Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

Inside the tent.

"Heh heh, Tsunade, I'm merely curious about the second type of Kekkei Genkai the Uchiha have awakened."

With a raspy laugh, Orochimaru's cold and sinister figure slowly stepped inside. Upon seeing Shirou, his eyes gleamed with an appreciative gaze.

"What a perfect creation—a dual Kekkei Genkai ninja from the Uchiha clan. Truly enviable."

"Tch!"

Tsunade scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. It was reminiscent of the way she often mocked Jiraiya, but this time, it carried a deeper edge—a bitterness tied to the past. The events surrounding Nawaki still haunted her (acting), a grim reminder of a ninja's tragic fate.

Orochimaru's casual, raspy laughter betrayed his curiosity about Shirou's secondary Kekkei Genkai. At the same time, it subtly reminded Tsunade that Nawaki's death weighed on her alone; Orochimaru seemed utterly unaffected.

This twisted way of expressing emotions left Shirou speechless. As expected, the ninja world was truly distorted.

And yet, in this warped world, Shirou found ample opportunities to thrive.

Orochimaru's face broke into a smile, his crimson tongue flicking across his lips as he spoke hoarsely:

"It seems Shirou-kun has developed a completely new jutsu—a seal-less technique!?"

His golden snake-like eyes sparkled with unhealthy excitement as he stared at the vibrant blue chakra orb slowly dissipating in Shirou's palm.

"Heh heh, Shirou-kun, you truly are a genius—a dual Kekkei Genkai holder with the talent to create new jutsu."

Shirou felt increasingly awkward under Orochimaru's exaggerated praise. Could he admit this jutsu was copied?

Born in this era—and as a Uchiha, no less—how could he let Minato Namikaze claim all the glory?

Inventing a jutsu?

Whoever uses it first gets the credit!

"Orochimaru!"

Tsunade's sharp voice cut through the tension. Since Nawaki's death, Orochimaru had grown more enigmatic, his every action cloaked in mystery. Her frown deepened.

Although she had secretly protected Nawaki, the hidden enemy that had forced her hand also made it impossible for her to trust Orochimaru completely.

After all, they were all disciples of the Third Hokage.

"Here's all the data on Shirou's Kekkei Genkai. But Orochimaru, let me warn you—don't try anything reckless!"

Tsunade handed over the research on Shirou's Kekkei Genkai, her tone firm and her gaze unyielding as she locked eyes with Orochimaru.

Orochimaru raised his eyebrows in mild surprise at her warning. She was warning him?

Glancing at the young Uchiha beside her, a sudden realization flickered in Orochimaru's mind, accompanied by a faint trace of deeply hidden sorrow. With a raspy laugh, he remarked:

"Heh heh, Tsunade, it seems you've made this young man a replacement."

Orochimaru misunderstood, assuming that Tsunade saw Shirou as a substitute for Nawaki.

This was so typical of Orochimaru.

Tsunade, long accustomed to his warped logic, didn't explode in anger as others might have. Instead, she snorted angrily.

"Shut up!"

Hearing the word replacement, Tsunade instinctively glanced at Shirou. Shirou wore a respectful smile, showing no sign of displeasure. Relieved, Tsunade let out a quiet breath.

It wasn't overthinking—Shirou already bore too many burdens. She didn't want him to misunderstand and carry even more pressure, especially because of Nawaki.

Meanwhile, Shirou smirked inwardly. A useful piece of intel had just fallen into his lap. Replacement? Perhaps this misunderstanding could be turned to his advantage.

"Shirou-kun, you truly are an enviable genius," Orochimaru rasped, flipping through Tsunade's Kekkei Genkai report while pulling out his notes.

"Tsunade, do you know what Shirou-kun's Kekkei Genkai represents? Based on my three months of experimentation, I've found that it closely resembles the legendary Sage powers of Ryuchi Cave—or perhaps even those of the other great sanctuaries."

At this time, Orochimaru was still unaware of the First Hokage's Sage Mode but had already begun exploring the Sage powers of Ryuchi Cave.

Tsunade sighed inwardly. Orochimaru's genius was undeniable; in just three months, he had uncovered so much. Her progress in understanding Shirou's Kekkei Genkai had only been possible because of her grandfather.

But her frown deepened. The power Shirou possessed was eerily similar to her grandfather's Sage Body. How could a Uchiha have such a thing?

Was it genetic? A hidden trait from both ancestral lines? Such anomalies weren't unheard of in the ninja world.

"Orochimaru, you should know how dangerous this power is. Even though Shirou is the host, he nearly succumbed to its backlash. If we hadn't discovered it early, the mutation could have been fatal—beyond even the ninja world's ability to cure."

To Tsunade, Shirou's early discovery of his Kekkei Genkai had averted catastrophe. Without intervention, its mutation would have spiraled out of control.

"Shirou-kun!"

Orochimaru's greedy, burning gaze locked onto Shirou as if he were some priceless treasure.

Anyone else might have shuddered under such a gaze, but Shirou had grown used to it over the past three months. He nodded respectfully.

"Orochimaru-sama."

"Shirou-kun, this Kekkei Genkai is an extraordinary power..."

Ignoring Tsunade's warning, Orochimaru casually grabbed her medical tools and began re-examining Shiroua's body.

"Orochimaru-sama, my Kekkei Genkai illness has been under Captain Tsunade's care..."

If Orochimaru wanted to study the cursed seal Sage Body, Shirou was happy to oblige. After all, he was intrigued by the idea of bestowing cursed seals himself. For that, he needed Orochimaru's expertise.

"Orochimaru!"

Tsunade watched their seemingly rehearsed routine of experimentation and sighed in frustration. Her irritation was tinged with resignation as she sat down with a huff, picking up Orochimaru's research report.

Though Tsunade was the best medical ninja in Konoha—and perhaps the entire ninja world—Orochimaru's brilliance in research was unparalleled.

Meanwhile, Shirou relished being the subject of study by two of the future Sannin.

Cursed seals were powerful tools. They could dramatically enhance a ninja's strength and solidify Shiroua's influence within the Uchiha clan. Dangers?

The Uchiha didn't care.

If he could master the art of implanting cursed seals, he could win the approval of even the most power-hungry members of his clan.

"This is fascinating. I never imagined such a rare constitution could exist," Orochimaru muttered, growing increasingly excited as his research progressed. His golden serpent eyes glinted with boundless greed.

Sage powers!

The legendary powers of the Sages from the three great sanctuaries. Could a ninja truly be born with such potential?

"Shirou-kun, you won't regret your decision today," Orochimaru said, smiling with excitement as he completed his examination.

"I look forward to Orochimaru-sama's findings," Shirou replied with a polite smile. If Orochimaru studied his Kekkei Genkai, it was only fair to share the results, wasn't it?

Orochimaru chuckled, licking his lips.

"Shirou-kun, you're truly unique. From reading "My Struggle", I could tell you're no ordinary Konoha ninja."

Good grief.

Hearing this, Shirou's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly masked it with an earnest smile.

"Orochimaru-sama, it was just a childish idea."

Studying medicine to save the ninja world?

As the two spoke, Tsunade couldn't help but recall that phrase.

Meanwhile, Shirou marveled inwardly. Orochimaru, the master manipulator, had seen through the hidden ideals in his writing. Truly impressive.