Hokage Office.
Jiraiya hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Sensei, Uchiha Gin has an exceptional talent for ninjutsu."
After all, Uchiha Gin hadn't said anything about keeping it secret.
And besides, Jiraiya didn't think this kind of thing needed to be hidden.
Although he currently felt some resentment toward Hiruzen Sarutobi for his past actions, he hadn't yet reached the point of cutting ties with him.
So he decided to speak honestly.
After all, there was a world of difference between a ninja with talent and one without.
"Hmm?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes. "So he's been hiding his ninjutsu talent throughout his time at the Academy?"
He was already cautious toward the Uchiha clan.
For a child to know to hide things from the village from the moment they entered school—
This boy, Uchiha Gin, was far too dangerous.
And he was a Uchiha on top of that.
It would be best if he were... removed.
Otherwise, he could bring unimaginable harm to the village.
Jiraiya scratched his head, unaware of the dark thoughts running through Hiruzen's mind.
"Not exactly."
"Hmm?!" Hiruzen was puzzled now.
"What are you trying to say? Yes or no, Jiraiya?"
One moment he said Gin was highly talented, the next he contradicted himself—
Was Uchiha Gin the crazy one or was it Jiraiya?
"He's a genius, Sensei. Maybe even on the level of the Second Hokage."
Jiraiya pulled out a small booklet that Gin had given him.
He had skimmed through it several times while doing dishes at the barbecue shop and was utterly amazed.
He still found it hard to believe.
Was this truly something a still-enrolled Academy student could create?
This ability to develop ninjutsu—
Even Orochimaru couldn't compare. Only the Second Hokage might match it.
"Everything you need to know is in here."
Hiruzen gave Jiraiya a skeptical glance.
No wonder Jiraiya had been thinking about writing a novel lately—he had a knack for sparking people's curiosity.
Hiruzen casually flipped through a few pages.
"Sealing techniques?"
The content drew even more of his attention.
After all, creating regular ninjutsu was hard enough.
Sealing techniques were even more difficult.
He flipped a few more pages.
The sealing techniques inside made him frown.
"This is just a mess of patched-together techniques."
They were sealing methods he recognized, but they were stitched together clumsily, lacking any real originality.
In Hiruzen's view, these sealing techniques were utterly useless.
Not only were they slow to activate, but because they combined so many methods, the hand signs alone exceeded a hundred.
The end result?
Simply restricting the enemy from using ninjutsu.
"A completely useless sealing technique," Hiruzen concluded, causing Jiraiya to scratch his head awkwardly.
It was true—at first glance, the early pages gave the same impression.
But later on...
"Sensei, you might want to keep flipping."
The real content started on the second layer.
Hiruzen frowned, but out of trust for his student, he kept reading.
He saw a method where chakra was circulated using a sealing technique to accumulate it inside the body.
As the chakra built up, it strengthened the seals, and in turn, enhanced the physical body.
This effect was something Hiruzen hadn't anticipated.
"Such a clever idea..."
He couldn't help but be amazed.
Though the method was still a little rough, the approach to creating this technique was absolutely groundbreaking.
"So that's why he can't use ninjutsu."
The first-layer sealing technique was applied to himself—
No wonder Gin couldn't perform ninjutsu!
This made Hiruzen realize Uchiha Gin would be tricky to handle.
They couldn't simply kill him.
But neither could they just let him roam free.
"Jiraiya," Hiruzen lifted his head, his eyes deep and serious.
"If I ordered you to kick Uchiha Gin out of Team 7, would you do it?"
Jiraiya's smile froze, his expression turning deadly serious.
He placed both hands on a nearby pillar to steady himself.
"Old man, Uchiha Gin is my student."
His stance was clear.
No way.
Hiruzen rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
Things were getting complicated.
He had hoped to entrust Jiraiya with a talentless Uchiha—not a genius.
What he wanted was to build a bridge to the Uchiha clan, not help them rise.
The good news was that Uchiha Gin wasn't well-liked among his clan.
Maybe he could be pulled toward their side.
As for this sealing technique—
"Publish the first two layers as rewards in the Ninjutsu Exchange Center.
The third layer... put it in the Scroll of Seals."
"And tell Uchiha Gin not to spread it recklessly."
This was a ninjutsu that could strengthen the village's foundation.
"Yes, sir."
Ninjutsu Exchange Center.
A massive open scroll was spread out.
You just needed to pick a technique and spend merit points to exchange it at the entrance.
Dan Kato's eyes were drawn to something new: Basic Inner Force.
"Sealing Technique: Basic Inner Force — Enhances physical strength. Risk: Temporary inability to use ninjutsu."
There were even instructions on partial usage.
"Tsuna—Tsunade!" Dan Kato called out suddenly.
