176-180

*Chapter 176: Celestial Art: Sharingan – White Radiance Eyes!*

In the elegant courtyard, three figures led by Uchiha Hachidai suddenly felt their hearts race inexplicably.

Following the resolute voice of the young man, they turned their gazes toward him, and what greeted them was Uchiha Shinji’s Sharingan—completely distinct from an ordinary Uchiha’s.

Demonic, chilling, and imbued with an extraordinary, almost logic-defying beauty!

Merely looking into them sent shivers down their spines.

“Those eyes…”

“Is that… a Two Tomoe Sharingan? No, something feels off!”

The elder Uchiha warrior, Uchiha Buyi, furrowed his white brows and narrowed his sharp eyes. He warned his two companions:

“Don’t underestimate him!”

“Hachidai, Ketsu, I have a bad feeling. Go all out!”

“If he only has the Two Tomoe Sharingan, we’ll use our Three Tomoe advantage to suppress him. Hachidai, you distract him; I’ll cast a genjutsu! Ketsu, you provide ninjutsu support!”

“Just like we’ve done before!”

Upon receiving the command, the three immediately nodded and sprang into action.

Uchiha Hachidai drew his blade and charged forward.

His steps were steady, his movements swift. As he closed in, his left hand reached into the pouch at his waist, pulling out four kunai and hurling them in succession. Each kunai had nearly invisible steel wires attached, crossing and intertwining mid-air as they sped toward Uchiha Shinji in a deadly trajectory.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Ketsu, with his hooked nose, sunken eyes, and long gray hair, stepped back, furrowing his brows as he leaped high into the air and formed a series of hand seals.

*“Fire Style: Grand Fire Annihilation!”*

Tilting his head back, he gathered an enormous amount of chakra in his throat, then extended his index finger forward. A powerful B-rank Fire Style jutsu erupted forth!

A massive crimson fire pillar shot diagonally downward, sealing off all of Uchiha Shinji’s escape routes in an instant.

At the same time, Uchiha Buyi had somehow maneuvered to the flank of the battlefield without a sound.

His steps were silent, his movements ghostly—reminiscent of the Mist Village’s Silent Killing Technique.

With his hands forming seals, his scarlet Sharingan gleamed brightly. In an instant, he constructed a genjutsu prison using his ocular prowess!

In the blink of an eye, under the combined efforts of the three:

The enhanced taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu attacks created an inescapable onslaught aimed at Uchiha Shinji!

Earlier, Uchiha Buyi had claimed that against their teamwork, even an average jonin would be killed in under a minute.

That was no exaggeration.

It was a cold, hard fact.

Even an elite jonin, caught off guard, could easily meet their demise.

Yet, as the trio’s coordinated attacks bore down on him, Uchiha Shinji remained calm. He only watched quietly as the attacks approached.

His eyes, in an instant, radiated a wild and ferocious intensity!

In taijutsu and shurikenjutsu, his proficiency surpassed Uchiha Hachidai’s by an entire level.

In ninjutsu, his combination techniques allowed him to split Uchiha Ketsu’s Grand Fire Annihilation in two with a single slash.

In genjutsu, his Two Tomoe Sharingan wielded powers even stronger than a typical Three Tomoe Sharingan.

With his current capabilities, he could have easily dismantled and countered each of their attacks.

But that would be too troublesome.

“Let me show you my true form!”

Uchiha Shinji suddenly raised his head, his snake-like pupils contracting sharply.

The next moment—

An overwhelming surge of power erupted from his entire being!

A brilliant sun seemed to rise from the ground!

With a light step forward,

A violent gust of wind surged forth, creating a barrier of wind in front of Uchiha Shinji.

The fiery pillar aimed at him was completely deflected, spiraling upward into a massive flaming vortex!

“What is that?!”

Uchiha Hachidai and his companions’ pupils contracted sharply. They weren’t ordinary shinobi.

Through their Sharingan, they could clearly see it:

Within the fire tornado, Uchiha Shinji’s chakra waves were undergoing rapid transformation.

A layer of white-hot flames erupted from his body, engulfing him entirely. Every inch of his skin was consumed by the flames until it all burned away!

As the fire tornado dissipated, scattering glowing embers,

What emerged was a humanoid figure enveloped in radiant white flames. Its sheer presence dispersed the clouds in the sky.

No—it could no longer be called human!

“This can’t be! That’s the half-tailed beast transformation of a Jinchuriki!”

The experienced Uchiha Buyi, who had lived through the First and Second Shinobi World Wars, immediately recognized the terrifying entity before them.

Although the color was somewhat off, and it lacked a tail, the overwhelming aura made it clear—this was a Jinchūriki, a forbidden living weapon!

“Is this what the Elder meant by the hawkish faction’s hope?”

No, where in the world did he capture a tailed beast?!

Uchiha Taketake felt his scalp tingle instantly. Without hesitation, he clasped his hands together, activating his Sharingan’s genjutsu in an attempt to control Uchiha Shinji, who was now in a semi-tailed beast transformation!

As time passes, a Jinchūriki in a semi-tailed beast state will gradually be influenced by the tailed beast’s chakra, becoming uncontrollably violent. If this kid were to lose control, it would be utter chaos!

At this moment, Uchiha Taketake felt bitter, wishing he could smack Uchiha Hachidai over the head with a stick.

Are you kidding me? This kid is a Jinchūriki!

Why the hell do they even need us to organize some trial?!

Have you lost your mind, or have I?!

These jumbled thoughts flashed by in an instant.

As a veteran powerhouse of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Taketake immediately activated his ocular and genjutsu techniques.

