Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

Credits: Sai Manoj Nelavalli

Chunin Exams.

"Kakashi is about to enter!"

"The Konoha's new generation most talented ninja. Graduating from the Ninja Academy at five, becoming a Chunin at six—that white-haired kid! I heard he's only seven this year!"

As Hatake Kakashi stepped into the center of the arena, the Chunin exam venue erupted to its peak. Excited cheers filled the air, while in the shadows, ninjas from other nations solemnly gathered intelligence.

"It's just the Chunin rank! If the old man hadn't stopped me from taking the graduation exam, I'd have been a Genin long ago!"

In the crowd, a child with a mature demeanor glared enviously at Kakashi, who had become the center of attention in the arena.

This boy was none other than Sarutobi Asuma. Watching his classmate Kakashi shine so brightly while he was still stuck in the Ninja Academy filled him with resentment.

"Asuma, when do you think Kakashi will become a Jonin?"

"Kakashi, go for it!"

On a row of seats, several classmates cheered excitedly, pumping their fists in encouragement. Asuma clicked his tongue in irritation, blaming his father for meddling and preventing him from graduating.

"Dammit! My skills are more than enough to become a Genin!"

Though Asuma reflected honestly, he knew deep down that compared to Kakashi, he might fall short. But becoming a Genin was well within his abilities.

Unbeknownst to Asuma, a middle-aged man stood behind him, a gleam of crimson light flashing behind his sunglasses. A faint smile curled on the man's lips.

"Have you heard? The Third Hokage of the Konoha is said to be the strongest Hokage in history!"

"What an exaggeration. I don't know about that, but I do know that back during the Land of Lightning incident, this Anbu Guard abandoned the Second Hokage."

"That's nothing. Lately in the Konoha, you hear gossip about how the Third took power by relying on clans like the Senju and the Hyuga, and now he's turning on them..."

Hearing these criticisms, Asuma's face turned red with anger. While he felt free to criticize his father, to hear outsiders slander him was intolerable.

"Shut up!"

Asuma whipped around and shouted angrily, startling the surrounding crowd. They looked in fear at the fierce child, especially noticing the ninja tools strapped to his waist.

In the ninja world, children were not to be underestimated.

"Asuma!"

His classmates were shocked and tried to calm him down, but Asuma, in the throes of rebellion, let out a cold snort and stormed off.

As the minor commotion ended, no one noticed the faint flash of crimson in the shadows, nor did anyone realize that the earlier conversation planted a seed in the hearts of these young individuals.

Amidst the crowd, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Shizune, Hayate Gekko, Genma Shiranui, Obito Uchiha, and Anko Mitarashi were too engrossed in watching the Chunin matches to think much of it.

However, as Asuma left the venue, a shadowy figure appeared in secret. It was none other than a clone of Shirou.

Standing silently, Shirou glanced at the group of young ninjas in the arena, a faint smile forming on his lips.

"Old Sarutobi, this is just giving you a taste of your own medicine. I learned this from you, after all."

Knowing how this group of old fogeys would later deal with the Uchiha clan, just as they had manipulated him and Fugaku before, Shirou couldn't help but smirk. If there was one thing he excelled at, it was holding grudges.

"My greatest advantage is knowing the future. I know these kids have the potential to become great Jonin! And I also know how rebellious your youngest son will become!"

With a cold chuckle, Shirou turned and walked away. Using the Transformation Jutsu, he had already disguised himself as an ordinary Konoha ninja, leaving no trace behind. However, in the massive Chunin exam arena, one person noticed something unusual.

Kushina 's sharp eyes flickered with surprise. She was too familiar with Shirou's chakra. Though puzzled, she soon smiled, choosing to trust Shirou. She discreetly used her sensory ninjutsu to disrupt anyone else who might interfere with him.

...

Outside the Chunin venue, the forest echoed with the distant noise of the crowd. Alone, Asuma pounded his fist against a tree, his face filled with frustration.

"Damn you, old man! Why won't you let me graduate? I already have the strength to be a Genin!"

Suddenly, faint voices of conversation reached him, snapping him out of his anger. He quickly hid in the bushes, peering out to see two masked ninjas from another country walking by.

"The Konoha is strong, sure, but with the Third Hokage in charge, we don't need to worry about them."

