5 Chapter 4 : 30th Place

"Three Tomoe Sharingan, it's truly the Uchiha Clan!"

The scene was filled with shock, leaving everyone's minds reeling.

No one could have anticipated that Ran, who had nearly claimed the position of the Fifth Hokage, would actually be an Uchiha.

Keen individuals like Shikamaru Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka, as well as Konoha executives like Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, and even staunch loyalists like Hiruzen Sarutobi, understood the implications of this revelation.

The position of the Fifth Hokage was about to experience upheaval.

"It really is the Uchiha Clan."

"Incredible!"

Uchiha Sasuke clenched his fists with excitement before inquiring, "Ran nii-chan, when did your Sharingan awaken? Why didn't you announce your connection to the Uchiha Clan to the ninja world?"

Teacher Ran had directly become Big Brother Ran. Was this the effect of their shared blood?

Sasuke was still quite inexperienced, not understanding the unique position that Uchiha held within the hearts of high-ranking officials in Konoha. He simply knew that if Uchiha Ran declared his Uchiha lineage to the world, it would establish the Uchiha's influence.

In truth, he had been duped by events all the way up to the moment. He perpetually felt somewhat dim-witted.

Considering that he was not adept in political matters, it was only natural that he would pose such a question.

Uchiha Ran smiled gently, patting Sasuke's head as he explained, "Sasuke, my Sharingan, awakened while I was on a covert mission recently."

"I was taken aback myself and haven't yet decided how to address this."

"It seems you're truly a genius, Ran nii-chan, unlocking the Three Tomoe Sharingan upon opening your eyes." Sasuke nodded, wholly trusting Uchiha Ran's words.

In his eyes, nobody would abandon the illustrious Uchiha name.

"Brother Ran, then will we together avenge the family by taking down that bastard Itachi?" Sasuke eagerly asked.

Uchiha Ran's talents were no less than those of Uchiha Itachi.

The traitorous betrayer's time had finally come!

"There will be an opportunity," Uchiha Ran replied evasively.

His gaze swept across the room.

Observing the palpable unease on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face, as well as the defensive resistance in the eyes of Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, and the resigned helplessness of Shikamaru Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka, Uchiha Ran couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

His concealment had been so easily uncovered. He had been caught unprepared.

When he had first learned about his Uchiha lineage, it was only natural to deceive someone like Sasuke, who was somewhat lacking in discernment.

The truth was that he had discovered his heritage much earlier, and Sharingan had awakened at the age of three.

He was a traveler, having arrived in Konoha from Earth 16 years ago, having been reincarnated into the Uchiha Clan.

Both of his parents were Chūnin.

During Konoha's 48th year, the Nine-Tails' attack had taken a devastating toll on their clan. Though they lived on the fringes of the Uchiha district, his family was situated closest to the village center and thus suffered a direct hit from the Nine-Tails.

Witnessing the deaths of his parents, he had awakened his Sharingan at the tender age of three, simultaneously regaining the memories of his past life.

In his previous life, he had worked as a firefighter, often occupying his free time with reading novels and watching anime, which is why the concept of Hokage wasn't foreign to him.

Both his parents were ninja, and he himself had a powerful soul and a strong spiritual presence, qualities that perfectly aligned with the Uchiha Clan's strengths. As such, he had developed the Sharingan, particularly the Three Tomoe Sharingan, quite adeptly.

Although, to be honest, it was child's play.

Having familiarize himself with the Naruro narrative, he was well aware that in about six or seven years, the Uchiha Clan would meet its end at the hands of the two loyal sons, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito, with the participation of senior Konoha officials.

Unsure if he possessed any "cheats" or not, he believed that by the time he reached ten years of age, he wouldn't be able to thwart Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito, especially not with the influence of higher-ups like Danzo lurking in the background.

Aside from his deceased parents, he held no significant relationships within the Uchiha Clan.

After all, his parents had been Chūnin and lacked any notable status within the clan.