His eyes locked onto Uchiha Shinji, who was in his semi-tailed beast state.

Their gazes met.

The genjutsu activated instantly, and under its influence, Uchiha Shinji froze momentarily.

“It’s working!” Uchiha Taketake sighed in relief, even wiping the sweat from his forehead.

However, Uchiha Shinji wasn’t dazed because he was trapped by the genjutsu.

It was because—

Under the stimulation of the genjutsu, his scarlet, serpentine pupils contracted. Instinctively, a hidden Sage Technique within his eyes was triggered!

Uchiha Shinji unconsciously raised his head, meeting Taketake’s gaze once more!

In the next moment—

Uchiha Taketake’s eyes widened in shock as he felt his own genjutsu world utterly shattered by a more powerful ocular force!

The entire world fragmented in an instant!

Then—

A crimson dragon, clawing its way through the shattered void, emerged, gripping a black orb in its claws.

The red dragon coiled around him,

Lowering its head to glare at him with its cold, scarlet eyes.

It opened its massive maw and swallowed the orb whole!

Immediately after, an intense white light burst forth from the dragon’s mouth, uncontrollably surging outward!

In an instant, Uchiha Taketake found himself engulfed in a blinding light so radiant he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

A deafening, unbearable sound pierced his ears, making his entire body tremble with pain.

His senses were overwhelmed—his bones tingled, his vision blurred, and his consciousness slipped away.

Uchiha Taketake was instantly defeated by this Sage Art ocular technique, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

Before losing consciousness, he cast a resentful glance at Uchiha Shinji, gritting his teeth.

This brat has no respect for his elders!

Wait, you’re a Jinchūriki? Why didn’t you say so earlier?!

Thud!  

Uchiha Taketake fell, unconscious.

Uchiha Shinji blinked, bewildered, only now realizing what he had done and the nature of the Sage Art hidden within his eyes.

Sage Art: Sharingan – Radiant White Gaze!  

This technique replicated the *White Rage Technique* once used by the Sage Kabuto in his Sage Mode,

Inflicting intense pain on an opponent’s hearing and body while paralyzing their senses with vibrations in the air. The technique numbed the bones and sealed the opponent’s movements.

Combined with the 360-degree vision of his serpentine Sharingan, it was an unbeatable ocular Sage Art!

Unless you’re fighting me with your eyes closed, you’ll have to endure this ultimate sensory assault first.

Gazing at the unconscious Uchiha Taketake, Uchiha Shinji felt helpless.

In response to the genjutsu, he had intended to counter it with his superior experience using the Reflection Heaven and Earth technique to reflect it.

Who could have guessed that the old man’s misfortune would accidentally draw out this Sage Art from within him?

Shaking his head, Uchiha Shinji decided to ignore this minor incident.

Lifting his gaze to the sky—

He saw four fire dragons pierce through the white mist, ferociously descending upon him.

This was *Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Technique!*

Nearby, Uchiha Hachidai dived toward him at lightning speed, wielding a ninja blade aimed at his back.

Surrounded on all sides, flames and cold steel closing in together.

In such a dire situation—

Uchiha Shinji smiled.

His semi-tailed beast face twisted into a crazed grin that stretched to his ears.

He raised his hand abruptly,

Dark chakra surged into his palm.

A pitch-black, rapidly expanding, explosive Rasengan began forming in his grasp!

*Dark Style: Expanding Rasengan!*

(To be continued)

*Chapter 177: Semi-Tailed Beast Rampage, Void Dog Cannon Unleashed! Konoha Trembles!*

In the center of the courtyard,

Uchiha Shinji narrowed his eyes as violent, dark chakra condensed into the shape of a Rasengan in his palm. Once formed, the chakra began spinning wildly around the core of the dark Rasengan.

With his current level of control, it was impossible to manage or compress it.

From the moment it took shape, this deep black Rasengan naturally moved toward a state of expansion and instability.

However,

Uchiha Shinji never planned to control it!

This was the perfect opportunity for him to test whether the expanding Rasengan could replace a Tailed Beast Bomb and fire a Void Dog Cannon!

Standing amidst the sea of flames, he slowly raised the expanding Rasengan in his hand.

Then, shockingly, he opened his half-tailed beastified mouth, stretched wide to his ears, and swallowed the volatile, dark, expanding Rasengan in one gulp!

In the next moment,

violent, dark chakra erupted within him!

Rage, pain, emptiness, frustration, envy, fear—

countless negative emotions flooded Uchiha Shinji’s heart, filling him with an overwhelming urge to destroy everything!

His throat, chest, and abdomen swelled violently, inflating his body like a balloon.

Even his skin cracked open in places, as the accumulated power within him overflowed.

Forced onto all fours to stabilize himself, Uchiha Shinji barely managed to maintain his posture.

At that moment,

four fiery dragons suddenly descended from midair, crashing directly into him!

The explosion of the fire dragons, coupled with intense heat and shockwaves, sent the swollen, ball-like Uchiha Shinji flying. He bounced three times on the white sand of the courtyard, carving a massive trench into the ground.

When he finally rolled to a stop and steadied himself,

Uchiha Shinji raised his head abruptly, his face twisted in a violent and savage expression!

The berserk vein patterns around his crimson snake-like pupils grew even more pronounced!

A thick vein stretched across the back of his head, connecting to the Heaven’s Curse Mark on his neck and prying open a gap in the sealing formula.

The surrounding natural energy was suddenly absorbed into his body,

filling him with overwhelming power!

Uchiha Shinji glared at the four fiery dragons' summoner—Uchiha Jie—whose face was frozen in shock. A murderous glint flickered in the snake-like pupils that burned with malice.

