Chapter 291: Konoha Year 50
Konoha Year 50.
More than a year had passed since the Nine-Tails' attack, and the Village Hidden in the Leaves had returned to its usual order.
Thanks to Kyosuke's presence and preparations, the casualties on Konoha's side were surprisingly low. The damage was mostly structural and economic; the village's foundation remained unshaken.
However, even with the damage minimized, the fact remained that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was no longer a deterrent in the traditional sense. If not for Kyosuke's meteoric rise and the sheer terror his power inspired in the other nations, many opportunists would have already made their move.
Konoha's leadership understood this well. Aside from propagating rumors of Uchiha Kyosuke's god-like power, Minato Namikaze and the high council secretly shared intelligence regarding Obito and his group with the other Great Ninja Villages. Their goal was twofold: to use the other villages to help hunt down the enemy, and to divert their attention away from Konoha's temporary weakness.
Unfortunately, the other nations paid little heed to Konoha's warnings. They found it hard to believe that anyone outside the Five Great Nations would dare—or have the power—to plot against the Tailed Beasts. Even if such people existed, the other Kage assumed they were black ops from the Great Nations themselves.
The Cloud Village was particularly dismissive. With the Third Raikage still standing at the pinnacle of the shinobi world, they sneered at the intel, viewing it as a sign of Konoha's paranoia.
Realizing their diplomatic efforts were falling on deaf ears, Konoha had no choice but to abandon that strategy. They remained vigilant against opportunistic attacks while increasing the number of Anbu deployed to hunt for traces of Obito.
Morning, Uchiha Compound.
Kyosuke had just woken up when he heard the familiar sounds of shouting and exertion coming from his courtyard. He didn't need to look to know who it was. At this hour, only Shisui and Yamato possessed such drive.
After more than a year of intense training and missions, the three students had grown rapidly. Recently, Shisui had finally defeated Yamato in a head-to-head battle, reclaiming his spot as the strongest member of the team.
To reward Shisui for his diligence, Kyosuke had spent a small fortune acquiring special chakra-conductive metal to forge a short sword for his most promising student.
Armed with this weapon, which possessed excellent conductivity and durability, Uchiha Shisui's strength had leaped forward again. Although he still had a way to go before matching the veteran Jonin, he had officially stepped onto the stage of true powerhouses.
It was true—at just eleven years old, Shisui already possessed Jonin-level strength. Kyosuke estimated this was about half a year earlier than in the original timeline.
One shouldn't underestimate six months at this age. For a shinobi in their developmental years, strength could change day by day. This progress was a testament to the effectiveness of Kyosuke's mentorship.
Because of this, many clansmen now viewed Shisui as the clan's greatest talent since Kyosuke, with a potential rivaling the legendary Uchiha Madara.
As for Kyosuke himself, busybodies in the village had already crowned him the "Strongest in the Ninja World." He had proven his talent beyond a shadow of a doubt, especially the moment he regained his vision and unleashed the Perfect Susanoo. To the Uchiha clan, he was a living myth.
Although Uchiha Fugaku was still the Clan Head, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Kyosuke the "Shadow Ruler" of the Uchiha. The respect he commanded from the clan far exceeded that of Fugaku.
To put it bluntly, if Kyosuke wanted to become the Clan Head right now, he wouldn't need to stage a complex coup like Saori did with the Hyuga. He would only need to say the word, and over eighty percent of the clan would support him instantly.
It was fortunate that Kyosuke and Fugaku had a good relationship; otherwise, a civil war would have been inevitable.
Kyosuke washed up, got dressed, and stepped out of his room. He took the breakfast tray from a servant and sat on a chair in the courtyard, eating leisurely without a care in the world.
As he chewed slowly, he watched his two students spar.
Shisui's prowess went without saying. having inherited Kyosuke's swordsmanship, he forced Yamato to avoid direct confrontation, relying on Wood Release to harass and look for openings.
But Shisui had inherited more than just swordsmanship. He had also mastered the "Shisui-Style Body Flicker Technique"—an ability Kyosuke had obtained from a system dungeon drop. Now that Shisui had reached Jonin level, his speed was beginning to show the terrifying potential of "Shisui of the Body Flicker."
Sharp, lethal swordsmanship combined with ghostly speed that served for both offense and defense... obtaining just one of these traits would make a shinobi strong. Combining them perfectly made Shisui incomparable among his peers.
Even Yamato, who had reached the level of an Elite Chunin, was struggling. It had only been a few minutes since Kyosuke woke up, yet Yamato was already showing signs of defeat against a Shisui who was clearly holding back. If Shisui had gone all out, Yamato wouldn't have lasted this long.
Of course, with Shisui's personality, he would never humiliate a comrade. He was the first to stop the spar.
"Phew... let's stop here for today," Shisui said, panting slightly.
"...Alright," Yamato responded, looking a bit dazed.
Seeing the match end, Kyosuke clapped his hands and stood up, drawing their attention. He smiled and offered his critique. "Shisui, your performance was excellent. But remember, you cannot hesitate when you strike after a high-speed movement. That hesitation turns your greatest advantage into a fatal opening."
"Yes, I understand, Sensei," Shisui replied, looking thoughtful.
He had noticed it too. Often, when he used the Body Flicker to get close to Yamato, his strikes were blocked immediately. Logically, at his speed, Yamato shouldn't have been able to react, let alone defend and counter.
It must be as Sensei said. My heart hesitated, so my sword wasn't sharp enough, Shisui thought.
"As for Yamato... your abilities are well-rounded. Keep improving step by step. Make sure to practice the jutsu I taught you diligently, understood?" Kyosuke turned to his other student.
"Yes, sir," Yamato replied quietly.
"Good."
After giving his guidance, Kyosuke signaled Shisui to follow him out of the compound. Yamato chose to stay behind and continue training.
Although Yamato didn't say it, everyone knew he cared about Shisui surpassing him. His grueling training regimen was proof enough.
As a teacher, Kyosuke was happy to see this dynamic. Whether Yamato could ever surpass Shisui or not, the effort itself was never wrong.
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