CHAPTER 107

"Sun Slash, Uchiha Kiyo is too arrogant.

He is simply lawless.

It's only been a short few years, and he has become this reckless. If this continues, he'll become uncontrollable.

In my opinion, you were right from the beginning. The Uchiha clan is simply unreliable. What hope can we place in them?"

Danzo's voice was cold as he laid down accusations, his tone filled with disdain as he skillfully roped the entire Uchiha clan into his argument.

If Uchiha Kiyo had been present, he would have definitely cursed at Danzo for his shamelessness.

Was this what they called the power of pillow talk?

The Third Hokage frowned deeply, letting out a slow exhale.

"Hiruzen, I think you've been too soft on this matter. How can you still hesitate without any concrete evidence? His reaction just now—"

"Enough!"

Hiruzen's voice was firm, cutting through Danzo's words like a blade.

"Danzo, let this matter rest. Go back and focus on your recovery. Also, there is obviously a management issue within Root. If you have time to dwell on such matters, you should use it to ensure Root is properly managed."

"Hiruzen, Uchiha Kiyo has already threatened Konoha's interests. He must be dealt with. How can you be so blind to—"

"Enough, Danzo! I am the Hokage!"

The room fell into a heavy silence. Sarutobi's tone left no room for argument, his sharp gaze piercing through his old friend.

Danzo clenched his teeth but did not retort. He was furious, but even he knew when to back down. He turned on his heel, storming out of the Hokage's office.

Originally, he had intended to leave with an air of authority, a show of his lingering presence, but the reality was far from it. His right arm, severed and gone, left him with no sleeve to flick dramatically, making his attempt at theatrics utterly laughable.

The humiliation only stoked the fire of his fury.

Uchiha Kiyo.

Just you wait.

Danzo's mind was already spinning with plots. He had suffered a great loss at the hands of Uchiha Kiyo, and he refused to let it go. His suspicion still remained—how could a mere Uchiha have a chakra signature so similar to that of the attacker who had decimated Root's base?

To Danzo, Uchiha Kiyo was nothing more than a threat to Konoha. A threat that needed to be removed.

Leaving the Hokage's office in frustration, Danzo's thoughts churned. Even if the Third Hokage was starting to distance himself from him, he would deal with Uchiha Kiyo one way or another.

---

After departing from the Hokage building, Uchiha Kiyo had no interest in returning to his training. Instead, he stopped by a florist and bought a bouquet of flowers before heading to the Konoha Cemetery.

He found Nawaki Senju's grave, cleared away the dust, and gently placed the flowers on the marker.

For over two hours, Uchiha Kiyo sat there in silent contemplation.

He thought about his plans, his future. He wondered if he would ever get another chance to return here, to pay his respects properly.

When he finally arrived home in the evening, Uchiha Kiyo didn't immediately go back to his research. Instead, he decided to rest early.

---

The next morning, Uchiha Kiyo woke up feeling refreshed, his mind and body lighter than they had been in months.

Back at the Ninth Training Ground, he wasted no time activating the strongest version of his Gravity Barrier and dove into his physical training.

Before heading to the frontlines, he had managed to improve his Gravity Barrier to version 3.0, allowing him to train under seven times the normal gravity. He had estimated that it would take three years before his body could endure this level, but due to the benefits of war-time experience and continuous growth, he had already adapted in just two years.

For now, it would have to be enough. Upgrading the technique would take time—time he did not have at the moment.

For the time being, he decided to make do. If necessary, he could stack other techniques to push himself beyond seven times gravity.

His current training regimen was simple but intense. He alternated his bodybuilding exercises every three hours: one hour today, three hours tomorrow, in an ongoing cycle.

Despite the strain, this was his most relaxing time of the day. The repetitive movements of the bodybuilding technique allowed his body to function on instinct, freeing his mind for contemplation.

Thanks to his proper rest, Uchiha Kiyo felt completely reinvigorated, and as he moved through the motions of his training, something within him shifted.

A subtle but significant realization struck him. His movements began to change ever so slightly—becoming more fluid, more natural. It was as if his body instinctively sought the most efficient patterns, adjusting itself without his conscious effort.

The changes continued, each repetition refining his technique. The strengthening effects became more pronounced, his body adapting rapidly to the strain.

He lost himself in training for over two hours, completely absorbed in the process.

Then, suddenly—

A sharp, instinctual alarm rang through his mind.

Without hesitation, Uchiha Kiyo snapped his head to the side.

"Who's there!?"

A masked figure emerged from the shadows, revealing the distinct attire of an Anbu operative.

Uchiha Kiyo's good mood vanished instantly.

He could sense another presence behind him.

Two of them.

One from Anbu, and the other… Root.

His gaze darkened.

Without hesitation, he executed a seamless combination of the Body Flicker Technique and his maximum-powered Push Technique. In an instant, he closed the distance between himself and the Root ninja.

In a flash, he was upon him.

A kunai appeared in his hand.

A swift, decisive strike.

The Root ninja barely had time to react before his world turned to darkness.

Blood sprayed.

Uchiha Kiyo stood over the body, his kunai dripping red.

The Anbu operative, wearing a cat-faced mask, froze. His forehead was slick with cold sweat.

He had just witnessed a fellow ninja—one of Danzo's subordinates—cut down right in front of him.

The speed. The precision.

If Uchiha Kiyo had chosen to attack him instead, would he still be standing?

For a moment, the cat-faced Anbu wondered if he would have died in that instant.

His heart pounded. The implications were dire. He had to report this to the Hokage immediately.

Uchiha Kiyo, on the other hand, remained indifferent. He didn't even glance back as the Anbu silently retrieved the corpse.

What was there to see?

The deed was done. If the Third Hokage was truly wise, he would understand that sending a Root ninja to spy on him in broad daylight was a provocation. A foolish one.

"Danzo, you really don't learn, do you?"

With the matter out of his hands, Uchiha Kiyo pushed it from his mind and refocused on his training.

---

Two days later, Uchiha Kiyo was at the Ninth Training Ground when two familiar figures approached—Uchiha Fugaku and Namikaze Minato.

"Kiyo," Fugaku greeted. "I heard what happened."

Minato nodded. "We came to check on you."

Uchiha Kiyo waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing. Just some idiot spy from an outer village pretending to be Anbu. I noticed and dealt with him accordingly."

Fugaku and Minato exchanged looks. They both knew exactly what had happened.

Danzo had sent a Root operative, and Kiyo had killed him on the spot.

Yet, Kiyo looked completely unbothered, as if it had been an average day.

After an awkward silence, Uchiha Kiyo stretched.

"Well, since you guys are here, how about a spar? You two don't mind, right?"

Fugaku and Minato smirked. They had seen his strength firsthand, and while they knew they might not win, they couldn't back down from such a challenge.

"Fine," Fugaku said. "But don't think it'll be easy."

Minato grinned, already shifting into a ready stance.

The air was thick with anticipation. The training ground, moments ago a place of peace, was about to be filled with the sound of battle.

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