"Wait! I don’t want to kill this old man!"

In his vision, a line of text abruptly appeared:

*[Warning: Under the influence of natural energy, a new personality is forming within your body.]*

*[Talent: Battle Instinct (S+) activated. The primary personality has avoided being devoured by the secondary personality.]*

Under the deep influence of his innate battle instinct,

Uchiha Shinji’s conscious mind suddenly felt detached from his body, observing everything from an omniscient, aerial perspective.

At that moment,

he watched his half-tailed beastified body from above. It was as if someone else was controlling it.

Looking at the ferocious, arrogant snake-like pupils on his body’s face—eyes that seemed to have their own consciousness—Uchiha Shinji couldn’t help but feel a pang of panic.

“What’s happening!?”

Before he could think further,

the “half-tailed beastified Uchiha Shinji” locked his cold, violent gaze onto Uchiha Jie in midair.

If he fired the Void Dog Cannon, that frail old man would be vaporized on the spot!

With only a split second to act, Uchiha Shinji’s consciousness forcefully diverted the attack trajectory.

In the next moment,

the “half-tailed beastified Uchiha Shinji” clawed the ground with all four limbs,

and unleashed his attack skyward!

A deafening roar erupted as a massive burst of wind tore from his mouth. The force crushed the ground beneath him into fragments!

The violent, dark energy he had swallowed transformed into a thick, jet-black beam of light that shot out!

A Void Dog Cannon!

It blasted forward for nearly three kilometers,

piercing through pavilions, demolishing mansions, and evaporating riverbanks.

The beam plowed straight through the towering Uchiha ancestral shrine by the Naka River.

Finally,

the beam arched over the river, landing in the forested territory of the Senju Clan on the other side!

*BOOM!!!*

The ground trembled violently, as if struck by an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale!

A pitch-black mushroom cloud rose unsteadily from the Senju Clan’s territory!

For a moment,

the blaze burned so intensely it outshone the sun in the sky!

Back in the courtyard,

even the residual shockwaves from the blast were enough to send Uchiha Jie flying over a hundred meters into a nearby pond!

Soaked and disheveled, Uchiha Jie climbed out of the pond, his eyes wide with shock.

He stared in disbelief at the black Void Dog Cannon streaking across the sky, mumbling blankly to himself:

“W-what the hell was that!?”

However, the last knowledgeable Uchiha, Takeshi, had already been paralyzed by the Sage Art: Sharingan – White Burst Eye. Clearly, no one was left to answer his question.

"This brat... he really tried to kill me just now. If it hadn’t veered off at the last moment for some unknown reason, I’d already be dead!"

Uchiha Ketsu recalled the moment their eyes met. He couldn’t help but shiver in fear as he remembered the cold, ruthless crimson serpent-like Sharingan staring back at him.

His expression quickly changed as he struggled to his feet. That’s when he remembered:

He’d been sent flying—while Uchiha Hachidai was still over there!

“This is bad! Hachidai is in danger!”

---

Meanwhile,

in a seemingly ordinary residence within the Hidden Leaf Village,

Orochimaru sat at a desk cluttered with jars of biological specimens preserved in formalin.

He was poring over records he had retrieved from the Root organization after returning to the village.

Although someone had deliberately erased many traces, Orochimaru’s keen senses still allowed him to uncover certain clues—records of training materials that only users of Wood Release would require.

These records dated back seven years to Year 40 of the Hidden Leaf.

Back then, Orochimaru and Danzo had secretly collaborated on a long-discontinued project aimed at replicating Wood Release by fusing the cells of the First Hokage.

At the time, he had dismissed the experiment as nothing more than a bizarre attempt.

But now,

it seemed that Danzo had hidden something interesting.

“The Curse Mark is still far from perfected. For now, it’s only compatible because of that terrifying body it’s implanted in.”

“The transformation from snake to dragon may seem like an instant leap forward in Sage Mode training, but it harbors unimaginable risks. Heh, White Snake Sage, you’ve truly played a brilliant game.”

“When one fully masters the Dragon Earth Cavern's Sage Techniques, will they still remain themselves?”

“The influence of natural energy from the Dragon Earth Cavern is far trickier than expected. Hmph. For now, I’ll focus on researching Wood Release—to figure out how the so-called God of Shinobi managed to integrate such power into his body.”

“Incidentally, I might as well help that kid cultivate that pitifully weak artificial tailed beast inside him.”

Orochimaru’s serpent-like eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze fell on a name in the training records—someone who had recently graduated from Root’s training program.

*Kō!*

A sinister smile crept across his face, like a snake locking onto its prey.

At that moment,

the sky outside suddenly darkened.

A pitch-black mushroom cloud rose ominously from the southern part of the village.

Immediately after,

the ground trembled, and a deafening explosion echoed across the Hidden Leaf. A shockwave swept through the village, slamming against Orochimaru’s window.

*Crack!*

A fracture split across the glass.

Orochimaru’s head snapped up, his smile freezing in place.

“What’s going on?”

“The Nine-Tails is rampaging?!”

“No, wait… the Evil Sealing Mark of the Heaven’s Curse has been broken. And this natural energy…”

A chill ran down Orochimaru’s spine as he turned to look in the direction of the explosion. He realized it came from the Senju Clan compound—and right next to it was the Uchiha Clan's territory.

Then it hit him. Today was the day his beloved disciple had returned home.

Orochimaru’s face twisted with rage.

“Uchiha Shinji!!!”

