Time flowed by, and in the blink of an eye, another month had passed. The Great Naruto Bridge was completed, and the mission was a success. Team 7 began their journey back to Konoha. Two days later, they successfully returned to the village.
Feeling the familiar, bustling atmosphere of the village, even the usually cold "Optimus Prime" (Sasuke) softened his expression slightly. As for the high-energy Naruto, he was excitedly looking around at everything, feeling a deep sense of warmth and nostalgia.
Yao also breathed a sigh of relief. Konoha was the best after all—prosperous and lively. It would be even better if "old snakes" like Danzo would just hurry up and die out!
"Alright, I'll head over to submit the mission report to the Hokage!" Kakashi clapped his hands. "The rest of you can head home. Dismissed!"
"Hell yeah!" Naruto was the first to cheer. "Yao, let's go get some Ichiraku Ramen! I've been craving it for two months!"
Yao smiled and nodded. "After traveling for so long, I really am hungry."
"Awesome!"
Hokage Residence. Top-floor Office.
Kakashi stood before the desk, finishing his report on the Land of Waves mission.
"Furthermore, Lord Hokage... regarding Uchiha Yao. During this mission, he manifested Wood Style."
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, looking up at Kakashi in pure shock. "What did you say? Wood Style? Are you certain?"
"I am absolutely certain," Kakashi nodded firmly.
"That's impossible!" The Third Hokage's rebuttal was almost instinctive. "Wood Style is the unique Kekkei Genkai of the First Hokage! Uchiha Yao... a survivor of the Uchiha, how could he possibly... master the Wood Style Kekkei Genkai?"
Wood Style? An Uchiha? This was beyond preposterous!
He would sooner believe that Danzo had a secret crush on him, that Orochimaru had turned into a woman, or even that he was about to drop dead this very second—anything was easier to believe than an Uchiha mastering Wood Style.
"Lord Hokage, I am positive," Kakashi said seriously.
The Third fell silent. He knew Kakashi was not a man to make baseless claims. If he said it, it was undoubtedly true. But how could this be? It made no sense! His mind raced, re-evaluating everything about Uchiha Yao, searching for a foundation that could explain it.
Did he transplant First Hokage cells? Is he one of Orochimaru's experiments? Does he have Senju blood? No matter how he looked at it, there was no logical basis for it.
"How did he explain it himself?" The Third asked in a heavy voice.
"He said..." Kakashi's tone turned slightly strange as he relayed the information. "That he used the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu during these two months in the Land of Waves to research, develop, and master it on his own."
"Developed it on his own?" The wrinkles on the Third's face deepened.
If a descendant of the Senju clan had suddenly awakened Wood Style, he might find it plausible. But a member of the Uchiha?
"Has Uchiha Yao awakened his eyes?" The Third looked at Kakashi.
"None have been observed yet," Kakashi shook his head.
Hiruzen Sarutobi silently put his pipe back in his mouth, took a deep drag, and exhaled a ring of smoke. Twelve years old and no Sharingan—from a traditional standpoint, Yao's talent for the Sharingan was indeed mediocre. After all, Sasuke had awakened his at seven, and Itachi at eight.
It took a long while for the Third to find his breath. "Kakashi, what do you make of this?"
"Lord Hokage, as bizarre as it sounds..." Kakashi mused, "I believe the possibility that Yao mastered Wood Style on his own... does exist."
Kakashi then brought up another matter. "In the Land of Waves, I taught Chidori and Rasengan to Sasuke and Naruto."
The Third's eyelids twitched. Both Chidori and Rasengan were A-rank ninjutsu. Kakashi was certainly bold as a teacher, teaching them so freely—wasn't he afraid of his students having an accident?
"Sasuke took fifteen days to achieve a preliminary mastery of Chidori," Kakashi stated. "Naruto took two weeks to learn Rasengan."
The Third's fingers holding the pipe paused. He was taken aback. Two fresh Genin had mastered A-rank ninjutsu in such a short time? How many monsters were in this year's class?
"And... Yao?" the Third asked, his voice a bit dry.
Kakashi went silent for two seconds, his tone carrying a trace of complexity.
"One day."
"What?" The Third thought he had misheard.
"Lord Hokage... Uchiha Yao took only one day," Kakashi repeated, his voice full of helplessness. "After I finished explaining the principles of Rasengan and Chidori, he mastered both techniques in a single day."
The Third was rendered speechless once again. One day? Mastering two A-rank ninjutsu? Was this kid even human?
"Kakashi, are you sure you didn't fall under a Genjutsu?" The Third's mouth hung open.
"Lord Hokage, I have a Sharingan. A Three-Tomoe one," Kakashi replied.
