Water release

In the Uchiha clan's training ground area, the battle between Kirito and Chizuru came to an end, with Kirito emerging as the victor.

Utilizing magnetic release ninjutsu, which seamlessly combined offense and defense, Chizuru found herself unable to overcome Kirito, even with her mastery of various ninjutsu, unless she resorted to the Thunder Flash technique.

On the other hand, Kirito, with his formidable mental calculations and expert control over Thunder Release chakra, could manipulate the iron sand like an extension of his own body. He could attack from a distance with iron sand kunai and sprays, while simultaneously maintaining a defensive iron sand shield. Once Chizuru stepped into the iron sand's range, she faced the constant threat of being ensnared by it.

"Alright, alright, I get it. You came here to challenge me after you've mastered the Water Release chakra nature. Your Fire Release and Lightning Release ninjutsu can't breach my magnetic defense," Kirito commented, grinning, as he held the iron rod in his left hand and made a clenching gesture with his right.

"Hmph," Chizuru responded coldly, shifting her gaze away, feeling disgruntled.

This guy's smile is as annoying as ever. If I had known, I would have used the Thunder Flash technique from the start. I'm irritated. I need to hurry up and master the Water Release chakra nature. Something is holding me back, preventing me from overcoming this guy in the future.

Not wanting to vex Chizuru for too long, Kirito released the iron sand restraints once the outcome was clear. He then expressed concern, saying, "You've been practicing the Water Release chakra nature for almost a month now, and you still haven't succeeded. Are you facing any issues? After all, I've successfully cultivated the Water Release chakra nature, and if you share your problem, I might be able to help."

Initially, Chizuru was inclined to refuse Kirito's offer, but his quick understanding of her problem intrigued her. Although she felt reluctant to accept his help, she was also curious about his secret.

"I don't need any return gifts, but if you're so insistent, I'll reluctantly accept it. So, what's this return gift you're talking about?" Chizuru inquired, trying to mask her curiosity.

"Hmph, I don't need anything in return, but if you insist, I'll reluctantly take it. Tell me, what's the secret to your mastery of the Water Release chakra nature?" Kirito replied, feigning indifference.

"You should tell me first. Only when you've identified the issue can you provide the right solution. My method might not be suitable for you," Kirito explained.

Chizuru found Kirito's reasoning sensible, prompting her to share the difficulties she'd encountered while trying to cultivate the Water Release chakra nature. 

"That's the issue. Now, you should show me your Water Release chakra nature cultivation," Kirito said thoughtfully after hearing Chizuru's explanation.

Although Chizuru viewed Kirito's offer skeptically, his confident demeanor persuaded her to trust him, at least for now. She returned to the base of the waterfall to practice the Water Release chakra nature, while Kirito activated his Spirit Transformation Technique to initiate his spiritual vision.

Within moments, Kirito observed Chizuru's soul, revealing three colors: red, yellow, and black, representing her mastery of the Fire Release, Lightning Release, and Yin Release chakra attributes, respectively.

Soon, a fourth color, blue, representing the Water Release chakra nature, emerged on her soul. However, it appeared minuscule and was surrounded by a sea of red.

As Chizuru continued to practice, the blue area on her soul struggled to expand but ultimately succumbed to the encroaching red.

"This may be related to the excessive Fire Release chakra in your body. Fire and Water Releases are incompatible attributes. The abundance of Fire Release chakra in your system has hindered the development of the Water Release chakra nature," Kirito deduced after witnessing the color changes in her soul.

"Then what should I do?" Chizuru asked, more interested in the solution than the explanation.

"The solution is quite simple—deplete all the Fire Release chakra in your body and then practice the Water Release chakra nature," Kirito answered with a smile.

While skeptical, Chizuru decided to trust Kirito's method and began using Fire Release ninjutsu repeatedly until her Fire Release chakra was nearly depleted. Afterward, she resumed practicing the Water Release chakra nature under the waterfall.

