THE UCHIHA ASCENSION

Three years had passed in a flash, and now it was Konoha's 32nd year. Uchiha Kiyo had finally reached the time of graduation.

Name: Uchiha Kiyo (10 years old)

Chakra: 73 cards / 73 cards (80 cards)

Nature Transformation: Fire Release (Burning)

Ninjutsu: Three Body Technique, Hemostasis Technique, Healing Technique, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique

Secret Techniques: Self-Cultivation Technique, Instant Body Replacement Technique

Other: Basic Barrier Sealing, Fire Sealing Method

In these three years, Uchiha Kiyo's progress had been undeniable. With his moderate talent, he had received considerable support from the clan. Every year, the Uchiha clan allowed him to choose a ninjutsu to practice, though the choices were limited to techniques he could handle at his current level.

After careful consideration, Kiyo chose a medical ninjutsu, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, and the Fire Sealing Method—a technique mentioned in the original Naruto manga. The Fire Sealing Method was easy to learn but difficult to master, making it an attractive option. In the manga, even Jiraiya used it to seal Amaterasu, demonstrating its potential. The Uchiha clan, being a Fire Release-dominant clan, had records of sealing techniques that counteracted their own flames. Kiyo saw this as an opportunity to deepen his knowledge of sealing arts while also expanding his combat versatility.

Now, at age 10, his chakra reserves had grown significantly, reaching over 70 cards—comparable to some weaker Chunin. With three years of dedicated training in physical combat, it wouldn't be wrong to say he had achieved Chunin-level strength.

However, the past three years had not been peaceful in the ninja world.

One of the biggest events was the destruction of Uzushiogakure, the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools.

Shortly after Kiyo entered his third year, the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed by an alliance of nations, led by Kirigakure. Only a handful of Uzumaki survivors managed to escape.

A month later, Kushina Uzumaki, the princess of the fallen nation, arrived in Konoha under the protection of Konoha's elite. She was taken in by the Senju clan. Kiyo only learned of the Uzumaki clan's demise through Nawaki Senju, who had heard about it from his family.

Not long after, a certain "blood-red pepper" transferred to the academy. Kushina Uzumaki, with her fiery temper, became the terror of the school, bullying her peers regularly. Only two people could handle her—Uchiha Kiyo and Minato Namikaze. However, Kiyo chose not to intervene, and Minato, already captivated by Kushina, refrained from retaliating. As a result, she became the undisputed boss of the academy.

But that was not the most pressing issue.

For Kiyo, the most significant takeaway from the fall of Uzushiogakure was the looming war.

This was not mere speculation—everything pointed to its inevitability.

Unlike past assumptions, the destruction of the Uzumaki clan wasn't just about their unique chakra and mastery of sealing techniques. Those were added incentives, but the real reason was the major nations testing Konoha's response.

The Shinobi Villages had been at peace for over a decade since the Second Great Ninja War. During that time, they had built up their military strength, surpassing previous peaks.

However, one thing remained uncertain—the status of Uzumaki Mito, the first Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.

Unlike the First Shinobi War, where top-tier combatants still roamed the battlefield, the current era lacked such powerhouses. The villages were wary of Konoha's last remaining deterrent—Mito Uzumaki, a Jinchūriki capable of fully controlling the Nine-Tails.

With the deaths of Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju, Mito had become Konoha's stabilizing force. She was the unseen pillar that kept Hiruzen Sarutobi's rule secure. Even Danzo, who had the audacity to plot against the Hokage, didn't dare act recklessly during her lifetime.

By Kiyo's estimation, Mito was undoubtedly a high-tier Kage-level ninja—possibly even Super Kage-level. Unlike Tobirama, who relied on intricate jutsu to compete at the highest level, Mito wielded sheer overwhelming power.

The entire ninja world was waiting for her to die, as her presence was the last major imbalance in the global power structure.

The fall of Uzushiogakure was a test—a probe to gauge Konoha's response. And their reaction made it clear: Mito was nearing the end of her life.

The exact timeline was uncertain, but one thing was clear—war would break out within the next two years. At the very latest, three years from now.

Knowing this, Kiyo intensified his training. He had reached Chunin-level combat prowess, and now, his next goal was unlocking the Sharingan.

Was he worried about awakening it? Not at all.

Every Uchiha who had reached Jōnin level had unlocked the Sharingan at some point. The clan had long believed that, under the right conditions, the dōjutsu would inevitably manifest. Even the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan likely had methods to reduce its awakening difficulty, beyond the traditional requirement of witnessing a loved one's death. If the clan relied solely on loss to awaken it, they would have perished long ago.

Still, many things remained unknown, and Kiyo could only do his best. His primary focus was improving his strength through sheer hard work.

Over the past three years, it wasn't just Kiyo who had grown—Nawaki Senju had also improved significantly.

However, Kiyo often lamented how Nawaki wasted his talent.

As a direct descendant of the Senju clan, Nawaki possessed an exceptionally large chakra reserve. While not as massive as the Uzumaki clan's, it was still leagues ahead of the average shinobi. Compared to Kiyo, who had spent years refining his chakra, Nawaki naturally had several times more. By Kiyo's estimation, Nawaki had at least a few hundred cards of chakra.

Yet despite this potential, Nawaki barely used his chakra effectively.

This frustrated Kiyo immensely. Most ninjas struggled to increase their chakra reserves while also maximizing their combat efficiency. Yet Nawaki, who had been born with an abundance of chakra, failed to utilize it to its full potential. It was an infuriating waste of talent.

In terms of research, Kiyo had resumed several abandoned projects, allocating 30 minutes to an hour daily to them. Although he had made some progress, the lack of advanced ninjutsu limited his ability to apply these findings in battle. Nevertheless, he firmly believed his research would prove valuable in the future.

Over these three years, Kiyo had focused on mastering a limited set of ninjutsu but had refined them to an exceptional degree.

The Three Body Technique remained an essential skill, particularly the Substitution Jutsu. Kiyo had trained extensively, pushing its effective range to four meters with just a single card of chakra. If he expended 50 cards, he could swap positions up to ten meters away.

No one had achieved this before—not in efficiency. Other ninjas could substitute over ten meters as well, but their chakra consumption was absurdly high. Kiyo had perfected a method to make it viable in real combat.

Just this one technique alone was worth the three years of training—it could be the difference between life and death.

In terms of Fire Release, Kiyo had deliberately avoided diversifying his arsenal. Instead, he dedicated himself to mastering the Great Fireball Technique, integrating nature transformation and refining its power. At full strength, it could easily take down a Chunin.

Of course, his training hadn't gone unnoticed by the clan's higher-ups. Initially, they were pleased, believing Kiyo had finally embraced an offensive fighting style.

But then… he started using the Great Fireball Technique in bizarre ways.

Why was he spitting out a fire wall instead of a fireball?

Why was he compressing fireballs to the size of a fist and redirecting them midair?

It was creative, but… what was the point?

Sure enough, they concluded—this kid was just as unconventional as ever.