Naruto: I Am Uchiha Sasuke!?

Hokage Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood in front of the window, gazing at the dark night outside.

"Hiashi, I did all this for Konoha. I hope you can understand."

His voice was heavy with the weight of responsibility. The village was in decline, and he knew it could no longer endure the hardships of war.

The door creaked open, and Shimura Danzō entered, his head partially wrapped in bandages. His single visible eye held a cold glint.

"Hiruzen, I've heard everything. So there's been movement in Kirigakure?"

He stepped forward, his voice laced with sarcasm. "How do you plan to handle this? Are you going to continue maintaining your so-called peace?"

Hiruzen snorted. "Hmph, Danzo, you certainly stay well-informed."

He sighed and continued, "Even if Kirigakure did orchestrate this, the Hyuga clan hasn't suffered any real losses. Breaking ties with them would be far too costly. I've suppressed the news and asked the Hyuga clan to step back. It's not so simple to deal with the Mist's Bloodline Purge."

Danzo narrowed his eye. "Hiruzen, as Hokage, you should make the Hyuga clan obey you. However, let me remind you—endless patience does not earn respect. It only makes others think you're weak."

His tone dropped into something more ominous. "Sometimes, avoiding war only invites it."

Hiruzen turned sharply. "That's enough, Danzo! I don't need you telling me how to govern!"

Danzo smirked coldly. "Yes… you are the Hokage."

Without another word, he turned and left, his footsteps echoing through the dimly lit office.

Meanwhile, in his home, Sasuke opened the thick envelope given to him by the Hyuga clan and counted the ryo inside.

"Tch, one million ryo!"

He smirked. The Hyuga clan truly was wealthy—one of Konoha's most powerful noble clans, and it showed in their generosity.

"If the Uchiha clan were still here, their wealth would surely be no less than this..."

For a brief moment, his expression darkened at the thought. But he quickly pushed the emotions aside.

Right now, his focus had to be on strengthening himself.

"I wonder how the Third Hokage will handle the Hyuga clan this time?"

He already had an idea—Sarutobi Hiruzen would likely downplay the incident and suppress any potential conflict. After all, there had been no real loss this time.

The Hokage and the village elders always spoke of righteousness, peace, and the greater good. From their moral high ground, they controlled Konoha's major clans and ninja forces.

Sasuke sighed. "Well, this has nothing to do with me."

At the moment, he was still just a small pawn in the grand scheme of things. There was no point concerning himself with Konoha's internal struggles.

Setting those thoughts aside, he picked up the "Uchiha Ninjutsu Encyclopedia" and immersed himself in training.

The next morning, Sasuke left home early and made his way to a secluded forest on the outskirts of Konoha to train.

The Ninja Academy's graduation exam was only two days away, and they had been given free training time to prepare.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

He formed a series of hand seals, and with a bang of smoke, another Sasuke appeared beside him.

The Shadow Clone Technique was a B-rank jutsu, typically requiring Jōnin-level chakra reserves to use effectively. Most Genin and Chūnin struggled to master it.

But for Sasuke, understanding ninjutsu came naturally. After a single night of practice, he had already grasped the fundamentals.

And then—

[Through diligent training, you have gained an epiphany!]

[You have comprehended the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique!]

Sasuke's eyes gleamed.

"Just as I thought, my ninjutsu has advanced again."

New insights into the Shadow Clone Technique flooded his mind, as if he had trained in it for decades rather than mere hours. It felt entirely natural to him now.

"Let's see how many clones I can create with my current chakra reserves."

With a surge of energy, he performed the jutsu again.

Bang!

Thick white smoke spread across the training ground, and ten identical Sasukes appeared around him.

He clicked his tongue. "Only ten? Compared to Naruto and the Uzumaki clan with their monstrous chakra reserves, I'm still lacking."

But he wasn't discouraged. As long as he continued refining his [Infinite Chakra Cultivation Method], his chakra reserves would rapidly increase.

For now, he dispelled all but one clone, keeping it as a sparring partner.

The forest became a battlefield.

Two figures darted between trees, their movements swift and precise. Shurikens flew through the air, slicing through the leaves and branches with sharp whistles.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Blades clashed midair, sparks flying as the metal met.

Sasuke wove through the chaos like a phantom, his footwork flawless. If any Chūnin or Jōnin had been watching, they would have been stunned by the sheer precision of his technique.

[Through extensive practice, you have reached a breakthrough in Shurikenjutsu!]

[You have comprehended the Perfect Shuriken Technique!]

At that moment, Sasuke's shurikens no longer flew in simple straight lines. They curved unpredictably, moving like living serpents with a will of their own.

"Sharingan, activate!"

His crimson eyes spun with two tomoe, tracking every movement. But even with his Sharingan, his body couldn't fully keep up.

Slash!

A shuriken slipped past his guard, cutting into his shoulder. Blood dripped onto the forest floor.

His clone took advantage of the opening, manipulating another shuriken mid-flight.

Sasuke barely had time to react before—

Bang!

The clone dispersed.

Panting slightly, Sasuke wiped the blood from his wound. "Damn… even if I can see the attacks, my body can't move fast enough to dodge them all."

His Sharingan, strengthened by the [Perfect Bloodline Purification Method], was already comparable to a fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan. Yet, his physical movements still lagged behind his visual perception.

"Looks like my taijutsu training isn't enough."

He thought of the Eight Inner Gates—a legendary taijutsu technique capable of drawing out unimaginable power.

When fully opened, it granted strength surpassing even the Hokage… but at the cost of one's life.

"Even Rock Lee, a taijutsu prodigy, can barely handle the Fourth and Fifth Gates without collapsing."

His eyes narrowed in thought.

"Perhaps… with my understanding, I can take the Eight Inner Gates as a foundation and create something even better. A superior taijutsu technique, without the fatal drawbacks."

The idea intrigued him. And as he clenched his fists, a new ambition ignited in his mind.

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