Tsunade, looking a bit tired, walked over.
"Dan, what is it?"
"Look at this. It's similar to your Strength of a Hundred Seal."
Dan pointed to Basic Inner Force available for exchange.
Tsunade frowned after just a glance.
"It looks similar, but the principles are different."
"My seal focuses on storage. This one focuses on the use of sealing techniques."
With her expertise, she could easily see the difference.
"Combining the human body and sealing techniques... the creator is a genius."
Tsunade had to admit it.
It wasn't even that difficult to learn.
She glanced at the name of the creator.
"Uchiha Gin!"
Tsunade wasn't the only one who noticed.
Another man with white hair, Orochimaru's old acquaintance, Homura Mitokado, was there too.
He scanned the Basic Inner Force technique he had just exchanged.
"This ninjutsu might just make me stronger."
"Only the Uchiha could produce such talent..."
He thought of their famed Sharingan.
"Truly enviable."
He watched Tsunade and Dan Kato leave after their exchange, his fists tightening around the scroll.
"You've ignored me again, Tsunade."
Border of the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire.
Sakumo Hatake examined a map covered in red dots.
Each marked a sighting of Sand Ninja.
"These Sand Ninjas are probing for a route."
Their intentions were subtle, but Sakumo had uncovered them.
They were slowly feeling their way toward Konoha.
"Trying to use decapitation tactics, huh?"
If they found a hidden path to Konoha's rear, a surprise attack at the outbreak of war could devastate them.
It was a dangerous plan.
But being caught by Sakumo meant their efforts were wasted.
Suddenly, smoke puffed nearby.
A ninja in a green flak jacket appeared, carrying a massive scroll almost as tall as himself.
"Sir, new supplies and updated ninjutsu for exchange."
He handed over two scrolls.
To boost front-line strength, new techniques were quickly circulated among leaders.
"Good work."
Sakumo accepted them, opening the new scrolls out of curiosity.
Konoha hadn't updated their general-use techniques in a long time—
Only the forbidden techniques in the Scroll of Seals were truly rare.
He read.
"Basic Inner Force?"
"Uchiha Gin."
On a rooftop in Konoha.
Despite his age, Hi no Kazu remained fit.
He looked out over the village.
"This was built by Clan Leader Madara..."
Sadly, the Uchiha had no real place here.
They once trusted blindly, not realizing how much the Second Hokage hated them.
The older he got, the clearer it became.
The Second Hokage had seen them only as potential enemies.
Yet his clansmen were blinded by the authority of the Police Force.
The upper echelons resisted the Uchiha at every turn.
Even if he could sway the clan's direction, he couldn't ignore the will of the village entirely.
"If only we had followed Clan Leader Madara back then..."
But they had chosen betrayal for a life of comfort.
Poof—smoke erupted beside him.
Uchiha Fugaku appeared.
"Fugaku, you're here."
Hi no Kazu hid his complicated emotions.
"Elder, please look at this."
Fugaku handed him a scroll with a complicated expression.
"Did the village assign something to the Uchiha?"
Hi no Kazu unrolled it slowly.
There was only one ninjutsu inside.
"Such a technique is rare..."
But he didn't yet understand what Fugaku meant—
Until he saw the signature.
"Uchiha Gin!!!"
Hi no Kazu's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Impossible!"
In a damp underground lab.
Orochimaru walked in, observing Uchiha Gin's shadow clones busy working.
"Gin-kun, you're getting quite famous lately."
Gin, examining Hashirama's cells, looked up at Orochimaru.
"Really?"
He tilted his head innocently.
During the day, he followed Jiraiya on D-rank missions.
At night, he studied ninjutsu here, helping Orochimaru with research.
He hadn't noticed anything unusual.
"Your ninjutsu is spreading throughout the village.
The third layer has been sealed into the Scroll of Seals."
Gin nodded calmly.
"I see."
"You don't seem surprised," Orochimaru teased, his tongue flickering out like a snake's.
"Didn't you already tell me, Orochimaru-sensei?
My ninjutsu represents change.
Whatever reaction it causes, I can accept."
"I trust you'll protect me, Orochimaru-sensei," Gin said with a playful smile.
Since people had already started practicing Basic Inner Force, he wasn't surprised.
Orochimaru chuckled softly.
"Of course."
He was very eager to see how far Uchiha Gin could go.
"Good."
Gin nodded and refocused on his experiments.
He didn't care what impact Basic Inner Force would cause.
He was now wholly absorbed in developing new techniques—
Inspired by Hashirama's cells.
He quietly recorded his theories and results into his Golden Finger system.
[Deduction successful.]
[Eight deductions completed. Novice period has ended.]
[Please check detailed information promptly.]
Gin: "???"
(End of Chapter)