c 2: Counterattack! Uchiha Yao's Fury
The astonishment on Uchiha Mao's face was quickly replaced by annoyance.
So what if a failure like Yao had managed to awaken his Sharingan, even if by chance?
Could a fluke like that really change the fate of someone so beneath him?
"Tch. So you think you're hot stuff just because you awakened a One-Tomoe Sharingan?"
Uchiha Mao's eyes darkened, his tone filled with disdain and concealed jealousy.
"Don't let it get to your head. You're still the same loser who failed at basic chakra control exercises in the Academy."
Letting out a low growl, Mao charged forward, his right fist cocked back. Chakra gathered clumsily into his arm—not enough for a proper enhancement, but brute force would have to do.
He hurled a straightforward punch at Yao's face, hoping to wipe that newfound arrogance off with one blow and remind everyone of Yao's lowly status.
But in the field of vision granted by Yao's awakened One-Tomoe Sharingan, Mao's movements slowed drastically.
He could clearly observe the flow of chakra coiling in Mao's fist, the tension along his deltoids, the torque in his waist—the pre-attack cues laid bare.
This was the analytical prowess of the Sharingan: visual perception magnified, motion reading enhanced, chakra visible, and enemy intent predicted.
"Too slow."
Yao exhaled mentally, letting instinct take over.
Just as Mao's punch neared, Yao subtly adjusted his posture—his torso shifted a few inches to the side, letting the blow pass by with minimal effort.
At the same time, his right leg snapped up like a whip, focused and precise, slamming into the side of Mao's supporting left knee.
"Crack!"
A sickening pop echoed through the courtyard.
"Aargh!"
Mao screamed as pain exploded through his leg. His posture buckled, and he collapsed with a thud, one knee slamming to the ground, his breath ragged, sweat drenching his brow.
One move.
That was all it took. In a single, calculated counter, the once-arrogant Mao lay defeated on the ground, clutching his leg in agony.
"Brother Mao!"
Uchiha Gang and Uchiha Jian, his usual lackeys, stared in disbelief.
They had never imagined that Uchiha Yao—the clan's so-called embarrassment—would turn the tables so violently just by awakening his dojutsu.
"You bastard! How dare you injure Brother Mao?!"
Gang's voice trembled with fury and disbelief as he quickly began forming hand seals, aiming to unleash a fire-style jutsu in retaliation.
But Yao gave him no chance.
His Sharingan eyes instantly read Gang's chakra flow—its heat, texture, and intensity—clearly indicating a Fire Release technique.
He recognized the familiar signature and anticipated the jutsu from the very first sign.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Yao's own hand seals flowed faster than Gang's, sharp and seamless.
He inhaled deeply, converting chakra into fire-nature chakra within his lungs.
With a sharp exhale, he released a massive fireball roaring forward.
Whoosh—!
The resulting ball of flame—over a meter in diameter—was significantly more potent than any previous version Yao had ever used. This wasn't the sloppy attempt of a struggling academy student—it was a refined technique, taught only to Uchiha clan heirs.
"What?!"
Gang had only finished half his hand signs when he saw the enormous fireball hurtling at him, heat waves distorting the air.
His eyes widened in panic. There was no time to complete his jutsu, no time to flee.
"Boom!"
The fireball engulfed him in an instant, flames wrapping around him like a vengeful beast.
"Aaaah!"
Gang's scream pierced the air as he was blasted backward, his body colliding with a stone wall.
His clothes were scorched, skin blackened and blistered, and the sickening stench of burned flesh filled the area. He collapsed, unconscious on impact.
An instant defeat.
Another one-sided victory.
Of course, Yao had regulated the chakra output—if he hadn't, Gang would have been reduced to ash.
Now only Uchiha Jian remained.
The blood drained from Jian's face, his legs wobbling beneath him like brittle reeds in the wind.
He stared in horror at Yao's approaching figure, whose crimson Sharingan eyes gleamed ominously in the light—like a shinigami stalking its prey.
"D-Don't come near me!"
Jian's voice quivered, laced with desperation, a far cry from the bullying tone he used just earlier.
He tried to move, but his knees buckled. His body refused to obey.
Yao stopped in front of him, gazing down with eyes cold and unreadable.
There was no pity. Only judgment.
