Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

My Struggles

At first glance, this book seems simple, divided into three parts: My Family, At the Ninja Academy, and On the Battlefield.

However, it is interwoven with vivid descriptions of various countries' customs and traditions, as well as intriguing anecdotes. At first, it appears to be an honest and emotionally gripping novel. But in truth, it is merely the foundation—a prologue. As the protagonist's power grows, subsequent chapters gradually unveil his hidden ambitions.

The ninjas who have read this book are already deeply captivated by its narrative.

To summarize it in one sentence: At first, one doesn't grasp the meaning of the book, but upon rereading, one feels fully immersed in its world.

"Hey, Shirou, is this the book you wrote?"

Tsunade, standing nearby with an expression of boredom, casually held a red-covered book in her hand. She had already skimmed through it while investigating Shirou's background.

"It's only slightly better than Jiraiya's perverted nonsense."

Different readers draw different insights from the book.

For instance, Jiraiya viewed the novel as a tale centered on the value of precious comrades (bonds)—a story written by someone embodying the Will of Fire.

Tsunade, on the other hand, dismissed it as childish, even though it lacked the occasional explicit segments Jiraiya might have added. Her disdain didn't stem from the book's quality but rather from her disillusionment with the village and her clan's fractured ties with the Senju. To her, Shirou's work seemed like the naive ramblings of someone unaware of the village's darker side.

Orochimaru, however, had a different perspective. He saw a vision—an ambition not confined to Konoha but encompassing the entire ninja world.

But!

When Orochimaru observed Shirou's innocent smile, he chuckled hoarsely.

"Such youthful purity lacks awareness of darkness. Perhaps you'll think differently in the future."

"Shirou-kun, I appreciate your generosity. I believe this scroll will be of use to you."

After examining the contents, Orochimaru's throat convulsed. With a retching sound, a dark green scroll emerged from his mouth.

Unbothered by the mucus-covered scroll, Shirou curiously opened it. Upon seeing the contents, his face lit up with joy.

"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru."

Though he had the support of his clan and access to numerous jutsu, what Orochimaru provided were techniques on how to utilize them effectively—how to conserve chakra and manipulate it in specific situations.

If fully understood, this scroll could improve the efficiency of a jutsu by 10–20% while enhancing its power by the same margin.

"Heh heh, Shirou-kun, I'm curious to see how your wind will turn the windmill of the ninja world and what changes it will bring."

With a raspy laugh, Orochimaru left the tent.

Shirou, unperturbed by Orochimaru's meaningful glance, smiled confidently as he watched him depart.

His book merely contained a hint of his agenda. As long as he refrained from revealing certain truths, who could uncover his intentions?

Outside the tent, Orochimaru walked away with an intrigued expression, muttering to himself:

"Shirou-kun, some talents are innate. Perhaps you haven't realized it yet, but once you confront the darkness of this world, you may understand—we are the same kind of people."

Orochimaru's hoarse laughter echoed as he left, convinced that Shirou's exceptional vision far surpassed his peers. More importantly, he shared Orochimaru's insatiable curiosity and pursuit of the ninja world's truths.

In the tent

After Orochimaru left, Tsunade huffed impatiently.

"Always so cryptic. Shirou, don't say I didn't warn you—Orochimaru is closely tied to the Root."

Shirou nodded with a smile, but as he looked down at the scroll, a flicker of ambition flashed in his eyes.

The sparks of change had already been scattered across the ninja world. At the right moment, he would embody these sparks, igniting a crimson flame to engulf the entire ninja world!

"Don't worry, Captain Tsunade. I just want to master this power quickly so I won't burden the clan or you..."

His soft-spoken words faded as he bowed his head, leaving Tsunade with a mix of exasperation and concern.

"Nawaki… you've caused your sister a lot of trouble."

Watching Shirou, Tsunade felt a pang of guilt. His transformation had begun with the Nawaki incident, leaving him burdened with guilt and casting aside his pride.

Tsunade's gaze fell on the thin red book in her hand. Annoyed, she decided to pass it to Nawaki to remind him of the comrade who still blamed himself for past events.

If Shirou learned that Tsunade had shared his book with Nawaki, he would've laughed—his influence had already infiltrated the Senju.

...

Hokage's Office

"Hiruzen! What's Tsunade doing treating a Uchiha for their Kekkei Genkai disease?!"

Shimura Danzo fumed, slamming the table in anger as he berated the Third Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, calm and composed, took a slow puff from his pipe and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"Danzo! I'm talking to you—what's with this attitude?!"

"Take a good look, Danzo. This Uchiha boy encountered the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and, after witnessing the rampage, developed an A-rank jutsu without seals."

"Tsunade can't just allow such a dangerous Uchiha to roam freely!"

Danzo's fury grew as he outlined every detail that violated his sensibilities: treating a Uchiha's Kekkei Genkai disease, interacting with the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and independently creating an A-rank jutsu.

Hiruzen finally set down his pipe and looked up calmly.

"The treatment costs are fully covered by the Uchiha themselves."

"So what?! And what about interacting with the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—"

Before Danzo could finish, Hiruzen interrupted, waving his hand dismissively.

"Danzo, Kushina isn't a Jinchūriki yet, and the interaction you're referring to was the Uchiha preventing her from rampaging."

Furious at being countered twice, Danzo slammed the desk.

"Hiruzen! This boy is too dangerous! He's only thirteen and already created an A-rank jutsu!"

"Danzo, I am the Hokage!"

Frustrated, Danzo stormed out, leaving with a final, ominous remark:

"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!" (Ah classic)

Hiruzen sighed, turning to the Hokage Monument.

"Teacher, perhaps I now understand why you didn't choose Danzo. Winning this war is the priority."

He opened a dossier on Uchiha Shirou, meticulously documenting every detail of his life, including trivial disputes at the academy.

"Because of Nawaki's incident? Fueled by the grief of losing a comrade?"

He stopped at a section analyzing Shirou's novel, My Struggles.

"Another Kagami, perhaps?"

The intelligence division had noted the book's enthusiastic embrace of the Will of Fire, albeit with a question mark. Hiruzen smiled wryly, understanding the skepticism stemmed from the name Uchiha.