171-175

*Chapter 171: The Birth of the Rasengan! A Miracle at the Doorstep—One More Time!*

The spring breeze carried the white clouds, drifting toward the horizon.

Under the gentle radiance of the sun,

its light fell upon the abandoned village, illuminating the tall stacks of hay.

*"Super cool!"*

*"Super cool!"*

Minato’s ears echoed with such praises.

This was the first time someone had complimented his technique as "cool" right to his face!

And the person praising him was someone who had fought alongside him with perfect synergy—a person who also possessed an incredible knack for naming techniques!

Minato’s face flushed slightly, tinged with embarrassment.

After all, his recently unleashed Giant Rasengan had almost smashed into the face of his former comrade-in-arms. He felt a bit guilty and didn’t know how to politely decline the request.

Sensing Minato's hesitation, Uchiha Shinji realized he might have been too forward.

In the ninja world,

a ninja's technique was their most precious treasure. And this technique, derived from the *Tailed Beast Bomb*, had undergone extreme refinement to achieve this unique form of jutsu.

Free of seals, free of attributes,

it seemed like a technique any ninja could potentially learn. Its universal applicability only underscored its immeasurable value.

Uchiha Shinji’s request could easily be seen as an attempt to copy Minato’s technique, especially given his Uchiha heritage.

Aware of this, Uchiha Shinji scratched his head and earnestly added:

“Think of it as me learning from you. I promise you won’t lose out! When we get back to the village and collect the reward for this mission, I’ll borrow some funds from my clan as compensation. Besides, I have a few techniques I could trade—”

But despite Uchiha Shinji’s sincerity,

Minato shook his head resolutely after a brief moment of thought. His expression turned serious.

“Ci, this technique is truly dangerous. While you’re very fast, you may not be able to keep up with the rate of its explosive expansion. It could seriously hurt you.”

“I’m sorry, but let me perfect this technique first, and then I’ll teach you. You don’t need to worry about paying for it—we’re comrades who’ve fought side by side!”

Minato’s words were spoken with both integrity and kindness.

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji felt a tinge of helplessness. He sighed,

then raised his hand and activated his Sharingan right in front of Minato.

In his palm,

a rapidly spinning sphere of chakra began to take form.

“Let me think. The first step is rotation. Rotate the chakra in the same direction as the swirl of hair. Concentrate the chakra at the center and use the eyes to lock onto that focal point. Next is power: increase the chakra output and make it rotate irregularly, faster and faster. Finally, the third step is stabilization… this part’s tricky.”

Infusing the chakra step by step, Uchiha Shinji relied on his mastery of total control over his body during the Cursed Seal State. Given his current control over both his body and chakra, though challenging, he followed the same method Jiraiya had used to teach Naruto.

Soon, the Rasengan began to take shape in his palm.

The first two steps went smoothly, but at the final step, his hurried progress caused the chakra to destabilize.

Uchiha Shinji quickly pressed his other hand against the sphere. Mimicking Naruto’s method, he used one hand to grip the Rasengan while the other continuously suppressed the protruding chakra on its surface.

Finally, a bright blue chakra sphere formed in his palm.

*Rasengan!*

A line of text flashed before his eyes:

*[You have mastered: Rasengan (A, Beginner).]*

Though it seemed implausible, Uchiha Shinji’s current abilities—coupled with the Rasengan’s meticulously structured tutorial, his Sharingan, the Cursed Seal of Heaven, and his unparalleled control—allowed him to successfully create the Rasengan in front of Minato… before Minato had even fully developed it himself!

Holding the Rasengan, Uchiha Shinji wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up at Minato.

“Isn’t this what your technique is supposed to look like?”

At that moment,

Minato’s expression shifted from casual disinterest to astonishment as he prepared to warn Uchiha Shinji of the potential danger. When the Rasengan finally formed, his face was full of shock.

“How… How did you do that,Shinji?” he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“Phew.” Uchiha Shinji dispersed the Rasengan with a wave of his hand. He patiently explained,

“Your technique is nearly complete. The instability and the tendency to explode are due to a lack of stabilization. It’s incredibly difficult to maintain the shape while keeping the chakra moving irregularly. But by using both hands—like how a cat pats at a water balloon with its paws—you can manipulate the internal flow of chakra and suppress any protruding energy. This stabilizes the sphere temporarily.”

Minato’s eyes widened in realization, as if a light bulb had gone off in his mind.

“The swirl of hair… the cat’s paw technique…”

A flush of excitement rose to his cheeks. He raised his hands enthusiastically,

mimicking Uchiha Shinji’s movements as he worked on the Rasengan.

Before long, an identical Rasengan formed in Minato’s hands.

“It’s taking shape!”

Minato looked at the Rasengan in his palm with sheer delight, a beaming smile spreading across his face.

“Ci, thank you!”

“Your theory is spot on. In that case, I’ll name it—”

He lifted his head, looking at Uchiha Shinji. Raising one finger, he pointed at the Rasengan in his other hand.

"Light-Wheel Cat Claw Reverse Awakening Spiral Hair Uchiha Twin-Style Sphere!!!"

Stare.

