…
Over the following days, Kazama Shin paid close attention.
Throughout the village, he could hear increasing dissatisfaction toward the Uchiha Clan.
And—
He even witnessed a conflict firsthand.
It had happened just the previous afternoon, on his way home from the Ninja Academy.
For reasons unknown, a member of the Uchiha clan had gotten into an argument with a villager.
Soon after, several Uchiha members from the Police Force arrived.
They took away the villager involved in the conflict—
But left the Uchiha clan member behind.
At the time, Shin had stayed nearby and overheard a few people whispering:
"This is outrageous! They were clearly in the wrong, yet they're the ones taking someone away!"
"What can you do? They're all Uchiha—of course they protect their own."
"The Uchiha are way too arrogant…"
"Hmph. A clan like that is bound to fall sooner or later."
"Shh! Are you crazy?! Don't say that out loud!"
Even from such a small incident—
Shin could tell.
In the hearts of most villagers, the image of the Uchiha Clan as arrogant and overbearing had long been established.
And resentment toward them was widespread.
It was just—
No one dared to speak openly, because of the Uchiha's power.
…
"Sigh… what does that have to do with me?"
Kazama Shin shook his head and stopped thinking about the conflict.
He turned and headed toward his training ground.
Today, he planned to practice the ninjutsu he had mastered.
So he deliberately ventured deeper into the forest.
—
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
His hand movements were swift and precise as he formed seals.
Bringing his fingers to his lips, he exhaled toward the lake ahead.
Whoosh!
Boom!
A massive fireball burst forth, nearly ten meters in diameter, engulfing the surface of the lake.
Flames blazed, heat waves surged, and the temperature in the air rose sharply.
The lake water began to boil violently, steam rising in thick waves—
As if it were being cooked alive.
"I see… the more chakra I pour into the technique, the greater its range and power…"
Shin wiped the corner of his mouth lightly, deep in thought.
The Great Fireball Jutsu was only a C-rank technique—
Yet in his hands, its destructive power rivaled some B-rank jutsu.
"No wonder they say a jutsu's rank represents difficulty of learning—not absolute power…"
He muttered softly.
According to what he had learned at the Academy:
Ninjutsu ranks were divided into S, A, B, C, D, and E—
But these ranks reflected how difficult a technique was to learn, not its raw destructive power.
Of course, generally speaking, the harder a jutsu was to master, the stronger it tended to be—
So higher rank often meant greater power.
But it wasn't absolute.
Some techniques—
Especially those involving Kekkei Genkai, secret arts, or tailed beasts—
Couldn't even be learned by outsiders, and thus didn't follow standard rankings.
…
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets…"
"…"
Next, Kazama Shin went through all the ninjutsu he had mastered one by one.
Flames roared, winds howled—
The forest echoed with activity.
Fortunately, being deep within the woods, no one came to disturb him.
Although he could instantly master any technique he copied,
He still preferred practicing them personally.
"After all… both talent and effort are important."
He sighed softly.
Of course—
His real thought was:
"With this much chakra, if I don't go all out and enjoy it, that'd be a waste!"
Suddenly—
Just as he was about to launch another fire technique at the lake—
His eyes narrowed sharply.
"Who's there?!"
He spun around instantly, staring deep into the forest.
The towering trees and dense foliage blocked most of the sunlight,
Leaving the deeper woods dim and shadowy.
No one answered.
Only a gentle breeze rippled across the lake,
Occasionally carrying falling leaves that disturbed the surface.
But Shin's gaze remained locked in one direction, unmoving.
His body tensed—
Ready.
Finally—
"…You actually noticed me. Who are you?"
A voice emerged from the depths of the forest.