Uchiha Gate: From Konoha to One Piece

— — — — — 

On the arena platform, Mikoto and her opponent stood face to face, ready to fight.

"Begin the test!"

With the referee's signal, Mikoto sprang into action.

Whoosh!

In a flash, she mirrored Kaito's earlier moves. Before her opponent could react, she closed the gap and punched him hard in the stomach.

Her punch sent him flying out of the ring, crashing into the ground, where he immediately passed out.

The crowd was stunned.

"...!"

Then, an uproar erupted.

"No way! Is this Uchiha Mikoto really that strong too?"

"The Uchiha clan is rising, huh? Two incredible geniuses back-to-back!"

"Rising? Have you been living under a rock? The Uchiha have been gaining strength for years now!"

"I hadn't noticed much, though their reputation did get better after the reforms to their Police Force."

"Exactly! Ever since the Uchiha Police Force started treating people fairly, their attitude and reputation have improved dramatically."

"Plus, I heard they added ethics and interpersonal skills to their academy curriculum. They're way easier to work with now!"

"Right? An Uchiha partner is now strong, reliable, and much less arrogant. They're the dream teammates these days."

"But... they don't take on many missions lately, do they? I heard their shops make them plenty of money, so they don't need to."

"And isn't that a good thing? Their medicines and those weird shell items are helping us all improve. If they're not competing for missions, there's more for the rest of us. Win-win, right?"

"Eh, I don't know. Avoiding missions sounds like dodging their duty to the village."

"Oh, stop. Contributing medicine and tools that boost our strength is helping the village! How is that not valuable?"

"Exactly!"

Hearing all the chatter, the Third Hokage's expression darkened. He thought to himself, "I can't believe how quickly the Uchiha have turned their reputation around."

"In just three years, they've become not just respected, but admired. They even have supporters now..."

"It seems I need to act against them sooner rather than later."

Nearby, Danzo's sharp gaze swept over the crowd, mentally noting everyone who spoke favorably of the Uchiha. He inwardly sneered. "These fools daring to side with the Uchiha? Just wait. You'll regret it."

Danzo's eyes shifted to Kaito and Mikoto, his hatred palpable. "Damn Uchiha. Why do they keep producing such prodigies?"

"If only talents like them were part of my Root... part of my Shimura clan!"

He shot a bitter glance at Hiruzen. "This is your fault, Hiruzen. If you'd just agreed with me, these talents could've been mine! I could've molded them into loyal weapons for the village, tools for my rise to power."

"But since I can't have them... I'll destroy them."

Danzo's expression turned cold. "They want to graduate early and head to the battlefield? Perfect. I'll make sure they meet their end there."

— — —

Meanwhile, the referee announced the result. "Test over! The winner is Uchiha Mikoto!"

"Next up, Namikaze Minato! Please come forward!"

Minato stepped onto the stage, but he took a different approach. Unlike Kaito and Mikoto, he didn't end the fight instantly. Instead, he engaged his opponent in a series of Taijutsu exchanges before finally landing a decisive blow that knocked his opponent out of the ring.

The defeated ninja picked himself up, smiling wryly. "At least I lasted longer than the others. That's something."

The crowd clapped politely but without the same fervor as earlier. Still, those with sharp eyes saw through Minato's restraint.

"That kid held back. His real strength is probably on par with Kaito and Mikoto."

"And he's just a civilian-born ninja? That's incredible!"

"Well, he is backed by the Uchiha. That explains a lot."

"You think that's all it takes? If he didn't have talent, the Uchiha wouldn't bother with him. Resources alone can't create strength like that."

Hearing the crowd's admiration, Jiraiya clenched his fists. His heart ached.

"Damn you, Tsunade! You've ruined my chance at a prodigy disciple!" he muttered to himself, clutching his chest dramatically.

The Third Hokage, on the other hand, was even more determined. "This kid is a must-have. Such talent can't be left to the Uchiha."

"After the tests, I'll have Jiraiya try again to take him as a disciple."

Danzo, standing not far away, was even more determined.

"This commoner genius should belong to me, not the Uchihas!"

"Hiruzen, you fool. How could you let this happen? I'll make sure he ends up in my Root organization."

— — —

The referee called the next match.

"Next up, Uzumaki Kushina! Please step forward!"

Kushina wasted no time. She delivered a single, powerful punch that sent her opponent out of the ring.

The matches continued smoothly. Senju Nawaki, Uchiha Aota, and Uzumaki Reiko all displayed their impressive talents, easily passing the tests.

The gathered clan leaders and senior ninjas couldn't help but comment.

"Even the young Senju heir has such potential. It seems their alliance with the Uchiha is paying off."

"Indeed. The Senju clan might be on the verge of a revival."

"And let's not forget the Uzumaki and Uchiha. Their kids are all monsters in the making. That Aota kid could already be at Chunin level, maybe higher."

"Seriously. How does the Uchiha keep churning out geniuses?"

The chatter continued, but the graduation tests concluded without further incident.

The Third Hokage stepped onto the stage, addressing the young ninjas with a warm smile.

"Congratulations on passing the test! From today onward, you are officially Genin of Konoha."

"I hope you'll continue working hard, contribute to the village, and grow into its future pillars."

"I have high hopes for all of you!"

"As for your team assignments, I've already made the decisions. You'll be informed shortly!"

"For now, please follow your supervising teachers to take your ID photos and officially register as genin."

With that, the Third Hokage paused, sweeping his gaze over the crowd before continuing:

"In light of the exceptional performance from Kaito and the others, I've realized that there may be other talented individuals stuck in the academy, wasting their potential."

"This is undoubtedly a waste—a waste of talent!"

