At the Uchiha clan's training ground, Uchiha Gen was running laps around the field.
Although the morning sun wasn't harsh, his loose black short-sleeved shirt was already soaked with sweat.
The cycle of wet and dry left a faint salt crust, making the shirt uncomfortable, so Gen simply took it off and kept running.
It wasn't just running — his training included push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, frog jumps, and more.
His focus was on taijutsu and improving physical strength.
For Gen, stamina was crucial; it was the key to fully utilizing the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit.
It didn't require chakra to activate, but it did require raw physical energy. Chakra could help reduce stamina loss, but not replace it.
One regret he had was that his chakra nature didn't include Lightning Release. If it did, he could improve his speed and stamina more efficiently.
Still, ninjas could learn new chakra natures through training.
With the Soul-Soul Fruit's power, Gen found developing new chakra attributes far easier than most people.
Once his physical growth hit a plateau, he planned to create Thundercloud homies, which would not only boost combat strength, but also aid in training Lightning Release.
With that, plus the Lightning Release Armor from the Hidden Cloud Village, his physical speed and endurance would jump to a whole new level.
The Eight Gates? Not worth it for him.
It would be nice if there were some kind of exchange system... he could just swap for the Third Raikage's special body and push his Soul-Soul abilities to the limit.
Generally, most shinobi only displayed one or two chakra natures — those being their strongest affinities.
Training a ninja with strong elemental affinities was relatively easy; cultivating weaker, hidden ones was far harder.
Technically, the human body held yin, yang, and all five elements; so in theory, anyone could master every nature. In practice, it was a lifetime challenge.
Having just two natures and mastering their changes was already one of the benchmarks for becoming a jōnin.
Just as Gen was immersed in training, Uchiha Mikoto arrived, guided by a message from the clan.
"Gen, come here."
Hearing her, Gen instantly sped up and stopped in front of her.
"What's the matter, Mikoto-nee?"
Wiping sweat from his forehead, he smiled.
Mikoto's gaze lingered on his well-toned, sweat-slicked muscles. This boy had a good build.
Combined with his sharp, masculine features, there was no denying he was… charming. If she were still a young girl, she might've felt drawn to him.
"Hey, Gen, why do you have a tattoo?"
She was surprised at the lifelike fire-dragon design coiling on his left arm.
"How is it? Pretty cool, right?"
Gen wasn't about to explain the real reason for it — so he played it off as a simple tattoo, even flexing to show it off.
"It's not good for kids to have tattoos."
Gen blinked. "Mikoto-nee, how am I a kid? I'm already a jōnin."
"Plenty of people are jōnin," she replied. "Age and maturity aren't measured by rank."
As she said it, she tucked her hair back with a gentle smile — like warm spring water. Her refined figure carried a faint fragrance.
Hiss… this gentle elder-sister type really was too dangerous.
Even more so when she was the clan head's wife, the mother of two geniuses…
Feeling blood rush somewhere unhelpful, Gen silently recited the Ice Heart Technique to calm himself.
"Mikoto-san, you're actually a jōnin?" he asked, half-pretending to be surprised.
"Yes, though I've retired. I fought in the Second Shinobi World War — I'm no sheltered flower."
She opened her eyes wider, revealing her scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan; the gaze cold and dangerous.
"I believe you," Gen admitted. "Normally, Mikoto-nee just looks elegant, gentle, harmless…"
The compliment made her smile. "For a shinobi, disguise is a basic skill. Figuratively speaking, of course."
"I get it. So… what makes someone 'grown up' in your eyes?" Gen asked with apparent innocence.
Mikoto paused — for all his talent and wisdom, in some ways Gen really was just a boy. Losing his parents so young, surviving through hardship, it wasn't surprising he lacked certain life knowledge.
Her voice softened. "To me, growing up means marriage, family, and responsibility. Do you have a girl you like?"
Gen shook his head. "Not yet."
"What kind of girl, then? I can look out for one in the clan for you."
Large bloodline clans like the Uchiha preferred internal marriages; to protect the Sharingan's secrets and ensure shinobi potential in their children.
"I haven't met many girls," Gen said thoughtfully, "but the most beautiful and capable one I know is you, Mikoto-nee. If I have to choose, I'll use you as the standard."
Her cheeks warmed. Was he… teasing her? Probably not.
This was likely his genuine opinion which was even more flattering.
"Alright, I'll keep an eye out," she said lightly. "It's getting late, I should go cook for Itachi. You go shower, then see Fugaku at the police department. And… visit my house when you can."
"Sure. Take care, Mikoto-nee."
With a nod, she turned and left, the hem of her black skirt swaying as she walked — elegance and maturity in every step.
Gen watched her leave, then walked into the shade, pulled on his shirt with a neutral face, and headed home to clean up before going to the police department.