Chapter 5 : Mikoto Uchiha

"Well, I'll keep it in mind, Grandpa Shinji."

Uchiha Shin nodded solemnly.

Even without Uchiha Shinji's warning, he had already made preparations.

Shin could see the concerns in Elder Shinji's eyes. He was beginning to understand the darkness that lurked within the walls of Konoha.

"I am relieved by your words. I won't say more. Take these ninjutsu scrolls and put them away."

"If you ever need guidance from a senior in your training, you can request an instructor from the clan."

"Mikoto is waiting for you at home. Go and see her."

At the end, Uchiha Shinji offered a rare smile.

He had watched Uchiha Shin grow up and knew his character well. That was precisely why he had been subtly maneuvering behind the scenes to bring his granddaughter closer to Shin.

Mikoto's parents—his own son and daughter-in-law—had died on the battlefield. As an elder, Uchiha Shinji had to consider his granddaughter's future, and from the very beginning, the only candidate he deemed worthy of her was Shin.

Before, Shin's talent had been unremarkable, which caused him some concern. But now, witnessing the progress he had made, all of Shinji's worries were put to rest.

Hearing that Mikoto was waiting for him at home, Shin scratched his cheek with an awkward smile.

It was obvious that she was worried about him while he was away.

He nodded repeatedly before selecting a few ninjutsu scrolls, along with storage scrolls and the financial resources the clan would allocate to him later.

This time, he primarily chose Uchiha Kenjutsu, Shadow Clone Jutsu, Body Flicker Technique, Demonic Illusion: Hanging Bind, and a few C-rank Fire Release techniques.

The Uchiha clan was naturally attuned to Fire Release, while other elements were rarer.

Shin's plan was to first master the Shadow Clone Jutsu, using clones to speed up his training.

For now, his primary goal was refining his chakra control and developing his newly awakened Magnet Release.

As he walked home, Shin mentally listed the things he needed to procure: kunai, shuriken, explosive tags—he needed to stock up on all of them.

Once he mastered Fire Release, he could experiment with crafting high-grade explosive tags. And with his Magnet Release, he might even be able to develop a technique akin to a guided missile.

On top of that, he needed to put the Chidori and Rasengan on his training schedule.

It was going to be a busy time.

Thinking of all this, Shin lifted his gaze and saw his home come into view.

The large estate had been left behind by his parents. It was said that they had died on the battlefield.

He was only two or three years old at the time and had few memories of them.

Normally, the house was silent. But today, the scent of food lingered in the air.

Recalling what Elder Shinji had told him, Shin quickened his pace.

"I'm back."

The moment he stepped inside, he called out habitually.

"Welcome home, Shin-kun."

A clear, feminine voice—laced with surprise—echoed from the inner room.

A moment later, a girl about a head shorter than him emerged.

Her jet-black hair, as soft as silk, framed her delicate face. Her large, dark eyes gleamed with warmth. She had smooth, fair skin, and if one got close, they'd catch a faint, pleasant scent.

She was petite and beautiful, wearing an apron that accentuated a subtle domestic charm.

"Shin-kun, you disappeared all day! I was really worried. Did Inahori and the others do something to you? If they did, I won't forgive them."

Mikoto stepped closer, scanning him for any injuries before letting out a relieved sigh.

At the end of her sentence, she spoke with a hint of anger.

Recently, she had learned that Uchiha Inahori and his group had been bullying Shin.

Seeing how protective she was of him, Shin only smiled and gently ruffled her hair.

"Don't worry. I'm fine.

Men should solve their own problems. I'd rather protect my woman than have her protect me."

Shin whispered in a soft, teasing tone beside Mikoto's ear.

Faced with his straightforward words and the serious look in his eyes, Mikoto froze. A shy blush crept up her cheeks, and she quickly averted her gaze.

Girls in this world matured early, and Mikoto, at ten years old, understood the implications of Shin's words.

But even so, such an open confession caught her off guard. It was too much to process at once.

Seeing her bashful reaction, Shin couldn't help but smile.

Right now, Mikoto looked just like an adorable kitten—one that made people want to tease and spoil her.

Since Mikoto wasn't raising her head anytime soon, Shin took the initiative to change the subject.

"I'm starving. Mikoto, I smelled something amazing when I walked in. What did you cook?"

"Ah! It's potato stew and seafood soup! I-I'll go serve it now!"

Using the opportunity to escape, Mikoto hurriedly rushed into the kitchen.

Chuckling, Shin walked into the inner room and sat down, waiting for her.

In the meantime, he took out a storage scroll and retrieved the ninjutsu scrolls inside.

With just a glance, he memorized their contents.

"Ever since I awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, my memory and learning ability have improved drastically."

Controlling his chakra flow, Shin formed the Ram Seal.

With a puff, a shadow clone appeared beside him.

"A quarter of my chakra was consumed… With proper control, I can create one more without completely draining myself."

His fine chakra control allowed him to minimize waste, which was why he could create multiple clones.

If an ordinary Genin tried to use the Shadow Clone Jutsu, they'd likely exhaust themselves in a single attempt.

With that, Shin created a second shadow clone and sent them to train ninjutsu in the backyard.

Just then, Mikoto returned, carrying a pot of stew.

She paused at the sight before her.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu? Shin-kun, you actually learned it?"

Her tone was filled with surprise. She recognized this jutsu, but she never expected Shin to use it so effortlessly.

In her understanding, he shouldn't have had access to such a technique.

"I just applied for it at the Elders' Hall," Shin explained casually. "To be precise, I asked Grandpa Shinji."

He looked at her and smirked.

"Just now, he told me you were here. Also…"

He activated his Sharingan, the two tomoe in each eye spinning slightly.

"I awakened my eyes."

By revealing it now, he could prevent her from worrying unnecessarily.

Mikoto's breath hitched as she stared at him.

She understood what this meant.

Uchiha Shin… was no longer the weakling the clan once looked down upon.

The real battle was only beginning.