Konoha Year 44, Autumn.
(Uchiha settlement, above the Naga Shrine.)
A continuous drizzle, fine as silk, pattered against the wall carved with a flame fan along the street, creating barely visible water stains.
Last month, a major event occurred within the Uchiha clan.
During a mission, they discovered an Uchiha who wasn't born in Konoha!
As the saying goes, if you find one cockroach, you know there's a whole nest of them.
No one knew if there were any other Uchiha bloodlines circulating outside the ninja world like Kiyoshi's.
To prevent the Uchiha bloodline from continuing to flow and to avoid the covetousness of other ninja clans, the Uchiha clan members who discovered Kiyoshi immediately brought him back.
"But why is his Sharingan only awakened in one eye?"
"Yes, are there others in the clan like this?"
The Uchiha clan members discussed amongest themselves; such a situation had never occurred before, and the resulting commotion was considerable.
Gazes frequently fell upon Kiyoshi, who sat at the very back.
Kiyoshi ignored these stares.
"In the Land of Lightning, did you encounter anyone with red eyes like yours? We are from the same clan. Tell me, and I will have my clansmen bring them back,"
Fugaku, seated at the head of the table, probed Kiyoshi.
How many years Uchiha Kiyoshi had lived in the Land of Lightning, and what had transpired during those years, was difficult to ascertain.
After this month's investigation, the only certainty was that Kiyoshi's identity was innocent.
He had learned some rudimentary chakra manipulation, but there were no signs of formal training.
However, the power struggles between ninja villages were always ruthless.
The newly appointed clan head, Uchiha Fugaku, could not afford to be careless.
"I have not seen anyone with eyes like mine, Lord Fugaku."
Kiyoshi spoke calmly, raising his head.
He was a transmigrator, and had been for several years.
From birth, he had deciphered the mystery of his birth, awakened his innate wisdom, and gained memories of his past life.
His mother died after giving birth to him.
As for his father… he had never been seen since his birth.
Kiyoshi only met his father when he was two years old and able to support himself.
Unfortunately, his father died on the battlefield not long after.
This was nothing unusual; the death of both parents was a normal start in the ninja world.
Naruto, Sasuke, Konan, Itachi, Orochimaru, and so on—weren't they all orphans?
His previous name was Yotsuki Kiyoshi, a distant relative of the Yotsuki clan, living in a remote town.
Until he awakened his Sharingan, he happened to encounter Uchiha Yakumi, who was on a mission, and was brought to Konoha.
"That's good. No matter what, as long as the blood of the Uchiha flows in your veins, you belong to the Uchiha clan. I'll arrange for you to attend the Ninja Academy."
Fugaku's crimson eyes stared at Kiyoshi for a long time.
The Uchiha clan's history records that the Uchiha had been to the Land of Lightning, and it's even possible that they lived there.
It's said this happened even before the time of the fierce battle between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.
In the present-day Land of Lightning, a lord's wife once hired the Uchiha clan to exterminate the Blood Pond Clan.
However, due to the war with the Senju clan, much information was lost to history.
Even Fugaku couldn't know the specifics.
He didn't release his eye power, merely staring.
A thick, viscous atmosphere seemed to hang in the air, making it hard to breathe.
Kiyoshi remained unmoved.
He knew what Fugaku was thinking:whether his identity had a legitimate origin.
Unfortunately, the Uchiha and the Land of Lightning did indeed have a history.
This event is also recorded in the official novel *Sasuke's True Story - The Light Arc*.
Finally, Fugaku withdrew his gaze.
After all, this was just a child a few years old.
How could he possibly maintain his composure under the pressure of his Sharingan?
If so, wouldn't that be terrifying?
Even Hatake Sakumo's recently rising genius son didn't necessarily possess such mental fortitude.
"Lord Fugaku, to discover that I am from the Uchiha clan... I'm so happy! I will definitely not bury the Uchiha clan's reputation in the future!"
Kiyoshi's tone seemed very sincere.
At this moment, a mechanical female voice sounded, devoid of any emotion.
"You have mastered the entry: [The Art of Speaking (White)]."
[Entry: The Art of Speaking (White)]
[Requirement: Speak falsehoods without flinching in front of someone of high status, 5 times required.]
[Progress: (Completed)]
[Effect: Your words will be more convincing, and those of lower status are more easily influenced.]
[Note: Further advancement is possible.]
"Finally, it's done."
A faint smile appeared on Kiyoshi's lips.
To avoid being a beggar in the ninja world, one needed strength.
As everyone knows, in the Naruto world, powerful strength is only passed down from mother to child, through teacher-student relationships, and through blood.
Either you need a good bloodline, or a good teacher, and inherit their connections.
If that doesn't work, it requires close contact, like blood transmission; your "Will of Fire" must be deep enough to learn even a few ninjutsu techniques.
Kiyoshi, however, possessed something beyond these three: his own hard work and a rudimentary abbreviation system.
This system recorded the names of the abbreviations Kiyoshi acquired, the conditions for obtaining them, and their effects.
But these weren't free; Kiyoshi had to fulfill certain conditions.
For example, with the "Art of Speaking," Kiyoshi had to say things against his conscience at least five times in front of Uchiha Fugaku.
Was being born into the Uchiha clan happy?
Could he really be happy?
Kiyoshi felt only immense pressure.
The night of the massacre, the two subsequent Shinobi World Wars…
life was practically on a countdown.
Not to mention the distant future, in just over a decade, your good son, Uchiha Itachi, would wipe out your entire clan!
"Not bad."
Fugaku nodded, feeling much better after hearing Kiyoshi's sincere words. This was a promising talent.
His pure words conveyed a deep emotion.
Kiyoshi's resolve was even higher than some ordinary Uchiha clansmen.
He then gestured for Kiyoshi to leave.
After Kiyoshi left, Uchiha Yatsuho looked at Uchiha Fugaku, who stood before him with an expressionless yet imposing presence, and said,
"Kiyoshi is a descendant that Yakumi and the others found in the Land of Lightning. It's said he also has characteristics of the Yotsuki clan. Could he be a spy planted here?"
"That still needs further investigation, but his bloodline is definitely that of my Uchiha clan. An outsider transplanting a Sharingan cannot shut it down; it would place a tremendous burden on the individual."
Uchiha Fugaku shook his head and continued, "Tsunade will come to check on Kiyoshi's Sharingan later."
"Fugaku, I'll go make arrangements for this child."
On the tatami mat at the Naka Shrine, Mikoto rose.
(End of Chapter)