Uchiha's personal opinion

Chapter 42 The Inheritance of the Ninja Way

The more you know, the more you realize you don't know.

What is chakra? The standard answer is that it is the product of the combination of physical energy and mental ability. It is the foundation upon which ninjas rely for survival and the source from which they can perform ninjutsu.

But what can chakra do?

There are too many possible answers to that.

Ninjas can use chakra to unleash ninjutsu, samurai can use chakra to create sword energy, Jiraiya uses chakra to spy, Orochimaru uses chakra to research biotechnology...

Therefore, chakra is like a brick; you can move it wherever it's needed.

Uchiha Tokumitsu's exploration and research into the combination of Yin Release and Fire Release was a discovery for the Uchiha clan that felt like opening the door to a new world.

The Uchiha clan is too strong. Especially in this era when their millennia-old nemesis, the Senju clan, has disappeared, almost no one can subdue them.

Based on the path of Sharingan evolution and Fire Release training, an ordinary Uchiha clan member who awakens the Sharingan, as long as they have decent talent, can basically learn ninjutsu that suits their personality from the ninjutsu collections of various clans. If they have more talent and a certain ability to study, and can figure out a few unique techniques, they can basically walk a Jonin path that suits them and become a strong person.

Although most Uchiha ninjas spend their entire lives toiling away at the Chunin level, even Chunin from the Uchiha clan are among the strongest in the Chunin group.

In this world where extraordinary powers are manifested, the chakra possessed by ninjas is a miracle in itself. To limit its use to ninjutsu battles would be a waste of its potential.

……

After dinner, the Uchiha Tokumitsu family went together to Elder Setsuna's residence.

As night fell, the once quiet and deserted streets of the Uchiha clan territory were now filled with fully armed Uchiha ninjas patrolling and guarding the street corners. Upon seeing Uchiha Nakagen and his group, they all paid their respects.

Uchiha Nakagen calmly returned each greeting.

"Father... what happened?" Uchiha Tokumitsu asked, somewhat puzzled.

Uchiha Nakagen simply patted his hair without saying a word.

"The village was attacked, and the police department and the ANBU have been investigating the perpetrators recently," Emiko responded to Uchiha Tokumitsu's question, but did not elaborate on the details of the incident.

Seeing this, Uchiha Tokumitsu didn't dare to ask any more questions and had to suppress his curiosity.

The Deguang family's residence was not far from Elder Shana's mansion; after a short walk, they arrived at their destination.

At the once peaceful entrance to the elders' residence, a large number of Uchiha ninjas were now on guard, seemingly the guards of the elders from various clans.

"The elders from all the clans have arrived..." Uchiha Nakagen's exclamation confirmed Uchiha Tokumitsu's judgment.

"Has Little Deguang arrived?"

Just as they arrived at the entrance, Elder Shana's voice came from inside the mansion.

Elder Setsuna, beaming with pride, emerged from the inner hall, smiling broadly at Uchiha Tokumitsu.

"Elder!" Uchiha Tokumitsu greeted Elder Setsuna with a solemn expression.

"Come in quickly!" Elder Setsuna greeted the three with a kind expression. "Emiko, come in quickly too. It's been a long time since you've been to my old home."

Upon entering the inner hall, one finds it already filled with elders from various branches of the radical Uchiha faction. Though all are in their twilight years, each was once a renowned and powerful figure in their youth. As the Uchiha Tokumitsu family enters with Elder Setsuna, all eyes turn to him.

Uchiha Tokumitsu, under the gaze of many, felt a slight tremor in his heart, but his face remained calm. He simply greeted the elders of each clan one by one, following Elder Setsuna's introduction.

The inner hall was arranged according to tradition, with upper and lower seats. The head seat was naturally reserved for Elder Setsuna, with the others seated on the left and right. Uchiha Tokumitsu looked around and spotted a familiar face: Uchiha Hatake, who had been escorting him on his return journey from the Land of Grass as the captain of the Jonin guard.

Uchiha Hatake nodded to Uchiha Tokumitsu, who naturally returned the gesture politely, but he was somewhat curious about a Uchiha girl sitting behind Uchiha Hatake.

