Uzumaki Mito narrowed her eyes, making Tsunade nervous. Tsunade clenched her fists unconsciously. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Hanzō of the Salamander is called a demigod. His strength is far beyond what you three youngsters can handle. Remember, a man’s reputation is not built for nothing," Uzumaki Mito said calmly.

Tsunade gritted her teeth.

"Grandma, this is the first mission our teacher assigned us. I don’t want to give up! I know Hanzō of the Salamander is a Kage-level shinobi, but how can we know unless we try?"

Her eyes shone with determination. However, Uzumaki Mito did not look pleased. Instead, she sighed.

"Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t stop you. Just come back alive," Uzumaki Mito said, closing her eyes.

"I don’t want to lose my granddaughter too." Her words lingered in the air, making Tsunade freeze. She couldn’t help but recall her grandmother’s life.

Married into Konoha from her homeland, far from her clan, losing her husband in middle age, and her children in old age. Now, the only blood relatives left were Tsunade and her younger brother.

And now, both of them were heading to the battlefield. For an elderly woman, this was unbearable. Tsunade had been so focused on proving her strength, on proving that the granddaughter of Senju Hashirama was a powerful shinobi, that she forgot her grandmother only wished for their safety and happiness.

"I will, Grandma. I’ll come back alive," Tsunade said, her eyes slightly red, her voice trembling.

Suddenly, Uzumaki Mito seemed to remember something. "Ah, Tsunade, I recall that a team leader can bring a trusted subordinate, right? Have you chosen anyone?"

"Huh? Grandma, I haven’t decided yet. But someone recommended a kid from the Hatake clan. I heard his Spirit Transformation Technique is quite unique," Tsunade said, wiping her tears.

"Spirit Transformation Technique? But in the end, it’s just a minor trick," Uzumaki Mito shook her head. "I think that Uchiha kid is a better choice."

"Ryun? But he’s only a genin!" Tsunade exclaimed in surprise.

Uzumaki Mito stood up and walked toward the door, then turned slightly to look at Tsunade.

"That boy’s Sharingan may only have one tomoe, but the aura within it is stronger than most two-tomoe Sharingan, almost comparable to a three-tomoe."

Tsunade was stunned. Three-tomoe? Did that mean Ryun had the combat ability of a jōnin? Still, the Hatake clan member was also a jōnin and had the unique Spirit Transformation Technique.

Compared to that, Ryun still fell short. Just as Tsunade was puzzled, Uzumaki Mito added, "That boy also knows Magnet Release."

Tsunade’s pupils shrank. Magnet Release! A kekkei genkai formed by the combination of wind and earth chakra, a unique ability of their longtime rivals, Sunagakure. How could it appear in an Uchiha?

"Uchiha Ryun knows Magnet Release? Then why hasn’t he shown it before?" Tsunade was confused. Why would someone with such talent hide it?

"That’s where he’s smarter than you. A tree that stands out will be toppled by the wind. In his clan, he’s overlooked, even discriminated against. In the village, he’s still an Uchiha. Who can he trust?" Uzumaki Mito smiled.

"Even I only noticed something unusual through my Sensor abilities. So, Tsunade, find a way to bring Uchiha Ryun along tomorrow. I have a feeling that kid isn’t simple," Uzumaki Mito said earnestly.

Then, without looking back, she left Tsunade’s room and returned to her own to sleep.

Tsunade took off her clothes and thought carefully. The Spirit Transformation Technique was indeed unique, but it had major flaws. The user’s body had to be protected at all costs. If it was stabbed, the soul couldn’t return, and death was certain.

Moreover, the Spirit Transformation Technique was child’s play to a Kage-level shinobi. Its lower limit was high, but its upper limit was low. On the other hand, Magnet Release was different. Before Sunagakure was founded, there were already Magnet Release masters.

And without exception, all Magnet Release users became Kage-level. The current Third Kazekage, for example, was a Magnet Release user with a special Iron Sand ability.

Besides, the Uchiha clan’s Sharingan could also elevate Ryun to Kage-level. So, comparing the two, the position of trusted subordinate was better suited for Ryun.

With that in mind, Tsunade made her decision. Still, she would ask Ryun for his opinion tomorrow. After all, a forced agreement wouldn’t work.

Thinking this, Tsunade fell asleep.

The night passed quickly. The stars shifted, and a new day arrived.

Around 5 a.m., Uchiha Ryun woke up. It was his body’s natural rhythm. The first thing he did after getting up was fold his futon neatly and place it back in position.

Then, he went to wash his face. Clear water flowed from the faucet. Uchiha Ryun cupped his hands, feeling the cold sensation on his palms.

He couldn’t help but shiver. Then, he splashed the water onto his face. Brr—icy cold! But after the first shock, he adjusted and even found it refreshing.

After washing his face, Uchiha Ryun wiped it dry and headed to the Senju clan’s training ground. His daily training couldn’t be skipped.

He took out eight shuriken from his tool pouch and threw them with his well-practiced Uchiha-style shurikenjutsu. The eight shuriken collided midair before flying toward the wooden dummy’s head.

Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud

All eight shuriken embedded themselves into the dummy’s vital points—the temples, the center of the forehead, the back of the skull—showing just how precise and lethal Uchiha Ryun’s technique was.

Next, Uchiha Ryun drew an ordinary, standard-issue sword.

Uchiha Ryun unsheathed the blade, his eyes gleaming. Relying on muscle memory, he flipped and slashed diagonally, then kicked the target. A cut appeared on the dummy’s carotid artery. Then, Uchiha Ryun kicked the dummy’s body, rebounded, spun 360 degrees in midair, and landed perfectly.

Hmm, how to put it? Very Uchiha. High damage, but also flashy and performative.

If this slash had landed on a person, they would likely be clutching their throat, dead in seconds.

Uchiha Ryun’s lips twitched. The Uchiha-style kenjutsu was powerful and intricate, but as a 21st-century young man, he couldn’t help but feel it was a bit... extra?

Still, he pushed the thought aside and practiced his sword skills for another 40 minutes before sheathing his blade. He controlled his strength carefully, ensuring he didn’t destroy the dummy.

After all, this wasn’t his personal training ground. But because the Senju compound was sparsely populated, he enjoyed the rare privilege of having the place to himself, which brought him some joy.

Uzumaki Mito, still in her room, activated her Sensor abilities. She had woken up when she heard Uchiha Ryun’s shuriken practice but wanted to observe his training, so she stayed in her room and monitored him with her Sensory perception.

She noticed that Uchiha Ryun not only had solid fundamentals but was also exceptionally diligent and serious, completely unlike the rumors suggested.