Chapter 7: First Victory
Watching the Senju clansman vanish within the roaring inferno of his own creation, the last vestiges of nausea in Uchiha Raizen's stomach finally subsided, replaced by a hollow, trembling calm.
"Uchiha Raizen, when… how did you master ninjutsu of that level?" Uchiha Natsume rushed to his side, his voice a mixture of awe and disbelief.
The enemy they had just faced, Senju Chisen, was no minor threat. While not on the infamous level of Senju Kagenori or Senju Hakuja, Chisen was a known and formidable fighter. The coordinated efforts of their three-man team were designed to handle such opponents, yet Uchiha Raizen had obliterated him in a single, shocking display.
Seeing their leader fall, the other two Senju, Chiki and Chibayashi, charged forward with desperate rage. Uchiha Raizen simply raised his hand again, unleashing his last remaining "Extinguishing Fire" technique. Uchiha Ryoken and Uchiha Natsume, reacting instantly, added their own jutsu to the assault. Without Chisen to lead them, the two Senju were quickly overwhelmed and consumed by the combined onslaught.
As their lives were extinguished, the now-familiar glowing orbs appeared at their feet. Among them was what Uchiha Raizen coveted most: the [Senju Clan Intermediate Physique Fragment]. The other ninjutsu scattered around seemed paltry in comparison.
System, pick up the Senju Clan Intermediate Physique Fragment, he commanded silently.
[Pickup successful.]
Without a second thought, he willed it to be used. In the midst of battle, any enhancement to his physical prowess could mean the difference between life and death. A surge of profound, grounding energy flooded his limbs, making his muscles feel denser and his body more resilient than ever before. He quickly pulled up his status panel.
Host: Uchiha Raizen
Age: 15
Pickup Level: 1
Experience: 13/100
Chakra: 180 / 180 | Evaluation: Not Yet Academy Graduate Level
Physical Skills: 100 / 300 | Evaluation: Advanced Genin
Mastered Ninjutsu: Grand Fireball Technique x3, Phoenix Sage Fire Technique x2
Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan (Unawakened)
Novice Gift Pack: Used
Pickups Available Today: 1/3
He let out a quiet sigh. His chakra reserves were still pathetically low. If only I could pick up a Tailed Beast, he thought with a wry internal laugh, knowing the absurdity of the idea. And the experience… it just crawls. There seemed to be no shortcut for leveling up the system itself.
"Uchiha Natsume, should we go support the others?" Uchiha Raizen asked, glancing toward the ongoing skirmishes.
"No need," Uchiha Natsume replied, his tone confident. "Our ambush was a complete success. This enemy force is finished. When we return, you will certainly be commended for your actions today."
"If that's the case," Uchiha Raizen said, his expression dulled by fatigue and adrenaline crash, "after we mop up here, do we still attack the Senju left flank?"
"That's not our decision. It's up to the field commander. Our orders are to hold this position and ensure no one escapes." Uchiha Natsume's answer was pragmatic.
Soon, the brutal efficiency of the Uchiha assault became apparent. All eight hundred Senju ambushers were eradicated. Standing amidst the carnage, Uchiha Raizen felt a grim understanding settle in his bones. This was the reality of the Warring States Period. This was the chasm of hatred that would forever separate clans, the very reason a friendship like the one between Madara and Hashirama was doomed from the start.
"The battle is over!" Uchiha Tamura's voice rang out, authoritative and final. "Clear the battlefield! All units, prepare to return!"
At the command, Uchiha Raizen was the first to move, not to gather intelligence or secure the area, but to dash toward two specific, glowing points he had spotted. One was [Lightning Release: White Smoke], and the other was [Fire Release: True Fire Extinguishment]. He had felt the power of the standard Extinguishing Fire; True Fire Extinguishment had to be even more devastating. And White Smoke… every shinobi knew Lightning Release was the pinnacle of stylistic combat.
He claimed both jutsu, adding them to his growing repository, before falling back into formation with the main group. The Uchiha left behind only a field of charred remains; fire was the most efficient way to prevent disease and deny the enemy the bodies of their fallen.
Back at the camp, Uchiha Raizen didn't speak to anyone. He didn't seek out food or company. He walked straight to his small, spartan room, the images of flying limbs and the smell of seared flesh seared into his mind. The sanitized violence he'd seen in anime was a pale shadow of the real thing. Overwhelmed by the day's visceral horror and the weight of his new power, he collapsed onto his bed and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep, seeking refuge in oblivion.