T/n: Bonus Chapter For The First 100 Power Stone
"The age of the shinobi…"
"…has arrived?!"
Hearing Yuzuru Uchiha's words, the members of the Chinoike clan trembled with excitement.
Did this mean they no longer had to stay in this cursed place?
"My lord, my name is Miyagi Isamu. I haven't yet had the honor of learning your name…"
"Yuzuru Uchiha."
"Lord Yuzuru, we'll go pack our things now. Please let me know if you have any instructions."
Yuzuru waved his hand, signaling Miyagi Isamu to lead his people and get to work.
The Chinoike clan packed quickly; within two hours, everyone had gathered again.
In a place like Hell Valley, they didn't even have a few decent sets of clothes.
"Let's go."
Under Yuzuru Uchiha's lead, the Chinoike clan stepped out of Hell Valley for the first time.
Although the outside landscape wasn't all that different, many of the clan members were moved to tears.
The outside world—was so vast!
Compared to his clanmates, Miyagi Isamu was much calmer. Walking beside Yuzuru, he asked carefully, "Lord Yuzuru, what did you mean by what you said earlier?"
"Our clan has been away from the shinobi world for too long. Could I trouble you to tell me what's happened during this time?"
Yuzuru glanced at him and replied evenly, "After your imprisonment, not much changed in the shinobi world."
"Until a few decades ago, when the Uchiha and Senju clans joined forces to establish the one-nation, one-village system—ending the Warring States era once and for all."
He briefly recounted the major events, up to the moment he led the Uchiha to the Hidden Cloud Village and volunteered to release them.
By the end, Miyagi Isamu was completely stunned.
He had never imagined the outside world would produce such figures as Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju.
After a long silence, Miyagi Isamu bowed deeply. "Lord Yuzuru, you are the savior of the Chinoike clan. Whatever orders you give, we will follow without hesitation."
Yuzuru smiled lightly and waved his hand. "Your clan is too small now. You should focus on rebuilding your population."
"No matter what, increasing your numbers is what matters most."
Hearing that, Miyagi Isamu was even more moved.
The man before him was nothing like the cold, ruthless Uchiha his clan's tales had described.
No matter what, the Chinoike clan would never forget the debt they owed Yuzuru Uchiha for freeing them from Hell Valley.
——
——
Hidden Cloud Village.
The Cloud shinobi, having received advance notice, once again lined the streets.
As Yuzuru Uchiha led the Chinoike into the village, cheers erupted all around.
"So that's the Chinoike clan—they say their eyes possess power second only to the Sharingan!"
"This is amazing! Our village has gained another source of strength!"
"It's Lord Yuzuru again. I swear, how can someone be this strong and this handsome?!"
"Ever since Lord Yuzuru came to our village, our strength has been transforming every single day. We really struck gold."
"Once again—thank you, Konoha! Thank you, Hokage!"
For the Chinoike clan, this was their first time seeing so many outsiders.
They had been nervous at first, but the hearty laughter of the Cloud shinobi quickly put them at ease.
When they reached the prepared clan grounds, Yuzuru spoke: "Settle in first. If you need anything, find Fugaku Uchiha. He'll pass your requests to me."
With that, he turned and left.
Improving one's strength really wasn't easy.
But what could he do? He wasn't some child of destiny—he could only work hard and grind for every ounce of power.
——
——
As he walked down the road, a familiar voice echoed from a nearby training field.
Yuzuru turned his head to see Obito Uchiha sparring with Kakashi Hatake.
Obito lunged forward with a kunai, launching attack after attack, but Kakashi dodged each one with ease.
The intense offensive soon left Obito panting and slowing down.
Kakashi seized the opening, swept Obito's legs, and sent him sprawling to the ground.
In an instant, Kakashi's short blade was poised at Obito's neck.
"Damn it!"
Obito slammed a fist into the ground in frustration.
He'd lost—again.
At that moment, a hand reached out toward him. "You've improved a lot, but you're too impatient in battle."
Obito froze, then grabbed Kakashi's offered hand and stood up.
Adjusting his goggles, he shouted, "One day, I'll surpass you!"
Kakashi snorted softly. "I'm about to become a full-fledged ninja. I might not have time to train with you every day anymore."
"Huuuh?!"
Yuzuru, Obito, and Sakumo Hatake all turned toward him at once.
Yuzuru immediately placed a hand on Kakashi's head. "You're graduating early?"
Kakashi stepped back a few paces, frowning. "I think I've learned everything I can from the academy."
Yuzuru turned to Sakumo. "And you agreed to this?"
Sakumo nodded. "I respect Kakashi's decision."
"No. I disagree."
Yuzuru's words left Sakumo and Kakashi stunned.
Didn't agree?
What did he mean?
"Kakashi is still too young. Becoming a ninja too early will only hinder his future growth."
In Yuzuru's plan, Kakashi and Obito were supposed to graduate together.
So far, the two got along well.
With Rin Nohara gone, the bond between Kakashi and Obito needed to deepen even further.
Yuzuru knew clearly—unlike himself, other Uchiha needed strong emotional bonds if they were to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Hearing his words, Sakumo glanced at his son, hesitating.
In many matters, Yuzuru saw farther than he did.
So he had to consider Yuzuru's opinion carefully.
Kakashi stepped forward. "Senior Yuzuru, even if I'm young, I'm already stronger than many genin."
"I believe I am fully qualified to become a shinobi now."
At those words, Yuzuru's eyes flashed. He pulled a small bell from his waist and held it up. (T/N: I see… huh)
"If you can take this bell from me, I'll allow you to become a shinobi."