Hearing this ridiculously long name and seeing Minato rubbing the Rasengan in his hands like Naruto,

Uchiha Shinji froze awkwardly on the spot, unsure how to react.

Seriously? Teaching his father in his son's style, and the father actually learned it.

Thinking about it, Uchiha Shinji couldn't bear to let the name "Rasengan," which was created to protect Kushina, lose its original meaning.

He decided to let Minato use this technique to defeat the Nine-Tails, win the heart of a young maiden, and eventually give it the name it truly deserved!

Thus, Uchiha Shinji decisively interrupted Minato, shaking his head and reminding him,

"Ahem, let's revisit the name later. Also, this method is just a shortcut. To apply it in actual combat, you still need to refine the technique based on your original ideas."

"Otherwise, this seal-less ninjutsu will lose its true meaning."

Minato thought about it and nodded in agreement.

"You're right!"

What makes the Rasengan powerful is its nature as a seal-less, instantaneous ninjutsu—a technique created with tailed beasts as the target. If you have to rub the sphere with both hands like forming hand seals, it would just waste time and cost you the opportunity to act.

Naruto does it that way because of his natural limitations, and he compensates for it with multiple shadow clones. Normal shinobi can't summon nearly as many clones.

"Whoo~"

Only then did Uchiha Shinji let out a sigh of relief. He raised his serious scarlet Sharingan eyes and looked at Minato, speaking solemnly:

"Minato, that move you just used is very important to me. It was incredibly enlightening!"

"Just like how I'm inspiring you with this shortcut."

"I have no intention of stealing your technique. The conditions I mentioned earlier will still be fulfilled. Besides, we've fought side by side, and you've seen my abilities."

"An explosion of this level won't kill me. You don't need to worry about my safety."

"So, please teach me that incredibly cool move you just used!"

"It's really important to me!"

Uchiha Shinji saw it clearly.

Even though he currently possessed the Earth Grudge Fear technique, an immortal body, Fire Release: Chakra Mode, Forbidden Technique: Immortality, Heaven’s Curse Seal, and Zero-Tails—a seemingly overpowered setup—

It might sound like he was nearly invincible among Kage-level shinobi, but he knew his true capabilities. He had struggled against Chiyo, an elder of the Sand Village whose combat power wasn’t even that prominent. Admittedly, that was partly because he had exhausted his chakra after defeating 300 Sand shinobi earlier.

Still, it made him realize how hollow his supposed strength was.

His abilities and techniques were full of limitations:

- The Earth Grudge Fear technique only provided threads and stitching abilities.

- Immortality gave slow healing and undying traits but lacked Hidan's resistance to ninjutsu or cursed techniques.

- Fire Release: Chakra Mode worked fine against non-Kage-level opponents but was more flash than substance against stronger foes.

- Forbidden Technique: Flesh Regeneration was incomplete. It only allowed partial rapid regeneration, with significant risks. If an enemy with advanced visual jutsu could combine it with pinpoint strikes, they could easily disable him, much like how Sasuke used Chidori Senbon to disable Shinnō.

- Heaven’s Curse Seal remained an enigma, with unexplored capabilities and risks. Orochimaru even sealed it completely with the Evil Sealing Technique, making it unusable for now.

- As for Zero-Tails, famously known as "the disgrace of tailed beasts," it was just a juvenile form. It was like using an HD4000 graphics card to run a demanding game—it ran out of energy constantly.

Now,

The inspiration from Minato's technique—this method of mimicking the Tailed Beast Ball with a human body—

Could fill in Uchiha Shinji's weaknesses, allowing him to optimize and integrate his abilities into one cohesive power set!

How could Uchiha Shinji not be moved!?

Faced with Uchiha Shinji's sincere gaze, Minato fell silent for a moment.

For some reason, he felt a subtle satisfaction in his heart.

This messy, improvised technique was being recognized and valued so highly by Uchiha Shinji.

It was truly—

After a while, Minato nodded seriously and flashed a bright, cheerful smile.

"In that case—"

"Alright, let's do it again!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 172: Expanding Rasengan, Great Spiral Sphere! Puppet Art: Creation Rebirth Core!  

Minato's expression turned serious as he withdrew his smile and focused entirely on his upturned right palm. 

It was as if he were taking a critical exam, mumbling to himself: 

"I think I understand why I failed!"  

"To make the Light Wheel Cat's Claw Reverse-Activated Whirl Uchiha Twin-Style Sphere explode—"  

Uchiha Shinji twitched the corner of his mouth, unable to contain himself. "I told you to stop using that ridiculous name!"  

A slight bit of banter didn’t disrupt Minato's concentration. When he spoke again, Uchiha Shinji’s expression grew serious, and he listened intently.  

At that moment, a glowing blue spherical object appeared in Minato's palm.  

Unlike a standard Rasengan, this one was darker in hue. 

Moreover, as soon as it materialized, it began expanding rapidly, its surface becoming extremely unstable.  

"I’ve figured it out!"  

Minato raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on the expanding Rasengan in his palm as he exclaimed: 

"The key isn’t the violent chakra rotating around the core!"  

"It’s the core itself! Just as you said,Shinji, suppressing the chakra protruding from the sphere is crucial to stabilizing this technique."  

