"I never imagined Kaze could develop Lightning Release to this extent…"
"It's practically identical to the Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode."
(T/N: What a beautiful misunderstanding.)
Watching Kaze as he disengaged from his Lightning Chakra Mode, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but feel deeply moved.
Back in his youth, he had once clashed with the Third Raikage.
Even now, the Raikage's Lightning Chakra Mode was etched vividly in his memory.
In that state, the user's physical functions were pushed to their limits. Their speed, power, and defense reached terrifying heights—enough to stand toe-to-toe with a Tailed Beast.
Many who had witnessed the Raikage's might had long dreamed of mastering that technique.
But sadly, despite the progress of the shinobi world, the Lightning Chakra Mode had remained exclusive to the Raikage's lineage. No outsider had ever succeeded in recreating it.
Even Hiruzen—once known as the Professor—couldn't unravel its mysteries.
And yet now…
Kaze, a mere fifteen-year-old Chūnin, had managed to replicate the Raikage's most feared taijutsu purely through his own research and talent with Lightning Release.
It defied belief.
But the one thing that dampened Hiruzen's awe—
Was the fact that Kaze… was an Uchiha.
From Uchiha Madara to Uchiha Kagami, then Fugaku and Shisui… and now Kaze and Itachi.
Generation after generation, the Uchiha Clan continued to produce astonishing geniuses.
But among them, those who truly embraced the Will of Fire—who were willing to dedicate their lives to Konoha—were painfully few.
Most of them, unlike the Sarutobi clan, struggled to rise above the narrow mindset of clan loyalty and integrate wholly into the village.
It was a pity… and a tragedy.
Still—
Hiruzen wasn't ready to give up on this Lightning Release prodigy so easily.
Kaze's actions had completely upended his original plans.
Originally, he had intended to hand over Kaze's corpse—letting his death serve the greater good and secure Konoha's future.
But now?
To hand over someone with such unprecedented talent in Lightning Release to the Hidden Cloud?
That would be a colossal waste.
"Kaze."
Hiruzen finally broke the silence that had gripped the council room.
"Seeing you now… I can't help but be reminded of an old friend."
"Uchiha Kagami."
(T/N: WTF? Have to agree, this monkey is an excellent politician and a master at changing faces.)
The moment that name came up, Kaze instinctively frowned, nearly expecting multiple floating question marks to appear above his head.
He even clearly noticed Sarutobi Hiruzen's face take on a deeply nostalgic, melancholic expression.
"Kagami may have been born into the Uchiha clan, but he inherited an even stronger Will of Fire than many of us—from Lord Tobirama himself."
"He gave everything for the village."
"And made contributions to Konoha that can never be erased."
"Kaze, maybe you've only heard his name in passing, but I hope… you can inherit his will."
As Hiruzen's words echoed through the room, Kaze's attention shifted.
Aside from Shisui and Itachi, who now wore solemn expressions, most of the Uchiha in the room—including Fugaku—looked rather conflicted.
Some even had the kind of expression you'd expect from someone who just ate two pounds of shit.
If I hadn't watched Naruto, I probably would've bought it. A whole life of selfless service, huh. Pretty sure that guy died at twenty-eight, and if I'm not mistaken, left behind no one but Shisui.
One descendant, loyal and easy to control—that probably made him the ideal Uchiha in the eyes of the higher-ups.
Kagami's greatest "contribution" to Konoha might've been sparing the village the hassle of a troublesome bloodline.
Kaze quietly watched Hiruzen, who stood there looking all mournful and noble, but deep down, he couldn't help roasting him internally.
(T/N: Had to do a little cleanup here because the OG author really said Kagami had zero descendants… which is wild considering Shisui exists. Like—hello? Maybe the author's brain took a nap while writing that part. Anyway, fixed it up so it actually makes sense.)
"Alright then..."
As he spoke, Hiruzen placed both hands on the table in front of him, playing the part of a weary elder as he slowly stood up from his seat.
"Let's end the discussion on this matter here."
Although he had spoken little during this entire meeting, Hiruzen's ability to read the room was as sharp as ever.
After Kaze's dramatic performance, trying to force the Uchiha clan to hand someone over would be even harder to justify.
More importantly—
He still had other ways to negotiate with the Hidden Cloud.
Compared to forcing the Uchiha into a corner, smoothing over the situation and drafting a new peace agreement was much more manageable.
