"Water Release: Water Colliding Waves!" Several streams of water erupted around Renzou Uchiha, swirling and expanding before coalescing into a rising waterspout. "Attack!" As the command left Renzou Uchiha's lips, the waterspout hung momentarily suspended, then crashed down with the force of a waterfall! The immense impact instantly blasted deep craters into the surrounding grassland. While reshaping the terrain, a significant portion of the water remained.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bomb!" Standing at the river's edge, Renzou Uchiha channeled his chakra, and a moment later, a formidable water dragon surged from the water, guided by his will, and slammed into a row of neatly arranged wooden pylons along the bank. The momentum was devastating.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!" A series of splintering sounds echoed. After obliterating five wooden stakes in succession, the water dragon showed no signs of dissipating. Renzou Uchiha continued to weave hand seals. Just as the splintered wood hit the ground, another low shout escaped him, his hands moving with practiced speed. The water nearby began to churn once more.
"Water Style: Wave Riding Strike!" The substantial amount of water left from the Water Colliding Waves didn't dissipate. Under Renzou Uchiha's precise chakra control, the water flowed and converged at his feet, coating the nearby ground in a thick, shimmering layer – a makeshift "water carpet." Renzou Uchiha paused, then glided swiftly across the water's surface, accelerating towards the remaining wooden pylons. His speed was noticeably greater than before. Gripping the kunai tightly in his left hand, he quickly coated it with a layer of Water Style chakra, making the blade even sharper. Water Style: Water Blade Slash! A flash of cold light, and the remaining five wooden stakes were instantly bisected! The cuts were clean and uniform, each severed piece revealing a smooth cross-section upon falling.
"Haah…" The chakra coating the kunai dissipated, and the water surface, no longer sustained by chakra, abruptly dispersed, soaking into the soil. Renzou Uchiha surveyed the muddy expanse before him, the corners of his mouth curving into a satisfied smile. Finally, the relentless training had yielded results. Seven days and nights of practice with his Shadow Clones had culminated in mastering the Second Hokage's version of the A-rank Water Style, and even the development of his own Water Style combo.
That was… Renzou Uchiha felt the thin trickle of chakra remaining in his body and instantly grimaced. The power was immense, the execution exhilarating, but the chakra consumption was exorbitant. That single combo had drained nearly eighty percent of his reserves, leaving a meager twenty percent. This only solidified his determination to acquire a tailed beast in the future. His current chakra capacity was barely adequate. Quick, decisive fights were manageable, but prolonged engagements against resilient opponents would be a significant disadvantage.
"Good." A voice broke through his thoughts. Renzou Uchiha turned to see Kosuke approaching. He quickly offered a greeting. "Kosuke-senpai."
"Hmm." Kosuke nodded towards Renzou Uchiha, his gaze sweeping over the waterlogged clearing. Genuine admiration flickered across his face. "I truly didn't expect you to possess such a natural talent for ninjutsu. The Third Hokage's assessment of you was spot-on."
"Huh?" Renzou Uchiha felt a pang of confusion. What did this have to do with Sarutobi Hiruzen? Before he could ponder further, Kosuke waved him over. "Your training is complete. I must now report back to the Hokage."
"Yes, I apologize for taking up your time these past few days, Kosuke-senpai!" Hearing Renzou Uchiha's words, Kosuke paused, then continued walking without looking back, saying, "Renzou, train diligently and do not repeat the mistakes of my past." Renzou Uchiha saluted respectfully in the direction Kosuke had gone, then moved to the shade of a nearby tree to begin replenishing his chakra.
…
Hokage Office:
"I'm back. How did it go?" Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the figure kneeling before him, his voice low as he puffed on his pipe.
"Excellent. This child's ninjutsu talent is likely on par with your own. Not only did he master a significant number of advanced Water Style techniques in just a few days, but he also devised his own set of combination attacks. If he doesn't perish young…"
"The future holds promise!" Hearing Kosuke's high praise for Renzou Uchiha, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyebrows rose in surprise, and a brief silence filled the office. "It seems we have a potential successor to the teacher's legacy." Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured, and Kosuke, still kneeling, remained silent. Will you entrust the Second Hokage's legacy to a child with both Uchiha and Hyūga blood? Observing Kosuke's silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen understood his unspoken concerns.
"It will be alright. While the teacher held reservations about the Uchiha clan in his time, he also strived for their peaceful coexistence with the village. These are also the long-held aspirations of our generation." Hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, Kosuke nodded. "When you deem him strong enough to stand on his own, leave the rest to him." Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, setting down his pipe, ready to resume his official duties.
"Yes!" Kosuke responded, then vanished in a swift shunshin, his destination unknown.
"Monkey."
"Here, Hokage-sama!" An Anbu operative appeared before the desk, kneeling.
"Find someone to inform Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Uchiha Kai to assemble here. You, go and tell Uchiha Renzou to do the same."
"Yes!" The Anbu vanished as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Sarutobi Hiruzen once again alone in the quiet Hokage office, attending to his duties.
…
"Hokage-sama summoned me?" Renzou Uchiha looked at the Anbu before him, a sense of bewilderment washing over him. What was happening? Had he just been called over after training to discuss his progress? Oh well, whatever it is, I'll find out soon enough. "Let's go." The Anbu nodded, and the two of them sped towards the Hokage Building. The Anbu halted outside the Hokage's office, leaving Renzou Uchiha to knock on the door.
"Please come in." Renzou Uchiha pushed the door open and entered. As soon as he closed it behind him, he noticed that in addition to Sarutobi Hiruzen, Uchiha Kai, and an unfamiliar middle-aged man were also present.
"Hokage-sama," Renzou Uchiha said, completing his bow before standing in line with the other two, awaiting Sarutobi Hiruzen's explanation.
"Everyone is here. Let me be direct. I have a task for you to complete. For the time being, you will form a temporary team, led by Sarutobi Shinnosuke. Alright, you may go and discuss how to approach this mission." The three of them were practically ushered out by Sarutobi Hiruzen before they could fully process his words. Standing outside the door, the three Genin exchanged glances. The atmosphere was momentarily awkward.
"Hello, I am Sarutobi Shinnosuke, your temporary team leader," the middle-aged man said, extending a hand towards Renzou Uchiha.
Renzou Uchiha quickly reached out and shook it. "Hello, Captain. I am Uchiha Renzou. I look forward to working with you."
"Well, Kai and I are already acquainted, so no need for further introductions," Sarutobi Shinnosuke said. Uchiha Kai nodded in agreement, and the three of them moved to a quieter corner. Sarutobi Shinnosuke unfolded the mission scroll in his hand, and a strange look came over their faces as they read it.
"This is… experience," Kai muttered, glancing at Renzou Uchiha.
Renzou Uchiha simply spread his hands. "I think I have a rough idea of what's going on. What do you think, Captain?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's expression turned serious. He pinched the mission scroll and ignited it with a flick of his wrist. "Go back and prepare. We will meet at the Konoha Village entrance in fifteen minutes."
"Yes! X2" The three of them vanished in separate shunshins, leaving only a burning scrap of paper drifting to the ground. A few words could be vaguely discerned: "Suppress the Bandits."
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End of Chapter 47