"Previously, I subconsciously mimicked the Tailed Beast Bomb, compressing the core, which sped up the chakra around it and caused it to lose control."  

"So, the critical factor—" 

"Is compression!"  

"Compress the inner core of the Light Wheel Cat’s Claw Reverse-Activated Whirl Uchiha Twin-Style Sphere!"  

As he watched the rapidly expanding Rasengan in Minato's palm, on the verge of explosion, Uchiha Shinji's eyes widened slightly.  

For a brief moment, it felt like he’d been possessed by a detective, gaining sudden clarity!  

Minato, as the creator of the Rasengan, was truly remarkable. After perfecting the basic version of the Rasengan, he quickly deduced why this attempt was failing. 

When it comes to techniques involving spheres, you have to consult the inventor for the fastest solutions!  

Minato had conceptualized the Rasengan after witnessing the Tailed Beast Bomb. As such, the Expanding Rasengan resembled the Tailed Beast Bomb in both form and mechanism!  

Compress the core, increase centrifugal force, and drive the chakra into a berserk state of accelerated rotation until it loses control and begins to expand!  

From Minato’s explanation, Uchiha Shinji quickly linked this experiment to another Rasengan variant: 

The Spiral Sphere, seen only in the Naruto movie Road to Ninja, where Menma Uzumaki used it in the alternate Tsukuyomi world.  

This variant involved compressing both the core and the chakra on the periphery. 

Its advanced form, the Great Spiral Sphere, rivaled the destructive power of Almighty Push!  

Just one strike could destroy the Hidden Leaf Village!  

At this moment, Minato’s eyes brightened again as he connected the current experiment to the Spiral Sphere’s principles. 

"If we compress both the core and the surrounding chakra together, perhaps this unstable version of the Light Wheel Cat’s Claw Sphere could stabilize too!"  

"And its power... might even increase?"  

Uchiha Shinji fell silent, unsure how to respond to Minato's hypothesis.  

Increase? Of course, it would increase! After all, this would basically be the Great Spiral Sphere!  

The problem was, what in the world was going on now?!  

Thanks to his influence, Minato might accidentally develop a technique straight out of a movie.  

This... this is bad! Minato could end up ridiculously overpowered! 

If he uses Flying Thunder God to teleport over an enemy village and drops a Sage Art: Great Spiral Sphere... 

The scene would be too catastrophic to imagine!  

Even setting aside distant hypotheticals, let’s talk about the immediate implications. 

Soon, Minato andShinji would meet the AB duo from the Hidden Cloud. What would they think if this newcomer casually pulled out a Spiral Sphere-level technique? 

The psychological damage would be unimaginable!  

As the two continued their discussion, deeply engrossed in refining this new technique—  

In the distance, Rin Nohara waved her hand and called out: 

"Minato-sensei,Shinji-san! It’s time to start cooking!"  

The three young ninjas returned, carrying firewood and wild vegetables.  

When they looked up, they saw Minato holding a glowing, rapidly expanding, violent, and unstable ball of energy in his hand.  

Their teacher stood there nonchalantly, completely ignoring the impending explosion, chatting animatedly with Uchiha Shinji.  

The absurdity of the scene left the three kids completely stunned.  

Obito dropped the firewood he was holding with a loud crash and shouted in terror: 

"Sensei!Shinji! It’s going to blow!"  

"Hmm?" Minato blinked, then glanced at the Rasengan in his hand, which was indeed on the verge of exploding. His pupils contracted.  

In an instant, he vanished, reappearing 200 meters away at a Flying Thunder God marker, where he hurled the expanding Rasengan and teleported back to the haystack.  

The next moment—  

Boom!  

Unconsciously infused with a large amount of chakra, the Expanding Rasengan erupted violently, creating a small pillar of light not far away!  

A fierce wind swept across instantly, carrying dirt, grass roots, and broken tree branches as they flew in all directions!  

"What was that?!"  

Kakashi and his two companions were stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief. Lowering their arms, which had been shielding their faces from the wind, they stared in astonishment at Minato, who looked rather disheveled.  

At that moment, Minato let out a sigh of relief. Then, scratching his head, he smiled slightly. 

"Well, it’s just a new technique I’ve been developing."  

"It’s still pretty unstable and could explode at any moment."  

He turned his head to look at Uchiha Shinji and added, 

"Ci, we’ll talk more about the technique when we get back to the village. For now, let’s eat."  

Uchiha Shinji nodded.  

From Minato, he had learned the principles behind the Expanding Rasengan and had also mastered the Rasengan itself.  

He had gained quite a lot, and Minato likely felt the same.  

As for the remaining issues—such as controlling dark chakra to form a Dark Rasengan, combining it with Sage techniques, or refining it toward an artificial Tailed Beast Bomb—those were problems he would have to solve on his own.  

Besides, Uchiha Shinji had a hunch: practicing this technique would undoubtedly cause a massive commotion. This was not the right place for training.  

Regarding the principle of compressing the core of the Rasengan, as Minato had mentioned, Uchiha Shinji had already formed some preliminary ideas.  

His inspiration came from the skill he obtained after defeating Ebizō.  

