Hidden Leaf 44, Autumn.
Above the Naka Shrine in the Uchiha compound.
The sky was overcast and rainy. The fine, silken drizzle pattered against the walls carved with the Fire Fan emblem along the street, raising an almost invisible layer of moisture.
A major event had occurred in the Uchiha clan last month:
During a mission, they found an Uchiha who was not born in the Hidden Leaf Village!
As the saying goes, when you find one cockroach, there is a nest hiding behind the scenes.
No one knew if there were other Uchiha bloodlines, like Kiyoshi's, scattered throughout the Ninja World.
To prevent the Uchiha bloodline from being further lost or coveted by other ninja clans, the Uchiha who discovered Kiyoshi immediately brought him back.
"But why did his Sharingan only awaken in one eye?"
"Exactly, are there any other members in the clan with a situation like this?"
The Uchiha clan members were discussing in hushed tones. This kind of situation had never happened before, and the uproar it caused was considerable.
Every so often, glances were cast toward Kiyoshi, who sat in the very back.
Kiyoshi paid these stares no mind.
"When you were in the Land of Lightning, did you run into anyone else with the same red eyes as you? We are all one clan, you can tell me, and I will order my clan members to bring them back."
Fugaku, sitting at the head, probed Kiyoshi.
It was difficult to thoroughly investigate what had happened during the years Uchiha Kiyoshi had lived in the Land of Lightning.
After a month of investigation, the only certainty was that Kiyoshi's background was clean.
He had learned some rough chakra extraction, but there were no signs of formal training on his body.
However, the power dynamics between ninja villages are always cruel.
The newly appointed Clan Head, Uchiha Fugaku, had no choice but to be cautious.
"I have not seen anyone with the same eyes as me, Lord Fugaku," Kiyoshi replied calmly, looking up.
He was a Transmigrator, and had been for several years.
Right after he was born, he broke through the mystery of the womb, awakened his past-life memory, and gained his previous memories.
His mother died shortly after giving birth to him.
As for his father... he was perpetually absent until Kiyoshi was two and could take care of himself.
Unfortunately, his father died on the battlefield not long after.
This was nothing. Losing both parents was just a standard starting point in the Ninja World.
Naruto, Sasuke, Konan, Itachi, Orochimaru, and so on—which of them didn't lose their parents?
His previous name was Yotsuki Kiyoshi, a distant relative of the Yotsuki Clan scattered outside, living in a remote town.
It wasn't until he awakened his Sharingan and happened to meet Uchiha Yakumi, who was passing through on a mission, that he was brought back to the Hidden Leaf Village.
"That's good. No matter what, as long as our Uchiha blood flows through your veins, you belong to the Uchiha clan. I will arrange for someone to send you to the Ninja Academy later."
Fugaku's scarlet eyes fixed on Kiyoshi for a long time.
The Uchiha clan's historical records contained accounts of Uchiha traveling to the Land of Lightning, and it was even possible that Uchiha had once lived there.
It was said that this happened even further back than the intense battle era between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.
In the current Land of Lightning region, a Lord's wife once hired the Uchiha clan to expel the Chinoike clan.
However, due to the war with the Senju clan, many records were lost to history.
Even Fugaku could no longer obtain the specific details.
He didn't release his visual prowess, he just stared.
The air seemed to be enveloped in a sticky atmosphere, making it hard to breathe.
Kiyoshi remained calm and composed.
He knew what Fugaku was thinking.
It was nothing more than questioning the legitimate origin of his identity.
Unfortunately, the Uchiha and the Land of Lightning did indeed have a history. This matter is also recorded in the official novel Sasuke Shinden: Book of Sunrise.
Finally, Fugaku withdrew his gaze.
In the end, this was just a child of a few years old.
How could he possibly maintain his composure under the pressure of the Sharingan?
If that were the case, wouldn't it be too terrifying?
Even the genius son of Sakumo Hatake, who had recently risen to fame, might not possess such mental fortitude.
"Lord Fugaku, to discover that I myself am a member of the Uchiha clan, I... I am so happy, and I will definitely live up to the Uchiha clan's reputation in the future!"
Kiyoshi's tone seemed extremely sincere.
At this moment, a mechanical female voice, devoid of any emotion, rang out.
[You have comprehended the Trait: Art of Speaking]
[Trait: Art of Speaking (White)]
[Achievement Requirement: Utter false words without changing expression in the presence of a person of high status. The required number of times is 5.]
[Progress: Completed.]
[Effect:Your words will be relatively easier for others to believe. Those of lower status than you are more susceptible to this effect.]
[Note: Can be upgraded later.]
"It's finally done."
A faint smile secretly curled on Kiyoshi's lips.
To not be a beggar in the Ninja World, one must have strength.
As everyone knows, in the Naruto world, powerful strength is only transmitted through birth, mentorship, or blood.
You either have a good bloodline, or a good teacher, and inherit a whole network of the teacher's connections.
If that doesn't work, then it has to be like blood transmission, requiring relatively close contact, your Will of Fire must be deep enough to learn a jutsu or two.
And Kiyoshi happened to possess something that transcended these three—the ability to rely on his own hard work.
As well as a rudimentary Trait System.
It records the name, achievement conditions, and effects of the Traits Kiyoshi obtains.
But these are not free, Kiyoshi needs to complete the conditions.
Just like the Art of Speaking Trait, Kiyoshi had spoken at least five insincere statements in front of Fugaku Uchiha.
Happy to be born an Uchiha?
How could he be happy?
Kiyoshi felt nothing but overwhelming pressure.
The Night of the Massacre, the two subsequent Great Ninja Wars...
His life countdown had essentially begun, hadn't it?
Not to mention the distant future, in just over a decade, the entire clan will be wiped out by your good son, Itachi Uchiha!
"Not bad."
Fugaku nodded. Hearing Kiyoshi's sincere declaration made him feel much better, this child was trainable material.
This genuine statement allowed one to feel the emotion hidden within the words.
Kiyoshi's realization was even higher than that of some ordinary Uchiha clan members.
He then signaled for Kiyoshi to leave first.
After Kiyoshi had gone, Uchiha Yashiro looked at the expressionless but naturally imposing Uchiha Fugaku and said,
"Kiyoshi is a descendant found by Yakumi and his group in the Land of Lightning. It is said he also has characteristics of the Yotsuki clan. Could he be a planted spy?"
"That still needs to be investigated, but his bloodline is definitely of the Uchiha clan. Outsiders who transplant a Sharingan cannot deactivate it, which brings an enormous burden to the user."
Uchiha Fugaku shook his head, then continued, "Tsunade will be coming later to examine the condition of Kiyoshi's Sharingan."
"Fugaku, I'll go arrange things for this child."
Mikoto rose from the tatami mats within the Naka Shrine.