"That may be true, but the White Fang and the Sannin are incredibly powerful!"

The ninja with the Iwa headband scoffed.

 "Powerful, yes. But the most dangerous one is still this Third Hokage. Just wait and see—soon enough, both the White Fang and the Sannin will face trouble."

"That can't be!" his companion exclaimed in surprise. The Iwa ninja chuckled coldly.

"Take a good look at the intel we've gathered. When the Konoha was founded, the Senju and Uchiha clans were marginalized. Even the Hyuga clan faces the same. Naturally, if these clans grow too strong and threaten the Hokage's authority, they'll be dealt with. That's how all the villages operate. But look at the Third Hokage. The Sarutobi clan seems unremarkable on the surface, but they've secretly infiltrated every department of the Konoha."

The Iwa ninja's smirk deepened.

 "Preaching one thing and doing another. The Sarutobi clan is nothing but parasites, sucking the Konoha dry. Just wait and see. I'd bet that even at nearly fifty years old, that old man won't give up his power."

"Other villages might not have suitable replacements, but that old man? He pretends to act for the village's sake, but deep down, he's selfish. He's letting the Sarutobi clan grow fat on the Konoha's resources. He'll never step down willingly. Just watch—White Fang won't have a good ending, and neither will the Sannin."

As their voices faded into the distance, Asuma remained hidden, seething with rage. Yet, beyond his anger, a small seed of doubt took root in his heart.

"No! That can't be true about Father and the clan!"

Asuma's eyes flickered with unease. He began recalling things he had never paid attention to before. For example, his father often criticized the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans for ignoring village regulations. During clan meetings, many members of the Sarutobi clan would report on the inner workings of the village.

Wasn't that proof that the Sarutobi clan held key positions across the village?

"No! Impossible!"

Emerging from the bushes, Asuma shook his head, trying to dismiss the thoughts. He didn't notice the faint red gleam in his eyes that disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

After Asuma left the forest, a figure emerged on a nearby tree trunk.

It was Shirou, a with smile on his lips.

"Everyone talks about the Sharingan's ability to observe, copy, and use genjutsu. But they forget its most terrifying power—hypnosis."

The Sharingan's hypnotic ability wasn't particularly useful against powerful ninjas but for Academy students? It was child's play.

"The chakra used for hypnosis is so faint that it disperses almost instantly. No one will be able to detect it, no matter how skilled they are."

Shirou smirked as he reflected on the seeds of doubt he had planted, even in future prominent ninjas.

"The seeds have been sown. Now, we wait to see if they sprout."

He narrowed his eyes. This ability, while powerful, relied on certain events to unfold for the seeds to grow. And Shirou knew those events would come to pass, turning these seeds into towering trees of doubt and division.

Turning his head to look at the Hokage Rock bathed in sunlight, he couldn't help but smile. Slowly extending his hand, it was as if he was grasping the Hokage Rock in his palm.

"Hokage! It's time for the Uchiha to take their turn!"

With a loud bang, a puff of white smoke dispersed. The forest seemed as though no one had ever been there, and even the two Iwa shinobi in the distance had vanished without a trace.

...

The lively Chunin Exams had come to an end. Under the glow of the Konoha sunset, Kakashi Hatake still carried his usual lifeless demeanor.

"Hey, hey, Kakashi, care to share how it feels to bully Genin?"

On the way back, under Kushina's teasing smile, Kakashi shivered. He didn't care much about others' opinions, but when it came to this fiery red-haired jōnin, he immediately straightened up and respectfully replied:

"Kushina-sensei, there's no such thing as bullying. They're all older than me, and in the shinobi world, age doesn't matter."

Shirou, standing to the side, couldn't help but laugh and wave his hand dismissively:

"Kushina, look at how you've scared Kakashi."

With a proud stance and hands on her hips, Kushina looked every bit like the mischievous little demon she was, and even Kakashi tried to avoid her whenever possible.

"Shirou-sensei."

When facing Shirou, Kakashi showed even more respect. This was someone his father often praised as a genius ninja.

It was even said that, if not for the Uchiha surname, he might have already been the Fourth Hokage by now.