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Uchiha Shinji mentally pulled up his system panel. From a string of text, he found the notification about the recently acquired skill:  

[Ding!] 

[You bravely defeated the Sunagakure supreme commander Ebizō, who sought to kill you. You obtained a random skill from him: Human Puppet Technique · Creation of the Regeneration Core (A, Beginner).]  

[Due to the intensity of your counterattack, the target has died and cannot refute the result. The reward has been critically enhanced.]  

[Skill critically enhanced. Current status: Human Puppet Technique · Creation of the Regeneration Core (A, Proficient).]  

[Your Steel Heart stack has increased.]  

Human Puppet Technique · Creation of the Regeneration Core!  

This technique was a precursor to the eternal art pursued by the genius of Sunagakure, Sasori of the Red Sand, who would later become an S-rank rogue ninja of the Akatsuki organization.  

Sasori transformed his body into a human puppet, modifying his heart into an eternal chakra regeneration core to achieve a form of immortality. Using this regeneration core, he could unleash hundreds of chakra threads to perform his ultimate Hundred Puppet Performance!  

The key to all of this lay in this technique:  

A forbidden art that involved transforming the dead into human puppets, condensing a chakra core, and manipulating all the abilities they had in life.  

Uchiha Shinji pondered. If this technique could condense the chakra of the deceased into a chakra core, then it was undoubtedly a high-level compression technique!  

So, could it also work on the living?  

(Chapter End) 

*Chapter 173: That's Right, I Am the God of Cooking! A Fright from Uchiha!*

The practice of the new technique came to an end.

The rhythmic "clang, clang, clang" sound instantly pulled Uchiha Shinji's consciousness back to reality.

At that moment, the three smaller members and the one larger member of the group were all gathered around a pot salvaged from the abandoned village, squatting in a circle.

Surprisingly, the one wielding the ladle wasn’t the gentle and kind Rin Nohara, known for her excellent cooking skills,

but rather...

Uchiha Obito!

Obito, grinning widely, held a rusty ladle and tapped the edge of the pot. Adjusting his goggles, he smugly turned to the slightly surprised Uchiha Shinji and said with pride:

"Ci, even though you've become a Jonin, in this field, you're absolutely no match for me!"

"While on missions with Kakashi recently, I’ve been honing my cooking skills to perfection!"

With that, Obito skillfully tossed freshly washed wild vegetables into the pot. Using one hand to shake the pot and the other hand resting confidently behind his back,

his movements as he stir-fried the wild vegetables were smooth and fluid,

almost as if he were a true culinary god!

Uchiha Shinji froze in shock, his breath catching as he stared in disbelief.

Obito, why would teaming up with Kakashi on missions improve your cooking skills?  

What exactly is your role in the team?  

Hearing this, Minato and Rin Nohara were equally stunned. Both turned to Kakashi with bewildered expressions.

Kakashi, however, covered his forehead slightly, remaining silent.

Should he admit that because he was so efficient in completing missions ahead of schedule, Obito had nothing better to do and ended up obsessing over cooking wild vegetables?

Obito, oblivious to the astonishment in their gazes, was certain his culinary skills had left them in awe. Feeling emboldened, he decided to showcase his talent further.

"Watch closely!"

"Even without seasoning, I can create dishes that bring out the purest flavors of the ingredients!"

In no time, a plate of stir-fried wild vegetables was freshly served.

Having tasted Obito’s cooking several times before, Kakashi was the first to pick up his chopsticks. Minato and Rin hesitated briefly but eventually followed suit.

The moment it entered her mouth, Rin exclaimed in surprise,

"Wow, Obito, this is actually pretty good!"

Minato nodded in agreement, commenting, "Better than ration pills!"

Uchiha Shinji moved closer, picked up a piece, and tasted it.

Immediately, his brows furrowed tightly.

How should he put this...

Compared to ration pills, this dish was only slightly more palatable. But when considering nutritional value and satiety, it felt more like a side dish to complement the ration pills.

As Uchiha Shinji mulled over the taste, the other four had already pulled out their ration pills to pair with the dish.

"Wait!"

Uchiha Shinji shouted, immediately reaching out to stop them.

He turned to Obito and shook his head.

"Obito, you have no idea what cooking really is!"

Pointing at the stir-fried wild vegetables in the pot, Uchiha Shinji looked utterly disappointed.

"The vegetables are too fibrous—failure!"

"The heat control is off—failure!"

"The broth tastes earthy. Did you even wash the vegetables? Failure!"

"Let me show you how to make a truly delicious wild vegetable soup!"

Without waiting for a response, Uchiha Shinji poured out the entire pot of vegetables,

ignoring Obito's stunned, borderline murderous glare.

He then formed the Boar hand seal to conjure a pot of water and began heating it.

Using materials from their surroundings, he gathered wild vegetables, tree bark, and colorful mushrooms. After a quick foray into the forest, he returned with wild berries and rosemary.

Standing earnestly by the pot, he recalled the skill he had learned during his time in the Land of Hot Water:

*"The Gourmet Guide to Delicious Wild Vegetable and Bark Soup (Advanced Mastery)."*

Following the recipe with precise ingredient proportions and humble yet sophisticated techniques, he prepared the soup and covered the pot.