“What have you done now?!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 178: Tremors All Around! Crushing the Dragon Transformation Persona!*

Beneath the towering Hokage Rock,

the Hokage's office stood tall, its structure resembling a circular earthen fortress. Atop, a wide, pristine flat roof gleamed in the sunlight.

At this moment, the Third Hokage of Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen, stood near the railing at the rooftop's edge, gazing at the breathtaking scenery of Konoha. Behind him, Namikaze Minato was reporting the real-time battle situation in the Land of Rain.

“Hokage-sama, that’s the complete rundown of the events.”

“In this battle, the greatest contributions came from Konoha’s assault force led by Uchiha Shinichi and Uchiha Shinji. Their surprise attack secured the head of Ebizō and obtained a wealth of classified intelligence, allowing our subsequent operations to proceed effortlessly.”

Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his smoking pipe against the railing, frowning slightly before asking,

“Uchiha Shinji, you say?”

“Minato, what’s your impression of this child?”

Namikaze Minato’s expression became serious, aware that the Third Hokage had touched on the heart of the matter.

By now, the battle reports had long reached the Third Hokage. Recommendations for rewards and recognition didn’t require his input. What the Third Hokage truly cared about was the issue of the Uchiha clan.

Since the founding of Konoha, the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the village had never been entirely harmonious. Due to the pressures of reality, the balancing of interests, and the flaws of the old system, the two sides had maintained a tense stalemate. Sarutobi Hiruzen could only strive to uphold the status quo.

But if things continued this way, the marginalized Uchiha clan’s long-held resentment might eventually lead to a crisis.

Recently, when Orochimaru took Uchiha Shinji as his disciple, the Uchiha clan had agreed to compromise on the S-rank Hell Valley mission. This mutual concession seemed to signal an improvement, yielding promising results so far.

The key issue, however, was Uchiha Shinji himself.

Did he possess the ability to act as a bridge between his clan and the village?

Sarutobi Hiruzen had never met this child and couldn’t gauge his attitude toward Konoha.

Based on his performance, Uchiha Shinji was undoubtedly a brilliant new talent within the Uchiha clan, comparable to Uchiha Kagami in his prime.

But if this child harbored a mindset akin to Uchiha Madara, then everything would fall apart.

That’s why Sarutobi Hiruzen sought Minato’s opinion.

Recalling his recent interactions with Uchiha Shinji, Minato couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“Uchiha Shinji... he’s a child who loves peace.”

However, before he could finish speaking,

the sky suddenly darkened!

A massive black mushroom cloud rose from the southern side of Konoha,

followed by violent tremors and deafening explosions. The shockwave swept across the village, shaking the Hokage building and blowing Sarutobi Hiruzen’s Hokage hat sky-high.

Immediately after,

an ominous aura erupted, causing Sarutobi Hiruzen’s aged face to twitch. He quickly turned his gaze to the southern area, where the Uchiha and Senju clans resided. His eyes widened in shock.

“What is that?!”

Minato’s smile froze on his face. Turning stiffly, he stared at the familiar spiral ripple pattern of the mushroom cloud in the sky. Scratching his head in disbelief, he muttered awkwardly,

“Uh... that…”

“That looks like... my jutsu?”

---

*Konoha Underground, Root Headquarters*

Shimura Danzō was seated on his leader’s throne in Root, seemingly dozing.

Suddenly,

the ceiling trembled violently, sending small stones raining down. One of the stones struck his forehead, snapping his eyes open.

“This chakra... this ominous aura?”

“Did a tailed beast attack the village?”

Danzō’s spirits soared. He leaped to his feet, barking orders at his subordinates in Root. Turning to a hooded figure standing in the shadows, he commanded sternly,

“Ryōma, send people to contain the Uchiha immediately!”

“Regroup our forces. Do not act prematurely. Let that monkey Hiruzen clean up the mess first; we’ll move afterward!”

Danzō’s spirits were high.

This was the perfect opportunity to oust the monkey from power.

Ha!

The position of Fourth Hokage would undoubtedly be his, Shimura Danzō’s!

However,

his subordinate, Aburame Ryōma, furrowed his brows. Retrieving a damaged insect from mid-air, he hesitated before replying,

“Uh, Danzō-sama…”

“It seems… the disturbance originated from the Uchiha clan’s territory.”

Hearing this, Danzō’s face darkened.

“The Uchiha? Where did they manage to capture a tailed beast?”

“Hmph, I knew it! Those treacherous Uchihas must be plotting a coup by seizing a tailed beast from another nation! I’ve said it before—Hiruzen is too lenient with them!”

Aburame Ryōma’s face froze for a moment. His expression awkward, he cautiously reminded,

“Sir, have you forgotten? The jinchūriki of that tailed beast is your subordinate, Orochimaru’s disciple… the one codenamed ‘Shura.’”

“Uchiha Shinji.”

Upon hearing this, Shimura Danzo froze in place, his expression akin to a chaotic mix of emotions as if a jar of five flavors had been overturned. His face shifted unpredictably. After a long moment, he coughed lightly and muttered,

“Is that... so?”

---

Meanwhile, at the Konoha Hospital...

Countless people looked up at the pitch-black mushroom cloud rising shakily from the southern side of Konoha.

Then, a woman’s furious roar rang out:

“Who did that?!”

Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, a blonde woman in a green jacket emblazoned with the kanji for "Gamble" stormed out of the hospital. Her fists were clenched as she trembled with rage at the entrance. Following behind her was a nervous, young girl with short black hair, dressed in a black kimono.

This woman was none other than Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin.

At this moment, Tsunade gazed powerlessly at the site where the dark mushroom cloud had risen. Gritting her teeth, she shut her eyes in anguish.

