirito and would never allow him to fall into Danzo's hands. However, Danzo was not one to give up easily. He stared at Kirito's photo and declared with a chilling expression, "I still have a chance. As long as darkness finds its place in this child's heart, he will come to me sooner or later. I alone can offer him everything he desires. Saru, you will rue the day you refused me."

Simultaneously, the Third Hokage, who had been burning the midnight oil in his office to process paperwork, suddenly felt a peculiar impulse. He almost uttered the words, "I am Hokage," on a whim. However, with Danzo absent and no reason to voice it, the Third Hokage swallowed his words with a sense of melancholy.

"Suddenly, i feel like im missing Danzo..."

Giving a sigh, hiruzen gone back to studying the documents that seemed to be never end, awaiting for his approval. His face, marked by age, bore deep wrinkles, and a heavy sigh escaped his lips again, revealing profound weariness.

Ever since the war commenced, he had spent nearly every day in the same fashion, almost making this place his permanent residence. He hadn't stepped outside for nearly a month, and the toll was visible on his tired countenance. He barely found the time for his family, even with biwako constant visit

He stood up, stretched, and wandered to the window with a 'bong,' lighting a cigarette. As he exhaled a plume of smoke, he gazed out at a village that had lost its vibrancy since the war began.

At this point before the war, the village would have been alive with activity. Even in his office, he could often hear the joyous sounds emanating from the commercial streets. Yet, for a long while now, that laughter had been absent from this hour.

Hiruzen longed to hear it again, but he feared it might be some time before that happened.

Wishing it would return sooner, the Third Hokage's eyes darkened with a sense of seriousness. He turned his head slightly, directing his gaze toward an Anbu ninja who had just arrived.

"Hokage-sama, a message from the border," the Anbu ninja said, presenting a sealed scroll with both hands.

"Thank you for your efforts," the Third Hokage responded as he accepted the scroll, promptly breaking the seal to read its contents, his expression changing

"The wretched dwarf is indulging in his looting habits again. order a thousand reserve ninja—no, make it two thousand—to reinforce the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass."

The Third Hokage looked over the scroll, his eyebrows furrowing with anger.

"Be swift ! "

"Per your orders !"

The Anbu ninja nodded and swiftly disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique to carry out the orders.

"It's been such a tumultuous time. Konoha is facing battles on two fronts, and now the Iwa ninja are preparing to strike. Sensei, the burden you entrusted me with is indeed heavy," the Third Hokage mused, his expression turning somber.

Now that two thousand ninja had been dispatched to reinforce the border, the village's defenses had been further weakened. He could only hope that no untoward incidents occurred as a result.

"Young sprouts of Konoha, may you grow swiftly," the Third Hokage murmured.

Resuming his seat, he retrieved a stack of approved academy admission applications from his drawer. He reviewed them once more, selecting twelve from the stack with a sigh.

The older generation of Konoha's ninja had almost withered away. Even his own generation had suffered heavy casualties in the last war. Among the new generation of ninja, only three of his disciples showed promise. Konoha was in dire need of formidable ninja.

In general, aside from the Uchiha clan, the major ninja clans in Konoha were experiencing a decline in strength. It had been a while since a powerful ninja had emerged who could stand alone.

If this trend continued, what would become of Konoha in the future?

"Have I made a mistake?" the Third Hokage pondered, reflecting on the policy of suppressing clan ninja and supporting civilians ninja that he had implemented upon taking office.

However, his resolve remained unwavering. He believed he had made the right choice, for it aligned with his teacher's wisdom.

When the power of the clans grows too strong, it poses a threat to the Hokage's position, undermines the Hokage's rule, and jeopardizes the village. The Uchiha clan, with their immense strength and volatile history, was a prime example of this. Their failure to integrate fully into the village continued to be a cause of concern.

"Uchiha, when will you understand the First Hokage's will? Why do you persist in not actively assimilating into the village?"

Thoughts of the Uchiha clan weighed heavily on the Third Hokage's mind, a mix of regret and apprehension.

Meanwhile, on Kirito's way back to the orphanage, a figure suddenly materialized before him. Kirito observed the person cautiously, stepping back and discreetly retrieving a small knife from his pocket, concealing it in his hand.

The unexpected visitor was Uchiha Kari, the middle-aged man who had protected Uchiha Chizuru earlier in the day.

"Uncle, what brings you here? Is everything all right?" Kirito greeted Uchiha Kari with an innocent smile, his tone cautious.

"Chizuru, Uchiha Chizuru, remember her name well, Tohsaka Kirito. This is a challenge letter she sent to you. Accept it," Uchiha Kari instructed with a slight frown.

With that, he tossed an object toward Kirito at incredible speed. Although Kirito struggled to follow the movement with his current eyesight, he managed to catch it—a small scroll.

Before Kirito could refuse, Uchiha Kari swiftly performed a hand seal and vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing that it was a shadow clone.

Simultaneously, a new scroll appeared on the ground.

"What the hell..at least give a basic greeting.. freaking uchiha "

As Kirito begrudgingly accepted the challenge letter and lamented Uchiha Kari's actions, he couldn't help but feel a growing animosity toward the Uchiha clan. Their arrogance and overbearing behavior were becoming increasingly evident, and he couldn't understand how they could be so despised by the villagers.

Character, he believed, was pivotal in determining one's destiny, and the Uchiha clan had already sown the seeds of their own downfall.

However, his perspective underwent a dramatic shift when he picked up the scroll Uchiha Kari had left behind. Upon reading its contents, Kirito was taken aback. The scroll contained valuable information on chakra cultivation and the Three-Body Technique, complete with intricate details, techniques, and practical insights.

bunshin

substitution

clone jutsu

"Oh...now we talking. "

Kirito realized he had stumbled upon a treasure trove of knowledge. While he might eventually learn these techniques at the ninja school, time was of the essence, and waiting another month felt like a waste.

Furthermore, knowing that the Uchiha clan, a powerful and influential entity, had generously provided him with this knowledge changed his perception of them. He had initially anticipated being taken advantage of or forced into a challenging situation. Instead, he received this unexpected boon.

"This gift, i accept it. I'll be sure to give it back later "

Grateful and contemplative, Kirito considered the significance of this gift. He recognized that to receive, one must be willing to give. He surmised that the Uchiha clan likely didn't want to exploit him but hoped he would become strong enough to serve as a sparring partner for Uchiha Chizuru, a way to sharpen her skills.

"Do you want to use me as her stepping stone ? Ha. the genre is lacking a young master here. does the little loli count as one ? "

This implied a deep confidence in Uchiha Chizuru's abilities, as they believed she would inevitably triumph in their next encounter. Kirito couldn't help but see this as Uchiha's characteristic arrogance, but in this instance, it was an arrogance he found quite agreeable.

Although he sensed a degree of condescension, Kirito was not bothered. The Uchiha clan had shown him kindness by providing these valuable teachings. He appreciated their willingness to offer genuine benefits rather than seeking selfish gain.

He would use the knowledge bestowed upon him by the Uchiha clan to rise to the challenge. Uchiha's underestimation of him would serve as motivation to grow even more.

With two scrolls in hand, Kirito hurried back to the orphanage, ready to begin his training