This is the first time I've seen young female members of the tribe in a radical tribal society.

"Zhongxuan Jun, please come forward and take a seat." Elder Shana led the Deguang family of three to sit down, and then returned to the main seat.

The elders, who had been whispering among themselves or secretly observing Uchiha Tokumitsu, all fell silent as soon as the Grand Elder took his seat in the main seat, and the inner hall became quiet as well.

"Gentlemen, the events of tonight have already been reported," Elder Setsuna said solemnly in a deep voice. "It is the 'Fire Release' technique explored by our clansman, Uchiha Tokumitsu."

Everyone's attention was once again focused on Uchiha Tokumitsu.

"Although it is a rudimentary method, after being tested by selected members within the clan, three people have successfully fused Yin Release and Fire Release chakra..."

"They are Uchiha Emiko, Uchiha Hatake, and Uchiha Makoto..."

As Elder Shana called out their names, the three of them stretched out their hands and condensed a ball of purple flame in their palms.

Uchiha Tokumitsu noticed that the girl sitting behind Uchiha Hakage was also condensing a Flame Release chakra.

“Uchiha Makoto…” Uchiha Tokumitsu raised an eyebrow.

"Our Uchiha clan has never produced such a ninjutsu in its thousand-year history. Deguang-kun's research will add another bloodline limit to the clan, and its significance is no less than that of our ancestors' discovery of the Sharingan's secret techniques..."

This is a very high compliment.

Uchiha Tokumitsu also sensed the heavy weight in his words.

"...Based on Tokumitsu-kun's talent and abilities, I intend to formally establish Uchiha Tokumitsu as my successor, granting him the position of commander of the Samurai Bureau, in charge of the Tiger Clan ninja, and after my death, he will inherit the position of the head of this clan..."

"Tokugaku-kun, are you willing to accept?" Elder Setsuna, his face serious, looked at Uchiha Tokugaku, who was full of surprise.

"That is my wish!" Uchiha Tokumitsu took a deep breath and bowed down.

Everyone present, young and old, bowed to Uchiha Tokumitsu.

Congratulations, young lord!

The so-called "Samurai Commander" is the title of the leader of the ANBU in the radical Uchiha faction. He not only commands the ANBU ninjas, but is also the nominal chief Jonin of the radical faction, wielding power within the faction equivalent to that of the Jonin team leader in Konoha.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Uchiha Tokumitsu stood up and sat up straight.

"The significance of Fire Release cannot be overstated." After everyone stood up, Elder Setsuna spoke again, "Our clan has been trapped by tradition for too long..."

Elder Sha Na sighed with a hint of melancholy.

"While inheriting traditions is certainly glorious, without innovation, it's inevitable to be left behind by the ever-emerging talents of the next generation..."

"Although we call ourselves the number one clan in the ninja world, we have been in Konoha for many years, and no one in our clan has ever been as strong as the Five Kage. Even the monkeys of the Sarutobi clan, we have no one in our clan who can match them."

Elder Sha Na's words were quite heavy, and the other elders also lowered their heads and remained silent.

"I didn't know the reason before either. I just felt that a peaceful environment was not suitable for our people. Without the baptism of war, no true strongmen could be born..."

"But! I've discovered that what truly troubles us is precisely our tradition! I can't even remember how many years it's been since we explored a new ninja way outside of our family traditions!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu was also moved by this.

Although the Uchiha clan is strong, they adhere to tradition and are obsessed with the inheritance of old books and the glory of the Sharingan. Therefore, their highest potential strength is probably only at the level of Madara Uchiha.

"De Guangjun's Flame Release is equivalent to opening up a new path of ninja for our clansmen." Elder Setsuna said with deep emotion, "It also points out a new path for our clansmen whose strength has reached a point where it is difficult to improve further."

All the clansmen present nodded in agreement.

"Nagakage-kun, it's been ten years since you awakened to the third tomoe and were promoted to Jonin, hasn't it?" Elder Setsuna said, pointing to Uchiha Nagakage on the side.

"Yes, Elder, it has been almost eleven years now." Uchiha Hōkage bowed in greeting.

"How much do you feel your abilities have increased over the past eleven years?"