“My gambling funds!”

---

At the same time, on the southern side of Konoha...

At the luxurious Uchiha compound by the Naka River...

Uchiha Hachidai suddenly froze, staring in horror at Uchiha Shinji, who was unleashing a fearsome Void Hound Cannon straight into the sky. Beads of sweat dripped down Hachidai's forehead as he nervously glanced at Uchiha Shinjie, who had been blasted out of sight by the cannon.

“Huff, huff...”

Hachidai took deep breaths to calm his racing heart and suppress his skyrocketing blood pressure, his face growing unnaturally pale.

However, his tightly gripped sword was already slashing toward Uchiha Shinji’s back. At this moment, he could no longer control himself!

Swish, swish!  

Shuriken flew through the air, their steel wires binding Uchiha Shinji’s limbs tightly. The momentum of the kunai pulling against the wires added to the tension.

The “Half-Tailed Beast Transformation” Uchiha Shinji suddenly twisted its head around, its scarlet snake-like pupils flashing with murderous intent as it glared at Hachidai.

The fiery chakra cloak around its body surged wildly, transforming and extending into eight flaming arms. Each arm conjured a six-foot-long flaming blade, and without any form or pattern, they swung downward in a relentless barrage, covering every inch of space in front of Hachidai!

Hachidai’s scalp tingled with fear as he widened his Sharingan. Under the rain of flaming blades, he could only dodge, block, and parry like a flea trying to escape an overwhelming force.

At this moment, the ninja blade in his hand seemed pathetically weak.

The ordinary steel wires that had bound Uchiha Shinji were incinerated within seconds by the intense flames of the beast cloak. Free once more, "it" let out a sinister laugh. The veins around its crimson snake-like pupils bulged ominously as it began forming a jet-black, spiraling Rasengan infused with natural energy.

Then, it swallowed the Rasengan whole!

In an instant, its body swelled, its limbs planted firmly on the ground, its jaw lifted, and its mouth opened wide!

Witnessing this, Hachidai gulped nervously and drew a sharp breath. His body trembled uncontrollably as his eyes widened, the three tomoe of his Sharingan filled with terror and helplessness.

How could an ordinary ninja like him possibly block such an attack?!

---

From a higher perspective, Uchiha Shinji’s consciousness looked at his body’s actions and shook his head.

“Pathetic. With this kind of power, killing someone like Uchiha Hachidai shouldn’t take this much effort.”

“If it were me, I’d finish him with a glare and a single strike.”

“As expected, this is nothing more than a beast—a primal instinct born from the interaction of natural energy and dark chakra.”

“It has no strategy, only brute force.”

“In that case, this will be easy.”

Against this primitive “Dragonized Consciousness,” which hadn’t yet developed into a fully-formed persona like Sage Kabuto’s, Uchiha Shinji—blessed with the Uchiha clan’s strong soul and an S+-level combat intuition—was more than a match.

---

Having made up his mind, Uchiha Shinji activated his Sharingan and connected with the chakra, diving directly into his mental world.

When he reopened his eyes, he was back in the cramped room of his previous life.

On the floor before him was a pale snake with his face.

Expressionless, Uchiha Shinji loosened the belt from his pants and swung it down with force.

Whap!  

The human-faced snake howled in agony before dissipating into a puff of smoke, erased completely.

In an instant, clarity returned toShinji’s mind, and he regained full control of his body.

However, the eradicated persona left behind a chaotic mess.

Feeling the rampaging energy within his body, Uchiha Shinji’s brow twitched.

Natural energy from the Sharingan, dark chakra from the spiraling Rasengan, his own chakra, natural energy from the unsealed Heaven’s Curse Mark, fragments of an immortal body, and chakra from the Fire Release Chakra Mode—all tangled together in a volatile storm.

His face darkened as he realized the situation.

“Damn it... I’ve overplayed my hand!”

(Chapter End)

Chapter 179: The Uchiha Clan's Young Leader and the High Council Meeting

The various forces stirred and gathered within his body, swelling uncontrollably.

Instead of fusing into Sage Chakra, raw and chaotic natural energy was poured directly into him. The result was catastrophic—

At this very moment, the *Dark Expanding Rasengan* that Uchiha Shinji had absorbed into his body began to ravenously devour his own chakra, even drawing on the chakra sealed within the Eight Trigrams Seal that belonged to Zero-Tails.

It spun.

And spun.

And spun even faster—spiraling into chaos, heading toward complete loss of control, toward unbridled destruction, swelling into a force of pure annihilation.

Uchiha Yatsushiro was gripped by deep despair.

This one blast—it didn’t even have to hit him directly—just grazing him would likely melt him into nothing.

Thinking about this, he couldn’t help but want to slap himself.

The Elder had his reasons for arranging things this way. Why, oh why, did he have to meddle and dig himself into trouble?

No matter how much he racked his brain, Yatsushiro couldn’t fathom it.

This kid—he’s only twelve years old! So why? Why is he this strong?

And now, great, they were completely out of control. He himself was about to get swept up in this mess!

But just at this critical moment, Uchiha Shinji’s eyes suddenly cleared.

Feeling the chaotic state of his body, he was helpless—utterly at his wit’s end.

“No choice,” he thought, tears of frustration threatening to fall.

“All I can do now is let off a giant firework and hope for the best. Cyber Ultraman, Buddha, anyone—please don’t let me blow up something important this time!”

“I can’t afford the damages!!!”

Immediately, he deactivated his Sharingan, cutting off the pathways that allowed natural energy to flood into his body.

