Chapter 42
Uchiha Tonan rushed back home, shut the door behind him, and poured himself a cup of tea, silently reflecting on the day's events.
Today, Tonan had noticed the odd way Uzumaki Kushina looked at him—her gaze sharp and wary. There was a clear sense of guarded vigilance in her eyes.
It reminded him of herbivores on the dry plains, cautiously approaching a crocodile-infested watering hole—driven by thirst, but aware of danger.
Tonan had no idea how he had exposed himself. He'd quickly thrown up an emotional smokescreen and withdrawn from the situation, afraid that staying any longer would reveal too much.
He kept replaying the moment in his mind. Why had someone who'd just met him been so guarded? Kushina had mentioned hearing things about him around the village…
But everything he had done so far was just and sorrowful—perfectly crafted to appear tragic, even admirable. There shouldn't have been anything to raise suspicion.
Strange…
Tonan understood well the three iron rules for survival: conceal weakness, display strength, and strike only when sure. This was the foundation of his long-term hunt.
But Kushina wasn't a normal kunoichi. She was an Uzumaki—and the jinchūriki of the Kyūbi.
Could it be that she possessed some kind of sensory ability? Something like Mind Reading or Soul Perception?
Could she see through his flawless act—down to his true self?
Troublesome…
He sipped his tea, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table.
Click, click, click…
Suddenly, a sharp thought struck him. His fingers halted.
That's it… Looking into the heart, is it? Then I'll add a disguise there too.
A small smile tugged at Tonan's lips as he stood up and walked to the mirror. The tomoe in his Sharingan spun rapidly.
Genjutsu: Self-Hypnosis.
I respect Kushina deeply.
I revere her like a mother, yearning for maternal warmth.
She's like a beacon in the darkness, illuminating my path.
Whenever I see her, the fire in my heart flares up, scattering the gloom.
His mind swayed. In the pitch-black void of his consciousness, a gentle flame ignited.
A moment later, blood tears streamed down from Tonan's eyes, a heavy toll on his visual prowess—but the results were immediate.
Now, whenever he thought of Kushina, a sincere affection welled up within him.
"Prey is prey… there's no escaping it."
"Hiss—damn this heartache…"
His low, magnetic voice echoed in the dim room.
That evening, the Uchiha clan's Great Elder arrived at Tonan's residence and brought him to a special place—the Naka Shrine.
This was the spiritual heart of the Uchiha clan, where only the clan head and Great Elder could freely enter.
The chamber was lit only by oil lamps, casting flickering shadows of Tonan and the Elder on the walls.
"Tonan," the Elder began solemnly, "this is the birthplace of Uchiha's legacy. In times of great importance, our kin gather here."
"This time, I've summoned you for two reasons."
"First—what you did recently to provoke Konoha's higher-ups was well played. You forced Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand and secured considerable compensation for the clan."
He pushed a new bankbook across the table.
Tonan glanced at it without emotion.
600,000 ryō.
Roughly equivalent to an A-rank mission's reward.
Enough for ten thousand bowls of tonkotsu ramen.
Seeing Tonan's indifference to the large sum, the Great Elder's admiration deepened.
"This amount is already generous. We couldn't extract any solid proof after all."
"And since you're still young, the clan is wary of you being corrupted by excess wealth."
"After much discussion, we agreed to give you six hundred thousand ryō. The rest has been deposited with the clan. If you need more, simply ask."
Tonan nodded and tucked the passbook into his ninja pouch. "This is more than enough. Thank you, Great Elder."
Pleased, the Elder handed him a scroll.
"You've now officially become a genin. You may select three techniques from the clan's inheritance scroll. These are more advanced than the ones from last time."
"But after consulting with Fūgaku, we've decided to let you inherit one of the clan's most esoteric arts."
Tonan raised an eyebrow. He didn't recall any particularly legendary techniques in Uchiha history.
Could it be… Izanagi?
He unrolled the scroll and read the title:
Technique of Instant Separation.
Tonan blinked in surprise.
The Elder's lips curled upward as he began to explain.
"This jutsu is classified as a physical-genjutsu hybrid. Its difficulty surpasses S-rank. Later generations broke it down into what you now know as the Body Flicker and Clone Techniques."
"Tobirama Senju refined these fragments to create the standard Clone and Body Flicker techniques."
Suddenly, Tonan remembered a certain character in the original timeline—someone whose Body Flicker wasn't just speed, but involved numerous real body clones in battle.
They didn't vanish like shadow clones when hit—they were real.
A god-tier jutsu…
Tonan rolled up the scroll with gratitude. "Thank you, Great Elder."
The Elder then spread out a massive scroll. "Pick your second technique. Not that we're withholding more from you—this is simply an ancestral rule."
"I understand," Tonan replied calmly. "Better to have quality over quantity."
He browsed the scroll. The jutsu recorded here were on a completely different level from the previous batch—complex genjutsu, high-grade ninjutsu, and hybrid techniques.
Eventually, his eyes lit up. He pointed. "This one."
The Elder followed his gaze and frowned slightly.
Secret Art – Beast Devour.
"This jutsu is used on ninja beasts," the Elder explained with a narrowed gaze. "By infusing them with chakra, you can mutate their bodies and force them into a berserk state."
"It was originally derived from the Aburame clan's Insect Devour technique. However, in practical use, it's inefficient. The chakra cost is immense. Are you certain?"
"I am." Tonan's voice was firm.
"…Very well."
The Elder formed a hand seal, then slapped the large scroll. A smaller scroll materialized and was handed to Tonan.
Tonan stored it carefully in his pouch.
"Tonan," the Elder's voice suddenly dropped in tone.
Tonan straightened and adjusted his glasses. "Yes, Great Elder?"
"Where do you believe the future of the Uchiha lies?"
Tonan paused, then answered slowly. "Blind obedience won't change our clan's fate."
The Elder's eyes narrowed. "You mean…"
Tonan stood, his gaze sharp, and declared firmly:
"Power determines destiny."
He turned and walked out without another word.
The Elder watched him go, eyes gleaming, then turned his gaze to the ancient stone tablet deep within the room.
He murmured, "Everything… for Uchiha."