After careful consideration, he chose to disappear.

Fate had been kind to him.

The Uchiha district was located on the outskirts of Konoha, and the orphanage closest to him paid minimal attention to his presence.

He conceived a plan, acquiring the body of a young child from the orphanage who bore a resemblance to himself. After dressing the body in his own clothing, he placed it next to his parents' lifeless forms. In this way, he managed to remain hidden within the orphanage, assuming the identity of a civilian child.

Following the Fourth Hokage's death, the Third Hokage had retaken power, embarking on the challenging task of recovering from the Nine-Tails' devastation.

With his parents and himself presumed deceased by the Uchiha Clan, he was considered a casualty.

Countless children and caretakers at the orphanage had also perished.

During the chaos of war, it wasn't suspect for a three-year-old child like him to remain undetected.

No one anticipated that a three-year-old would be an Uchiha.

After all, who would abandon the prestigious Uchiha surname?

His true identity remained undetected by all, allowing him to enter the Ninja Academy as an orphan at the age of six. Through dedication and hard work, he gradually ascended the ranks, becoming an Anbu squad leader and following the footsteps of Namikaze Minato, with Iruka as his mentor.

He emanated a cheerful, kind, and gentle aura, embodying the Will of Fire.

He was ordinary yet immensely talented.

Under Sarutobi Hiruzen's guidance, he joined the Hokage Faction and began to forge his path, similar to the way Minato had, albeit with a twist of his own.

He was affable, compassionate, and exhibited the determination to succeed. He was seen as an heir to the Will of Fire, even if he was just a commoner with no clan affiliation.

He became a disciple of Sarutobi Hiruzen, inheriting the legacy of Hashirama and Tobirama, and bore a promising future.

Indeed, this was true. Otherwise, why would Danzo have attempted to eliminate him so many times?

However, what he hadn't anticipated was that his disguise would be unmasked at this moment.

Uchiha Ran understood that regardless of when the knowledge of his Uchiha heritage came to light, from that moment on, he

could no longer be Sarutobi Hiruzen's favored candidate for the Fifth Hokage position.

Or perhaps, he would never become Hokage at all.

The prejudice against the Uchiha Clan, stretching back over 60 years, would not be erased by a few years of mentorship—even if Sarutobi Hiruzen considered him his son.

If Hiruzen valued the master-apprentice relationship, how could Orochimaru have been driven to conspire with Danzo, then subsequently defect? How could Tsunade have taken on the role of a guardian of Shizune and vanished from Konoha for more than a decade? And why was Jiraiya, for the most part, absent from Konoha, leaving Naruto to face a harsh upbringing?

Nevertheless, this wasn't a significant issue. He never intended to ascend to the Hokage's seat with Hiruzen's endorsement. Such a scenario would merely be a replay of Namikaze Minato's legacy.

A deceased Hiruzen was a far more valuable Hiruzen.

As for the matter at hand, he believed that his ally, Orochimaru, wouldn't let him down.

"This is... intriguing," Orochimaru couldn't help but comment.

Hiruzen's expression remained impassive.

Meanwhile, the Ninja World Gold List became animated once again.

[ Fourth Raikage Ai: Uchiha Ran? Is that the Uchiha I know? Is that the "Black Flash" I'm familiar with? ]

[Onoki: Ai's surprisingly clever this time. But that's not the Uchiha we're talking about. It's hard to imagine that the famed Black Flash has Uchiha ties. No wonder his abilities are so impressive—Hiruzen really knows how to pick 'em. ]

[Terumi Mei: The Uchiha Clan doesn't seem to be composed of good people. Still, I wonder why the renowned Black Flash has never revealed his identity? ]

[Fourth Raikage Ai: I've never heard of the Sharingan being associated with the Black Flash. It's probable that he didn't even realize his connection to the Uchiha Clan. After all, the troublesome red-eyed clan has long since faded away. ]

[Uchiha Sasuke: What did you just say, you bastard? Dare you insult my clan? I'll tear you apart! ]

Sasuke wasn't pleased with Fourth Raikage Ai's casual disparagement of the Uchiha Clan, even though the sentiment held some truth, given their somewhat menacing appearance.