Only then did he regain a bit of control over himself.

Next,

With a sharp motion, he yanked one arm free from the ground, and with a ferocious swing, punched himself square in the jaw.

The force of the blow sent him flying into the air, his balloon-like, swollen body flipping onto its back like a turtle turned over.

In the process, he forcibly altered the trajectory of the destructive energy, tilting his head back and opening his mouth wide to release it skyward!

*BOOM!!!*

A raging beam of pitch-black energy shot into the heavens,

surrounded by gales of wind at hurricane strength that swept outward in all directions!

In an instant, the serene, Zen-like courtyard was utterly wrecked.

Artificial hills, crushed stones, white sand, the pond, koi fish, ancient trees—

everything was uprooted and hurled into the sky by this tremendous force!

The ground behind him shattered under the immense recoil, forming a spiderweb of cracks and collapsing into a massive crater ten meters wide.

Gazing up at this sheer display of power,

Uchiha Yatsushiro dropped the ninja blade in his hand, falling to the ground in stunned silence.

Decades of arduous training, the countless efforts to awaken his three-tomoe Sharingan, and the pride he held as an elite jonin—all of it,

In this moment,

was utterly crushed, obliterated, reduced to bitter murmurs of discontent:

“Why? As an Uchiha, how can he achieve such power without relying on the Sharingan?”

“The strength of the so-called number one bloodline in ocular techniques seems so feeble in front of him!”

“So this… this is what…”

“The Elder was aiming for?”

At that moment, a hand appeared before him—burnt, its skin scorched off, covered in wounds.

Staring at this badly charred hand extended toward him, Uchiha Yatsushiro dumbly raised his gaze.

What he saw was,

A boy, his body covered in burns, his short-sleeved kimono reduced to tattered strips hanging loosely on his frame.

Barefoot, he stood amidst the ruins.

And with a bright smile, he looked down at Yatsushiro and asked cheerfully:

“Yatsushiro-senpai,”

“Even though it hasn’t been ten minutes yet, I think I’ve passed the trial of inheritance, right?”

The boy’s words pulled Yatsushiro out of his daze.

He froze for a moment, then vigorously nodded,

And for some reason, his chest tightened with an overwhelming urge to cry.

Yes.

No matter what,

This was a child of the Uchiha Clan!

A genius beyond compare who surpassed Uchiha Kagami, breaking free from the limitations of the bloodline—able to outclass elite jonin with only a two-tomoe Sharingan!

Perhaps, in the future, he might even reach the heights of their ancestor, Uchiha Madara!

He was one of their own—an Uchiha through and through!

“Uchiha Shinji!” Yatsushiro bit his lip, trembling as he reached out both hands, tightly gripping the boy’s charred hand.

“I acknowledge you! I acknowledge you!”

“To hell with Uchiha Fugaku!”

“No matter what anyone else says, from this day onward, you’re my choice as the Uchiha Clan’s next leader!”

Uchiha Hachidaime stared intently, his crimson eyes filled with unwavering determination. He promised the boy before him:

"I will do my utmost to assist you!"

"I'll help you become the leader of the Uchiha clan! A member of Konoha's high council! The Hokage!"

"Achieve feats that no clan leader has ever accomplished!"

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

He quickly raised his hand and weakly interrupted:

"Let’s not talk about that right now."

"Senior Hachidaime,"

"Please don’t send me to the hospital! I’ll recover on my own!"

"Let’s not waste money on medical bills."

"I’m begging you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Uchiha Shinji weakly swayed and collapsed into Hachidaime’s arms, closing his eyes.

Two Void Dog Cannons—especially the second one—had drained every ounce of chakra from his body. At this moment, he was utterly exhausted.

He needed rest!

Uchiha Hachidaime stared blankly at the boy, who had fallen into his arms and was sleeping peacefully like a little piglet.

After a long while,

He couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle.

What a kid this is!

At that moment,

The Void Dog Cannon, which had been fired into the sky, traced an arc before finally descending and exploding against Konoha’s barrier, blasting a massive hole in it!

The entire population of Konoha stopped in their tracks, looking up in astonishment at the dazzling, gigantic firework in the sky.

Everyone except the members of Konoha’s Barrier Team.

And one particular red-haired beauty locked inside Uzumaki Mito’s old residence.

Kushina gazed blankly at the phantom-like hole in the barrier, thinking about the overwhelming workload ahead, so heavy it wouldn’t leave her time to breathe.

"Who? Who did this?!"

"My date! My date with Minato, aaagh!"

---

Half an hour later,

An emergency meeting convened at the Hokage's office to discuss the aftermath of Uchiha Shinji’s partial tailed beast transformation rampage and the potential use of Jinchūriki as weapons.

Uchiha Shinji’s new ultimate form presented both advantages and disadvantages for Konoha.

The good news was:

Since the First Shinobi World War, the intensity of wars had escalated, and all nations had been attempting to weaponize their Jinchūriki in combat.

Despite having the strongest of the tailed beasts, the Nine-Tails, Konoha had been unable to deploy it in war for various reasons.

But Uchiha Shinji’s appearance and the immense destructive power of his partial tailed beast transformation offered Konoha a glimpse of the possibility of deploying such ultimate humanoid weapons in future conflicts.

The bad news, however, was—

In the Hokage’s meeting room,

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi; the Sannin—Tsunade, Orochimaru; Mitokado Homura; Koharu Utatane; Danzo Shimura; the heads of Konoha’s major clans; and members of the Barrier Team had all been urgently summoned.

