Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

Iwagakure.

"Third Tsuchikage-sama, this is urgent intelligence we received from our spy in Konoha before their death!"

"Urgent intelligence?"

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, took the intelligence scroll with a composed expression at first. However, the more he read, the darker his face became, making the other ninjas in the Tsuchikage's office grow increasingly anxious.

Even during the eruption of war in the ninja world, their Third Tsuchikage had never been this tense. What could have happened this time!?

"Wood Release!"

After finishing the scroll, Onoki's face was terrifyingly grim, and his eyes glinted with a chilling light that barely concealed a deep sense of fear.

The blood-red eyes he feared most in the past had already haunted him, but even such a powerful individual had ultimately been defeated by Wood Release. One could only imagine how horrifying this ability was.

"Wood Release? Could it be the legendary Kekkei Genkai said to suppress the power of Tailed Beasts?"

Someone in the office murmured in shock, mentioning the legend. For most ninjas, with their limited life spans and knowledge, powerhouses like the Mangekyo Sharingan and Wood Release had long since become mere myths after a few decades.

"Konoha!"

Lifting his head, Onoki gritted his teeth and let out a cold snort. The nightmare of the past had faded, but he would never allow it to descend upon the ninja world again.

"Send the information about Konoha secretly researching the First Hokage's Wood Release to Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and any other mid-sized ninja villages hostile to Konoha."

"Also, spread the news that Konoha is conducting inhumane human experiments."

"Yes!"

Onoki knew that Konoha could not be taken down alone. This was a rare opportunity, and he was determined to drag everyone else into the fray.

"Send out the command regarding the Kumugakure plan!"

He hesitated briefly before waving his hand and speaking in a low voice, "Proceed as planned, but do not act rashly without my explicit orders."

"Yes!"

The news of Konoha secretly researching Wood Release was like a thunderclap, instantly causing tension among the four great ninja villages.

While ordinary ninjas might not know the legend of Wood Release, the Kage of each village had grown up hearing those stories and naturally feared this power, which could suppress Tailed Beasts.

Even without considering how powerful Wood Release was, the mere fact that it could suppress Tailed Beasts was enough to cause alarm.

Tailed Beasts were considered ultimate weapons. If they were to fight Konoha in the future and their Tailed Beasts were rendered useless—or worse, captured by Wood Release—it would be a devastating blow.

The loss of their ultimate weapons, while Konoha retained the strongest of all, the Nine-Tails, would be catastrophic.

Wood Release was like a small stone dropped into the tranquil waters of the ninja world, creating ripples that spread far and wide.

...

Konoha

"Hiruzen, that old fox Onoki has blatantly leaked the Wood Release project to those villages. Several of the villages we had previously incited to war through our spies have now begun to cease hostilities because of this!"

"Indeed, years of effort have been undone so easily…"

Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane sighed, lamenting the recent changes in the ninja world. Even Danzo Shimura, usually arrogant and domineering, sat with a face as dark as iron in the Hokage's office.

Finally, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, shook his head helplessly and sighed:

"Such is the way of the world. If the Wood Release project had succeeded, everything would have been different. But alas…"

Although there was still one final batch left to test, the six consecutive failures had cast a shadow over all of their hearts.

"Danzo, Root must take the primary responsibility for this issue."

Hearing Hiruzen's words, Danzo didn't attempt to shirk or shift blame. Instead, he nodded grimly.

"This is Root's failure. The root will take full responsibility, rest assured! I had already anticipated the worst-case scenario and instructed the spies embedded in other villages to begin their operations.

"They claim Konoha is conducting human experiments? Do they have proof? Mud-slinging among the great nations happens every year. We can claim these other villages are experimenting with their own Kekkei Genkai users."

It had to be said that under Danzo's leadership, Root had proven exceptionally skilled at sowing discord among the great ninja villages and carrying out covert operations.

"Hiruzen, while other villages might not care about the accusations, the four great ninja villages will undoubtedly treat the rumors as truth. After all, a power that can suppress Tailed Beasts is far too dangerous!"

Danzo's tone was grave, and the others in the room also showed serious expressions.

Tailed Beasts were akin to nuclear weapons. All five great ninja villages possessed them, though there were differences in strength. These weapons served as guarantees of power. Yet Konoha was boldly researching a method to suppress these ultimate weapons—how could the other villages not be alarmed?