"Now remind me… who was it that called me a good-for-nothing?"
Jian trembled violently, as if caught in a Genjutsu. A cold wave surged up from his feet to his scalp.
"N-No! It wasn't me! It was Mao! It was Gang! I didn't say anything, I swear!"
His words tumbled out in panic, trying desperately to shift blame and save himself.
"Oh?"
Yao's lips curled into a cruel smirk.
"Then what about the 'protection money' you three demanded from me last week?"
"N-No! There was no protection money! Please, Lord Yao… We were wrong! We'll never do it again!"
Jian collapsed to his knees with a loud thud, snot and tears streaking his face.
He kowtowed repeatedly, forehead striking the ground with loud smacks, begging for mercy from the boy he once mocked.
The Yao standing before Uchiha Jian was entirely different from the weak, spineless failure etched into his memory.
The cold aura radiating from Yao's very presence was oppressive—an instinctive, primal fear clutched Jian's heart, as if he were standing before a predator rather than a peer.
Yao didn't move. His crimson Sharingan tomoe slowly spun in the dim light.
The indifference in his eyes was far more terrifying than rage.
He could sense it clearly—thanks to the system's beginner's package, his chakra reserves had surged to that of a newly promoted Chūnin, a level well above the average Genin.
Combined with the enhanced perception of his One-Tomoe Sharingan, he held a crushing advantage over these ordinary Academy-grade Uchiha.
"Scram."
Yao's voice was low, cold, and absolute.
As if receiving a royal pardon, Jian immediately scrambled to his feet.
Dragging along the limping Mao, they hoisted the unconscious Gang and staggered out of the courtyard, tripping over themselves in panic.
All pride, all clan arrogance, had completely collapsed under the weight of Yao's gaze.
As he watched their panicked retreat, Yao's crimson eyes gradually faded back to deep black, the tomoe vanishing as his Sharingan deactivated.
He let out a long breath, his spine slowly relaxing as the adrenaline settled.
The flood of chakra in his body was still potent—stabilized and much more responsive than before.
And the clarity granted by the Sharingan… it was like he was seeing the world through an entirely new lens.
A strange yet powerful sense of calm and control swept through him.
"From this day forward, I, Uchiha Yao, will no longer be the clan's disgrace—no longer a stepping stone for anyone."
He clenched his fists tightly, his black eyes gleaming with resolve.
[Ding!]
[Host has successfully resisted clan bullies and displayed the proper pride of the Uchiha. Clan Glory +50 points!]
[— Uchiha Yao: Attribute Interface —]
Ninja Rank: Newly Promoted Chūnin
Mastered Techniques:
Clone Technique – Proficient
Transformation Technique – Proficient
Substitution Technique – Proficient
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique – Proficient
Sharingan (One-Tomoe) – Awakened
Chakra Control: Above average
Clan Standing: Genin, low-tier branch member
Clan Glory: 50
Overall Clan Strength Assessment: Genin Class (Base Level)
⚠️ Warning: The Uchiha Clan is currently under suspicion by the Konoha Council following the Kyūbi incident. Internal unrest and external hostility have pushed the clan to a critical state. Potential clan annihilation event looming.
Yao stared at the floating panel in his mind, his brows furrowing.
"Clan Glory? Strength assessment? So this system doesn't just strengthen me personally—it's connected to the entire Uchiha Clan…"
The implications were serious.
He recalled the timeline of the Naruto world with sudden clarity—just a year prior, the Nine-Tails had attacked Konoha, resulting in the death of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Though the public was told it was a natural disaster, Yao remembered from the manga that the Kyūbi was manipulated by Uchiha Madara's successor—Obito, using the Sharingan.
Afterward, the Uchiha Clan had been placed under strict surveillance, isolated in the Naka District, and unfairly blamed by Konoha's upper echelon, including Danzo and the Elders.
This political isolation would only deepen, fueling resentment and eventually leading to the coup attempt that triggered the Uchiha Massacre.
Yao gritted his teeth.
"So it's already that point in the timeline. The Kyūbi incident has passed, and the Uchiha's doom is already in motion."
He clenched his fists tighter.
He would not allow himself to become another cold corpse in Itachi's silent massacre.
He had been given another chance—he would not waste it.
"System," Yao said silently in his mind. "Explain all available functions in detail."