Might Duy turned his head and looked at Guy, who was still cheering excitedly for Sora's victory moments ago.
His heart grew more certain. "With Sora leading the way, Guy will have another goal, another role model."
Although Guy was often oblivious, Might Duy had caught him secretly wiping tears in his room more than once.
There was the disappointment of failing to get into the ninja academy. There was also the confusion and frustration, feeling that his path ahead was dim because he couldn't learn ninjutsu and could only focus on physical techniques.
Might Duy himself was clear. Although he could briefly reach Kage level when opening the Eight Inner Gates, that was not his normal state. His true strength was only at Chunin level.
Just like during Sora's fight with Uchiha Ryota earlier. If he didn't open the Eight Inner Gates, he wasn't entirely confident he could have rushed in at any moment to save Sora.
And because he couldn't practice ninjutsu, he had been stuck, unable to be promoted to Chunin. For so many years, he had only been taking on trivial D rank and E rank missions.
But Sora was different.
Even without the Eight Inner Gates, he could trade blows with a Chunin from the Uchiha clan. Once he grew up a few more years and trained properly, he could become a Taijutsu style Jonin. A Jonin who could use the Eight Inner Gates.
A being like that would absolutely give Guy immense confidence.
"Guy, Sora can already fight against a Chunin. We can't admit defeat either."
"Today's morning training will have an extra ten kilometers. After that, we'll do a combined training set."
"Yes, Father. I will definitely catch up to Sora." Might Guy answered loudly.
...
Training field near the orphanage.
Uchiha Takumi was sitting cross legged on the ground. Seeing Sora arrive, he said plainly, "First, you must gather chakra at the throat..."
Hearing him start explaining directly, Sora quickly sat down nearby and listened carefully.
Time slowly passed. In the blink of an eye, half an hour went by.
"... Finally, the hand seals are Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger. Remember them?" Uchiha Takumi asked.
Sora nodded and tried performing the seals once.
Uchiha Takumi was surprised to find his hand seal technique was actually quite standard.
"Not bad. It seems you've put in the work. But just knowing the seals is useless. The key is how to control the chakra..."
For the next half hour, Uchiha Takumi patiently guided Sora's practice. Although Sora's chakra amount was pitifully small, his control was unexpectedly good.
"Let's stop here." Takumi looked at the sky. It was almost noon. Having just returned from a mission, he still needed to go back and make lunch for his younger brother, Ryota.
"Your chakra is too low. Practicing further will injure your chakra pathways. After this, just practice the Great Fireball Technique using the method from today."
Sora wiped his sweat. "Thank you for the instruction."
"Hmph, don't misunderstand. I'm just fulfilling the bet." Takumi said awkwardly.
After saying that, he turned and left.
He didn't get far before stopping again. "By the way, Ryota did not send me to find you."
"Also, thank you for holding back during the exam that day and not going for a killing blow against Ryota."
This Uchiha Takumi's personality was quite interesting. Although hypocritical, protective of his own, and a doting older brother, he still had some principles.
This was just the Uchiha.
Like Uchiha Itachi in the original story. Between the village and his clan, he actually chose to personally slaughter his entire clan, including his own parents. What kind of normal person does that?
The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, called the Uchiha an evil clan. He wasn't without reason.
They were too emotional, too easily bound and controlled by so called 'love', ultimately leading them to extremes.
Watching Uchiha Takumi's departing back, Sora considered his parting words.
'So, you mean today's matter was you, the older brother, acting unilaterally to stand up for your brother.'
'Hmph. If it were someone else, they would have died during the exam. There wouldn't have been a today.'
Because Sora possessed an adult soul, he hadn't cared about Uchiha Ryota's taunts at the ninja academy. It was like an adult truly getting angry over a kindergarten child's casual, innocent criticism. The difference in perspective was vast. Arguing over such things was unnecessary.
But Uchiha Ryota violating the rules to use the Great Fireball Technique, nearly killing Sora, that was a different matter entirely.
'Uchiha Ryota? You better not fall into my hands, or you'll be in for a world of hurt.'
'But how did he know I held back that day?'
Sora recalled the previous combat exam. He had indeed held back. If he hadn't held back the power of the Azure Dragon Fruit, Uchiha Ryota would definitely have been bedridden for ten days to half a month.
But from Uchiha Takumi's perspective, Sora's strength couldn't have improved so much in half a month. So he guessed Sora had shown mercy to Uchiha Ryota during the exam.
But Sora's strength had indeed achieved a qualitative leap in that short half month.
It could only be said this was a perfect misunderstanding.
Sora shook his head, slowly suppressing various thoughts. His mind turned to the newly learned Uchiha version of the Great Fireball Technique.
Because of the Azure Dragon Fruit's existence, Sora's chakra nature could be said to encompass all five basic elements. Unfortunately, the abilities the Azure Dragon Fruit inherently provided, like flame, lightning, wind blades, and water vapor, were things Sora couldn't freely display in front of others due to his widely known poor chakra talent.
Therefore, the moment Sora saw Uchiha Takumi, he had already thought of a way to reasonably use the flame ability within Konoha.
That was the Uchiha's Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
On the surface, it's the Great Fireball Technique. In reality, it's the fruit ability, Boro Breath.
As for why he specifically needed the Uchiha clan's exclusive method, it was because the power of the Boro Breath ability far exceeded ordinary fire release ninjutsu. It really wasn't suitable for someone like Sora. But with the Uchiha clan's name attached, it was different.
My fake Great Fireball, real Boro Breath ninjutsu is strong, right? Go talk to the Uchiha about it. They taught it.
"And the three abilities, lightning, wind blades, and water vapor, can also find reasonable ways to be displayed later."
Sora sat on the training field, silently pondering.
...
Hokage Building, top floor, Hokage's office.
"Interesting..." Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, flipping through the report the Anbu had just delivered. "Six years old and can trade blows with a Uchiha Chunin?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was silent for a moment, then spoke to his assistant beside him. "Go call Nara Shikagure."
Soon after, Nara Shikagure entered the room.
He wore the Konoha Jonin uniform, had his signature spiky ponytail, and a lazy expression on his face.
As the head of the Nara clan, father of Nara Shikaku, he was not only Konoha's strategist but also one of Sarutobi Hiruzen's most trusted advisors.
"Hokage sama, what did you need me for?" Nara Shikagure yawned.
Sarutobi Hiruzen handed him the report in his hand, then asked, "Shikagure, what do you think?"
Nara Shikagure, who had just entered, took the report. After reading it, his eyebrows raised slightly. He said slowly,
"Six years old and can trade blows with a Uchiha Chunin, and also break a Sharingan genjutsu..."
"This child is not simple. However, that imposing manner that could directly crush the genjutsu... it doesn't seem like something ordinary taijutsu could achieve."