Naruto: The Clanless Prince

Sarutobi Hiruzen carefully studied the Thunder Breath Sword Form scroll Sora had given him.

This was no longer a matter of simple approval—it was pure astonishment.

From Sarutobi Hiruzen's seasoned perspective on ninjutsu, the first five sword forms of the Thunder Breath technique could only be classified as B-rank ninjutsu in terms of power. However, the last two forms, the Sixth Form and Seventh Form, possessed the potency of A-rank techniques.

When evaluated as a complete set, the Thunder Breath Sword Forms could be classified as A-rank overall.

This level of sophistication left Sarutobi Hiruzen pleasantly surprised. A complete set of ninjutsu, especially one this refined, was incredibly valuable.

Sarutobi Hiruzen put the scroll away and looked at Sora with satisfaction. "Sora, on behalf of Konoha, I want to sincerely thank you for contributing to this Thunder Breath Full Sword Type. What reward would you like?"

Sora shook his head and replied, "This is my duty. I am deeply honoured to be able to contribute to Konoha. That is reward enough for me."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's satisfaction with Sora deepened.

Sora's talent was undeniable. Mastery of both the Lightning Style Chakra form change and Nature Transformation, combined with the complete Thunder Breath Sword Forms, demonstrated a level of skill that guaranteed his future as a Jōnin.

What impressed Sarutobi Hiruzen the most was Sora's loyalty. To offer such a valuable A-rank technique without hesitation or reservation was proof of his commitment to Konoha.

Initially, Sarutobi Hiruzen had suspected Sora might harbour resentment toward the village, but this act dispelled any such doubts.

Otherwise, why would Sora share an entire set of A-rank ninjutsu?

Sarutobi Hiruzen began to see Sora as someone with exceptional potential who was worthy of investment and cultivation.

Furthermore, the fact that Sora carried half of the Uchiha clan's bloodline made him uniquely positioned to influence or mediate matters involving the Uchiha in the future.

Sarutobi Hiruzen approached Sora, patted him on the shoulder, and said with encouragement, "Sora, ensure your safety during your training. Work hard, and do not let me down."

Sora slightly lowered his head, his expression momentarily unreadable.

Does this mean Sarutobi Hiruzen intends to put me to greater use?

That's... perfect.

The more Sarutobi Hiruzen relied on him, the smoother Sora's plans could unfold.

Sora raised his head, meeting Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze with determination. "I will not fail you, Hokage-sama!"

After offering a few more words of encouragement, Sarutobi Hiruzen dismissed Sora, who then bowed respectfully and left the office.

Once outside the Hokage Building, Sora exhaled deeply.

In the foreseeable future, Sora's time will be devoted to training.

Konoha was currently in a period of peace, meaning no major events were likely to occur, and opportunities for witness points were scarce.

Currently, Sora was effectively penniless when it came to witness points, which left him somewhat frustrated.

He couldn't help but feel the system had designed this intentionally. A standard sword form consumes 10 witness points, and replenishing Chakra costs 30 points each time. After three uses, it perfectly exhausted 100 points.

Sora glanced at the setting sun in the dusky sky. I'll have to work harder to grow stronger.

Five days later.

The ninja school was closed for the day.

Uzumaki Kushina had been excited all morning about her outing with Sora. After finishing lunch with Uzumaki Mito, she left the house eagerly, determined to arrive early at their meeting place to surprise him. 

The streets were lined with Sakura trees in full bloom, and petals drifted gently in the breeze, creating a pink carpet beneath her feet. Uzumaki Kushina smiled, imagining walking with Sora under the cascading petals. 

However, her cheerful mood vanished the moment she spotted someone standing near a Sakura tree ahead of her. 

It was the boy who always caused her trouble at the ninja school. 

He was staring at her with a smug expression as if ready to cause trouble again. 

From behind the boy emerged a taller figure wearing a Konoha forehead protector—a Genin. He rested his hand on the boy's shoulder and grinned maliciously at Uzumaki Kushina. 

The Genin crossed his arms and walked forward. "So, you're the one who's been making my little brother cry." 

Uzumaki Kushina pointed at the boy accusingly. "He's the one who provokes me! He's just a coward!" 

The Genin glanced at his brother, who averted his gaze guiltily, then looked back at Uzumaki Kushina. With a smug expression, he tapped his forehead protector. "I'm a Genin. Pretty impressive, huh? Now I have to teach a brat like you a lesson for picking on my brother." 

He cracked his knuckles menacingly. 

Uzumaki Kushina narrowed her eyes, deciding not to waste time. She leapt onto a nearby tree and began running. 

"Hey! Don't run!" the Genin yelled, immediately chasing after her. 

He hurled a kunai, and it embedded itself in the tree trunk near Uzumaki Kushina, causing her to flinch. She hadn't expected him to use a real weapon. 

Uzumaki Kushina stopped abruptly, launched herself off the tree trunk, and charged directly at the Genin. 

Caught off guard, the Genin couldn't react in time, and Uzumaki Kushina's punch landed squarely on his chest, sending him tumbling to the ground. 

But before Uzumaki Kushina could catch her breath, a puff of white smoke replaced the Genin's body with a wooden log—it was the Body Replacement Technique. 

The Genin reappeared behind her, delivering a sharp blow to her neck with a hand strike. Staggered, Uzumaki Kushina fell forward, and the Genin followed up with a kick to her back, knocking her to the ground. 

Grabbing her by her red hair, he yanked her head up, making Uzumaki Kushina cry out in pain. "Didn't even notice my substitution? You're just a kid, after all! And this hair—it's so red and so annoying. It's like a curse." 

The boy laughed mockingly from behind him. "Hahaha, serves you right!" 

Uzumaki Kushina's sobs reached Sora, who had just arrived at the scene. 

The sight of her crying and being humiliated made Sora's blood boil. His mind went blank with rage as lightning began to crackle around his body. 

The boy noticed him and shouted, "Brother! Another one of her friends is here! Let's teach him a lesson too!" 

The Genin smirked cruelly, twisting his neck. "Perfect. I've been itching to deal with another brat." 

"Sora, run!" Uzumaki Kushina shouted through her tears. 

But Sora was beyond reasoning. His body arched slightly as he drew his battered standard sword. Sparks of Lightning Style Chakra flickered across his weapon and his entire body. His fury had reached its peak. 

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