The training ground behind the Uchiha Clan's mountain.
A slender figure sat quietly cross-legged beneath a tree on the outskirts of the training ground, having been there for an unknown number of hours.
It was only when the sun was almost directly overhead that a tall figure slowly appeared in the training ground.
Sensing the arrival of this figure, Chishimo, who had been sitting cross-legged under the tree, ended his meditation, stood up, and walked towards the tall, middle-aged man with his arms crossed.
"Something came up in the clan, I went to deal with it, so I'm late."
Fugaku's expression was as usual, calm and stern, showing no hint of apology in his heart.
Chishimo likewise showed no concern, respectfully saying, "It's alright, Clan Leader, you are busy with countless matters, my affairs are secondary."
On the surface, Chishimo was calm, but in his heart, he had already cursed Fugaku hundreds of times.
Although it was spring, the big sun overhead was like a giant furnace, and even with the shade of the big tree, Chishimo still felt irritable from the heat. If it weren't for his desire to become stronger, he would have given up long ago.
He couldn't leave, and he was afraid that he wouldn't be in optimal condition to train if he faced Fugaku. Caught in a dilemma, Chishimo could only sit under the tree, constantly chanting "A calm heart brings natural coolness" to himself, while secretly cursing Fugaku for being as unpunctual as Obito.
However, on second thought, Fugaku had said "this morning" yesterday, but hadn't specified a time. The sun was still a little off from being directly overhead, so it could barely be considered morning... Chishimo forcefully convinced himself.
Fugaku didn't reply, simply staring quietly at Chishimo, seemingly trying to discern other emotions from him. But after a long look, he saw nothing but respect. A subtle hint of satisfaction flickered in Fugaku's eyes. Clearly, in his opinion, Chishimo's character was quite up to his standards, which was quite rare within the Uchiha Clan.
It was no wonder Fugaku couldn't tell. In his previous life, Chishimo had already mastered the art of concealing his emotions while navigating various people. It wasn't that Fugaku couldn't see, but rather that Chishimo simply didn't show anything at all.
"I won't waste any more words. Come, Uchiha Qianshuang, show me your strength! If you can satisfy me, I don't mind taking you as my disciple!"
Fugaku's eyes sharply fixated on Chishimo, and even without activating his Sharingan, he still made Chishimo feel a sense of trepidation, causing him to involuntarily adopt a ready stance.
Chishimo understood. This battle was unavoidable, and he dared not hold back against the leader of the Uchiha.
"In that case, Clan Leader, please be careful!"
Before his words finished, Chishimo's body shot forward like a flying spear, rapidly closing the distance with Fugaku.
Chishimo gripped the Kunai that had appeared in his hand at some point and thrust it straight towards Fugaku's face without hesitation.
Facing the rapidly approaching sharp point, Fugaku remained unperturbed. A split second before the Kunai pierced his face, he slightly tilted his head, easily dodging the attack.
His left arm, which had been crossed over his chest, suddenly shot out, and in the next instant, it had firmly locked onto Chishimo's neck.
"Bang."
Chishimo's body immediately dissolved into a puff of smoke, vanishing from his original position.
Hiding in the trees, Chishimo saw that his clone was no match for Fugaku in a single exchange. His understanding of Fugaku's strength deepened, and without hesitation, he immediately released the Ninjutsu he had prepared earlier.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."
Flames spat from Chishimo's mouth, scattering in all directions like the seeds of a phoenix flower that burst forth upon contact, flying towards Fugaku from different angles.
"He really does have some tricks!"
Fugaku's gaze towards Chishimo grew more satisfied, but his hands did not stop moving. His fingers danced as he formed several hand seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."
A fireball large enough to engulf an entire house erupted from Fugaku's mouth. Compared to the Great Fireball Technique Chishimo had unleashed earlier, which was only a person's height, this was truly a world apart.
Each Phoenix Sage Fire was like a moth drawn to a flame, fearlessly crashing into the fireball and merging with it, then falling silent.
The fireball continued its advance towards Chishimo's location, but his figure was no longer there.
As soon as he had unleashed the Phoenix Sage Fire, Chishimo had already retreated back into the nearby forest.
He knew clearly that when it came to Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, even ten of him combined would be no match for Fugaku. Only in Taijutsu did he have a slight chance.
But this was a proper match, and there were no restrictions on Taijutsu, Genjutsu, or Ninjutsu. So, to get a chance at a Taijutsu battle, he had to carve out a path for himself.
Therefore, after his previous attack, Chishimo immediately retreated, not aiming to hit the opponent, but merely to attract his attention.
At this moment, Chishimo had already arrived beside a tree near Fugaku. While Fugaku's attention was still on the Great Fireball Technique, he once again closed in, holding his Kunai, and repeated his tactic, thrusting it towards Fugaku's face.
Fugaku turned around and saw the sharp point so close again, shaking his head slightly.
After all, he was just a five or six-year-old child, with little actual combat experience. His timing was quite good, but his other skills were still lacking.
Thinking this, Fugaku once again turned his head, intending to dodge Chishimo's Kunai again.
But this time, the outcome was different from before. At some unknown point, the tip of Chishimo's Kunai glowed with a faint blue light, and a layer of Chakra enveloped the surface of the Kunai, increasing both its length and width.
This was a Ninjutsu Chishimo had developed based on Asuma Sarutobi's Chakra Blades from the original work. He attached his Wind Release Chakra to the blade of his weapon with superb control, which not only increased his attack range but also enhanced the weapon's sharpness.
Fugaku's dodge this time failed to completely evade the Kunai's cut. At the critical moment, Fugaku displayed astonishing reflexes. A cold glint flashed from his hand, and a Kunai, at the last possible second, blocked the path of Chishimo's Chakra Kunai. But even so, the sharp Chakra Kunai left a tiny, almost negligible, scratch on Fugaku's face.
Fugaku also used Chishimo's momentum to quickly retreat, once again widening the distance between himself and Chishimo.
But Chishimo, having just gained an advantage, would not miss such a prime opportunity. He immediately followed closely, once again engaging Fugaku in close-quarters combat.
Fugaku also stopped using Ninjutsu, and the two of them, by unspoken agreement, engaged in a Taijutsu confrontation.
The more they clashed, the more shocked Fugaku became. Although Chishimo's combat techniques seemed very green, the force Chishimo unleashed gave him the illusion of facing someone his own age! Coupled with the enhancement of the Chakra Blade, Fugaku was temporarily unable to defeat Chishimo.
Strength comparable to an adult Ninja? What does that even mean? How did this kid train? How is he so abnormal?
On the other side, Chishimo's heart was also very heavy. He had originally thought that after two years of training, even if he couldn't defeat Fugaku in Taijutsu, he wouldn't suffer too great a loss.
But every time he blocked Fugaku's attack, the next attack would come from an angle that even his Sharingan couldn't clearly capture, giving him a headache. Although he could still barely defend for now, if it continued for long, defeat would probably only be a matter of time.