The three Uchiha, battered and desperate, still refused to give in. They hurled shuriken and kunai in a flurry of steel from shaking hands.
Lucien's eyes gleamed. "Uchiha's shuriken arts? Pathetic. You haven't even practiced them properly. Allow me to return it—Baguazhang: Kaiten!"
He spun like a storm, chakra erupting from every pore. The whirlwind shield flared violently, scattering the incoming projectiles and slamming the attackers against the walls. The entire interrogation room shook as though a hurricane erupted inside.
Blood splattered from their lips as the three crashed to the ground, their injuries mounting.
"You… you can't kill us!" Kaku coughed, his face pale.
"Shigure, we're Uchiha! If you kill us, you'll regret it," Wei sputtered desperately.
"Yes, you're one of us after all," Feng begged, his arrogance burned away. "We're brothers in the same clan… spare us!"
Lucien's Sharingan burned, his tone cold as ice. "Brothers? Were we brothers when you tried to butcher me in my sleep? No—this is repayment."
His hands blurred. Six soft fist strikes, silent but deadly, pierced their hearts with pinpoint precision. Their bodies crumpled instantly, lifeless.
In unflinching calm, Lucien hid the corpses, then transformed into the fallen Anbu's likeness. Passing effortlessly through the Konoha Guard station, he vanished into the darkness like a ghost.
Back at his ruined home, Lucien lay upon the burn-stained bedframe. The night weighed heavy. It was his first true kill—not just petty revenge now, but blood writing a new truth into the Uchiha clan. Sleep came restless, haunted by both triumph and unease.
The Hokage's Summons
The next morning, a heavy knocking rattled his door.
Bang, bang, bang!
"Who is it?" Lucien raised his guard instantly.
"Konoha Anbu. Orders from the Hokage. He commands your presence."
Lucien's gaze narrowed. The Hokage? Does he already know? No—if he wanted me gone, it wouldn't be this polite. He means to test me.
Strapping on his forehead protector, Lucien followed.
Soon he stepped into the Hokage's office. Sarutobi Hiruzen sat draped in his red robes and hat, a gravity to his features. Smoke curled from his pipe, clouding his weathered eyes. Three Anbu knelt in silence.
"Search again," Hiruzen ordered brusquely. The masked figures vanished at once.
"Leave us," he told the Anbu that had brought Lucien. Now only master and student remained.
"Shigure. How have you been?" the Hokage began, forcing a smile, though behind it, gravity lingered.
Lucien bowed. "Reporting, Lord Hokage. I have successfully graduated."
"Very good." A puff of smoke ebbed upward. "Hizashi has told me of your excellent performance. I already promised to take you as my disciple once you graduated, and a Hokage keeps his word. You are both my student—and still a Genin under Hizashi of Team 7."
Lucien inclined his head, confusion stirring. Even now, he says nothing of last night? Impossible. He must know… he's testing me.
Hiruzen reached into his drawer and retrieved a small slip of white paper.
Lucien's eyes widened. "A chakra test paper?"
"You know of it then. Good." He tossed it lightly. "Channel your chakra."
Lucien pressed his palm against it. In seconds, the paper cracked, burned, soaked, sliced, and crumpled all at once.
Hiruzen froze. His pipe slipped slightly from his lips. "All five elements? Fire, wind, earth, water, lightning… and more? Incredible!"
His expression sharpened in astonishment. "A boy so young… with such comprehensive attributes. Your chakra levels are astonishing too, far beyond normal Uchiha children. It must be your constitution—but…" He trailed off, hiding his suspicion behind smoke.
Recovering, the Hokage smiled faintly. "Your talent with ninjutsu is clear. Hizashi can polish your taijutsu, but genjutsu is not my strength. I will teach you ninjutsu."
Leaning forward, he asked, "Tell me, Shigure… what do you wish to learn?"
Lucien thought carefully. Sarutobi Hiruzen is the Professor of Ninjutsu. His four famed arts: the Monkey King Enma's summoning, the Shiki Fuujin death seal, his powerful shuriken techniques… and composite ninjutsu. Summoning is restricted. The Reaper Death Seal is suicide. Shuriken arts, I can copy. That leaves…
"Lord Hokage, I want to learn compound ninjutsu."
The aged man's eyes lit with interest. "Compound… you even know of it? Impressive. Most Genin wouldn't even grasp the concept. Are you certain?"
Lucien's eyes burned with resolve. "Certain, Sarutobi-sensei!"
Finally, the Third Hokage's lips curved into a true smile, faint but genuine. "Good boy."
P.S. This chapter closes the bloody arc of vengeance with Lucien's ruthless extermination of his ambushers, but pivots into politics and mentorship: Hiruzen takes him under wing, offering the immense path of compound ninjutsu. The contrast of brutality and brilliance sets Lucien's dual role—hidden killer, rising disciple.
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