At this moment,

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s expression twisted slightly as he looked at the numbers on the report. After a moment of silence, he spoke to announce the topic of the meeting:

"Now then, regarding the significant damage caused to Konoha during Uchiha Shinji’s partial tailed beast transformation rampage…"

"Damages include: buildings and vegetation within the Senju clan’s grounds, the Uchiha clan’s ancestral shrine and surrounding structures, the Naka River’s waterways, and Konoha’s barrier, with total losses estimated at over 100 million ryō."

"However, due to Uchiha Shinji’s outstanding achievements on the Rain Country battlefield and the immense potential his abilities hold for the Third Shinobi World War…"

"In light of this, let’s hear everyone’s opinions."

Hiruzen put down the cost estimate report and looked at the attendees, rubbing his temples with a troubled expression.

At this moment,

Seated around the meeting table were three women emanating intense frustration.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 180: The Betrayal of the King of the Pot! The Uchiha Who Doesn’t Care About Money!*

In the conference room,

As Hiruzen Sarutobi handed over the stage to the attendees, the atmosphere in the room instantly grew tense. No one present dared to speak first. After all, the purpose of this meeting was quite absurd.

Setting aside the losses for a moment, the key issue was the Uchiha.

Where on earth did the Uchiha clan even get a tailed beast?

A 12-year-old Jōnin, partial tailed beast transformation, and causing such chaos—this couldn’t possibly be the Uchiha clan deliberately flexing their power, could it?

And then there’s the identity of this Uchiha brat: a disciple of the Sannin, an important member of the Root organization.

Whose side is he on?

What is this madness?

Third Hokage, give us a hint already! How are we supposed to choose sides here?

At the conference table, the heads of various clans were utterly perplexed.

Some glanced at the Third Hokage, others shifted their gaze to the usually outspoken but now silent and expressionless Danzo. Occasionally, they looked toward Uchiha Hachiyo, who had come to represent the Uchiha clan in the absence of Fugaku and Shatona. Hachiyo sat with a mysterious expression, a smirk playing on his lips.

What on earth is happening in this world?

In situations like these, isn’t Danzo supposed to be the first to stand up, vehemently opposing and slandering the Uchiha?

Why isn’t he doing anything?

Eventually, when no one could take the silence anymore, all eyes turned to Orochimaru, who sat in a side seat, resting his hands on the table in deep thought.

The silent consensus was:

“This is your disciple—why don’t you say something?”  

But Orochimaru, at this moment, had a constipated expression on his face.

Standing up now would mean taking financial responsibility—big financial responsibility. Losing a billion in compensation? Did they think he was an idiot?

Did they forget that his experiments and scientific research cost money? Not to mention, he recently opened a new cell research facility because of that idiotic Uchiha brat, purchasing new centrifuges, vacuum pumps, PCR machines, real-time cell analyzers, polymer carriers, transfection reagents, cell lysers, protein quantification kits, spectrophotometers, cell proliferation reagents...

In short, he was broke!

Today, even if he, Orochimaru, had to turn into "Woodemaru," he absolutely would not stand up. No one could make him.

Just then—

BAM!  

A loud slam echoed from the conference table.

Everyone snapped out of their thoughts. From the force of the sound and the volume, they assumed it must have been Princess Tsunade, one of the Sannin, standing up. After all, she was the main victim of this incident.

But when they looked up, they were dumbfounded.

The person standing wasn’t Tsunade—it was Koharu Utatane, the only female member of the Konoha Advisory Council!

Despite her advanced age, her voice was still firm and full of energy.

With a stern expression, she looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and coldly said:

“No matter what, using a partial tailed beast transformation within the village is a reckless act that has caused massive damage!”

“This is simply unacceptable!”

“Third Hokage, this must be severely punished! Even if he is Konoha’s new Jinchūriki, it makes no difference!”

“I propose we immediately imprison Uchiha Tsuru in the Shadow Rock Prison, where he will be strictly monitored 24/7. This will not only serve as a punishment for the losses he caused but also prevent him from inciting further chaos!”

Hearing this, the attendees had mixed reactions, but after thinking it over, they suddenly understood.

Among Konoha’s three Advisory Elders, Koharu Utatane was always responsible for finances, while Homura Mitokado handled daily administrative tasks—something everyone knew. Moreover, Koharu was nominally in charge of the Barrier Team.

Both Koharu and Biwako Sarutobi, Hiruzen’s wife, excelled in medical ninjutsu. However, since Biwako had taken up a role at the Konoha Hospital, Koharu settled for a position in the Barrier Team, becoming its nominal leader.

This time, Uchiha Tsuru not only destroyed Konoha’s barrier system, creating a massive headache for the Barrier Team, but also punched a huge hole in the village’s finances. Koharu coming after him was no surprise.

At this moment, Kushina Uzumaki, seated in the Barrier Team section, stood up.

With a smirk that didn’t reach her eyes, her crimson hair floated slightly, giving her the appearance of a fiery red chili pepper.

Smiling, she added,

“Lord Third Hokage,

I think it’s more appropriate for me to take custody of this brat.”

“I’ll personally teach him how to become a proper Jinchūriki!”

Although her words were spoken with a smile, a cold chill inexplicably ran down everyone’s spines, making them shrink back slightly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a moment, stroked his chin, and his eyes lit up. He thought this was a great idea.

Although it was unclear where the Uchiha got a tailed beast, handing Tsuru over to Kushina, who specialized in sealing techniques, with ANBU and Barrier Team members monitoring her, was undoubtedly the safest option.

And Kushina’s suggestion aligned perfectly with Koharu’s plan!