"Alright, Kakashi. Your father is away on a mission. As for this A-rank jutsu, Chidori, your chakra is sufficient, but my requirements remain unchanged. Only when your neural response time and dynamic vision meet the standard. I will teach you."

Kakashi addressed both Kushina and Shirou as "sensei" because he had formally apprenticed under them.

One reason was the influence of the Senju and Uchiha clans, and the other was their identities. Sakumo Hatake wasn't foolish—he knew this was a good thing and happily encouraged Kakashi to take them as teachers. The official explanation was simple: Shirou had perfected an incomplete technique taught by White Fang, and having Kakashi apprentice under him would ensure that the technique could be passed down in the future.

"Neural response time and dynamic vision need to meet the standard!"

The genius Kakashi, upon hearing this requirement, visibly showed a trace of fear in his eyes. He swallowed nervously and said:

"Shirou-sensei, I'll do my best!"

Seeing Kakashi so flustered, Shirou burst into hearty laughter and ruffled Kakashi's silver hair.

Knowing the potential of certain shinobi in the future, how could he not take the initiative to recruit them? If he didn't, he'd be out of his mind.

"Don't worry, tomorrow I'll introduce you to a companion from the Uchiha clan. Although younger than you, he's also a genius."

With a broad smile on his face, Shirou seemed to have the future firmly within his grasp. All he had to do was wait for these future stars to grow, and then, with a single call to arms, they would become his strength.

As for Uchiha Obito, Shirou didn't even consider him. Someone like that, naturally cold-hearted and focused solely on women, was worthless to the clan.

And let's not forget, that Obito was Madara's pawn. If Shirou couldn't find a suitable candidate to counter him, he'd be in real danger.

He didn't want to create unnecessary trouble for himself. Besides, Obito was already part of his plan. If even Madara could be turned into a tool for his benefit, then a mere Obito was nothing to worry about.

...

Senju Clan

"Tsunade, Orochimaru's always nowhere to be found, and you're just as elusive. It's really hard to see you these days."

Jiraiya laughed heartily, holding a bottle of sake in his hand. Beside him, Minato Namikaze followed respectfully, carrying a gift as well.

Although Tsunade's appearance hadn't changed, her demeanor now carried a cold arrogance that warned others to keep their distance. She also exuded a regal aura, a result of her role as the de facto leader of the Senju clan.

After taking on the responsibilities of the Senju, Tsunade's status had risen to that of a clan head. This growing sense of authority even left someone as familiar as Jiraiya feeling both surprised and uneasy, as if the distance between them had grown wider.

"Jiraiya, you're back from the Land of Rain?"

As Jiraiya and Minato entered the house, Tsunade's tone hadn't changed, but the noble and imposing aura she exuded while seated made Jiraiya scratch his head in awkwardness.

"Haha, it's been two years, so of course I had to come back. But Tsunade, you've changed. Sitting here with you now feels like I'm facing that old man's pressure."

Jiraiya tried to ease the atmosphere with a joking tone, but Tsunade scoffed and retorted:

"I can't help it. The entire Senju clan is on my shoulders now. Besides, that old man thinks the Senju are obstacles to Konoha's development."

Tsunade's sharp words made Jiraiya choke on his tea and cough violently, his face turning red.

"Tsunade! Your sharp tongue has gotten even worse. If the old man heard what you said, he'd probably die of anger!"

Jiraiya shook his head helplessly. Meanwhile, Minato stood awkwardly to the side, realizing that the camaraderie between the three Sannins wasn't as harmonious as he'd imagined. Could their mission succeed under these circumstances?

Tsunade glanced at the gifts Jiraiya and Minato had brought, then rubbed her temples and shook her head tiredly:

"Jiraiya, just tell me what you want. You should know how busy Orochimaru and I are."

Tsunade's fatigued appearance was genuine. She had been researching Wood Release for over two years while also conducting her secret experiments. This double burden, combined with maintaining her training, left her exhausted, even with the Senju clan's strong constitution.

Seeing Tsunade's straightforward attitude, Jiraiya scratched his head awkwardly. It was clear he had come with a request, and the gifts he brought made his intentions obvious.

Tsunade wasn't foolish. Though she told him to speak directly, she had already guessed the reason. Her gaze shifted to the equally awkward Minato.

Is it for this disciple of yours?