Finally, he finished with a dramatic touch—a Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu to intensify the flavors.

The moment the pot lid was lifted,

it was as if a golden light burst forth from within!

The alluring aroma, almost hallucinogenic in its intensity, surged forth!

Minato, Kakashi, and Rin’s eyes lit up simultaneously!

Obito, on the other hand, stared at the vibrantly fragrant vegetable feast in disbelief, then looked up at Uchiha Shinji.

"You... you..."

His face twisted into an expression of utter shock and disbelief.

No way... Uchiha Shinji, you overachieving jerk, it’s bad enough that you’re ahead in ninja ranks.  

Do you have to outshine me in cooking too?! Are you even human?  

Uchiha Shinji took a sip of the wild vegetable soup, his expression calm yet subtly triumphant.

"Not bad. I truly am the God of Cooking."

Upon hearing this, Obito looked as if he had been struck by lightning, his face utterly dejected.

He decided to channel his grief and frustration into his appetite, picking up his bowl and devouring its contents like a little piglet. He began eating with gusto!

---

After two days of travel,

the team finally arrived at the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Though it’s called a “village,” the Hidden Leaf is enormous, comparable in size to a city-state. Based on imprecise calculations from some poorly rendered aerial maps, the village's radius alone measures about 40 kilometers. Even at Usain Bolt's record-breaking 100-meter sprint speed of 9.58 seconds, it would take nearly an hour to run from the Hokage Tower to the village gates.

Of course, only a city this large could support the 855 D-rank missions that even Uchiha Shinji couldn’t complete, no matter how hard he worked himself to exhaustion.

At least, based on Uchiha Shinji’s experience living there for over a year, the Hidden Leaf does feel massive.

At this moment:

At the village gates, after registering their entry with the guards—who were not yet the iconic Gatekeeper Duo—Minato’s team parted ways with Uchiha Shinji. They were heading to the Hokage Tower to report their mission.

Before leaving, they agreed that Uchiha Shinji could find them later at the Hidden Leaf’s Third Training Ground.

Standing at the village gates, Uchiha Shinji found himself at a loss, unsure where to go.

Over the past month, as a clan ninja, he had left the village but somehow ended up acquiring four distinct identities:

a Leaf ninja, an ANBU ninja, a Root ninja, and his original clan role.

So, upon returning to the village, who exactly was he supposed to report to?

Before returning, Aburame Ryoma had reminded him that Danzo wanted to see him.

He also knew Orochimaru was conducting secret experiments and waiting for him to take up a critical role as a test subject.

However, neither party had given him clear instructions on what to do or where to go.

It was as though Uchiha Shinji had been intentionally left in the dark, or perhaps both sides were waiting for him to approach them first.

Shaking his head, Uchiha Shinji decided to ignore both for now and head home first.

Just then,

a middle-aged man with short brown hair, distinctive markings around his eyes, dressed in a dark blue robe with the Uchiha clan’s iconic fan symbol on his back, stood up from a stone bench near the gate and walked toward him.

Uchiha Shinji immediately recognized the man—it was Uchiha Hachidai,

a high-ranking jonin of the Uchiha clan's hawkish faction.

Although Uchiha Shinji had seen him in the original story, this was their first meeting in real life.

As Uchiha Hachidai approached, his brows slightly furrowed as he took in Uchiha Shinji’s unremarkable, somewhat disheveled appearance. He finally spoke:

“You’re Uchiha Shinji?”

Uchiha Shinji nodded. “Yeah, that’s me. What can I do for you?”

He looked up at the stern-faced Uchiha elder, wondering if this was another arrangement by the Great Elder, Uchiha Setsuna.

Uchiha Hachidai frowned deeper.

Even though he had received numerous letters of praise for this boy from several members of the Uchiha clan,

including Uchiha Fugaku, Shisui, Jinichi, and Seiichiro,

Uchiha Shinji’s first impression wasn’t impressive at all.

While the boy’s tall, lean build and handsome features certainly matched the Uchiha clan’s aesthetic ideals—making Hachidai think this boy would grow into a strikingly handsome man—

his youthful face made it clear he was just a 12-year-old child!

He might look good, but he didn’t look strong.

And yet, this boy, at such a young age, had garnered high praise from many prominent Uchiha members.

Thinking back to the Great Elder’s instructions,

Uchiha Hachidai, though somewhat reluctant, decided to follow orders.

Shaking his head, he sighed and said,

“Come with me to the Naka Shrine.”

“The Great Elder has ordered that,”

“As soon as you return, you are to learn a forbidden jutsu!”

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji was stunned.

“A forbidden jutsu?”

“What forbidden jutsu?”

Seeing the clueless expression on the boy’s face, Uchiha Hachidai suddenly opened his previously narrowed eyes,

revealing the three-tomoe Sharingan spinning in his pupils.

Then, he spoke coldly:

“The forbidden jutsu—

Izanagi!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 174: Forbidden Jutsu Izanagi, The Inheritance Trial!

*Forbidden Jutsu: Izanagi.*

This is one of the ultimate ocular techniques of the Uchiha clan.

By forming the three seals of Hare, Boar, and Goat, the user can activate this technique, linking the gap between illusion and reality!

