Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

The Forest.

 In the damp and dim light, a shadowy figure hid behind a large tree.

"There's chakra from an undercover patrol team of Root ninjas. The underground base is protected by a barrier, making it impossible to sense what's inside, but for the past half month, neither Orochimaru nor Danzo's chakra has been detected entering or leaving."

After half a month of observation, the figure hidden behind the tree—Uchiha Shirou—slowly opened his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his face.

A sealed research base of such value would naturally require someone to guard it in secret, waiting for the day it could be reactivated. After all, Danzo's thirst for Wood Release and Sharingan was deeply rooted in his very being.

"Chakra sensory is indeed useful. No wonder it's so highly valued in the ninja world."

Without needing to infiltrate, just sensing from the outskirts was enough to gather considerable information. A ninja squad with even one sensory-type ninja was equivalent to having a mobile radar for intelligence.

"For the past two years, I've been discussing ninjutsu development with Orochimaru, and I've already confirmed the exact location. This underground barrier likely protects the Root's Wood Release research base—the birthplace of the Wood Release ninja, Yamato."

With a smile still on his face, Shirou decided not to enter just yet. Instead, he raised his head, looking up through the gaps in the leaves at the sky above, squinting his eyes.

"It seems like it's going to rain tonight. A single Wood Release ninja like Yamato isn't enough. Adding fuel to the fire will maximize its value."

Maximizing value—anything less would be a waste.

...

Nightfall.

 Rain began to drizzle, adding a chill to the autumn breeze.

"Who's there!"

With a startled cry, two Root ninjas froze in place, their pupils trembling. Instantly trapped in a genjutsu, their bodies stiffened, and their expressions grew vacant.

"Root is everywhere, isn't it?"

A shadow emerged behind the two, gradually stepping forward through the rain—a cold smile appeared on Shirou's face. Letting the rain drench his clothes, he calmly walked between the two Root ninjas as though they weren't even there.

Thud!

 In the dim forest, Shirou's figure disappeared into the depths of a hidden passage. Behind him, the two Root ninjas stood as if nothing had happened.

"Indeed, sealing techniques are highly valued by the Five Great Nations for good reason. Beyond sealing tailed beasts, they also have unique applications."

Standing before an iron door, Shirou smiled.

If this were an ordinary location, he could have easily infiltrated without effort. But with a barrier in place, not only was it impossible to sense what lay inside, but any intrusion would also be immediately detected.

"But now, there's no need to bother with all that."

As a cold glint flashed, the air was sliced with a sharp sound. The heavy iron door, marked with a sealing tag, was cleanly cut open by the Kusanagi Sword.

Boom!

The broken pieces of the iron door fell heavily to the ground, revealing the scene inside the laboratory.

"So… this is the Wood Release research base!"

Before him, rows of enormous glass containers emitted an eerie green glow. For once, shock registered on Shirou's face as he sensed the power radiating from the glowing tanks.

"This is… the First Hokage's Wood Release cells!"

Inside the base, most of the tanks had already powered down, the life forms within having lost all signs of vitality. Only seven tanks remained active, and even among those, five displayed faint and dwindling traces of life.

"In other words, the most stable tanks contain two subjects—one being Yamato, and the other Yamato's final surviving companion."

Walking through the darkened laboratory, Shirou's Sharingan activated, his three tomoe spinning as he observed the chakra flowing around him.

"This document…?"

Noticing a folder pinned to the wall near the entrance, Shirou's pupils contracted, then widened in realization.

"So that's how it is. If Orochimaru's experiments failed, all the test subjects would have lost their vital signs. If this base were truly abandoned, there's no way test subjects with remaining life signs would still be here. It doesn't add up."

In other words, Orochimaru's experiment had failed, but the final batch of test subjects was preserved in nutrient tanks to avoid wasting resources.

Understanding everything, Shirou extended his hand toward the five failing tanks.

Forbidden Technique: Chimera Jutsu.

A diamond-shaped mark appeared on his palm, greedily absorbing the Wood Release energy from the cells of the First Hokage. As the immense power drained from the five children's bodies, their life signs gradually stabilized.

...

Meanwhile, the moment the seal protecting the Root's research base was broken, in another part of the village, a ninja in the Root barrier team suddenly opened his eyes.

"Something's wrong. One of our seals outside the village has been breached!"

"Quick, inform Lord Danzo!"

"Yes!"

While the Root began to mobilize, spies from Iwagakure and Kumogakure converged in the forest near the research base.

"According to intel, abnormal activity has been detected in this area. It's likely Konoha's hidden secret."

"Damn it, this rain is such bad luck."

Outside the research base, spies from the two ninja villages unexpectedly ran into each other, their faces darkening in mutual shock.

