Uchiha Gate: From Konoha to One Piece

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"You're right!"

Mitokado Homura nodded in agreement, letting out a sigh. "Ugh! Who would've thought that after just a few years, things would spiral into such a mess?"

"Life's unpredictable, isn't it?"

"We're not like Hiruzen and Danzo. We can't gamble like that, and honestly, we don't need to."

"So, from now on, let's stick to our own pace. We can offer a bit of support from the sidelines but avoid getting too involved in their plans."

"I'll make sure to remind the clan members participating in the battle," Homura continued.

"Survival first. Don't meddle in anything else. Sound good to you?"

Their reasoning was simple:

If Hiruzen and Danzo succeeded, their close ties would ensure they'd share in the benefits.

Hiruzen would still need their support—they were his loyal comrades, after all.

But if Hiruzen and Danzo failed, they could claim they had no part in it, sever ties immediately, and avoid being dragged down.

At worst, they'd lose some power and influence but still survive.

Living, even with reduced status, was far better than being wiped out entirely.

As for whether this was unfair to Hiruzen and Danzo, Koharu and Homura didn't see it that way.

They felt they hadn't gained as much from Hiruzen and Danzo's actions, so naturally, they shouldn't bear the same level of risk.

Anything else wouldn't be fair.

The two quickly and secretly reached an agreement.

— — — 

The Next Morning

At the Ninja Academy training grounds, the stands were packed with spectators gathered to watch the early graduation exams for Kaito and the others.

Among the crowd were Uzumaki Mito, Uchiha Naori, Uzumaki Ashina, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Hyuga Head, and many other clan representatives and elite Jonin.

Naturally, Danzo and Hiruzen were there as well.

As the time approached, Hiruzen stood on the stage, surveying the audience before speaking.

"Today marks the early graduation exams for Uchiha Kaito and his peers. I didn't expect such a large turnout!"

"But that's fine—it's a great opportunity to witness the strength of Konoha's next generation!"

"Kaito, if you can last ten minutes against your opponent, you'll pass the exam!"

"Now, let the exam begin!"

At his signal, a skilled Chunin leapt onto the stage, ready to serve as Kaito's opponent.

"I'll go first!"

Kaito nodded slightly to Mikoto and the others, then used the Body Flicker Technique. In a flash, he covered over ten meters and appeared on the stage.

"Whoa!"

The speed of his move made many in the audience narrow their eyes.

"That was fast!"

"Yeah, his speed is already comparable to a Jonin! This kid seems impressive!"

"I think he's Uchiha Naori's son, isn't he?"

"That's right! Lady Naori raised a genius!"

The spectators buzzed with discussion, but Kaito remained unaffected.

His opponent, however, felt his heart tighten as he watched Kaito's display.

"Damn, this kid looks tough. If his strength matches his speed, I might be in trouble."

"Ugh, if I'd known, I wouldn't have volunteered for this task. I thought this would be a good chance to show off, but now—"

"Begin!"

The referee's command cut through his thoughts.

In the blink of an eye, Kaito vanished and reappeared right in front of the Chunin.

All the Chunin heard was Kaito's calm voice in his ear: "Spacing out already?"

Thud!

The next moment, a sharp pain shot through the Chunin's abdomen.

He felt as if a speeding carriage had slammed into him. His back arched, his eyes bulged, and his mouth opened wide as he spat out a mouthful of bitter liquid.

Before he knew it, his vision blurred, and he was sent flying backward.

Boom!

He landed over ten meters away, hitting the ground with enough force to create a shallow trench.

The Chunin passed out cold.

His final thought before losing consciousness: "What the hell just happened…?"

The referee quickly rushed to the Chunin's side, checking his condition.

To his surprise, the injuries weren't severe—just a few bruises. The force had merely knocked him out.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the referee stood and glanced at Kaito before announcing:

"Winner: Uchiha Kaito!"

"Next participant: Uchiha Mikoto! Please come to the stage!"

"Whoa!"

The crowd erupted into chatter, finally snapping out of their stunned silence.

"That was incredible! He didn't even use chakra, right? Yet his speed was insane, and he took down a Chunin with one punch. That's terrifying!"

"I think he's stronger than me."

"As expected of Uchiha Naori's son. His strength is at least comparable to a Special Jonin!"

"Special Jonin? That's too low! With that speed alone, I'd say he's already on par with a full-fledged Jonin!"

"A Jonin? Isn't that a bit exaggerated? Kaito looks like he's only eleven or twelve!"

"Not necessarily. He's over 170 cm tall—he might be fourteen or fifteen."