It allows the user to turn any unfavorable events that occurred within a set period into nothing more than illusions, while choosing favorable outcomes and making them reality.

During its activation, even death can be reversed, altering reality and defying the boundaries of life and death!

Having witnessed Madara, Obito, and Danzo use this forbidden jutsu, Uchiha Shinji (the protagonist) is somewhat familiar with its capabilities.

However, there’s one thing that puzzles him:

The activation of Izanagi requires at least a Three Tomoe Sharingan under the Uchiha bloodline, and its use renders the eye permanently blind.

Yet, Uchiha Shinji’s Sharingan has only evolved to the Two Tomoe stage so far.

Now, the Uchiha Elder Uchiha Setsuna is asking him to learn this technique?

If he ever encounters a situation dire enough to necessitate Izanagi, what would happen if he uses the technique with only Two Tomoe Sharingan?

Would he lose both eyes to blindness?

Or, as the technique's description suggests, would he become trapped in the gap between illusion and reality due to the insufficient power of his Sharingan, unable to distinguish dream from reality, forever lost in an endless illusion?

Uchiha Shinji doesn’t know.

Under the guidance of Uchiha Hachidai, the two of them soon reach the Naka River.

---

The Naka River flows through the Hidden Leaf Village from south to north, cutting through the entire settlement.

It is the same river beneath the wooden platform where Obito, and later Itachi and Sasuke, practiced the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

In ancient times, the Uchiha clan lived on one side of this river, while the Senju clan lived on the other.

It was on this river that Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, the founders of Konoha, first met.

The two walk along the Naka River, passing through the bustling early markets of Konoha, strolling through residential areas, and crossing the Uchiha clan grounds located south of the Hokage's office.

Finally, they arrive at the southern outskirts of the village, an expansive, undeveloped forested area.

This area, including the southern district, belongs entirely to the Uchiha clan.

The main hall of the Naka Shrine is situated here.

Upon entering the main hall, they head to the seventh wooden door on the right, the secret meeting room of the Uchiha clan.

But Uchiha Hachidai doesn’t stop there; instead, he continues deeper into the shrine with Uchiha Shinji.

Descending a wooden staircase, they arrive in the underground chamber of the Naka Shrine.

Hachidai lights the torch stands in the secret underground room, and the firelight illuminates the hidden chamber.

Only then does Uchiha Shinji realize that he has come to a familiar place.

The large stone tablet in the center of the room makes it clear—this is the chamber where Uchiha Madara was manipulated by Black Zetsu, and where Sasuke and Orochimaru summoned the previous Hokage during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

At this moment, Uchiha Hachidai, who had been facing away from Uchiha Shinji, turns around.

Taking a deep breath, he speaks solemnly:

---

“Kid—

Listen carefully.

This place is the sacred ground of the Uchiha clan’s most secret inheritance.

I don’t know why the Great Elder chose you to come here, nor do I know if someone as young as you can fully understand this.

But since the clan has chosen you to inherit this millennia-old legacy, to receive this weighty affection,

You now bear the duty and responsibility of the entire clan.

And so, you must always move forward without stopping!”

---

Hachidai looks gravely at Uchiha Shinji and presses a hidden switch on the wall.

Boom!  

The stone wall of the chamber rumbles and rotates, revealing a massive bookshelf behind it.

On the shelves are countless scrolls, big and small, long and short.

A quick glance reveals there must be no less than a thousand scrolls.

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes widen slightly in surprise.

The scrolls are meticulously categorized by element, secret techniques, and application methods, filling the entire towering wall. Behind this wall, there is even more space.

Noticing Shinji’s expression, Uchiha Hachidai smirks and begins to explain:

---

“What you see here are the techniques the Uchiha clan has gathered, created, or stolen over a thousand years.

Throughout the Hidden Leaf Village, apart from the Forbidden Scroll and the secret techniques of the other major clans, every technique you can imagine is here!

For instance, some small clans like the Inuzuka or Kohaku clans—while we have their techniques, we simply don’t bother using them.”

---

“Behind this bookshelf lies treasures of immense value—rare artifacts, ninja tools, precious metals, and chakra metals.

These ten storerooms are filled to the brim, enough to support the Uchiha clan in waging a full-scale war against any of the great nations.”

---

Uchiha Shinji blinks, instinctively activating his Sharingan, trying to peer past the bookshelf and into the treasures beyond.

With just a fleeting glance, he saw that the walls of the warehouse were welded together from piles upon piles of shimmering gold, stacked into mountains.

No wonder that during the Fourth Great Ninja War, the First and Second Hokages were in this secret chamber transforming like Saiyans. Even with their bursts of chakra energy, the chamber didn’t collapse—only a few cracks appeared on the walls.

Now it all made sense.

From what Uchiha Shinji could see alone, the value of these things couldn’t even be measured in billions. No wonder, back then, Uchiha Shana casually demanded a billion per head from the three shinobi of the Hidden Cloud. To Shana, that kind of expense was probably nothing more than pocket change.

“Wait... Eighth Elder, what did you just say?”

Uchiha Shinji suddenly froze. Shocked, he looked up, his hand trembling as he pointed at the wall.

