The sunlight in Konoha Village shone everywhere as usual, illuminating the streets and alleys brightly and warmly.
Uchiha Kaede woke up early, and after leaving the clan compound, he lay on the ground searching for small animals.
After the moth yesterday, he tried several other objects, but none of them reacted.
He recalled that he seemed to have absorbed the moth's blood, leading him to guess that it required a living creature.
Before long, he found a few bugs and placed them directly in his palm.
After watching for a while and seeing no reaction, he squeezed them to death.
This time, there was indeed a reaction. As a warm current flowed throughout his body, he knew he hadn't been wrong—the cheat system had truly arrived!
Kaede couldn't help but feel excited; he had finally found a way to grow quickly.
However, the bugs provided too little improvement. He wondered if it would work on people.
With that thought, he walked toward the Training Ground.
Many Uchiha Clan members had already gathered at the Training Ground, each focused on their own cultivation. The glow of various Ninjutsu and the sounds of Hand Seals intertwined, creating a lively yet competitive atmosphere.
Kaede found a relatively secluded corner and began to practice Fire Release Ninjutsu calmly.
"Hmph, the power is still lacking a bit." Kaede frowned as he looked at the Fire Release he unleashed, thinking to himself.
Just as he was intensely focused on repeatedly adjusting the Hand Seals and Chakra output for the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, trying to further enhance its power, a sudden commotion erupted at the entrance of the Training Ground.
Kaede subconsciously looked up and saw a blond boy rushing in excitedly, his boisterous manner seemingly filled with endless vitality. Following behind him was a black-haired boy with a stern expression and eyes that conveyed a sense of aloofness, keeping everyone at a distance.
Uchiha Kaede instantly recognized the two: the blond boy was Uzumaki Naruto, and the black-haired boy was Uchiha Sasuke.
His heart skipped a beat, knowing that these two were the Destined Protagonists of the original work's plot. But why would Naruto come here with Sasuke?
Wait, Naruto and the others are only six or seven years old, right? How could he run over here?
However, not everyone knows he is a Jinchuriki. The matter of the Jinchuriki should only be known to the high-ranking officials of the various Ninja Villages.
In Konoha, ordinary Ninja and civilians only know him as the incarnation of the Demon Fox.
Uchiha Kaede had no intention of interacting much with them. He knew well that Naruto was being followed by a group of Anbu.
At this moment, his mind was entirely focused on how to improve his strength, and most crucially—how to successfully evade the impending Night of the Clan Massacre.
In his view, his primary goal was to ensure his survival during this Clan Catastrophe, rather than getting involved in entanglements unrelated to his life-saving plan.
As soon as Naruto entered the Training Ground, he was like an energetic little monkey, running back and forth between the various training areas, continuously muttering, "Wow, that Ninjutsu is so amazing! Huh, that Taijutsu move is really cool too!"
His eyes were full of curiosity and excitement, showing great interest in all the novel Ninjutsu and training scenes around him.
Sasuke, on the other hand, started his training with an indifferent expression, his eyes subtly carrying a hint of disdain, as if he didn't pay much attention to the training scenes of the people around him.
"Hey, Sasuke, look at that guy's Fire Release Ninjutsu; it looks pretty powerful!" Naruto excitedly pointed to someone performing Fire Release and said to Sasuke.
"Hmph, it's just basic Fire Release; nothing impressive," Sasuke snorted coldly. "You, stay away from me."
Uchiha Kaede listened quietly to their conversation from the side, sighing inwardly.
The personalities of these two really were exactly as described in the original work: one fiery and passionate, the other cold as ice.
In the plot of the original work, after the Uchiha Clan was annihilated, Sasuke embarked on a difficult Path of Revenge, while Naruto remained steadfast in his desire to bring Sasuke back to Konoha.
Konoha would actually let him enter the Uchiha compound? That's impossible, right? But then again, it has nothing to do with him.
"To avoid the Night of the Clan Massacre, I must first figure out the specific plan of Konoha High-Ranking Officials. Otherwise, I won't even know when the destruction will happen." Uchiha Kaede pondered silently, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Perhaps I can judge based on Shisui's situation. I remember the clan destruction happens about a year after his death." Uchiha Kaede continued practicing the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique while repeatedly weighing all possible methods in his mind.
Just as Uchiha Kaede was deep in thought, Naruto suddenly ran toward him excitedly, as if he had discovered a New Continent.
"Hey, hello! Your Fire Release Ninjutsu looks pretty good too! My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and we can practice together sometime!" Naruto said enthusiastically to Uchiha Kaede, his bright smile seemingly capable of dispelling all gloom.
Uchiha Kaede was slightly stunned. He truly hadn't expected Naruto to actively run over and greet him.
Practice together? What a joke! Whether you can even come in next time is questionable. Once Shisui dies, the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha will drop to freezing point, and a Jinchuriki won't be allowed here again.
Even now, the number of Anbu is likely much higher than usual.
However, he quickly regained his composure, his face slightly cold, and replied, "Hello, I prefer to train alone. Thank you for the offer."
"Ah, I see. Well, okay then, maybe next time!" Naruto scratched his head. He wasn't disappointed by Uchiha Kaede's refusal and ran off still grinning.
Suddenly, because Naruto was running too happily, he stepped on a rock and fell down.
Kaede's eyes flashed. He quickly went up and helped him stand, and seeing a scratch on his cheek, he used his hand to wipe it.
Sasuke watched this scene from the side, frowning slightly. Seeing that Naruto was still smiling happily, he shook his head, thinking: a Dead-Last is a Dead-Last.
Uchiha Kaede watched Naruto's retreating figure, his heart surging. He clenched the smear of blood in his hand, and that feeling returned: a pure energy spread throughout his entire body.
Kaede trembled all over. He felt his Chakra increase significantly instantly. It really was possible to absorb people.
What is this? Absorbed Chakra? Just two drops of blood allowed me to improve this much?! Kaede exclaimed inwardly. As expected of the Crown Prince of the original work!
So, his ability is to absorb the blood of others? To gain energy from blood?
Kaede pondered silently. When he absorbed small animals, there was no Chakra, but there was still a warm current, which must have been stamina or something similar.