Chapter 52: Chidori
After returning to Konoha and taking a few days to rest, Uchiha Kei once again used "training" as an excuse to head off into the forest where he usually trained.
Uchiha Ryoko had mixed feelings about this. Kei was always quiet and obedient, but the relationship between him, Ryoko, and Keisuke never quite felt like that of a typical family.
At first, Ryoko and Keisuke had trouble adjusting. But after so many years, they grew used to it. All they could do was give Kei as much love as they could, even if they had no better solution.
They weren't particularly focused on the fame Kei gained on the battlefield. While they were proud he had awakened the Sharingan—especially a fully matured three-tomoe version—their biggest concern was still his health.
Between the two, Keisuke was more composed. As Kei's father, he understood that after six years on the battlefield, Kei could make his own decisions. After all, no matter how strong a ninja may be, a healthy body is still essential. Keisuke was a walking example of that.
As Kei walked into the familiar forest, he remained cautious. He wasn't sure if he was being watched. After all, he was no longer a "nobody" in the village.
Unlike Imai Kenta or Hyūga Ayaka, Kei lacked the sensory abilities to detect surveillance, so he decided to avoid visiting the place where he hid his personal records and instead focus on training something new.
That something was Chidori, the technique Kakashi had entrusted to him through Namikaze Minato—a scroll containing not just the jutsu, but Kakashi's personal insights and experiences with it. Until now, Kei hadn't had the time to properly study it.
Kei was naturally attuned to fire chakra, a common trait among the Uchiha. As for lightning chakra, he wasn't sure if it came naturally to him or not. He couldn't remember if Sasuke's affinity for lightning was innate or learned, but he did remember just how many things Sasuke had accomplished using Chidori.
The jutsu itself wasn't simple. It involved both chakra nature transformation and chakra shape transformation—a well-rounded and complex technique.
What made Chidori particularly fascinating was that it functioned more like a prototype. Sasuke had used it as the foundation for many techniques: Chidori Stream, Chidori Senbon, Chidori Sharp Spear, and even Kirin. In a way, Chidori stood shoulder to shoulder with the Rasengan.
"Like master, like student," Kei thought after reading through Kakashi's notes. "Even their jutsu are similarly structured."
Rasengan, too, was essentially a prototype—immensely powerful in its raw form, but its potential for transformation was even greater. Compared to Chidori, Rasengan had more room for growth, though that might have been due to Naruto's unique path.
Still, the nature of the two jutsu already determined their evolutionary trajectories. Rasengan had no chakra attribute, making it a blank canvas for customization. Chidori, on the other hand, was inherently tied to lightning.
"But if we're comparing compatibility," Kei thought, "Chidori is definitely more suited for an Uchiha."
He wasn't greedy—what suited him was what mattered most. And Chidori wasn't just a good fit for him, it also synergized perfectly with the Sharingan.
With that in mind, Kei decisively began training in the jutsu.
For him, Chidori wasn't all that difficult. During previous missions with Kakashi, he had already used the Sharingan to memorize Kakashi's hand seals and chakra control.
Kei wasn't exactly known for his honesty—he'd copied Imai Kenta's sword techniques and then boldly lied about it. So there was no way he'd let an opportunity like Kakashi's jutsu pass him by.
Especially since Kei lacked a "decisive" jutsu in his arsenal. Something that could turn the tide of battle. Chidori fit that role perfectly.
Unfortunately, even after copying it, he found he couldn't actually perform it. The technique involved too many complex elements, and he didn't have time to work them out during wartime.
Now that he had the scroll, he could finally study and train it properly. The biggest hurdle was obtaining lightning chakra and mastering its transformation.
In the original story, Sasuke took over ten days just to reach this stage. Kei didn't think he was more talented than that yet-to-be-born brat, so he wasn't in a rush.
If something did go seriously wrong, he could always drop by Konoha Hospital—after all, Kakashi was still recovering there anyway.
As the days passed, good news continued to arrive from the front lines, just as Kei had expected.
After all, he had blown up the Kannabi Bridge. With their supply and reinforcements cut off, and now facing a rampaging Konoha army, the Iwa-nin from the Land of Grass were practically dead men walking.
What Kei found strange, however, was that ever since Uchiha Jun and the others last came to visit him, they hadn't bothered him again. It was as if he didn't exist.
Not that he minded—Kei didn't like them anyway. He had no intention of seeking them out either, at least not anytime soon.
For now, Kei had only one goal: mastering Chidori. With it, he would finally have a jutsu capable of deciding victory or defeat in a critical moment.
Although Uchiha Ryoko disapproved of his intense training, she didn't press the issue. Instead, every night, she quietly applied medicine to Kei's right hand to help him recover faster.
"Chidori!"
After half a month of training and hard work, Kei finally overcame the difficulties of lightning chakra and its transformation. Kakashi's notes had played a huge role in this.
As he completed the hand seals, arcs of electricity began to crackle wildly over his right hand. The more chakra he poured in, the harder it became to control. Kei frowned slightly—this wasn't easy.
But he didn't panic. As his eyes turned crimson, his Sharingan boosted his coordination and control, and the unruly lightning arcs quickly calmed under his command.
Then came the chirping—the sharp, high-pitched sound of birdsong emanating from his lightning-covered hand.
A smile spread across Kei's face. The chirping grew louder and sharper, one bird, two birds… ten, twenty… one hundred, two hundred… until it sounded like a thousand birds were crying out in unison. The sound spread far and wide.
"You'd better come out now. I can't guarantee this technique won't accidentally hit you," Kei suddenly said coldly, tilting his head slightly.
He might not have noticed a well-hidden ninja, but someone being this obvious? Kei wasn't going to pretend he didn't see.
"Impressive instincts for a battlefield veteran, Kei-kun," came a voice as Uchiha Jun stepped out from behind a tree with a faint smile. "Don't misunderstand—I wasn't spying on your training. I came with news."
"Speak."
"The clan head has returned. He wants to see you."
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