“...Not much different.” Uchiha Hakukage also sighed slightly. “It’s just that his chakra reserves have increased, his ninjutsu and genjutsu are more proficient, and his combat experience is richer. But in the past eleven years, he has not been able to make any new breakthroughs until he comprehended Deku-kun’s ‘Fire Release’ path.”

"Yes... There were once exceptionally talented members of our clan who were trapped here, wasting their time with little progress, and were ultimately devoured by their obsession with power, leading them down an inescapable evil path..."

The elders present all sighed.

Seeing this, Uchiha Tokumitsu was also moved.

"The battle between Naraku and Yomi has greatly depleted the clan's resources, and the clan's strength has actually fallen to its weakest point since the Warring States period." Elder Setsuna's words were very heavy.

Although to outsiders the Uchiha clan remains the most powerful and influential clan in the ninja world, in Elder Setsuna's eyes, it appears to be a flourishing but actually a case of overheated prosperity.

"I intend to ban the Izanagi path from now on. What do you elders think?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu was somewhat puzzled. As far as he knew, Izanagi and Izanami were two forbidden techniques of the Uchiha clan. But why was it being so solemnly demanded to be forbidden?

Uchiha Tokumitsu turned his inquiring gaze toward Uchiha Nakagen.

“…It’s the Mangekyou Sharingan.” Uchiha Nakagen naturally understood what he meant, hesitated for a moment, and replied with a hint of melancholy.

Emiko lowered her head, took her husband's arm, and remained silent.

After a moment's thought, Uchiha Tokumitsu understood.

The so-called Izanagi Path may refer to the legendary method of awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan by killing one's own family to attain enlightenment in the Uchiha clan.

"...From now on, if any member of our clan dares to defy the prohibition and pursue the path of Izanagi, we will do everything in our power to kill him. What do you all think?"

"agree!"

Agreed!

The elders readily agreed.

With the Flame Release technique, a more viable path to increase strength, the method of forbidding killing one's relatives to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan is entirely beneficial.

"Tokugaku-kun, why don't you demonstrate Fire Release to everyone?" Elder Setsuna said to Uchiha Tokugaku.

"Yes!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu rose from his seat and walked to the center of the inner hall. He formed a Tiger Seal with one hand.

Purple flames spread from his palms and enveloped his entire body.

Then, he casually drew a small katana from his waist, stroked the blade with his left hand, and purple flames spread to the edge. With a casual swing forward, a purple light slashed out about five meters before gradually dissipating.

Then, he condensed a ball of compressed fire chakra in his left hand and pressed it down onto the ground.

"boom!"

With a muffled thud, a semi-circular hole about fifty centimeters in diameter appeared in the ground, and the wooden floor and the soil underneath had turned into ashes.

Uchiha Tokumitsu's application of 'Fire Release' chakra can be categorized into three aspects: first, the Fire Release chakra mode, which is a protective aura around the body; second, its application in swordsmanship, where he attaches Fire Release chakra to his weapons to create powerful Fire Release sword energy; and third, the Fire Release Rasengan, which he conceived by imitating the Rasengan technique of Minato Namikaze in the future.

Although the application techniques demonstrated were relatively simple, they were enough to convince the elders of each lineage.

The elders, skilled in swordsmanship, can extend the Uchiha-style swordsmanship to include more innovations from the Flame Release sword aura; while the Flame Release Rasengan represents the potential application of Flame Release chakra in ninjutsu.

The elders and Jonin present were all experts who had immersed themselves in chakra for many years, so they naturally understood the future of Fire Release, this nascent ninja way.

“It’s truly…” an elder exclaimed, “Unbelievable…”

The significance of Fire Release to the Uchiha clan is immeasurable.

As a fusion of Yin Release and Fire Release, it was originally an extension of the Uchiha clan's signature skills; and chakra manipulation is a basic skill for ninjas, but in the past, everyone just thought that enough was enough and didn't put in much effort to figure it out. However, the Uchiha clan did not lack various effective methods for training chakra manipulation.

“I believe that the title of ‘Exempt from All Disciples’ can be granted to Young Lord Deguang,” another elder said, bowing to Elder Shaka.