Everyone knew that Uchiha Tsuru was a valuable asset. Setting aside the financial losses, his identity as a Jinchūriki alone would provide immense political capital for whichever faction gained his loyalty.

*On the way here, she had already persuaded Kushina with her clever words, ensuring they were on the same page. The plan was for one of them to play the "bad cop" and the other the "good cop."*

*The goal? To take down Uchiha Shinji.*

*As for compensation, since she played the "bad cop," positioning herself as the victim who harbored no grudges, why would compensation even be necessary?*

*Naturally, these expenses would fall under Konoha’s reasonable and legitimate expenditures.*

Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated for a moment. Seeing that no one else spoke up, he furrowed his brows. Reluctant to be the scapegoat, he raised his head and looked toward Koharu Utatane, revisiting the issue with a frown.

“Koharu’s suggestion has some merit. Even if he’s a hero of Konoha, there must be consequences. A brief imprisonment should serve as a light but firm warning!”

“How about this? Let’s compromise between Koharu’s and Kushina’s suggestions: sentence Uchiha Shinji to three years of imprisonment, after which he’ll be handed over to the Barrier Corps and the ANBU. Kushina will personally oversee his training.”

Hiruzen suddenly paused mid-sentence and turned to look at Koharu.

“As for the matter of damages…”

Koharu furrowed her brows deeply. She gritted her teeth, preparing to take responsibility.

As a senior official managing Konoha’s finances, while the amount was burdensome, using it to buy political capital over a Jinchūriki seemed like a worthwhile deal.

But just as the matter was about to be settled,

someone no one could have expected suddenly stood up.

“Absurd!”

Danzo Shimura slammed his cane against the ground and rose to his feet, glaring coldly at Koharu.

“I object!”

“Huh?”

The room fell silent, everyone’s eyes widening in disbelief.

Danzo—of all people—was speaking up for a Uchiha?!

And the words that followed made their jaws drop even further.

Leaning on his cane, Danzo coughed once and, with a darkened expression, declared,

“Uchiha Shinji made a mistake by using partial Tailed Beast transformation in the village, true. But he didn’t harm any Konoha villagers!”

“What’s more, he’s only a 12-year-old child!”

“For someone to have mastered such control over a Tailed Beast at his age is nothing short of extraordinary genius!”

Narrowing his eyes, he cast a chilling glance at everyone, including Koharu and Kushina, and let out a heavy snort before continuing.

“Do you intend to treat a child like this? Imprisonment? Interrogation? Or perhaps handing him over to this foolish woman to vent her frustrations?”

“Have you all forgotten the ideals of the First Hokage?!”

“And let’s not overlook Uchiha Shinji’s significant contributions on the battlefield!”

“To treat a hero of Konoha and a 12-year-old child this way…”

Danzo fixed Hiruzen with a pained look, striking his cane against the ground once more and reprimanding sternly:

“Hiruzen, does your conscience not ache?!”

He then swung his cane toward Koharu,

“And you, Koharu Utatane! Your behavior is nothing short of despicable!”

“Short-sighted and utterly vulgar!”

“I’m ashamed to associate with the likes of you!”

“To punish a 12-year-old who can control a Tailed Beast? Nonsense! We should be showering him with praise instead!”

Danzo’s harsh rebuke, punctuated by the furious pounding of his cane, echoed through the meeting room.

The expressions on everyone’s faces grew increasingly colorful.

Danzo’s reasoning seemed logical and well-founded.

But for words defending Uchiha Shinji—a member of the Uchiha clan, whom Danzo loathed to the core—to come from this old man’s mouth…

The entire room was stunned.

What on earth was happening in this world?

How had things reached this point?

And just then,

a louder, angrier voice rang out!

“Praise him?!”

“Praise a lunatic Uchiha who blew up my house?!”

“What a joke!”

“Don’t think I don’t know—Uchiha Shinji is one of your Root members!”

“No villagers were harmed?”

“Wrong!”

“Has anyone asked about my feelings?!”

“Today, the damage to the Senju compound—Danzo Shimura—you’re paying me ten times over!”

Bang!  

With a deafening crash, the meeting table was smashed to pieces, and the floor beneath it cracked open!

A blonde woman in a green jacket emblazoned with the word “Gamble,” her chest boldly defying all common decency, stood up like a furious lioness, glaring at everyone in the room.

As Tsunade erupted in anger,

the members of the Uchiha clan seated nearby lit up with gleeful expressions.

This was the moment they’d been waiting for!

Uchiha Yashiro immediately stood up, his face twisted with the effort to suppress his laughter, though the strain made his complexion turn slightly blue.

Feigning solemnity, he raised his hand and spoke in an overly sympathetic tone:

“Lady Tsunade,

the Senju clan’s losses will be entirely covered by the Uchiha clan!”

“The Uchiha have no shortage of money!”

"Additionally, Uchiha Shinji has already been sent to the Konoha Hospital due to life-threatening injuries from partial Tailed Beast transformation."

"Our Uchiha clan would also like to request the best doctor in Konoha, Lady Tsunade, to save him!"

"After all, this concerns Konoha's second Tailed Beast. Surely Lady Tsunade wouldn't stand idly by, would she?"

"The checkbook is here—feel free to name your price for the medical fees!"

With that, Uchiha Yatsushiro tossed a checkbook in front of Tsunade.

Then, decisively, he stood up with the other Uchihas and stormed out the door!

The next moment, outside the door—

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"The Senju clan has finally met their match! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!"

"Yatsushiro, why didn’t you ask if Shinji could blow up the Senju compound one more time?"

"Silence! Shhh~! Tsunade can still hear us!"

(End of Chapter)