THE UCHIHA ASCENSION

Another half month had passed since the first exam. Uchiha Kiyo had a very fulfilling time during this period. Every day during class, Uchiha Kiyo would take out his novel… cough… information and study it carefully. It wasn't that Naoki Uemura didn't notice Uchiha Kiyo's situation, but after calling on him several times and making things difficult, Naoki Uemura had to accept reality. Others might be manageable, but Uchiha Kiyo was simply beyond his control.

For now, Uchiha Kiyo had temporarily paused his research on Yuyin. Outside of class, he dedicated himself to practicing the Three Basic Jutsu, Taijutsu, and kunai throwing. In just half a month, Uchiha Kiyo had essentially mastered the Three Basic Jutsu. Of course, "mastery" here simply meant being able to perform the techniques properly—he was still a little short of perfecting the finer details.

The Three Basic Jutsu were the foundation of a shinobi's skills, and Uchiha Kiyo was determined to refine them thoroughly. If he could achieve full proficiency with the Transformation Jutsu, it would have countless practical applications. In battle, if he could seamlessly incorporate defensive tactics with a body that changes form at will, it would greatly confuse the enemy.

"Hey, you thought you hit my heart? Sorry, you missed it."

Then there was the Clone Jutsu. Although Uchiha Kiyo knew he would eventually move on to more advanced clone techniques, the Clone Jutsu was the basis for all of them, so mastering it was essential. The combination of clones with Genjutsu or Taijutsu—like what Shisui excelled at—could be highly effective in combat.

Finally, there was the Substitution Jutsu. While it wasn't a requirement for Space-Time Ninjutsu, the way it functioned suggested a connection. Substitution Jutsu was a ninja's primary escape technique, so if it were merely a simple trick, that would be quite underwhelming. According to the scenes depicted in the original work, at the moment of activation, the caster and the target were instantly swapped. If it wasn't a Space-Time Ninjutsu, then the speed involved would have to be impossibly fast. In that case, how could the body endure such an abrupt displacement? Even with Chakra reinforcement, the amount of Chakra required for such a process couldn't be insignificant. Therefore, it made perfect sense for it to be considered a Space-Time Ninjutsu.

(Sufficiently explained.)

Since this was currently the only Space-Time Ninjutsu he had access to, Uchiha Kiyo took a keen interest in it. He continued practicing while brainstorming ways to improve the technique. He even considered the possibility that Substitution Jutsu had originally been developed as a Space-Time Ninjutsu but was never completed, leading to its widespread use as a basic survival skill for lower-level shinobi. Even an incomplete Space-Time Ninjutsu was valuable, which suggested that during the era of its creation, the development of ninjutsu was at its peak. That era likely saw the formation of many bloodline limit clans as well.

Regardless of what had happened in the past, Uchiha Kiyo was determined to study the technique further and see if he could perfect it or at least make it more effective for his own use. However, after a long period of research, he concluded that he needed an advanced level of sealing techniques—something he lacked.

Even so, Uchiha Kiyo didn't give up. He secretly noted this down, resolving to revisit it once he had mastered sealing techniques. In fact, it was about time he made sealing techniques a priority. He had spent years dabbling in it, but compared to sealing, medical ninjutsu was where he had progressed the fastest, thanks to his knowledge from his previous life. Right now, his lack of Chakra was the only thing holding him back from further medical ninjutsu training. Since he had hit a bottleneck, it was time to shift focus to sealing techniques.

…

After a full day of class, Nawaki Senju looked exhausted. Unlike Uchiha Kiyo, Nawaki Senju was a classic underachiever. Not only was he not serious about studying, but he also struggled with learning in general. At the very least, he wasn't efficient at absorbing information from lectures. However, to avoid getting beaten up by his sister at home, Nawaki Senju had no choice but to try his best to pay attention in class.

What's that? You want to call out his sister for domestic violence? Go ahead, she's waiting for you in the Hokage's office! Let's see if the Hokage sides with you or his apprentice.

In reality, Tsunade's strictness stemmed from Uchiha Kiyo's presence. As the young master of the Senju clan, Nawaki Senju had already suffered enough just sitting next to an Uchiha. But to be completely outclassed by him? That was simply unacceptable.

The unfortunate Nawaki Senju still had no idea that his hellish school life was entirely due to his roommate.

If things had played out according to the original story, Nawaki Senju would have been held back a grade due to his poor performance under Tsunade's orders. That's right—nepotism works both ways. Being the young master of the Senju clan and the younger brother of a Hokage apprentice came with privileges, but it also meant higher expectations.

Unfortunately for Nawaki Senju, everything had changed because of Uchiha Kiyo's arrival. This marked the first major impact Uchiha Kiyo had made on an important character in the original timeline. And he wasn't even aware of it—without realizing it, he had already started altering the future of the ninja world.

Today, Uchiha Kiyo was going to buy some ninja tools. His previous training had completely worn out all the kunai he had acquired through questionable means, so he had no choice but to buy new ones with his own money.

Hearing that Uchiha Kiyo was heading to a ninja tool shop, Nawaki Senju immediately insisted on tagging along. After sitting through a whole day of class, he needed a break.

Since he had no steady income, Uchiha Kiyo could only afford to shop at budget-friendly stores. Following Nawaki Senju's recommendation, he chose a privately owned ninja shop.

In Konoha, ninja shops fell into two categories: those run by noble clans and those owned by private merchants. The former guaranteed high-quality products with abundant stock, while the latter offered lower prices at the expense of quality. Of course, since the sale of ninja tools required Konoha's official approval, even the cheapest ones met a basic standard.

As someone who had never made such a purchase before, Uchiha Kiyo had no idea where to find the best deals. He had no choice but to rely on his seatmate's advice.

As the young master of the Senju clan, Nawaki Senju had plenty of pocket money and occasionally bought ninja tools for fun. To avoid attracting his sister's scrutiny, he always avoided the family-run stores and opted for smaller shops instead. Over time, Nawaki Senju had become quite familiar with the best places to get affordable gear.

When they arrived at the shop Nawaki Senju recommended, Uchiha Kiyo stared at the large storefront bearing the sign Tianye Ninja Store.

"Did I misunderstand the word small before?"

Turning to Nawaki Senju, Uchiha Kiyo gave him a skeptical look, as if asking, Are you sure this is a small shop?

Unfortunately, Nawaki Senju didn't pick up on Uchiha Kiyo's expression.

Instead, he introduced the store confidently.

"Kiyo, this is the largest private ninja shop in Konoha. The quality is reliable, and the prices are reasonable."

Uchiha Kiyo remained doubtful but entered the shop nonetheless...