"We're all spies here. Let's not fight for now."

"Agreed. Let's head down first and see what's inside. After all, we share a common enemy."

Both sides kept their guard up but refrained from attacking. However, as the first few spies descended and their startled cries echoed back, the remaining spies rushed down in alarm.

"What did you find?"

Shadows darted into the laboratory, their expressions twisting in horror as they saw the shattered tanks and the ominous aura emanating throughout the base.

"This is…"

"This is bad! Konoha is secretly conducting Wood Release experiments!"

One Iwagakure spy gasped as he picked up a damaged report. But before he could process the implications, a signal from their lookout in the forest sent chills down their spines.

"Damn it, Root operatives are here! We must get this intel back to our villages!"

"Even if we die, our corpses mustn't fall into Root's hands!"

Determined to protect the intel, the spies prepared for the worst.

As the Root operatives arrived, they showed no hesitation, launching an immediate attack.

The spies, knowing their survival was unlikely, attached explosive tags to their bodies, ready to self-destruct to prevent Root from obtaining their corpses.

Rain poured harder as the battle escalated. The clash of ninjutsu and explosions obliterated the laboratory.

Boom!

The deafening sound of explosive tags echoed through the forest as the area collapsed. The dust and debris kicked up were quickly dampened by the rain.

Far away in the forest.

Shirou, covered in wounds and looking utterly battered, glanced back at the distant explosion. Despite his condition, a smile spread across his face.

"This time… let the storm rage even fiercer!"

The Third Great Ninja War was undoubtedly the most devastating conflict Konoha had ever suffered, more so than even the First Great Ninja War.

Even with limited intel, the war's records—such as the Battle of Kikyo Pass, initiated by Kumogakure and Sunagakure—made it clear that the conflict had reached the heart of the Land of Fire.

It was a war so brutal that it led to the unprecedented resignation of a Hokage.

But it still wasn't enough. Shirou wanted the flames of war to burn even brighter.

Cough, cough. Blood spilled from his mouth as pain wracked his body. Clutching a severe wound on his abdomen, Shirou forced himself to keep moving, staggering deeper into the forest.

Elsewhere in the forest.

A white head slowly emerged from a tree trunk, its eyes fixed in astonishment on the retreating Shirou.

"He's injured? And I can sense the presence of the First Hokage's Wood Release cells. Did he find something in the Root's research base?"

White Zetsu, stunned by the state of Shirou, had previously avoided getting too close due to the barrier. But now, seeing him wounded after the explosion, Zetsu was left in shock.

"No, we must inform Lord Madara."

As White Zetsu's hoarse voice slowly echoed, he once again submerged himself, continuing to follow Shirou from afar.

Meanwhile, Shirou, who was fleeing ahead, curled his lips into a sly smile. The stage was already set; all that remained was for them to make their entrance.

This was something he had meticulously prepared—a crucial step in bringing all his secrets to the forefront of the stage.

...

Konoha.

In the Wood Release experimental base, agonized screams of despair echoed from several rooms. Outside the glass walls, Tsunade silently watched everything unfold, her expression grim.

"This is the sixth batch. Not a single success. Are you still going to continue?"

Tsunade's hoarse voice was directed at a thirty-year-old Senju Jonin behind her. From the initial excitement and anticipation at the start of the experiments to the current unease and fear, he had undergone a complete transformation.

He had personally witnessed one comrade after another being torn apart by the trees growing uncontrollably inside their bodies, blood splattering everywhere. It left him in a state of deep confusion and hesitation.

"Lady Tsunade! I…"

The once-proud middle-aged Jonin was now filled with nothing but unease and helplessness.

Experiments that failed repeatedly—did they still have meaning? Was it worth gambling on this slim chance?

"Giving up is not shameful. Think about your child who has just entered the ninja academy. Don't lose your mind chasing so-called glory. Instead of walking toward death, why not focus on teaching the next generation?

You still have a long life ahead of you. Perhaps one day, you will witness Wood Release reappear in the Senju clan…"

Tsunade's low voice reverberated, gradually eroding his resolve. However, at that moment, Shimura Danzo, who was also observing the laboratory, frowned and spoke urgently when he saw this scene.

"Tsunade! We've already come this far. The sacrifices of six consecutive batches have provided us with countless valuable data. The dosages are being continuously adjusted.

In the first batch, the longest survival time was three hours. Now, in the sixth batch, even the shortest survival time has reached five hours. These sacrifices are merely necessary steps on the path to success…"

Hearing Danzo's angry justification, Tsunade's face twisted in fury. She shouted back at him:

"Shut up! Open your eyes and look around. How many ninjas are left in the Senju clan now!? Twenty years ago, when you old geezers took power, my granduncle led the Senju clan!

