Even though he initially intended to lay low, Uchiha Kiyo knew that this war was an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss. The battlefield was dangerous, but it was also a crucible for growth.
With Nawaki Senju in their squad, missions assigned to Team Three weren't overly hazardous—at least, not on the surface. However, there was no telling what the upper echelons of Konoha had planned.
Danzo, ever the opportunist, was likely using this war to expand the influence of Root.
What role would he play in this war?
Uchiha Kiyo wasn't certain.
The original manga never clearly outlined Danzo's actions during the Second Ninja War, but the decline of the Senju clan offered a clue.
It was almost certain that Danzo had orchestrated something behind the scenes. The Senju's dwindling presence wasn't purely coincidental.
Considering his relationship with the Third Hokage, it was likely that even if Danzo had actively sabotaged the Senju, Hiruzen wouldn't have done much to stop him. After all, this was the same Hokage who had tolerated Danzo's assassination attempts on him.
---
A month had passed since the Land of Fire declared war on the Land of Rain.
As the front lines stabilized, more squads were gradually deployed. However, Team Three had yet to be assigned a battlefield position and remained in Konoha for additional training.
Under the pressure of impending war, training sessions became increasingly intense. The motivation among the squad was high, and the results were evident.
Nawaki Senju and Sarutobi Shuo had made significant progress. Naturally, Uchiha Kiyo didn't lag behind.
Unlike them, he had a more thorough understanding of the war's brutality. The conflict between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain was only the beginning.
Soon, the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth would join in.
At first, the three nations would coordinate to suppress the Land of Rain, but once Hanzo's forces were weakened, the true battle between the major villages would commence.
The Second Ninja War had the fewest high-level ninja casualties among all great conflicts.
Instead, the losses were concentrated among mid- and low-ranking shinobi.
The war saw an unprecedented number of battlefield traps.
Frequent encounters meant a constant influx of missions. Rest time was for survival, not for training. Shinobi were given just enough time to recover before being thrown back into the fray.
Understanding this reality, Uchiha Kiyo treasured his current period of uninterrupted training.
This was perhaps the last chance he would have for prolonged, focused development.
---
During the past month, Uchiha Kiyo had successfully improved his Gravity Barrier Technique, enhancing it to seven times normal gravity.
He hadn't yet reached his goal of tenfold gravity, but this was already an impressive milestone.
On the battlefield, extended breaks were rare.
His physical conditioning had to be maintained efficiently—enough to strengthen his body without depleting his energy reserves. There would be no room for overtraining.
A sevenfold gravity barrier was a solid foundation. Even if he couldn't fully adapt to it within three years, he could still use it to accelerate his physical development.
Aside from refining his gravity training, Uchiha Kiyo also studied Doton (Earth Release) techniques that Orochimaru had recently shared with him.
Although they were all C-rank jutsu, their versatility made them valuable assets in battle. Given the unpredictable nature of war, it was wise to prepare for various scenarios.
Additionally, Uchiha Kiyo had leveraged his standing in the Uchiha clan to acquire two Fire Release jutsu:
1. B-rank Great Dragon Fire Technique (Ryūen Hōka no Jutsu) – A stronger variant of the Dragon Fire Technique with greater range and power.
2. C-rank Fire Bullet Technique (Hibashira no Jutsu) – A technique with explosive properties, making it ideal for ambushes and close-quarters combat.
The Fire Bullet Technique was also a stepping stone for learning advanced techniques like Great Fire Bullet (Dai Endan) and Fire Dragon Bullet (Karyū Endan).
---
Beyond training, Uchiha Kiyo continued his research into chakra circulation patterns.
Over the past month, he had documented nearly 50 different micro-cycles within his chakra flow.
He wasn't developing original ninjutsu yet, but these discoveries would be useful in the future.
For now, it was more practical to master existing jutsu rather than invent new ones.
Once he reached or neared Kage-level, he would consider creating techniques tailored specifically to his abilities.
Until then, his priority was learning as many established jutsu as possible and expanding his chakra circulation knowledge.
---
The Danzo Incident
Not everything went smoothly during this training period.
Half a month ago, Danzo's Root operatives approached Uchiha Kiyo.
Under the guise of patriotism and sacrifice for Konoha, they tried to recruit him into their ranks.
Uchiha Kiyo flatly refused.
"Sorry, but I have no interest in joining a cult."
Danzo was predictably displeased.
Unable to accept the rejection, he resorted to force.
The very next day, two Root operatives attempted to abduct Uchiha Kiyo.
Big mistake.
Furious, Uchiha Kiyo didn't hesitate—he immediately reported the incident to Uchiha Suke, the clan leader.
Uchiha Suke was livid.
Danzo had crossed a line.
Kidnapping an Uchiha ninja in broad daylight? That was a direct provocation—an insult to the entire clan.
The Uchiha would not stand for this.
Without hesitation, Uchiha Suke formally accused Danzo before the Hokage.
Other clan heads soon joined in. Even the Sarutobi, Shimura, and Akimichi clans—usually aligned with the Hokage—supported Uchiha Suke.
The matter was too serious to ignore.
Even Hiruzen, Danzo's old friend, couldn't protect him completely this time.
Moreover, the Hyuga clan—another prominent dōjutsu bloodline—voiced their outrage as well.
They understood all too well what would happen if Danzo started targeting bloodline users.
Under immense pressure, the Third Hokage had no choice but to punish Danzo.
For the time being, Danzo was stripped of his authority over Root and placed under restrictions.
Of course, how long those restrictions would last was another matter. It could be a day, a week, or even months.
Still, this was a rare victory for the Uchiha.
As compensation, Danzo was forced to hand over a collection of Wind Release jutsu to the Uchiha clan.
The techniques weren't particularly special, but they expanded the clan's arsenal, which was useful for future generations.
Uchiha Kiyo received copies of these jutsu, but he chose not to practice them yet.
Wind Release would be valuable later, but for now, his focus remained on Fire and Earth techniques.
---
Deployment Order
Yesterday, Team Three finally received their deployment orders.
The time had come.
Tomorrow morning, they would depart for the battlefield alongside other squads.
Their final training session was today.
After this, everything would change.
Once they stepped onto the battlefield, there would be no turning back.
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