"The Wood Release project could still be worth pursuing. While the ninja world appears rife with undercurrents, outright war is unlikely to break out anytime soon."

Danzo raised his head, staring directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi, and voiced his desire.

Wood Release! If Konoha could master Wood Release, they would have the power to dominate the ninja world.

Hiruzen, though tempted, had to consider the broader picture. He shook his head firmly:

"Danzo, after the Second Ninja War, every major village has been expanding its military forces. While we've done the same, much of our resources have been diverted to the Wood Release project. This has left Konoha lagging in terms of military strength."

Standing in different positions led to different considerations. No matter how capable Danzo was, he only viewed the ninja world from the perspective of himself and Root.

Hiruzen, on the other hand, bore the responsibility for all of Konoha. He had to oversee everything, from assigning ninja squads to protect the borders of the Land of Fire to managing the resources and training at the Academy.

"Temporary sacrifices are necessary to secure the future!" Danzo pressed, unwilling to give up on the Wood Release project. Even Homura and Koharu hesitated.

"Hiruzen, Danzo has a point."

"Yes, we've invested so much into the Wood Release research. If we abandon it now, years of effort and resources will be wasted."

Looking at their reluctant expressions, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel the same frustration. However, there was simply no room to spare. Shaking his head, he sighed:

"Orochimaru has already been sent on a critical mission to the Land of Lightning. You've seen Tsunade's emotional state—expecting the Senju clan to fund the project themselves is out of the question. Tsunade has even refused to participate in this final experiment."

Hiruzen felt utterly helpless when it came to Tsunade.

In the beginning, they had thought that since Wood Release was being developed, the Senju clan wouldn't abandon it so easily. And if funding was an issue, the Senju were hardly lacking in wealth.

But they hadn't anticipated Lady Mito decisively cutting ties with this unstable project, sending everything related to it to the laboratory.

Now, they had no leverage over the Senju.

"The ninja world is far from peaceful. For now, the village's focus must shift to expanding military strength. The ANBU, Root, and Intelligence Division must work together to instigate discord among the other nations."

Finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, made his decision. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

"Hiruzen is right. Stabilizing Konoha is the priority. The Wood Release project can wait for another opportunity."

Danzo cursed inwardly as he watched the two fence-sitters change their stance.

These two fools were useless!

...

The ninja world was in turmoil. One moment, it seemed like a great war was imminent. Next, rumors spread of Kumogakure forcibly seizing Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques for human experimentation.

Stories of atrocities from Iwagakure also surfaced.

Dark secrets of small and mid-sized ninja villages were exposed, sparking new conflicts.

For a time, the five great ninja villages returned to an eerie state of peace, content to watch smaller villages tear each other apart—while secretly fanning the flames.

If the Shinobi World War truly breaks out, they must first deplete the strength of these smaller ninja villages. After all, letting a village like Amegakure rise during the twenty years of peace following the First Shinobi World War has already made them wary.

The Five Great Shinobi Villages certainly don't want another village capable of challenging their authority to emerge.

...

The Senju Clan – Secret Chamber.

"Sister Tsunade, my eyes have been feeling swollen lately, and they occasionally sting."

Shirou lay on a hospital bed. After the examination, his eyes were once again wrapped in white bandages, giving him a terrible feeling.

Tsunade, dressed in a white coat that revealed her long legs, relaxed her furrowed brows slightly after looking at the data in her hands. She replied in a tone that was both reassuring and exasperated:

"Don't worry, you won't go blind."

Despite her words, Tsunade shook her head and softly explained the situation.

"It seems my guess was correct. Just like you said before, after two years, your Sharingan's power has reached a balance with the Hashirama cells in your body.

Over these two years, as your body absorbed the cells, your chakra has increased, your physical strength has grown stronger, and now the Hashirama cells you've absorbed are reacting with your eyes…"

As Tsunade's pleasant voice echoed, Shirou frowned secretly. He could sense something, but he didn't feel as though his eyes were evolving.

Mangekyō Sharingan! He wanted to awaken it too!

Noticing Shirou's silence, Tsunade seemed to guess what he was thinking. She couldn't help but tease him with a chuckle:

"Forget about the Mangekyō Sharingan for now. Although the Forbidden Technique Chimera Jutsu allowed you to absorb the Hashirama cells, most of that energy remains sealed in your body. It will take at least three to five years to fully integrate this power.