"Did you lose your mind just now? Do you have any idea what you just did?" Fugaku lowered his voice, though there was an unmistakable pride in his eyes despite his reprimand.
Kaze raised an eyebrow innocently. "I was just defending myself. Do you want me to just stand there and get poisoned or worse eaten by bugs?"
Fugaku almost choked on his own words, but he couldn't argue.
He knew very well that if any other Uchiha had done that—no matter how skilled they were—no one would dare act so recklessly in front of the higher-ups.
But Kaze? Not only did he do it, he took out his opponent without hesitation, leaving everyone in the room speechless.
That kind of boldness and decisiveness… Fugaku couldn't help but admire it.
Still, that didn't mean he could let him off the hook completely.
"You need to lay low for a while. Danzo's not someone you want to make an enemy of, especially not like this."
"He's holding back for now, but that doesn't mean he won't come after you later."
Kaze shrugged, a hint of disdain on his face.
"Let him keep holding it in. It's not like it's the first time someone's tried to take me out."
(T/N: Hmm, I guess he might be talking about the Kumo nins, or maybe during the war.)
Fugaku's eyes twitched. That attitude was too familiar. It reminded him of someone from the past...
If he didn't know any better, he'd think Kaze was channeling Madara's old spirit!
For a moment, Fugaku felt a headache coming on. Was he really going to end up with a kid who wanted to pick fights with everyone?
Just as he was thinking that, Shisui walked over, his expression complicated as he looked at Kaze.
"Thanks for back there," he said quietly.
Kaze turned to him, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Don't thank me for something so simple."
Shisui shook his head. "No, really. I owe you one."
(T/N: Wait, did I miss something? Or did the OG miss something in an earlier chapter? Why is he thanking Kaze for drawing him out? Also, did everyone already know about Shisui's Mangekyō? I mean before Kaze revealed it. Bruh, this is getting confusing.)
He knew that if it hadn't been for Kaze's quick thinking, the meeting might have taken a very different turn.
He might have even ended up being blamed and used as a scapegoat to smooth over the conflict.
(T/N: Like what?)
"Once we meet with the Hokage, I need to talk to you alone," Shisui added, his voice serious.
Kaze watched him leave, his eyes thoughtful.
"Shisui…"
"Not as dumb as I thought."
Taking advantage of Danzo not speaking yet, Kaze quickly used the Body Flicker Technique to bring himself and Fugaku outside.
With a whoosh, the two shadows appeared on the street to the right of the Hokage Building.
"Kaze!"
Fugaku shot Kaze a furious glare, as if he wanted to eat him alive.
"You're asking for trouble."
"Not only did you expose your trump card, but you also involved Shisui..."
Just as Fugaku was about to reprimand Kaze, Kaze interrupted him directly.
"Lord Clan Leader, do you really have to talk about this here?"
Kaze looked at Fugaku with a 'are you serious?' expression, while making a motion as if to indicate someone wearing a mask.
The implication was clear: you want to discuss this where Anbu ninjas could be listening?
Then, Kaze pointed to a side path. "Let's talk as we walk."
It's worth mentioning…
Before coming to this world, Kaze had not only watched Naruto, but also had some knowledge of One Piece.
He was somewhat familiar with the abilities of the Thunder-Thunder Fruit.
In One Piece, the holder of the Thunder-Thunder Fruit, Enel, used his Observation Haki and the fruit's ability to release radio waves to create a network that allowed him to monitor the entire Skypiea.
Though Kaze had no mastery over Observation Haki, nor could he make something as exaggerated as Enel's heart network that spanned an entire island, he did manage to develop a similar technique using radio waves to monitor the movements of organisms within a limited range.
(T/N: He can use his brains? WHAT? This is impossible!)
So...
He didn't just pick any random path, but specifically chose one that didn't have many Anbu ninjas nearby.
There were some schemes he needed Fugaku to walk right into.
"If the Uchiha clan is ever to avoid the fate of extinction, there's no way someone as incompetent as Fugaku should be the clan leader."
A glint of malice flickered in Kaze's eyes.
(T/N: Man, this chapter was a mess. Went back and double-checked, and I'm starting to think the original author missed a few things. But honestly, it's not that serious. So, should I remake these chapters or just leave them as is since it's not super crucial? I managed to salvage most of the important stuff anyway.)