Some people wiped out their entire clan at thirteen.
Some sparked the Nine-Tails incident at fourteen.
And some had already saved the world by seventeen.
Uchiha Kaien figured his own thirteenth year had to be just as legendary.
Looking back, those who wielded unimaginable power in their youth were often blessed by their bloodline.
There were far too many hidden forces in Konoha that outsiders knew nothing about.
Even so, the other four great shinobi villages still had the audacity to consider attacking Konoha. The Third Great Ninja War might just become an unprecedented turning point.
All three current Kage were still in their prime—if the Third Great Ninja War didn't feature any Kage-level battles, that'd truly be a waste.
How could our beloved Hokage prove he's the strongest without stepping onto the battlefield?
So, Uchiha Kaien thought it was time to give the other Kage a bit of a power-up.
What? You say the Mizukage isn't all that impressive?
Well, that's easy to fix—Uchiha Kaien is the Mizukage!
If Kirigakure went all-in on war, how would the other villages react?
Kirigakure, isolated out on the sea, had long since purged its spies thanks to White Zetsu. The other four villages had no way of knowing what was going on inside the Mist.
That gave Kaien plenty of room to maneuver.
With [Summoning: Phantom Beast] backing him, the so-called Third Mizukage was just a glorified clerk for paperwork.
The true strength of the Mizukage? Obviously, unmatched mastery over Water Release.
And what could be better suited for manipulating water than Kaien's very own Mizuhame-no-Kami—a dōjutsu tailor-made for such a task?
Even more interesting was the discovery that [Spirit of Nature] gave an unexpected boost to both of his Mangekyō Sharingan techniques.
Wind and water—both elements of nature.
Any power tied to nature seemed to resonate with [Spirit of Nature], granting it surprising enhancements.
Unfortunately, it didn't boost the basic five-element ninjutsu. Those, after all, were just chakra-based simulations, not true manipulations of nature like Kaien's ocular powers.
By becoming his own worst enemy and scattering Konoha's combat forces, he could recreate that tense "one-against-four" scenario that defined the Second Ninja War.
And really, as the Mizukage, wasn't it reasonable for him to be strong?
Besides, he had several years of growth ahead of him. Even if his Phantom Beast only held three-quarters of his power, it could still go toe-to-toe with the other three Kage.
Give it five more years, and he'd have at least achieved the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—that was a power that surpassed the Kage entirely.
The last person with that level of power? Uchiha Madara.
Thinking of Madara, Kaien found himself slipping into deeper thought. It was a good plan, sure—but none of it could happen until the old man kicked the bucket and moved on to the Pure Land.
No big deal. He didn't need to raise any more "tools" anyway. Once the war kicked off, they could send Madara off to enjoy his retirement in the Pure Land.
That would open the door for Kaien's plans to unfold more cleanly.
And knowing Black Zetsu, who thrived in chaos and loved muddy waters, he probably wouldn't interfere.
Sure, people loved to roast Uchiha Sasuke for unlocking the Eternal Mangekyō and still getting stabbed by Madara and sent to meet the Sage of Six Paths.
But that wasn't Sasuke being weak—it was Madara being too damn strong.
He wasn't just revived—he had the combined power of Uchiha and Senju, wielding the divine force of all creation.
Once someone unlocked the full-body Susanoo, that was a complete transformation in power.
A towering, armored warrior like that could only be defeated by someone on its level.
Clearly, this era didn't seem to have anyone like that.
But if that were the case, then Indra's reincarnation chakra would go unclaimed... which might finally give Ashura the chance to reunite with his brother's soul.
Who would be the next reincarnations of Indra and Ashura?
Surely those two free-floating chakras wouldn't just sit around waiting forever for Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto.
Kaien chomped on a piece of grilled meat as his mind wandered, speculating who might inherit Indra's chakra once Madara passed on.
Once Indra's chakra found a host, Ashura's would definitely follow suit. That much was certain.
And with that in mind, a few potential candidates began to emerge.
Indra's chakra might choose: Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Obito.
All either unborn or only toddlers—but all very real possibilities.
As for Ashura's chakra? Nagato, Nawaki... maybe Namikaze Minato?
Weird. All of Ashura's potential hosts seemed older.
In fact, the two best fits for Ashura's chakra looked like Kaien himself... and Minato?
If Madara passed on, could Indra's chakra really end up in him?
Kaien wasn't about to dismiss the possibility. The thought alone sent chills down his spine.
After all, he was practically raised under Madara's eye. If Indra's chakra retained any sense of familiarity, it might just seek him out. And if that happened, Ashura's might very well find its way to Minato.
Better to let Madara live a few years longer.
Kaien decided to give the old man a few more years of peaceful retirement—at least until [Eternal Light] fully restored his bloodline.
Sure, with [True Intent of the Ego] backing him, Indra—just a hunk of chakra—probably wouldn't pose a real threat. But better safe than sorry.
...
He didn't want to become Indra's host. He didn't want any of his friends to become Ashura's host, either.
It wasn't enough to resist Indra alone—he had to be able to counter Ashura too.
Because in a shinobi world where bonds meant everything... Kaien didn't even want to imagine a Namikaze Minato + Ashura combo.
That kind of god-tier cheat? Let someone else enjoy it.
As far as Kaien was concerned, he'd just slap a Tailed Beast onto Minato and call it a day. With Senju blood running through his veins, Minato could definitely handle it.
As for tracking down Indra and Ashura's reincarnations later, he was sure Black Zetsu would have a way. Once it found someone, Kaien could always confirm it then.
The meat on the grill continued to sizzle, white steam curling up around them. Luckily, Kaien and Minato were sitting on the same side of the table, so the steam didn't get in their way.
"Minato, did you hear that?"
Kaien's sharp hearing picked up a conversation at the next table.
"Hear what?" Minato blinked, confused.
Then he noticed Kaien had used chakra to amplify his hearing—he followed suit.
Earlier, they'd used a basic soundproofing jutsu to keep their Tailed Beast conversation private. But to eavesdrop now, they had to boost their senses.
"Minato-kun sounds like kind of a jerk!"
"Totally! That super pretty red-haired girl just stormed out!"
"Didn't Minato-kun usually eat with her all the time?"
Wow, a regular customer, huh? These girls really knew the gossip.
"And now there's another cute girl sitting next to him, right?"
"Then the redhead ran off..."
"Yeah, yeah, I saw her run out just a minute ago!"
"But even if he is a jerk, Minato-kun is so handsome..."
"That's not okay! What if their relationship isn't like that...?"
"Even if I got played, just being friends with Minato-kun would be worth it..."
"Ugh! Shut up, you lovestruck idiot!"
The murmured voices of the nearby girls reached Minato's ears loud and clear—and his expression darkened instantly.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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