There were many young nobles at the banquet. When they heard Uchiha Yang being called the "first swordsman of the younger generation," some scoffed.
But when Yang confidently accepted the title, the room stirred. Did this kid really acknowledge it so openly? And wasn't the one next to him the runner-up? If anyone wanted to challenge him, they had to defeat his right-hand man first.
Yang, unfazed by the murmurs, smirked. "Since we have so many esteemed young talents of the Fire Country here today, perhaps some would like to demonstrate their swordsmanship for the daimyo?"
The moment those words left his mouth, a few young men jumped to their feet, clearly provoked. Uchiha Kuzan chuckled. "Our little brother really knows how to stir the pot."
One of the young nobles stood up and said, "Your Excellency, a banquet should not see bloodshed. Why not use wooden swords instead?"
At his cue, several attendants brought out wooden practice swords.
The Uchiha youths sneered. "Convenient, isn't it?" The weapons had been prepared beforehand—clearly, someone had planned this in advance, eager to see Uchiha's strength firsthand.
Yang smiled. "Fine by me. But let's invite some real warriors to join in." He clapped a hand on Kuzan's shoulder. "Go easy on them. Don't scare the kids." Though his voice was low, everyone heard it.
Kuzan casually stepped forward, grabbed a wooden sword, and spun it in his hand. "One by one, or all at once?"
Less than a minute later, Kuzan stood alone in the arena. His opponents lay groaning on the ground. He calmly returned the wooden sword to its stand.
Yang sighed dramatically. "We came to spar with young warriors, but it turns out we just bullied some children. Please forgive us, Your Excellency."
Kuzan returned to his seat, muttering, "Don't look at me like that, Yang. I held back as much as I could."
"Held back? You call that holding back?" Uchiha Retsu scoffed.
"What else was I supposed to do? Let them hit me first? Even if I hadn't lifted my sword, some of them would've tripped over their own robes." Uchiha Yan pointed at a noble boy who was still sitting on the floor, too stunned to get up.
Yang turned to the daimyo and bowed. "Your Excellency, my deepest apologies. I did not expect the demonstration to end so quickly."
The second elder quickly interjected, "Your Excellency, please forgive these young ones. They were too eager and forgot their manners. I hope this did not disappoint you."
At that moment, a noble elder in ornate robes stood up. "If His Excellency is dissatisfied, perhaps one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja could spar with young Master Uchiha. That would certainly broaden our horizons."
Yang's eyes gleamed. "If the daimyo wishes to see more, then I must oblige. After all, the Guardian Ninja are the elite protectors of the Fire Daimyo. Their skill should be far above mine."
From the shadows, a man in a ninja uniform stepped forward. He bore the signature waist sash of the Guardian Twelve Ninja, similar to the one Sarutobi Asuma would wear in the future. Kneeling before the daimyo, he said, "Your Excellency, if it pleases you, I will test this young Uchiha's strength."
The daimyo hesitated. A duel between Konoha's rising star and his personal guard could be risky. If the Guardian Ninja won, it would be seen as expected. But if he lost, it would be a humiliation—not just for him, but for the entire Guardian Twelve. And worse, if Konoha learned of it, they might see it as an insult and send someone to demand recompense.
Yang, however, was utterly confident. His strength, even without the Mangekyō Sharingan, was on par with young Uchiha Itachi from the original timeline. Compared to him, the Guardian Ninja were just glorified mercenaries—strong in the Land of Fire, but barely relevant in Konoha.
"Uncle Guardian Ninja, if you're so eager, I won't refuse. Let's have some fun." Yang strode to the center of the hall, his Sharingan activating in an instant—three tomoe swirling in his crimson eyes.
The gathered nobles whispered among themselves. This was more than just a duel; for some, it would determine their political stance. Should they continue backing the daimyo's sons, or reconsider their allegiance to Konoha?
The daimyo sighed, then gave a small nod to his ninja. "Proceed."
The two combatants faced each other. Yang made the seal of confrontation, then exploded into motion. His hand moved like a flash of steel—'Iai Beheading: Lion's Elegy!'
The Guardian Ninja rushed forward, drawing his short sword in a flurry of slashes. But before he could react, Yang was already in front of him.
In a blink, it was over.
Yang stood still, sheathing his invisible sword. In his left hand, he held a piece of fabric.
The hall fell silent. Then the body of the Guardian Ninja collapsed to the ground with a dull thud. Blood pooled beneath him.
Yang turned to the stunned daimyo and handed the waist sash to the trembling attendant beside him. "The daimyo's guard should be impeccable. I suggest finding a replacement."
No one spoke. The air in the hall turned cold. No one had expected the fight to end in a single stroke. A battle they thought would shake the room was over before it had even begun.
Konoha was still untouchable. And Uchiha… Uchiha was still terrifying.
The second elder chuckled. "Ah, Yang, Yang. Didn't I just say not to spill blood? You've completely disrupted His Excellency's banquet." He turned to the daimyo and bowed. "Your Excellency, please pardon his youthful enthusiasm."
The Uchiha all saluted and returned to their seats, resuming their meal as if nothing had happened.
The daimyo ended the banquet soon after. There was no point in continuing—his attempt to test Uchiha had backfired spectacularly. Instead of proving Konoha's arrogance, he had only reaffirmed their overwhelming strength.
As they left the hall, the second elder smirked. "Well, that takes care of those pesky samurai. They've been getting too bold these past two years, thinking they could defy Konoha. This should remind them of their place."
Yang and the others laughed. Uchiha Retsu added, "Honestly, we didn't even need Yang. Any one of us could have handled them."
"True," Kuzan agreed. "But if it had taken longer, it wouldn't have sent the right message."
As they walked through the streets of the Fire Capital, Yang's mind was already planning ahead. How best to solidify Uchiha's influence in the Land of Fire?
---
Meanwhile, in Konoha…
A masked ANBU kneeled before the Hokage.
"Lord Third, after entering the Fire Capital, Uchiha Yang's group attended a banquet. Uchiha Kuzan defeated the younger generation of nobles. Then Uchiha Yang killed the Guardian Twelve's captain in a single move. He even took his waist sash."
Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke from his pipe and chuckled. "That Uchiha boy… he causes trouble wherever he goes. But this time, I'd say he did Konoha a favor."