“You’re saying... you want me to inherit all of this?”

Uchiha Hachidai looked at Uchiha Shinji’s pitifully unambitious reaction and couldn’t help but shake his head. Then, raising his eyes calmly to meet Uchiha Shinji’s, he said in an indifferent tone:

“Yes. It will all be inherited by you.”

“Even the esteemed Police Force Captain, Uchiha Fugaku, doesn’t know this place exists.”

“The Grand Elder personally named you as the next patriarch of the Uchiha Clan.”

Uchiha Shinji stood there dumbfounded, unable to process the situation.

Just that single wall of solid gold was worth far more than five billion!

Uchiha Hachidai stared solemnly at the golden wall, his brows deeply furrowed. Reflecting on the Grand Elder’s instructions, he continued:

“The Grand Elder has permitted me to use the resources here to help you complete your training.”

“And then, you will defeat Uchiha Fugaku head-on!”

“Claim the position of clan heir!”

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji couldn’t help scratching his head and swallowing nervously.

Let’s be honest here—right now, Fugaku hasn’t even awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan. Even if Fugaku fought with one hand tied behind his back, he could still mop the floor with him!

Besides, Fugaku wouldn’t even awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan until after his teammate died, and that wouldn’t happen for several years.

Uchiha Hachidai paused, his gaze falling on Uchiha Shinji’s nervous and unimpressive demeanor. His brows knit tighter as he spoke coldly:

“However...”

“Even though you’ve gained the recognition of many within the Uchiha clan, I still don’t believe you’re worth such an investment.”

“If you want to obtain the forbidden technique, Izanagi...

If you want to fully master the S-rank kenjutsu, Uchiha Style: Solar Eclipse Dance...

If you want to become strong enough to defeat Uchiha Fugaku...”

Hachidai suddenly raised his hand, turning a hidden mechanism. The walls of gold and shelves of ninjutsu scrolls vanished back into a barrier reinforced by countless illusion and sealing techniques.

He then turned calmly to Uchiha Shinji, his Sharingan glowing with three tomoe as he said chillingly:

“You must first undergo—”

“A Trial of Inheritance!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 175: Phantom Dog Cannon! Artificial Tailed Beast Mode, Unveiled!

When Uchiha Hachidai mentioned a legacy trial, Uchiha Shinji immediately thought it must involve some secret domain akin to those found in fantasy novels. He imagined entering a mystical realm, facing trials like self-reflection, clarifying his will, or solving moral dilemmas. Perhaps he'd even encounter the phantom of an ancient Uchiha elder who, after imparting cryptic advice, would reward him handsomely.

Instead, what happened left him scratching his head—

Right before his eyes, Uchiha Hachidai began writing letters to call for backup.

This grumpy uncle, who didn’t seem to likeShinji much, led him back to the Naka Shrine and into a Zen garden behind it.

The garden was meticulously arranged with a unique aesthetic. The trees, sand, stones, sky, ground, artificial hills, and statues seemed profound. Just looking at them, Uchiha Shinji felt there must be some deep symbolic meaning.

With scenes like deer drinking from streams, a red bridge concealed by trees, a tea house towering above, white sandy shores, and playful pond fish basking in the lazy afternoon sun, the setting was serene and picturesque.

In this tranquil environment, Uchiha Shinji was ordered to change into a short-sleeved kimono and wait in the garden.

For a long while, no one came.

Barefoot on the white sand, his curiosity got the better of him, and he ended up breaking two deer sculptures. Nervously, fearing he’d have to pay for the damages, he tried hiding the bamboo tubes behind the garden's artificial hill. In his clumsiness, he managed to collapse part of the hollow stone sculpture.

The once-peaceful garden now resembled a parking lot after a tornado.

Realizing how expensive everything looked, and knowing his ninja salary—already strained by paying Minato’s Rasengan training fees—would never cover the damages, he dared not touch anything else.

With nothing left to do, Uchiha Shinji stood in the middle of the garden, closing his eyes and pretending to be a master, even though he was inwardly tense.

At that moment, two elderly voices echoed from afar:

“Impressive!”

“This young man has such composure!”

“He remains unshaken by the collapse of mountains or the frolic of deer beside him!”

“No wonder he’s a prodigy of the Uchiha clan!”

Uchiha Shinji fell silent, remembering how, just a month ago, he was labeled the "disgrace of the Uchiha clan."

He had been lazy in his training, constantly taking on menial D-rank missions that even dogs would disdain, disrespecting elders, defying superiors, and even being kicked out of a brothel for causing trouble.

Hearing himself called a “prodigy” now made his face flush with embarrassment.

Opening his eyes, he saw Uchiha Hachidai leading two imposing elders toward him.

The three were clad in armor reminiscent of the Warring States period, carrying long swords and massive scrolls. Fully equipped, they looked like warriors ready for battle.

With their commanding presence and confident strides, they exuded the aura of top-tier experts!

Hachidai stopped in front of Shinji, stared at him coldly, and said:

“Kid,

as you can see, these two are Uchiha Ketsu and Uchiha Buyi—renowned veterans of the clan. Along with me, we are the strongest remaining within the clan!”

