The next morning, Renzou Uchiha munched on the buns he'd bought on his way to Training Ground Six. Fifteen minutes later, as he approached the training ground's entrance, he saw Maruhoshi Kosuke standing patiently.
"Good morning, Kosuke-senpai," Renzou Uchiha said, quickening his pace. He offered a spare breakfast bun.
"Hahaha, thank you, then I won't be shy!" Maruhoshi Kosuke chuckled, accepting the bun and giving Renzou Uchiha a grateful pat on the shoulder.
"No problem. Please eat first while I warm up a bit, senpai," Renzou Uchiha replied, scratching his head before starting a light jog in a circle within the training ground.
Kosuke Maruhoshi leaned against a tree trunk, contentedly eating his breakfast while observing Renzou Uchiha's warm-up. Renzou Uchiha understood the immense value of this rare opportunity. The man before him was a direct disciple of the Second Hokage! Many of the Second's techniques likely resided with him. Kosuke was a figure respected by all three Hokage, a man who faced his past mistakes with quiet resolve. The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had personally tutored him in Water Style Ninjutsu. The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had offered him a Jōnin promotion, which he'd declined. He'd fought alongside Namikaze Minato during the Third Great Ninja War, where Minato himself had bandaged Kosuke's injured leg. The Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, would later entrust him with the defense of Konoha Village. His strength was undeniable. This wasn't the white-haired, weathered man of the future; this was Kosuke in his prime, his power potentially even surpassing that of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzō Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.
"Alright, boy, let's get started," Kosuke Maruhoshi called out.
"Yes, senpai," Renzou Uchiha replied, slowing his jog to stand before him.
"Good, you seem energetic," Kosuke Maruhoshi nodded, then looked thoughtfully at Renzou Uchiha. "First, show me any illusion techniques you know. Let me see what you've got."
"Yes." Renzou Uchiha moved to the center of the training ground and swiftly went through the hand seals. As his Sharingan activated, its crimson tomoe swirling, Kosuke Maruhoshi froze.
"Tree-Bind Killing Technique!"
But after a brief moment, Kosuke Maruhoshi pinched himself sharply, his momentarily rigid body instantly regaining its mobility.
"Hmm. Your seal formation and activation speed aren't bad, but your chakra control is quite inefficient. You're wasting a lot of unnecessary chakra. That's why you're so exhausted after using illusions. It's not solely due to activating the Sharingan; it's a flaw in your fundamental chakra control." His assessment was precise and unflinching, laying bare Renzou Uchiha's weaknesses. Maruhoshi Kosuke had mentioned this before, but his initial expectations hadn't been this critical. "Don't waste chakra on extraneous processes. Focus your chakra solely on your eyes and mental focus."
"Yes." Renzou Uchiha completed the seals again, immediately concentrating his chakra as Kosuke Maruhoshi had instructed. The scattered energy slowly coalesced, becoming more focused and potent.
"Tree-Bind Killing Technique!" This time, the execution was noticeably faster, and the subsequent drain was significantly less.
"Not bad, young man," Kosuke Maruhoshi said, a hint of surprise in his voice. Not only had Renzou Uchiha adjusted quickly, but he'd also addressed his shortcomings with impressive speed. This kid has real talent. A smile touched Kosuke Maruhoshi's eyes. He now understood why the Third Hokage had personally requested he train this child.
After another hour of rigorous training, Maruhoshi Kosuke looked at the exhausted but pleased Renzou Uchiha with satisfaction. Just moments ago, Renzou Uchiha had successfully executed a rudimentary Bringer of Darkness Technique.
"The Bringer of Darkness Technique itself is quite simple. The difficulty lies in the user's precise control over their chakra. The goal is to completely shut off the opponent's senses for the longest possible duration while minimizing chakra expenditure. The first time you used it just now, you only controlled me for about ten seconds, yet it nearly depleted your chakra. That's highly inefficient. The Bringer of Darkness Technique is meant to be used in conjunction with other attacks while the opponent is incapacitated, so you still need to work on these aspects."
"Yes, Kosuke-senpai!!"
…
Hatake House:
Kakashi gasped, struggling to regulate his breathing, his hand gripping his tanto tightly, gathering his strength. The next instant, he blurred forward, the three wooden training posts in the center of the training dummy splintering audibly.
"Not enough. At this level, you still can't defeat Renzou." After regaining his breath, Kakashi crouched again, focusing his gaze on another wooden target a few meters away, preparing for another strike.
…
The Eighth Training Ground.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!" A fiery dragon roared skyward from Uchiha Kai's mouth. The intense heat scorched the nearby vegetation, turning leaves brown. After a few breaths, the fiery apparition dissipated into the air.
"Yes, the destructive power is sufficient, but your chakra consumption is a bit wasteful. Be mindful of your chakra expenditure. Most ninjas don't have the luxury of squandering it; you must utilize every trace efficiently." Sarutobi Shinnosuke observed the dissipating flames, pointing out both the strength and the weakness of the technique.
"Yes, I understand," Uchiha Kai replied solemnly, his respect for this elite Konoha Jōnin evident. As he formed the next set of seals, Kai consciously focused on compressing his chakra, minimizing its dispersal.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!" Another fiery dragon erupted from Kai's mouth, this time detonating in a fiery explosion above the training ground. The exploding fireballs and the searing heat caused the temperature of the entire area to rise rapidly.
"Continue."
…
Hokage's Office:
"Hiruzen, the recent trials in the other villages have created a manpower shortage within Root. I need to bolster our ranks with fresh talent." Across from Sarutobi Hiruzen, Danzō sat stiffly in his chair, his gaze fixed intently on his old teammate.
"Very well. I will transfer a group of ninjas to Anbu to alleviate Root's manpower issues," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, setting down the document he was reviewing and meeting Danzō's gaze. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension.
"That won't suffice. Root requires an infusion of new blood. In my estimation, those two Genin who graduated early would be ideal candidates," Danzō finally revealed his true motive. He had come seeking Renzou Uchiha and Kai.
"Uchiha Kai is the eldest son of an Uchiha elder. If you can persuade the Uchiha clan, I have no objections," Sarutobi Hiruzen countered, his words carefully chosen, leaving Danzō momentarily speechless.
"What about the other one, Uchiha Renzou? While he is of the Uchiha clan, he was ostracized long ago. His parents also perished a few years back. Let him join Root; it would allow him to reach his full potential."
"Renzou's mother, Hyuga Mina, was Sakumo's teammate. Konoha's Vice President of the Academy, Maiko Kana, was a close friend of Mina's and has been looking after the boy. His father, Uchiha Shanzhou, was the former Deputy Border Defense Minister and a friend of Uchiha Yusuke, the former Deputy Captain of the Security Force's First Team. You understand who populates the First Team, don't you? There's no need to elaborate on the consequences of attempting to recruit that child into Root."
Danzō's face darkened. Without another word, he stood and stalked out of the office, a thin sneer twisting his lips. So what? Just two dead people…Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up another document, the rustling of paper the only sound in the room as he continued his work.
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End of Chapter 39