The Sharingan, the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha, granted observation, copying, and hypnotic abilities. An owner possessed insight far beyond normal people, allowing them to see chakra flow and easily break Genjutsu. A standard illusion could never fool Kakashi unless it was a Mangekyo Sharingan using a high-level technique.
"Kakashi, after everything you've said, are you trying to tell me..." The Third spoke slowly. "That this child possesses a talent for ninjutsu that we simply cannot comprehend?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Kakashi looked the Third straight in the eye. "Uchiha Yao's talent for ninjutsu is unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. Perhaps... even the Second Hokage would pale in comparison to him."
"..."
The Third said nothing. The weight of that evaluation was too heavy; he didn't know how to respond. His teacher, the Second Hokage, was a legend who developed countless forbidden jutsu and laid the foundation for the village. Did Kakashi truly believe Yao's talent could surpass his? Was that even possible?
"Therefore..." Kakashi struck while the iron was hot. "Combining Yao's incomprehensible talent with a second look at the Wood Style... I believe... it truly is possible he researched and developed it himself. Although it sounds like a fairy tale, when it happens to him, it somehow becomes the most logical explanation."
"Even if he is an Uchiha!"
the Third Hokage countered almost instinctively, "The chakra of the Uchiha excels in Yin Release and spiritual energy; the Sharingan is their true destiny! Wood Style is the ultimate manifestation of the Senju clan's Yang Release and vitality. These two powers, historically speaking—"
"Lord Hokage, Uchiha Yao is no ordinary Uchiha!" Kakashi interrupted, his voice cutting like a blade. "At the very least, Yao is not!"
"Lord Hokage, do you know why Uchiha Yao can master ninjutsu so rapidly? Beyond mere talent, he possesses a colossal chakra reserve that allows him to maintain hundreds of shadow clones for training simultaneously! This terrifying volume of chakra is something even Naruto—a Jinchuriki—cannot hope to match!"
"What?!" The pipe nearly slipped from the Third's hand. "Hundreds of shadow clones? Kakashi, you aren't joking?"
The number of shadow clones one can produce at once is one of the most direct yardsticks for measuring a ninja's chakra. A hundred clones is the hallmark of a Jinchuriki or a Senju-level constitution. Hundreds? It was practically unheard of.
"I am absolutely certain!" Kakashi nodded heavily. "Because I saw it with my own eyes! Because of this, he amplifies the efficiency of his time by hundreds offold. When others train for a day, he effectively trains for years. That is how he mastered Chidori and Rasengan in a single day!"
The Third leaned back in his chair, slowly removing his Hokage hat and pressing his fingers firmly against his throbbing temples.
Every fragmented clue finally snapped into place. Incomprehensible talent. Mastery of Wood Style, likely self-taught. Peerless chakra reserves. Extreme training efficiency through Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu.
This could no longer be summarized as a "Genius Uchiha." This was a being who broke the boundaries of bloodlines, defied the common sense of cultivation, and threatened to shatter the balance of power itself. A monster.
"I understand," the Third said after a long silence, his voice laced with deep anxiety. "Kakashi... putting aside talent and ability, what do you think of Uchiha Yao himself? I mean his character, his nature. Does he... pose a threat to the village?"
A ninja with such terrifying talent—and an Uchiha to boot—demanded the Third's absolute attention. If he turned out to be another Uchiha Madara, the better his talent, the greater the devastation to Konoha.
"Lord Hokage, to be honest... I don't know," Kakashi said, choosing his words carefully. "The boy is brilliant. He possesses insight and wisdom far beyond his years. His logic is clear, and his objectives are precise. He can easily see through my intentions and arrangements." Kakashi gave a bitter smile. "Therefore, I cannot see his true thoughts, nor can I grasp his deeper motivations. Regarding whether he poses a threat... I cannot give you a definitive answer."
The Third's heart sank. I cannot see through him... He was no stranger to that evaluation. Once upon a time, Orochimaru had given him the same feeling. So had Uchiha Itachi—both possessed profound, hidden minds. Unfortunately, both eventually walked paths that brought him immense pain. Was history about to repeat itself?
After a long pause, the Third made his decision. "Everything regarding Uchiha Yao is to be classified as Top Secret! Aside from the two of us, no one is to be told. Especially Danzo!"
"Understood, Lord Hokage!" Kakashi responded solemnly.
"Kakashi, you will remain in charge of Team 7," the Third said gravely. "Guide him as much as possible. Observe him. Try to understand his true thoughts and what he seeks. Konoha needs strength to face the coming storms, but we must first be certain where that strength is pointed—and whose hand holds the hilt."
"I understand," Kakashi accepted the order with gravity.
"You are dismissed."