In a corner of Konoha, situated on the outskirts of the village, lay the Uchiha clan's territory. Due to the policies and propositions of the Second Hokage, the Uchiha clan had been marginalized within Konoha. Many prominent families in the village had limited interactions with the Uchiha, and their proud and domineering nature had further isolated them.
Inside a well-lit room, members of the Uchiha garrison had gathered, including the current Uchiha family patriarch, Uchiha Shield Mountain. Their expressions were a mix of concern and curiosity.
"Why hasn't Zhiruo returned yet? How much longer is he going to be out?" The man who spoke was Uchiha Cannao, a Jōnin from Konoha, in his thirties.
"Cannao, don't worry. Both you and I know Zhiruo's strength. He's already an Elite Chunin at such a young age; his capabilities are not to be underestimated. Dealing with a kid from an outer village should pose no problem," Patriarch Uchiha Dunshan reassured.
"Yeah, Cannao, have faith in Zhiruo's strength," another Uchiha garrison captain chimed in.
Several others expressed similar sentiments.
Despite the reassurances, Uchiha Cannao's face remained grim. Time dragged on, and one by one, the people in the room left until only Uchiha Cannao and Uchiha Dunshan were left.
Both men were struggling to stay awake, their fatigue evident.
Suddenly, there was a loud noise as a Uchiha spy materialized out of thin air. He knelt before Uchiha Shield Mountain with a grave expression, holding a scroll.
Uchiha Dunshan and Uchiha Cannao, jolted from their half-asleep state, demanded to know what had happened.
The ninja remained silent, unrolled the scroll on the ground, formed a seal, and shouted, "Release!"
A cloud of white smoke burst forth, replacing the scroll with a lifeless, mud-covered body.
"Son!" Uchiha Cannao recognized the clay figure as his son and broke into tears. The wailing echoed through the Uchiha family compound.
Uchiha Dunshan's face grew somber, realizing that today might mark a significant turning point.
Meanwhile, Ye Chen, who was entangled in Konoha's intrigues, paid no heed to the unfolding events. His primary focus was on improving his strength.
His initial ninja talent could only be considered average. However, since awakening Conqueror's Haki, the efficiency of refining Chakra had significantly increased. His Chakra level had now reached Genin level, and in the ninja academy, he would be considered a small genius.
With his increasingly robust physique and the boost from Conqueror's Haki, he could already contend with Chūnin-level ninjas, surpassing the average Genin by far.
Only half a year had passed since he began his training, and his progress had been nothing short of remarkable.
After returning home one night, Ye Chen locked the door, sat cross-legged on his bed, and retrieved the Mera-Mera Fruit from the system space.
Who could have guessed that this dragon fruit-like object was, in fact, a Devil Fruit endowed with god-like abilities?
As Ye Chen held the fruit in his hand, he could feel the scorching heat emanating from the flames inside the Devil Fruit. It was as if it could incinerate everything in its path.
Ye Chen hesitated for a moment, considering the potential drawbacks, particularly his vulnerability to sea water.
However, the lure of power was too great to resist. He needed strength above all else.
With that thought, he took a bite of the fruit.
"Crack!"
The taste was initially unremarkable, but as he chewed, the flavor became increasingly strange. It was as though it fermented inside his mouth, leaving an unpleasant and unsettling taste that made him want to retch.
"Gollum!"
Ye Chen pinched his nose and swallowed the fruit whole. He shuddered, feeling as though he had just endured an ordeal.
The taste was so repulsive that he had to concentrate to keep from vomiting.
Once he composed himself, he pondered whether he now possessed the power to control fire.
He extended a finger and silently uttered, "Fire."
"Whoosh!"
A flame erupted from his fingertip, illuminating the dim room. Although the flame was on his finger, it emitted no heat, and the sensation was gentle and supple.
With a thought, the flame burst, forming a fireball above his fingers, which he had managed to create through his concentration.
"Bah!"
Ye Chen snapped his fingers, and the fireball vanished into thin air.
He concluded that his control over flames was at the level of D-rank ninjutsu, equivalent to that of a Genin.
He carefully explored the new power within him, the Mera-Mera Fruit, and found that he could partially elementalize his body.
He then checked his status panel:
Host: Ye Chen
Abilities: Conqueror's Haki Lv2, Observation Haki Lv2, Armament Haki Lv2, Tornado Profound Truth Lv2. To reach the next level, you require 1,000 experience points.
Devil Fruit: Mera-Mera Fruit Lv1. To reach the next level, you require 100 experience points.
Experience Points: 1,200/1,000
With an upgrade available, Ye Chen was torn. He could improve either his Conqueror's Haki or his Mera-Mera Fruit ability, but he didn't have enough experience points for both.
He made a decision and chose to upgrade his Armament Haki.
As he spent 100 experience points to upgrade it, he felt a surge of power. His Armament Haki had now reached Lv3.
He felt stronger and more confident. Before, he had hesitated to break through C-rank ninjutsu, but now he was sure of his abilities.