Yet, nobody paid him much mind.

[Onoki: Who knows? Maybe Uchiha Ran was aware of the questionable actions of Konoha's four old people, hence he concealed his heritage. How else would Hiruzen take him on as an apprentice? ]

[ Terumi Mei: Haha, and what's wrong with Konoha's four old people? ]

[Utatane Koharu: Third Tsuchikage, who are you calling old? ]

[Onoki: I'm addressing the elder, but who the elder is, remains a mystery. ]

[Mitokado Homura: The entire ninja world knows that the Uchiha Clan's downfall was orchestrated by Uchiha Itachi. Don't try to distort the facts. As a representative of Konoha, I won't stand for it. ]

[Onoki: Oh, Konoha's getting defensive again. Do you really think nobody in Konoha can stop Itachi? ]

[ Uchiha Ran: Not convinced? I heard that you, Third Tsuchikage, once issued an order for your village's ninjas to avoid engaging me during missions. Has that order been revoked already? ]

Third Tsuchikage: …

Fourth Raikage: …

Fifth Mizukage: …

The three Kage members fell into an awkward silence.

Though Onoki had initiated the order, Fourth Raikage had concurred due to peer pressure, while Kirigakure's directive had come from their representative, Yagura. It was hard to deny the potency of the Flying Thunder God technique.

Politics were often driven by dark motives.

Wasn't it true that the Uchiha Clan would meet its end? When would that happen?

And if not true, would it not be fine to sow some seeds of doubt?

As long as a gap persisted between the Hokage Faction and Uchiha Ran, they would come out on top.

In an instant, they had united to form a defensive and offensive alliance.

Unexpectedly, he found himself receiving a tongue-lashing... how embarrassing.

The Ninja World Gold List fell silent once more.

Only the most formidable individuals could partake in the conversation. Apart from a few rebels, most of them maintained discipline. Therefore, when the Kage spoke, others were less likely to interfere.

For now, at least.

The entire ninja world held its breath.

In accordance with Uchiha Ran's words, they awaited the unveiling of rewards, the means to authenticate the Gold List, and the strategies to follow.

Meanwhile, in the tranquil Pure Land world, an isolated space, the aged Uchiha Madara narrowed his eyes, his ordinary Three Tomoe Sharingan glittering.

"The Uchiha Clan has been obliterated?"

"Was this Obito's doing?"

"I wonder if the plan is being set into motion."

"Perhaps the Bloodline Limit List will provide some insight."

Uchiha Madara's musings danced.

He attempted to communicate, receiving an indication from the Gold List that it was time to release the list.

In just a few minutes, the moment of truth would arrive.

...

Under the gaze of innumerable observers within the Pure Land and the Ninja World, the countdown to the Gold List reached its conclusion.

[0:02]

[0:01]

"Boom!"

As the countdown reached zero, a resonant bell sounded.

[Gold List Announcement: The Ninja World Bloodline Limit List will now be unveiled featuring bloodline limits. The ranking is based on the degree of development, commencing with the 30th position. ]

[Gold List Announcement: Bloodline Limit Level denotes the degree of purity or development, with potential for enhancement through personal effort. Progress speed is influenced by methodology, dedication, and other factors. ]

[30th Place on the Ninja World Bloodline Limit List: Moegi Kazamatsuri (Wood Style Bloodline Limit · Unawakened, Primary Senju Constitution)]

The Ninja World Gold List displayed a series of golden characters, accompanied by a holographic projection of an eight-year-old girl.

The projection rotated mid-air before materializing into an avatar next to the name.

At that moment, the entire ninja world was plunged into silence.

Wood... Release?

*****

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