Following Danzō Shimura out of the Hokage's office, Aki was led to Training Ground No. 4. Danzō pulled out a signal flare and launched it into the sky.
"The shinobi signal flare," Danzō explained, "is a practical tool for gathering or retreating. In critical moments, it can also serve as a diversion to draw the enemy's attention, allowing your teammates to complete a mission or escape safely. My team members will arrive shortly, but before that, I want to test your strength myself. We have just accepted an A-rank mission, and I am concerned that your lack of experience might hinder us."
Danzō's words were blunt. Aki looked at him with equal seriousness. "I also wish to see how far I can go against a true shinobi."
Danzō nodded. "Then let us begin. Attack me with everything you have. Fight me with the intent to kill." He settled into a defensive stance, signaling Aki to take the initiative.
Immediately, Aki's eyes changed. His Two-Tomoe Sharingan manifested as his hands blurred through seals: Snake—Dragon—Rabbit—Tiger.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Jutsu!"
A swirling torrent of flame erupted from Aki's mouth, surging toward Danzō like a living dragon. Aki chose this as his opener because of its sheer speed and difficulty to dodge. With his six months of special training and his newly awakened Sharingan, he could track Danzō's every micro-movement. He didn't expect the dragon to land, but rather to force Danzō's hand—after all, the best defense is a relentless offense.
As expected, Danzō used a Body Flicker to vanish, reappearing to Aki's right. Aki instantly mirrored the move, appearing directly in front of Danzō. Before Danzō could react to the gap being closed, Aki wove a new set of signs at a distance of less than three meters.
"Fire Style: Hiding in Dust and Ashes!"
Several concentrated fireballs slammed into Danzō, swallowing him in an inferno. Aki didn't relax; he scanned his surroundings. Just before impact, Danzō had used a Substitution Jutsu to vanish into the dense treeline.
Danzō's voice echoed from the shadows. "Using the Fire Dragon to force movement, then utilizing the Sharingan's predictive power to close in for a point-blank blast... A fine tactic. You have the strength of a Genin; now let us see if you truly merit the rank of Chunin."
A barrage of wind blades suddenly whistled through the trees. Aki leaped into the air. These wind blades are too scattered to hit me. What is his goal? Wait—
Realization struck a second too late. Aki wove the sign for Substitution, but Danzō appeared mid-air, his leg slamming into Aki's abdomen. The substitution triggered, and Aki landed on the forest floor, clutching his stomach in pain. Looking up at the airborne Danzō, Aki narrowed his eyes. You can't dodge in mid-air.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Dance!"
Modified by the First Hokage's guidance, this was Aki's strongest technique. A gargantuan, serpentine dragon of fire roared upward, weaving through the air toward the falling Danzō.
Danzō's expression turned grave. He channeled his chakra: "Wind Style: Rising Dragon Tornado!" A massive gale swirled around him, tearing the fire dragon apart. As Danzō landed, Aki flickered to his side with a short blade.
Danzō parried the strike with a kunai, noting that Aki's small stature was a significant disadvantage in close-quarters combat. He launched a volley of shuriken, which Aki parried while retreating. My reach is too short, Aki thought. I have to try that.
Aki abandoned his blade and threw several shuriken of his own. Danzō laughed. "This won't work on me."
"Who said they were aimed at you?" Aki countered. The shuriken curved mid-air, looping around a massive tree and tightening a web of near-invisible steel wires around Danzō.
"Uchiha Style: Manipulated Shuriken Jutsu!"
Aki followed up instantly: "Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire!" Flames traveled down the steel wires, boxing Danzō in a cage of fire. Aki tightened his grip on the wires. "You're trapped."
Suddenly, a giant hand crashed down from the sky, slamming into the flaming wires. "Partial Multi-Size Jutsu!"
Danzō used the opening to flicker away. A large, robust shinobi—Torifu Akimichi—appeared beside him. "Danzō, is this the new mission? Why are you fighting a kid so seriously?"
Danzō introduced them. "This is Uchiha Aki, the fourth member of our squad. Lord Second personally assigned him. I was merely testing if he'd be a liability." He then turned to Aki. "Your manipulated shuriken technique is excellent. I acknowledge your strength."
Suddenly, another figure appeared, kneeling before Aki. "Greetings, Young Master. Kagami Uchiha, at your service."
Aki felt a wave of discomfort. He remembered his father mentioning that every future Uchiha head was assigned "Followers"—protectors bound by a seal of loyalty from birth. Kagami was one of them.
"Don't bring clan customs here," Aki said, helping Kagami up. "In this squad, we are fellow shinobi of the Leaf. That is all."
Danzō cut through the pleasantries. "We have an A-rank mission that is verging on S-rank. The Hidden Waterfall is stockpiling Military Rations Pills. We are to sell them a massive shipment at an inflated price to bleed their economy dry while bolstering our own. The catch? The transaction must remain anonymous. We cannot let the Waterfall or the Stone know Konoha is behind this trade."
Roles were assigned:
Aki: Disguised as the merchant's nephew for close protection.Torifu: Security for the cargo.Kagami & Danzō: Reconnaissance and rear-guard security.
"We gather at the village gate at 5:00 AM tomorrow," Danzō commanded. "Dismissed."
As the others left, Aki spoke with Kagami. He learned he had three other followers: Mine, Ame, and Chise, all of whom had awakened their Sharingan. Aki looked at Kagami, a silent vow forming in his mind. One day, I will release you from those seals.
Watching Aki walk away, Kagami thought, To follow such a genius... perhaps the clan elders were right. But that boy's eyes... they see far more than just the village.