ln the Hokage Tower, inside the Third Hokage's office:
The Third Hokage sat in thought, observing Uchiha Yusuke standing ramrod straight before him.
Originally, he had planned to assign Yusuke as the leader of an escort mission. But after chatting with his son Asuma yesterday about Yusuke's clash with Uchiha clansmen in the tea house, the Third changed his mind.
This was a remarkably talented young ninja. According to Asuma, Yusuke's strength currently surpassed Kakashi's.
More importantly, Yusuke seemed to lack strong clan loyalty. If the Third could recruit him into his faction, he'd gain another capable operative.
The Third Ninja World War had just ended, marking Konoha's most prosperous era since the First Hokage's death.
The powerful Uchiha clan remained intact, the Yellow Flash's reputation was at its peak, and though Tsunade, one of the Sannin, had left Konoha in despair after losing her brother and lover, Orochimaru and Jiraiya stayed, maintaining the Sannin's fearsome reputation as a united front.
While Konoha didn't hold the absolute dominance it had under the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara, challenging it would require at least three of the other four great ninja villages to unite.
Though the Third admired Yusuke's talent, his need for new recruits wasn't urgent. He decided to test Yusuke with a mission.
Taking a puff from his pipe, the Third said slowly, "Yusuke, I've called you here to assign you a critical mission."
Yusuke remained silent, waiting for the details.
"After the Third War, as the victor, our village must collect reparations from the defeated nations. Danzo will negotiate with the Rain Village regarding their post-war compensation."
Pausing to take another puff, the Third continued, "Your task, as my representative, is to oversee Danzo. I need to know every detail of the negotiations and any agreements he makes with Hanzo the Salamander."
This mission was carefully considered. Danzo's methods were ruthless and domineering, requiring someone of considerable strength to handle him.
The Third had previously assigned ninjas to monitor Danzo in similar tasks, but they were either controlled by him or met untimely deaths.
Eventually, the Third gave up, unwilling to sacrifice his limited elite ninjas to Danzo's schemes.
Now, with Yusuke—a skilled ninja outside his direct faction—the Third saw an opportunity to utilize him without risk. Success or failure, the Third lost nothing.
Additionally, Danzo's conflict with the Uchiha clan, inherited from the Second Hokage's bias, made Yusuke an ideal choice. The Uchihas had no love for Danzo, and assigning Yusuke could balance the two forces—a strategic win-win.
Yusuke, reading the mission's implications, saw through the Third's intentions. As someone who didn't naively buy into the "Will of Fire," he wasn't surprised by the assignment.
"When does the mission start?" Yusuke asked, expressionless.
"Three days from now. Someone will notify you," the Third replied.
Yusuke nodded. "Understood. If there are no further instructions, I'll prepare."
The Third gave a soft "hm," signaling Yusuke could leave. As Yusuke reached the door, the Third added, "Danzo may use underhanded tactics. Be careful."
After receiving the mission, it was just past noon.
"With three days left, I can start Kabuto on some basics. This mission might take a while, so he can train on his own while I'm gone," Yusuke thought.
"Before heading home, I should visit Uchiha Fugaku." Recalling Soichiro's morning visit, Yusuke decided to learn why the clan leader wanted to see him.
At the Uchiha compound, in Clan Leader Uchiha Fugaku's residence:
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!" A six- or seven-year-old boy stood by a lake, casting the Uchiha clan's signature fire technique toward the water.
A massive fireball erupted from his mouth, hovering over the lake. The boy executed the jutsu flawlessly.
It sustained for about five seconds before he stopped channeling chakra, ending the technique.
A middle-aged man in a kimono laughed proudly. "As expected of my son!" He hadn't anticipated his son would master the Great Fireball Jutsu after just one demonstration.
This father and son were Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Itachi. Originally, Fugaku planned to teach Itachi ninjutsu after he entered the Ninja Academy, but new plans prompted him to start early.
The more he taught Itachi, the more Fugaku was astounded by his son's talent, convinced Itachi was the Uchiha clan's future hope.
"Clan Leader, Uchiha Yusuke is here to see you, as you requested," an Uchiha clansman reported.
"Bring him here," Fugaku said, his face resuming its usual stern expression.
"Itachi, stay and observe," Fugaku told Itachi, who was about to leave.
Itachi nodded obediently and stood to the side.
Soon, the clansman led Yusuke to the lake where Fugaku and Itachi were practicing.
Seeing Itachi beside Fugaku, Yusuke was slightly surprised. He'd assumed Fugaku wanted a private talk to instill clan loyalty or urge him to attend clan meetings.
In Yusuke's view, Fugaku was a dutiful leader and a loving father, but his control over the clan was weak. He couldn't rein in the arrogant clansmen or persuade the clan's two geniuses, Shisui and Itachi, to align with him.
Ultimately, despite possessing the Mangekyo Sharingan, Fugaku sacrificed himself and the clan for Itachi's will—a tragic outcome.
Seeing Yusuke arrive, Fugaku's expression grew sterner. "Uchiha Yusuke, Ryuya and the others reported that you skipped the clan meeting with excuses and injured them out of arrogance. What do you have to say?"
Yusuke frowned slightly. He'd considered Fugaku might reprimand him, but thought it unlikely. A leader short on capable allies would prioritize recruiting talent, not alienating it.
With Fugaku's intelligence, Yusuke doubted he'd make such a mistake.
"Clan Leader, I'm sorry for missing the meeting. I had important business, but unexpected events occurred," Yusuke said calmly.
Pausing, he continued, "As for the three clansmen who attacked me, I only disciplined them lightly." Unwilling to take blame for others' actions, Yusuke stood firm, even before the clan leader.
Fugaku gave a cold laugh. "As expected, you're defiant. They call you and Kakashi Konoha's top new geniuses, giving you the 'Flame Blade' title. Let's see if you live up to it." He signaled Itachi to step aside.
"Since the Clan Leader wishes to test me, I'll accept the challenge," Yusuke said calmly.
He hadn't expected Fugaku to want a fight. From the situation, it seemed Fugaku aimed to humble him, not seriously confront him—Itachi's presence, lacking combat ability, confirmed this.
The two faced each other silently. Seeing Yusuke make no move, Fugaku prepared to attack, his black eyes shifting to the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Fugaku's hands flashed through seals. Yusuke recognized the Great Fireball Jutsu and countered with the same, his hands moving swiftly, finishing the seals simultaneously despite starting later.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!" they shouted in unison.
Flames erupted from their mouths, colliding and distorting the air with intense heat.
The Great Fireball Jutsu, a signature Uchiha technique, was often used to probe or disrupt enemies. It rarely killed in serious combat.
Fugaku, maintaining the jutsu, was quietly surprised. He hadn't expected Yusuke's seal speed to match his, completing the technique simultaneously despite starting later.
Moreover, Fugaku sensed he was using more chakra, yet Yusuke's flames seemed stronger, forcing him to expend extra chakra to hold his own.
"What? He's forming seals again? His chakra control is that precise?" Fugaku noticed Yusuke, still engaged in their fireball clash, began forming new seals with astonishing speed, completing them in an instant.
(End of Chapter)
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Do You Know:
The Great Fireball Jutsu is an Uchiha clan staple, used to test or disrupt foes.