"Stop joking! This is an early graduation exam. There's no way he's older than twelve. He's probably just tall for his age."

"True. I heard growth supplements can boost height."

"Yeah, height is probably thanks to those supplements. I've heard long-term use during training can help you grow taller."

"For real! I've grown five or six centimeters in the past few years, and I'm already 28, way past my growth stage! I need these supplements!"

"Seriously? Supplements can do that? Why didn't I know?"

"It's true! Lots of people have confirmed it!"

"For example, there's that Genin named Might Duy. I heard the Uchiha clan took a liking to him and started training him. He's been popping supplements like candy, and now he's over two meters tall!"

"What the heck! Why didn't you guys tell me earlier? I'm buying some of these supplements right after this. I'm going all in—I need to grow taller!"

"Haha! Tanaka, you really do need to. At 145 cm, it's tough to find a wife!"

"You jerk! I'm not 145 cm—I'm 150!"

"Sure, sure. My 11-year-old kid is 145 cm and looks about your height. Stop lying to yourself!"

"You're dead! Come here!"

Unsurprisingly, the conversation on the stands had veered completely off course, focusing instead on Kaito's impressive height.

After all, he was unusually tall. If not for his youthful face, people would've easily believed he was 17 or 18.

Kaito didn't care about any of this. After hearing the referee announce his victory, he smiled and waved at his mother and her group in the stands before stepping down from the stage.

"Mikoto, your turn! Good luck!"

"Got it!"

Next, Uchiha Mikoto faced her opponent, another skilled Chunin, as both stepped onto the stage.

In the corner of the stands, Orochimaru had been observing everything. He couldn't help but be impressed.

"Your student's strength is probably at least Jonin-level, right?" Orochimaru asked, his eyes following Kaito.

"Something like that. Kaito's naturally talented and works hard," Tsunade replied with a faint smile.

Jonin? Who's he kidding? Tsunade thought to herself.

Kaito's real strength far surpassed hers—she, an experienced Kage-level ninja, couldn't last more than three moves against him if he got serious.

Of course, she wouldn't say that out loud. Keeping Kaito's abilities under wraps was crucial to avoiding unnecessary trouble.

Jiraiya, standing nearby, seemed sulky. He glanced at Minato, then at Tsunade, and sighed dramatically. "I could've had an amazing student too, you know!"

"Oh?" Orochimaru looked between Tsunade and Jiraiya, puzzled. "What's the story here?"

Tsunade crossed her arms, smirking as she replied, "Minato didn't need you as his teacher. He already had Kaito and lady Naori backing him up, not to mention his own talent. You were just deluding yourself."

Jiraiya huffed. "If you hadn't badmouthed me to him, he wouldn't have refused!"

"Really now?" Orochimaru perked up. "Minato's the blonde kid near Kaito, right? He does seem impressive."

Tsunade scoffed, "As if I needed to badmouth you. Everyone in Konoha knows you're a peeping perv. Minato's a good kid with a bright future. Why would I let him learn from you?

"Do you want him to ruin his reputation? Or maybe have trouble finding a wife later? Seriously, Jiraiya, leave the boy alone and try to redeem yourself for once!"

What's Minato going to learn from you? How to spy on women in the hot springs?

"You… I…" Jiraiya was left speechless, utterly defeated.

Nearby, several ninjas had been quietly eavesdropping on their exchange, struggling to hold back their laughter.

Most of them thought Jiraiya had it coming.

Anyone who knew his personality found him annoying. After all, no one wanted to risk their wives, daughters, or girlfriends being spied on at the hot springs.

If Jiraiya wasn't one of the Third Hokage's students, he'd have been ostracized—or worse, beaten to death—long ago.

Even the Third Hokage, who had overheard everything, felt exasperated.

'Sigh… Jiraiya, there's no saving you. You've made your perversion so well-known that even I'm ashamed to associate with you!'

Still, Hiruzen couldn't help but glance at Minato. 'But that Namikaze kid is really something. Too bad Kaito already got to him first.'

'If I'd noticed him earlier, he could've been a valuable ally in the future. Maybe I can still recruit him.'

Hiruzen started plotting.

Minato's got incredible potential. Even with seals suppressing his chakra and life force, he's already Chunin-level. And he's only ten years old!

A top-tier genius—and a civilian-born one at that.

Hiruzen clenched his fists slightly, regret gnawing at him.

'I should've noticed him sooner. But maybe it's not too late. If I can win him over, his value would be immeasurable.'

'I could even use his connection to Kaito and the Uchiha to gain influence over them.'

He resolved to have a word with Jiraiya later, urging him not to give up on taking Minato as a student.

If it works, it'll pay off big time.

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