This time, the process felt significantly smoother, and the obstacles that had previously impeded her progress were notably diminished. After some time, she held a small water sphere in her hand, filled with a sense of accomplishment.

"Congratulations, you can now proudly declare yourself as a rare Uchiha water user ninja," Kirito congratulated her, sporting a smile and clapping his hands.

"Hmph, you still have some skill," Chizuru responded, pretending to remain indifferent, although her face betrayed a hint of satisfaction.

Kirito understood that Chizuru's pride prevented her from acknowledging his assistance fully. Nonetheless, he was content with the progress they had made.

After some time, Kirito left the Uchiha clan's territory. Uchiha Homura, the clan's head, had provided him with valuable information— a detailed list of Root members.

Upon returning to the orphanage, Kirito retreated to his room. He activated the sealing barrier to shield his activities from prying eyes and

 began studying the list meticulously.

As he perused the numerous names, backgrounds, and abilities on the list, a sense of gravity settled over him. Danzo had penetrated Konoha deeply, with eyes and ears in every corner. His intelligence network extended to all levels of ninjas and even civilian ninja groups. Even the Uchiha clan harbored individuals who had fallen under his sway, seduced by the shadows.

The list contained over 500 individuals, including 36 Jounin and more than 400 Chuunin. There were likely numerous Genin that hadn't made it onto the list. The scale of Danzo's operation was astonishing.

No wonder Mito and the Third Hokage hesitated. If Danzo were eliminated, the repercussions would be immense, potentially shaking Konoha's very foundation.

"It's all because of the Third Hokage's shortcomings. If he had been more competent, he wouldn't have allowed Danzo to reach this level of infiltration. At this point, the Root has grown too large to be eliminated completely. Killing Danzo is the key to cutting off this insidious organization. The fact that he can control so many through the Tongue Seal is remarkable," Kirito mused after reviewing the names on the list.

However, assassinating Danzo was easier said than done. The old man was cunning and resourceful, making any direct confrontation dangerous. Kirito needed to bide his time and start by eliminating some of the smaller players from the list.

First, he planned to cut off their funding source. With so many Root members, they needed substantial resources to sustain themselves. The paltry allocation provided by the Third Hokage wouldn't suffice.

Kirito contemplated the detailed information on the Root members and their funding sources. He recognized that these Root members were human beings with everyday needs, including sustenance, practice, and support for their families. Money was an essential resource for them to travel, operate, and maintain their covert activities.

The list revealed that a portion of the Root's funding originated from influential nobles within the Land of Fire, while another part came from businessmen who were manipulated by the Root.

These external financiers were vital to the Root's growth and influence, allowing it to thrive even after the Third Hokage's era. Their overall strength had surpassed that of the Anbu under the Third Hokage's direct command.

Kirito's resolve was clear—he intended to target these external supporters. They represented the most vulnerable targets for Kirito to strike.

"Some of these Root-affiliated businessmen happen to be in the Land of Waves. I won't hesitate to accept their kind support " Kirito declared coldly.

However, one question lingered in Kirito's mind: How had the Uchiha clan managed to gather such detailed information about so many Root members without being detected?

He thought about the role of the Ninja Cat clan, which had been introduced in the original storyline.

"Ninja Cat clan," Kirito mused to himself, recalling the existence of the Ninja Cats.

In the Naruto series, the Ninja Cats were a group of cats with unique abilities and intelligence. They were known for their extraordinary skills in gathering information. Could it be that the Ninja Cats had played a role in collecting information about the Root members for the Uchiha clan?

Kirito realized that this was a significant possibility. The Ninja Cats' abilities and covert nature made them ideal for espionage and gathering intelligence.

The group of psychic beasts, known as the Ninja Cats, may appear like ordinary cats on the surface, but they have a long-standing friendship with the Uchiha clan and have been serving them for generations. Members of the Ninja Cat clan are distributed throughout the ninja world, making them an essential source of information for the Uchiha clan.

"Seems like we should pay more attention to these adorable little creatures in the future," Kirito thought as he gazed at an orange cat resting in the courtyard.

