Chapter 235 — Uchiha Yota's Ambition
After two leisurely days in the Land of Hot Springs, Fugaku and his entourage finally began their return journey.
They had been away from Konoha for nearly a week — long enough that it was time to head back.
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Konoha – Uchiha Clan Grounds, Training Field
On an empty training ground, a young boy stood alone, fingers weaving through hand seals at impressive speed.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Uchiha Yota shouted with all the enthusiasm he could muster, his face turning red from effort.
A second passed.
Then another.
Nothing. Not even a spark.
Yota stared blankly, then dropped to the ground with a groan of frustration.
He had been practicing this technique for three days straight. Three days — and not once had the jutsu activated.
Yet his hand seals were perfect.
His speed was good.
His transitions smooth.
In his previous life, he had loved mimicking Naruto characters and had spent years learning seal sequences from online videos. Hand seals were the least of his problems.
So where was the issue?
"Chakra… it has to be Chakra."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. If the seals weren't wrong, the only culprit was how he mobilized Chakra throughout his body. Something wasn't connecting.
But without a real ninja to guide him, he was stuck teaching himself — and clearly hitting walls.
"I need someone to teach me Ninjutsu," Yota muttered. "Otherwise I'll waste so much time."
His mind immediately flashed to that uncle — the one who had dragged him out of the Hokage Building three days ago.
He was a jōnin. More than qualified.
And Yota needed guidance.
He hopped to his feet and sprinted home.
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Uchiha Residence – Yota's Home
"Old woman!"
Yota called out as he burst through the door.
From the kitchen, Uchiha Yoko, already accustomed to her son's strange mannerisms since his "accident," only sighed softly. She didn't blame him — she firmly believed Lady Tsunade would eventually return and "fix" whatever was wrong with his head.
She poked her head out.
"What's wrong, Yota?"
"Old woman, where does that uncle live? The one who dragged me back last time."
"…Kunihiko?" Yoko blinked, surprised.
She didn't answer immediately. Her son's condition was unpredictable. The last thing she wanted was for Yota to cause trouble for a kind clan member.
"What do you need from him?"
"Why ask so many questions? Just tell me!"
Yoko hesitated… then relented and gave him Uchiha Kunihiko's address.
"Yota, you must not cause Uncle Kunihiko any trouble."
"Yes, yes. Don't follow me."
He waved her off and dashed out. Yoko watched him go, worry etched across her face, then quietly returned to her cooking.
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Searching for Kunihiko
Yota arrived at Kunihiko's home only to learn he wasn't there.
Disappointed, he turned back toward his own house.
But just as he reached the entrance of the Uchiha district, a luxurious carriage rolled past him.
That alone caught his eye — carriages of that quality were rare in the clan compound.
He glanced inside.
A blond child with bright blue eyes and soft whisker-like marks looked back at him.
Yota stopped dead in his tracks.
"That kid looked… familiar."
He replayed the face in his mind.
His body stiffened.
"Naruto?!"
Why was Naruto in a carriage inside the Uchiha Clan Land?
Then the thought struck him.
"Right… Fugaku-sama is Hokage now. It makes sense. The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki being supervised by the Uchiha clan is perfectly logical."
Especially since Fugaku had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. He had the ability to suppress the Nine-Tails if needed.
"Hold on… does that mean Fugaku-sama is also in that carriage?"
His enthusiasm reignited.
He needed a mentor to learn Ninjutsu properly. If he could get Itachi himself to teach him, why settle for old man Kunihiko?
The moment the carriage disappeared from sight, Yota took off running.
But it was long gone.
He didn't know where the Hokage lived either — the Uchiha Clan had moved after Fugaku's inauguration, and the original Yota had been in a coma during the relocation.
Still, this didn't stop him.
He asked around. Everyone in the clan knew where the Hokage's estate was located.
Soon, Yota stood before an enormous, elegant, newly constructed mansion — unmistakably the home of the clan head, and now, the Hokage.
The same carriage was parked outside.
"So Naruto really is staying here. Then the kid beside him must've been… Sasuke?"
Yota circled the front gate nervously.
He had fully prepared himself on the way here, but standing before the Hokage's home in person was… intimidating.
He hesitated for a full ten minutes.
Then clenched his fists.
"A coward never gets what he wants! If I can earn Uchiha Fugaku-sama's trust, I can access better resources… more than a regular academy student ever could."
Becoming an ordinary genin was not his goal.
He wanted more.
He wanted to rise.
He wanted to change his fate.
With renewed determination, Uchiha Yota stepped toward the estate.
His ambition burned quietly in his chest.
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