“We three are elite jonin who have fought countless battles!”

“Even so, the three of us combined are no match for the strongest man in the clan—

Uchiha Fugaku!”

“If you want to compete for the position of clan head, even with the backing of the great elder, you cannot afford to be far behind in strength!”

“In the Uchiha clan, there is only one rule we live by—

*The Strong Rule All!*”

He paused, taking a deep breath before unsheathing a blade forged from chakra metal.

The blade gleamed menacingly under the sunlight as its tip pointed directly at Uchiha Shinji.

“Come on!

Use your full strength and survive our combined assault for ten minutes without dying!

If you succeed, you will have passed the legacy trial!”

At these words, the two elderly Uchihas frowned. Concern flickered in their eyes as they glanced at Uchiha Shinji.

“Hachidai, isn’t this a bit too harsh on the boy?”

“Indeed. When Fugaku was this age, he was still playing house with Mikoto.”

“If we attack with full force, even a regular jonin wouldn’t last a minute without being killed!”

Hachidai's sharp gaze didn’t waver. He barked coldly, “The great elder may have his reasons, but I act on my own!”

“And even if we go easy on him, what will happen when he faces other clansmen?”

“This is something he must face eventually. In the Uchiha clan—”

The two elders fell silent under Hachidai’s words.

However, before Yatsushiro could finish his sentence,

a clear and youthful voice suddenly interrupted him.

"Senior Yatsushiro, are you sure you want me to go all out?"

As soon as those words were spoken, the two elders, along with Yatsushiro, turned their heads in shock, looking toward the source of the voice.

Uchiha Shinji scratched his head, looking a little uneasy as he asked,

"Are you sure about this?"

Heaven bear witness—

on his journey thus far, Uchiha Shinji had rarely fought normal shinobi.

The opponents he faced were either Kage-level threats or near that level. As for the weaker ones, he simply mowed them down en masse with his AOE techniques.

He couldn’t even tell how many Jonin were present in this group.

Honestly, his initial plan was to stand there and let these three old-timers stab away at him.

Ten minutes of stabbing should have been enough for them to realize the vast difference in their abilities.

But now—

Yatsushiro Uchiha insisted on witnessing his full power?

"???"

Uchiha Shinji was baffled.

Didn’t Yatsushiro receive the letters from Uchiha Shisui and Jinichi? Did he not know that Uchiha Shinji could single-handedly take down an entire Sand Village platoon?

Or could it be that the two elders Yatsushiro brought along were some kind of hidden geniuses of the Uchiha clan? Maybe they were armed with secret clan techniques specifically designed to counter him?

And those massive scrolls on their backs—could they possibly contain sealing jutsu as powerful as those of the Uzumaki clan?

Yatsushiro was momentarily stunned by Uchiha Shinji's words, but then he let out a sneering laugh, finding the situation utterly absurd.

A twelve-year-old Uchiha brat dared to speak to a senior like this?

Dared to lecture him in such a tone?

His gaze darkened as he smirked coldly.

"Fine, then!"

"Show me your full strength!"

"Don’t say I didn’t warn you—"

Yatsushiro abruptly opened his eyes, revealing the blood-red Sharingan with three tomoe spinning within.

"If you don’t take this seriously, you’ll die for real!"

Uchiha Shinji, seeing the determination in his opponent’s eyes, furrowed his brow slightly and firmed his gaze in response.

Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fist and struck his chest.

"I understand!"

"I will give it my all!"

"In fact, I’ve recently developed a new form!"

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes widened slightly, his pupils narrowing into sharp slits. A blood-red hue spread across his irises, and vein-like patterns appeared around his eyes, similar to the ones seen during the activation of the Byakugan.

Finally, his eyes transformed into a pair of crimson, snake-like two-tomoe Sharingan.

This was the physical manifestation of natural energy permanently integrated into his body!

In other words—

These eyes could absorb natural energy without the need for the Heaven Curse Mark!

"Then—"

"Allow me to seek guidance from the three of you!"

In the next moment,

the Eight Trigrams Seal on his abdomen lit up. The spiraling seal transformed into a pool of pitch-black ink!

His heart, pounding violently in his chest, suddenly ignited with a white-hot flame!

Burning his spirit and pushing beyond his limits!

The white flame spread like threads, merging with the violent dark chakra pouring out from his abdomen, and quickly surged through Uchiha Shinji’s entire body.

A primal instinct resonated within him, calling out to his very soul.

At this moment,

he realized—

his idea was feasible!

The artificial tailed-beast mode was achievable!

Moreover, the dark chakra from Zero-Tails in this state could be manipulated in a Rasengan-like fashion to create the *Sage Art: Dark Rasengan*.

However, since he was not in his Curse Mark form, and Orochimaru had sealed his Heaven Curse Mark with the Evil Sealing Technique, he couldn’t enhance his body with the curse mark or produce Sage Chakra. For now, such techniques were beyond his reach.

But—

Uchiha Shinji raised his hand, his snake-like eyes narrowing as a wild glint appeared in his gaze.

It seemed he had another way to utilize this pure and unparalleled power.

And that was—

*Artificial Tailed-Beast Mode: Phantom Dog Cannon!*

(End of Chapter)