After thoroughly memorizing the contents of the list of Root members, Kirito decided to create a simplified version to distribute to his trusted comrades. He understood that not everyone would have the capacity to remember the extensive list.

Soon, he had a new list prepared and hidden on his person. Leaving his room, Kirito headed to a training ground in the orphanage's backyard.

There, his younger brothers Yamazaki Heizo and Noda Taiga, along with several other children from the orphanage and civilian children from outside, were engaged in various forms of training, from physical arts to ninjutsu. Three of them, Umino Nobita, Shiranui Takeshi, and Yuhi Yukimi, were already practicing ninjutsu.

As Kirito arrived, the children and youngsters on the training ground paused their activities, gazing at him with admiration, respect, or awe, addressing him as "big brother."

In the world of ninja, strength was paramount, and the strong were highly regarded. Ninjas respected those who excelled in their abilities, especially children who compared themselves to their peers. Kirito's remarkable strength and reputation had made him a natural role model and idol for the young aspirants.

However, the gap between Kirito and these children was immense, making some of them jealous, while others felt a deep sense of admiration and respect. A few even harbored the desire to follow him.

During his school years, Kirito had made it a hobby to observe his classmates, get to know them, and eventually form a close-knit group of trusted friends. The children he had gathered at the orphanage were no different. Kirito had selected them based on their potential, loyalty, and trustworthiness.

These children had a special bond with Kirito, and they were part of a new force that he was discreetly cultivating. Although they were still young and inexperienced, Kirito had already granted them the Seal of Night, enhancing their abilities and potential. He believed that when they eventually went into battle, they would have a higher chance of survival than their peers.

Kirito greeted the children on the training ground with a warm smile, encouraged them, and then instructed them to continue their training. After ensuring that they were motivated to improve, he left the training ground.

Following Kirito's departure, Yamazaki Heizo, Noda Taiga, Umino Nobita, Shiranui Takeshi, and Yuhi Yukimo also left the training ground one by one. They all gathered in Kirito's room as he requested.

Kirito wasted no time and presented them with the list he had created.

"I called you all here for a simple reason: to have you remember the names on this scroll. I was targeted for assassination today by what appeared to be Sand Ninja, but in reality, it was orchestrated by the group led by Danzo. You're all intelligent, and I'm sure you understand what this means. If you don't, then remember the names on this list and be cautious of them in secret," Kirito said, his tone serious and determined.

After Kirito's assassination, the security at the hospital was significantly enhanced, and there were no further assassination attempts in the following month.

During this month, several significant events unfolded:

The Root organization, which had become active once more, returned to a state of silence.

Yamanaka Yun, an elite member of the Yamanaka clan, received a mysterious gift and mysteriously disappeared within Konoha.

Uzumaki Mito narrowly survived a precision assassination attempt by the Hidden Sand, causing the loss of an elite Jonin-level spy from the Sand Village.

Gato, a previously bankrupt shipping businessman, re-emerged with the support of a nobleman in the Land of Waves, establishing the pharmaceutical company "Biganhua" with its headquarters in the neutral country of Ghosts. Biganhua's high-quality and affordable drugs gained popularity worldwide.

An organization known as "Night" was secretly established within the Kingdom of Waves and began growing quietly, expanding its influence to surrounding regions.

An assassination occurred in the Land of Fire, resulting in the death of a nobleman. The incident prompted the daimyo of the Land of Fire to launch a thorough investigation. Subsequently, evidence of the nobleman's corruption and rebellious intentions was uncovered, leading to the case being closed.

Several major trading companies in the Land of Waves experienced a series of robberies by unknown pirates during their transport operations, resulting in significant losses.

However, for Kirito, these external developments seemed distant and unrelated to his current focus. To others, he appeared to remain secluded in his medical ninja duties, refining his medical ninjutsu skills while staying oblivious to the world outside.

Kirito had become a qualified user of the Healing palm Art and officially joined the hospital staff as a medical ninja.