Back then, the Senju clan had over a hundred join. And now? After this absurd experiment, there are barely ten jonins left in the entire clan!"

"Wood Release isn't just something you people want. We, the Senju, want it, too! But I've said it before—this experiment is immature! It's flawed! It's nothing short of a massacre! Two years! You expect me to solve a Kekkei Genkai mystery that the ninja world hasn't cracked in over a thousand years in just two years…"

Tsunade angrily pointed at Danzo and lashed out. She was the ninja world's foremost medical ninja, but she wasn't a god!

Kekkei Genkai—something that hadn't been properly studied in a thousand years of ninja history—how could she possibly achieve such a feat?

Even if they wanted to gamble on the odds, there had to be at least some reasonable chance!

"Danzo-sama, bad news!"

At that moment, a Root ninja suddenly appeared, handed a report to Danzo in secret, and watched as Danzo's pupils contracted and his face turned ashen.

"Useless! A bunch of useless fools! Enemy spies have already reached the outskirts of Konoha, and you're only discovering this now? Capture them! I want them alive!"

"Yes, sir!"

Watching Danzo's furious outburst, Tsunade let out a cold laugh and turned to leave. As for the last remaining clansman, she had already said what needed to be said. The final decision was up to him.

"You're in the next batch. Death isn't the scariest thing, but the data reports give no hope. Instead of gambling on a one-in-ten-thousand chance, why not stay alive and guide your child instead…"

The doors slammed shut behind her as Tsunade walked away from the experimental base with indifference.

As she walked through the streets of Konoha, the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour. Frowning, she quickened her pace to return to her clan's compound when suddenly, a slug appeared on her shoulder.

"Lady Tsunade, this is bad. Lord Shirou has been seriously injured and is currently fleeing…"

"What?!"

The sudden news from the slug left Tsunade shocked. "How is that possible!? With his current strength, who could injure him so badly?"

"And he also has the Flying Thunder God Technique…"

However, before Tsunade could finish her sentence, her pupils contracted as she noticed the blood on the slug's body. This blood carried a familiar energy.

Wood Release! Her grandfather's power!

"Damn it! What is he up to? What has he been hiding from me?"

If the Flying Thunder God Technique wasn't used, there was only one explanation—he couldn't use it!

"Lady Tsunade!"

"Take me to him immediately… At the same time, inform Kushina. Tell her to leave the village quietly and make sure no one else notices…"

At this moment, Tsunade felt a sense of panic. However, her years of experience as a ninja told her she needed to calm down.

The blood left behind by Shirou contained Wood Release cells. This was suspicious!

"Shirou!"

As Tsunade rushed through the rain, her mind replayed scene after scene. Remembering how Shirou had hidden things from her, she bit her lip in anger.

Damn it! She had let her guard down!

She thought she had figured him out recently. She even thought she had surpassed him by secretly researching Wood Release without his knowledge.

But who would've thought he was still keeping secrets from her?

Damn it! If anyone in Konoha dared to call him her little puppy again, she would smash their face in!

This wasn't some obedient little puppy—he was an unruly wolf in disguise!

...

Hokage Office.

"Danzo! Look at the mess you've caused!"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, slammed his hand on the desk in anger as he read the report from the ANBU. For once, Shimura Danzo remained silent, lowering his head as he endured the scolding.

"The Wood Release project has already been banned! What is this laboratory about? Do you have any idea what will happen if the Kumo and Iwa villages learn about this?"

Hiruzen was furious, but Danzo was equally frustrated.

"Hiruzen, the research base has already been sealed!"

"Sealed? This is what you call sealed? What about the children in the lab? Your so-called abandonment of the project still involves children being experimented on?"

Danzo was playing with semantics.

If this matter were only discovered within the village, it could be considered a minor issue. But if spies managed to report it back to their villages, it would become a major problem.

The Kumo and Iwa would believe Konoha was secretly developing a weapon even more terrifying than the Tailed Beasts. What would they do then?

Would they join forces against Konoha?

At this moment, Hiruzen had a pounding headache, while Danzo also realized the gravity of the situation. He spoke in a low voice:

"Hiruzen, don't worry. Root's spies in the Kumo and Iwa have already infiltrated the upper echelons. Give me five years—just five years! Root will ensure internal conflict breaks out in both villages."

"Danzo, this time, you'd better handle it properly!"

Hiruzen felt utterly exasperated. If the Wood Release experiment had borne results, it would've been one thing. But now, they had nothing to show for it—not even a single success. All they had done was give the other villages another reason to fear Konoha. This was extremely detrimental to the village's development.