On the training field, neither moved first. They stood like statues, locked in a strange standoff.
Uchiha Fugaku's black hair stirred in the morning breeze, three tomoe spinning hard in his Sharingan.
Opposite him, Uchiha Jin still had a boy's frame, yet the calm in his equally scarlet eyes kept Fugaku from the slightest contempt.
At length, Fugaku broke the silence.
"It seems neither of us can find an opening."
"Then we change the approach," Jin replied, voice even.
Before the words had faded, both vanished.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Metal rang in rapid bursts. Sparks from colliding kunai flared bright in the mist.
At the edge, Elder Hikaku tracked them with three tomoe turning. "A contest of ocular power," he murmured. "Each using the Sharingan's insight to predict the other's prediction."
The exchanges grew fiercer, yet it felt like an invisible game of go.
Every strike pulled back a hair short. Every guard landed at the exact point.
Fugaku's surprise mounted as sweat pricked his brow. He had thought experience would tip the eye duel his way.
He had not expected Jin's Sharingan to edge his in pure reading.
"This will not do." Alarms blared in Fugaku's mind. He leapt back and flew through signs. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball roared out, forcing Jin to slip aside.
Fugaku seized the heartbeat of advantage and signed again. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Technique!"
Dozens of fire-wrapped shuriken came from every angle, sealing all retreat.
Jin did not panic.
He made a simple Tiger seal and exhaled a raging dragon of flame.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Technique."
Compared to Fugaku's jutsu, Jin's dragon was clearly the greater force.
It swallowed both of Fugaku's Fire Releases with a bellow, then surged on for him.
Fresh off two jutsu, Fugaku seemed too slow to evade and was swallowed by fire in an instant.
Jin did not smile. Fugaku would not fall so easily.
The ground gave a faint tremor the next second.
"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"
Fugaku burst from below, but Jin had already turned, driving a fist to meet him.
Fist met fist. Fugaku grunted and flew, rolling across the ground before he could set his feet.
His sleeve was scorched, the hair at his brow curled with heat. The dragon had not been wasted.
"Do you want to continue?" Jin stood where he was, voice steady.
"Of course," Fugaku panted, eyes burning hotter. "We are only getting started."
His competitive spirit was fully alight.
"In that case, let us settle it with that one."
Jin's hands blurred. Under precise control, a vast surge of Lightning chakra took the shape of a stalking tiger.
It was Elder Hikaku's proud A-rank Lightning Release.
"Lightning Release: Furious Thunder Tiger."
RUMBLE! The thunder beast pounced at Fugaku under Jin's guidance.
Fugaku's face tightened. He signed fast. "Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
With his chakra plunging, walls of earth heaved up and shattered one by one under the charge.
The last wall held just enough, but a keening CHIRP! made his heart jolt again.
"Chidori."
The wall exploded. Jin burst through with blinding lightning in hand.
Fugaku's pupils shrank. He had no time to dodge.
Guided by the Sharingan, Chidori speared his shoulder cleanly, skirting every vital point.
"You lost, Fugaku-senpai." Jin drew his arm back. Blood soaked Fugaku's clothes in an instant.
Fugaku could not answer. The Lightning coursing from the strike left his body limp and unresponsive.
"Quickly, get Fugaku to the hospital," Elder Hikaku called, waving to the shadows.
Several Uchiha appeared. As they carried Fugaku off, each could not help but look toward the slight figure at center field.
Not yet seven and he had defeated the strongest of the clan's younger generation. Jin's genius was enough to awe even the proud Uchiha.
Silence returned, broken only by scorched earth and scattered kunai bearing witness.
Elder Hikaku came to Jin's side and set a weathered hand on his shoulder.
"Good lad."
He had known Jin was strong, but seeing him beat Fugaku exceeded even his expectations.
He had planned to let Jin temper himself for a few more years, to build momentum in the clan, then lift him when the time was right.
No need now. Defeating Fugaku put Jin's name at the top, standing on his rival's shoulders.
Young as he was, he could bear the clan's hopes.
"Leave what comes next to this old man."
"Thank you, Elder."
Jin understood what would follow.
He would replace Fugaku as the standard-bearer of the new generation.
...
When he pushed open the door at home, Mikoto hurried from the kitchen.
Seeing burn marks and blood on his clothes, her face tightened at once.
"How did you end up like this? You do not have to train so hard."
She pulled him close, inspecting him head to toe.
"It is nothing, Mikoto," Jin said, trying to soothe her. "I just sparred with Fugaku-senpai."
She ignored it, fetched the medicine box, and snapped, "Shirt off. Let me see."
"Only scrapes..."
"Save it." Her tone was firm. "The blood is through the lining. Do you think I am blind?"
Jin obediently stripped to the waist, muscles etched across his torso.
She scanned him. Finding no wounds, she finally exhaled and briskly wiped the blood away with a towel, her touch efficient yet gentle.
"This blood is not yours. Then Uchiha Fugaku..." Halfway through, she paused and asked.
Jin stood still under her hands. "He will be in the hospital for a few days."
Mikoto's hands stilled, then resumed. When the last stain was gone, she ruffled his hair.
"Eat. The food is getting cold."