"And with the looming threat of the Second Shinobi War, we must prepare for harsher challenges ahead."

"So, in five days, we will conduct a unified graduation exam for the academy's fourth, fifth, and sixth-year students."

"Anyone who passes the test will graduate early."

"The village will assign suitable instructors to these graduates, so they can begin honing their skills in real-world situations."

"This will give them a head start before the war fully erupts, increasing their chances of survival."

The announcement stirred a mix of emotions—some were excited, others worried, and a few even opposed the idea.

"This is also an opportunity to better prepare the next generation of Konoha!"

"That's all for now!"

After finishing his speech, the Third Hokage turned and left, leaving behind a crowd with mixed reactions. Despite differing opinions, his decision had been made, and there was no room for argument.

— — —

Soon after, Kaito and the others, led by Tsunade and Orochimaru, went to the Hokage building to take their ID photos, collect their forehead protectors, and officially register as genin of Konoha.

"Minato, are you sure you won't reconsider becoming my disciple?" Jiraiya asked, looking at Minato with puppy-dog eyes.

"I really admire you! And trust me, I'm an amazing teacher!"

"If you agree, I can even teach you Sage Mode!"

Jiraiya's persistence wasn't random. Earlier, the Third Hokage had pulled him aside for a stern talk, emphasizing the importance of recruiting Minato, a civilian-born genius, and pulling him away from the influence of the Uchiha. The Third saw this as a chance to plant a key piece in his game.

Though Jiraiya was initially reluctant, the Third's insistence—and his reasoning that the Uchiha and their alliances were disrupting the village's balance—eventually swayed him.

Now here he was, trying his luck with Minato again.

"Well..." Minato hesitated, torn. He didn't want to outright refuse Jiraiya and risk offending him, but he also couldn't simply agree. Feeling stuck, he glanced at Tsunade for help.

"Jiraiya!"

Tsunade's eyebrows shot up as she angrily snapped, "Are you still on this? Why can't you let it go? Minato's already in my squad, which makes him my student!"

"Why are you trying to poach him from me? Do you not respect me?"

"Do I need to beat some sense into you?" She raised a fist threateningly. "If you're that desperate for a disciple, go find another one! Leave mine alone!"

"He doesn't need you! I can teach him everything he needs to know."

"And about Sage Mode—don't act like it's some exclusive skill of yours!"

"I can take him to the Shikkotsu Forest and teach him their Sage Mode myself. You can keep your half-baked methods to yourself. Hmph!"

Tsunade didn't need to guess why Jiraiya was acting like this. It was obvious the Third Hokage had sent him.

As for the Third's motives, she understood them all too well. He wanted to recruit Minato, using his talent and his connections with Kaito and the others as leverage against the Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki clans.

It was nothing short of shameless manipulation, and it infuriated her.

Jiraiya, being the messenger, became a convenient target for her anger.

"But Tsunade, you don't even know Sage Mode yourself, right?" Jiraiya weakly argued, retreating a step as he noticed her temper flaring.

"Shut up!"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed dangerously as she snapped, "Just because I haven't learned it yet doesn't mean I can't ask the Slug Sage to teach him!"

"Did you master Sage Mode by yourself? Didn't the Toads from Mount Myoboku teach you?!"

"And let's not forget—it took you years to even get halfway decent at it! You have no business bragging about teaching others!"

"Now, get lost!"

Before Jiraiya could say another word, Tsunade disappeared in a flash, reappeared in front of him, and punched him squarely in the chest.

"BOOM!"

With a loud crash, Jiraiya was sent flying through the air, disappearing from sight in a matter of seconds.

"Ahhhhh!" His scream echoed briefly before fading.

"Uh... Lady Tsunade, do you think you might have killed him?" Minato asked cautiously, flinching slightly at the sound of breaking bones.

"Relax!" Tsunade waved dismissively. "I've done this plenty of times. At most, he'll be seriously injured and stuck in the hospital for half a month. He's not going to die."

"And if he uses the healing meds and supplements the Uchiha sell, he'll be fine in a week."

"That guy's tough as nails, trust me!"

As she spoke, Tsunade glanced at the second-floor window of the Hokage building and spotted the Third Hokage glaring down at her with a stormy expression.

"hmph," Tsunade scoffed, rolling her eyes. Without sparing him another look, she turned to Kaito and the others, waving enthusiastically.

"Alright, let's go! The Tsunade Squad is officially formed! I'm treating you all to barbecue today!"

"At the Akimichi clan's barbecue joint?"

"Of course!"

"Awesome! Thanks, Tsunade-sensei!"

"Ha! Don't mention it. Just think of it as a little celebration!"

The Akimichi barbecue was renowned across Konoha for its amazing flavor. However, to Kaito and his team, who had grown accustomed to eating high-nutrient sea king and beast meat, it was more of a treat for the taste buds than anything else.

— — —

Back in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage watched Tsunade and her group leave with a dark expression. Turning to Orochimaru, who stood silently nearby, he said grimly, "It seems we can't rely on Jiraiya anymore."

"Tsunade has also clearly drifted away from me. That leaves you, Orochimaru."

"I need you to guide Nawaki, Uchiha Aota, and Uzumaki Reiko. Mold them into loyal shinobi of the village—loyal to me. Can I count on you?"

Having lost faith in the others, the Third pinned all his hopes on Orochimaru. If he could shape Nawaki—a Senju heir—into a loyal pawn, it would be a significant step toward controlling the Senju clan and undermining the Uchiha and Uzumaki alliances.

The Third was confident in his ability to manipulate Nawaki, who was naive and idealistic, much like his grandfather, the First Hokage.

With a calculated smirk, the Third Hokage began laying his plans.

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