THE UCHIHA ASCENSION

Nawaki Senju mastered the Great Waterfall Technique, surprising Uchiha Kiyo and even more so Sarutobi Shuo.

For a moment, Sarutobi Shuo was caught off guard by Nawaki Senju's attack. The surrounding terrain had changed due to Nawaki's triple-cast Waterfall Technique, leaving behind numerous puddles. This new environment strongly favored Nawaki, who specialized in Water Release.

The most astonishing part was not just the large-scale terrain transformation but the fact that Nawaki remained unfazed. His chakra reserves were clearly extraordinary.

Sarutobi Shuo quickly adjusted his strategy. While the altered environment benefited Nawaki, it had little impact on his own combat abilities. His proficiency in Water Walking Training allowed him to fight effectively regardless of terrain.

Their spar ended in a draw.

Nawaki's barrage of ninjutsu was relentless, but it failed to cause significant damage to Sarutobi Shuo. In return, Sarutobi Shuo, while not specializing in ninjutsu, was still proficient enough to counter Nawaki's attacks. His combat experience and tactical acumen ensured he didn't fall behind.

Both had improved significantly. Nawaki had mastered the Great Waterfall Technique, and his combat proficiency had matured over the past three years. While he didn't possess the same raw talent as Uchiha Kiyo, he had reached a respectable level.

Sarutobi Shuo, having recovered from a severe injury, appeared to have surpassed his previous limits. His chakra reserves had increased, surpassing 1,300 units. He was beginning to cast C-rank jutsu without being as constrained by chakra consumption.

A C-rank jutsu typically consumed only a few dozen chakra units, while a B-rank jutsu required between 500 and 2,000 units. Higher-level jutsu, particularly A-rank and S-rank techniques, had more complex chakra consumption patterns. The Flying Thunder God Technique, for instance, was classified as an S-rank Forbidden Technique. However, its chakra consumption was relatively low—Minato Namikaze could execute it hundreds of times in battle with minimal strain. Estimates suggested each teleportation used around 100 units of chakra. Of course, the distance factor influenced the cost.

Their progress was undeniable, and Uchiha Kiyo couldn't help but acknowledge that real combat was the best catalyst for growth.

Kiyo himself had made the most substantial progress. Awakening his Sharingan had significantly boosted his abilities, improving his overall combat effectiveness by at least 20%.

A mere 20% increase might not seem impressive, but considering that Kiyo was already on par with the other two, this boost now placed him firmly ahead.

"Nawaki, you actually mastered the Great Waterfall Technique. Not bad!"

Sarutobi Shuo wasn't envious—he was genuinely pleased. With Nawaki's reduced dependence on external water sources, his combat effectiveness had increased, which was beneficial for their team's survival.

"Haha, of course! Who do you think I am? I'm the future Hokage!"

Uchiha Kiyo glanced at him and couldn't resist dampening his enthusiasm before he got too full of himself.

"Mastering the Great Waterfall Technique is great, but your hand seals still take too long. If you don't reduce them to three or five seals, it won't be practical in real combat."

"Hah? Kiyo, are you jealous?"

"You think I'd be jealous? It's not like I don't know B-rank ninjutsu."

Kiyo smacked Nawaki's forehead, irritated by his arrogance.

Sarutobi Shuo nodded in agreement. "Kiyo's right, Nawaki. I wasn't expecting you to use that technique earlier, so I gave you an opening. In a real battle, enemies won't just stand around and let you complete your seals."

His words hit Nawaki hard.

Indeed, in combat, high-seal-count jutsu were difficult to use unless the opponent was distracted or restrained. The enemy wouldn't just allow him the time to perform them.

There was another issue that Nawaki hadn't considered but Kiyo had—intelligence gathering. As the grandson of the First Hokage, Nawaki was undoubtedly a subject of interest for other villages. Any competent enemy would anticipate his Water Release abilities and prepare countermeasures, making it even harder for him to use large-scale techniques.

However, there was no need to point this out now.

After their discussion, they resumed individual training.

As always, Uchiha Kiyo began with his physical conditioning.

After more than two years of refinement, his training regimen had evolved beyond merely imitating animal movements. By integrating his medical knowledge, he had optimized the exercises for maximum efficiency.

Arriving at his usual training spot, he activated a reinforced Gravity Barrier he had inscribed earlier. Since he trained here daily, he had permanently set up the technique for convenience.

Activating the barrier, he adjusted the gravity to 3.0 times normal gravity.

His physical enhancements from awakening the Sharingan had raised his body's capabilities. Only under triple gravity could he maximize his gains.

"I've already adapted to three times the normal gravity. This barrier is almost outdated. I need to develop a stronger version soon, or my progress will slow down."

Feeling the intense pressure, Kiyo sighed internally, adding yet another task to his list.

Through firsthand experience, he understood how drastic a twofold increase in gravity was. He couldn't fathom how characters in Dragon Ball trained under hundreds of times normal gravity so quickly…

"Bloodline limits really are unfair."

Striking various postures, he began his regimen—sometimes moving like a monkey, other times leaping, throwing punches, crouching like a tiger, or springing forward explosively. His movements were fluid yet precise, reflecting years of refinement.

A complete set of exercises ensured every muscle group was activated. With sufficient warm-ups, endurance drills, and his Body Cultivation Technique in play, Kiyo felt his body heating up.

Unlike pure endurance workouts, his training focused on balanced, full-body conditioning rather than excessive exhaustion. Still, after three cycles, he was thoroughly drained.

Sitting cross-legged, he activated his Body Cultivation Technique again, circulating chakra to optimize his recovery.

Since its development, he had found numerous applications for the technique. He also sensed untapped potential still waiting to be explored.

One major goal remained—counteracting the drawbacks of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

If he could modify his technique to sustain his eyesight, it would be a game-changer. At the very least, mitigating the side effects would be a massive advantage.

Unfortunately, despite his medical expertise, Kiyo wasn't well-versed in head anatomy and was hesitant to experiment recklessly.

Performing eye transplantation was one thing. But precisely manipulating chakra to nourish the optic nerves? That was a different challenge altogether.

Over the years, he had optimized his Body Cultivation routes across most of his body. However, his head remained the exception—chakra circulation there was broad and general, lacking specialized refinement.

"For now, I should focus on the Gravity Barrier. The war is approaching, and I might not have time for research later."

Unlike other training, gravity conditioning could only be done here.

"My target isn't that high—5x gravity should be enough for another year of progress… Wait, maybe I should aim for 10x. That should last me at least three years."

With a determined smirk, Kiyo stood up and resumed his training. The path to strength was unrelenting, and he had no intention of slowing down.

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