Moreover, according to my research, the Hashirama cells don't possess the ability to evolve your Sharingan. At most, they have a symbiotic and nourishing relationship…"

Shirou quietly contemplated this—his three-tomoe Sharingan and the weak Hashirama cells couldn't yet cause a qualitative transformation. Did he have to wait three to five years to fully integrate the cells? Perhaps by then, he might finally awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan?

"I understand, Sister Tsunade. You're saying that my eyes are currently being nourished by the Hashirama cells in my body, right?"

Shirou smiled lightly, appearing relieved. He could feel the changes in his eyes—his visual prowess had become sharper, and his chakra consumption had dropped significantly. This power was slowly nourishing his eyes.

"I believe Shirou will awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."

At that moment, Mikoto entered, her warm smile carrying an undeniable determination in her gaze.

She first glanced at Shirou lying on the hospital bed, then turned to Tsunade and said resolutely:

"Lady Tsunade, Shirou's training at the Shikkotsu Forest has already been reported to the clan, and everything has been arranged."

Tsunade, looking at Mikoto, revealed a rare expression of approval. Apart from Mikoto's somewhat extreme and obsessive tendencies, her usual calm and gentle demeanor was unlike most Uchiha.

Especially her ability to see the bigger picture, knowing when to advance or retreat, coupled with her respect toward Tsunade—greatly pleased her.

"Lady Tsunade, you've mentioned before that the Chimera Jutsu is most compatible with Shirou's body. If that's the case, could we entrust Shirou with the recovery of Sharingan from fallen Uchiha clan members during internal conflicts?"

Mikoto's warm smile caused Tsunade to frown. After some thought, she nodded.

"In theory, it's possible. This unique energy strengthens over time. To put it simply, it enhances ocular power. However, based on my research, the Mangekyō Sharingan still has a fundamental difference from an ordinary Sharingan.

Even with an abundant supply of ocular power, it only reduces the difficulty of evolution. To truly cause a qualitative transformation, a certain catalyst is still required."

At this, Tsunade seemed to recall something. She glared at Shirou lying on the bed and said in a sarcastic tone:

"Did you hear that, you Evil Uchiha? If you want to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, maybe you should try ending someone like me, Mikoto, or Kushina—just like the battle at the Valley of the End."

"Sister Tsunade!" Shirou, though unable to see, could sense Tsunade's current expression wasn't pleasant, leaving him embarrassed.

"Sister Tsunade, you've misunderstood."

As Shirou awkwardly waved his hands, he failed to notice that although Tsunade's tone was sarcastic, there was a trace of guilt in her eyes.

This sunny young man trusted her completely, and yet she had once—just once—truly believed he was heading down a dark path.

"Mikoto, the Hashirama cells can nourish your Mangekyō Sharingan. Although there's a risk of rejection, the serum extracted from Shirou's body is very safe."

Tsunade signals Mikoto to head to another hospital bed. She began preparations to inject the new serum into Mikoto's cursed seal.

Meanwhile, lying alone on his bed, Shirou marveled at Tsunade's brilliance. In just a few days, she had already made such strides in her research. Of course, it also helped that she had access to exceptional materials.

Orochimaru had taken much longer because he had started from scratch.

Tsunade, however, stood on the shoulders of the Second Hokage, had access to Uchiha Mikoto's Mangekyō Sharingan, and had Shirou's unique physique after absorbing Hashirama cells.

Not to mention, Shirou had deliberately hinted at the potential balance between Sharingan and Hashirama cells, which had inadvertently opened a door for Tsunade's research.

Tsunade's research started halfway at "0.5," so naturally, her progress was much faster.

"Mikoto, this serum extracted from Shirou contains trace amounts of Hashirama cells—enough to nourish your Mangekyō. But remember, do not overuse or deplete it. Try to have Shirou reapply the cursed seal every two or three months.

After all, his body is constantly absorbing and fusing new power, growing stronger. The cursed seal can also carry a portion of that energy…"

Gazing at the dazzling Mangekyō Sharingan, Tsunade's expression turned excited. As a medical ninja, encountering such top-tier materials naturally sparked her interest.

Meanwhile, as Tsunade immersed herself in further research on Mikoto's Mangekyō, Kushina's figure crept stealthily toward Shirou's bedside.

PS: Kushina becoming a seggs addict in every fanfic is a canon event. xD