Chapter 2: The Predator's Malice
In Fuma's mind, the [Wilderness Domain] was undergoing a transformation. The words twisted and merged, and a new title was about to be born!
Recalling his childhood fights with tigers and leopards, training with weights from a hundred to a thousand pounds...
The first time he killed someone and studied the most efficient way to take lives...
The first time he understood the connection between body and soul...
The first time he destroyed someone else's ninjutsu with his bare hands...
These experiences collided and fused in Fuma's mind, sharpening his aura.
A small stream of cold energy silently flowed from Fuma's eyes, merging with the transforming term, imbuing it with a hint of ominousness.
The term gradually changed from black to gray, then revealed a seductive and dangerous red.
[Wilderness Domain >> Predator's Malice!]
[Predator's Malice: The domain releases a massive amount of bloodlust. When you lock onto a target, the enemy will feel extreme malice and anxiety, disrupting their bodily functions. Enemies within the domain will continuously have their energy drained by the bloodlust until they die.]
In the clan meeting, the clan member sitting next to Fuma suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable anxiety and fatigue.
Ninjas are highly sensitive, even somewhat neurotic.
Fuma slowly opened his eyes and grinned maliciously, amplifying the [Predator's malice] to full power.
The entire clan grounds were suddenly shrouded in a murky atmosphere, with bloodlust swirling like mist, instilling an unknown fear in everyone's hearts.
Weaker clan members couldn't help but relive the moments they were closest to death.
Their thoughts were no longer under rational control, and their chakra was flooding away uncontrollably.
Even Setsuna felt uneasy and anxious, frowning as he stood up.
"Swish."
Almost all the clan members activated their Sharingan, warily scanning the surroundings for the source of the bloodlust.
Some, more nervous, had already formed hand seals.
"Fuma-niisan, have you had new insights?" Fugaku asked incredulously, his red eyes wide.
Fuma stood up, reabsorbing the bloodlust into his body, which brought in a considerable amount of chakra.
"Hahaha, excuse me, everyone."
"I am always training, and I couldn't control my new technique. Sorry for the disturbance."
"Now, I'll take my leave."
Fuma laughed heartily, bowed slightly to those around him, and slowly walked out of the clan meeting hall.
"What a monstrous person," someone muttered.
"Fuma-kun is indeed a monster."
Several talented young Uchiha members, like Tetsuka and Hachidai, initially felt very dissatisfied with Fuma's waywardness.
They thought Fuma had no loyalty to the clan and had abandoned the Sharingan, seeing him as a maverick.
But as Fuma grew stronger, their views changed, and they began to idolize him.
"Alright, you are Uchiha, look at yourselves!"
Setsuna cleared his throat authoritatively.
"The rest of the clan needs to continue training diligently. Whether to oppose the Hokage faction or to revive the Uchiha, strength is paramount!"
"Today's clan meeting is over. Dismissed!"
The clan members left the hall in small groups.
Setsuna, with a solemn expression, carefully contemplated Fuma's recent display.
"Go, tell Fuma-kun that the clan has decided to allocate him a share of the clan's businesses and give him the clan elder's badge."
"Yes."
A guard emerged from the shadows and hurried towards Fuma's house.
Setsuna stood at the shrine's entrance, his heart turbulent.
"The clan has produced a monster.
Can killing intent be used as high-level genjutsu?
What a terrifying aura...
His current strength and speed are also unusual.
Even those with three-tomoe Sharingan can only see his movement trails in spars but can't react in time.
And being touched by him, a bone fracture is the lightest injury.
Fuma-kun, has your physical body already surpassed that limit?"
Setsuna looked at the sweat in his palm, sighed, and slowly walked towards the Uchiha's secret vault.
"Clan Leader Madara, is there any record of such a taijutsu ninja in the ancient texts you left behind?"
———
Konoha, Gourmet Street, Yakiniku Q.
A blonde boy was eagerly picking at the grilled meat with his chopsticks.
"Ah, grilled pork belly bursting with juice and a bowl of white rice, a match made in heaven."
"Mmm, and a bottle of cold orange soda, Yakiniku Q forever!"
The red-haired girl across from the blonde boy, Kushina, was chewing on the grilled meat and rice like a squirrel.
"What a pleasant day. If only Fuma-sensei doesn't make me train this afternoon, it would be perfect."
"Hmm?"
A sudden sense of foreboding stiffened the blonde boy's face as he recalled something ominous.
A large hand quietly rested on his head, rubbing it vigorously.
"Yo, my foolish student, Minato, is this your girlfriend?"
"Poof!!!"
The red-haired girl, Kushina, sprayed out a mouthful of orange soda.
Fuma chuckled, picking Minato up with two fingers, blocking Kushina's "attack."
"Fuma-sensei! You could have just dodged! You're so fast!"
Minato complained, wiping the soda off his face.
"I may be the strongest, but I am not the most agile, little Minato."
Fuma laughed, grabbed a piece of grilled meat, and called the waiter.
"Bring thirty more plates of honey-glazed beef belly, twenty plates of wings, and five buckets of rice!"
The Yakiniku shop owner, Akimichi Byoumura, loudly greeted Fuma.
"Oh~~! Fuma-san is here! Please wait a moment!"
Fuma, satisfied, took Minato's chopsticks and began a relentless assault on the meat on the table.
Minato pouted, poked Fuma, and asked, "Sensei, our team now only has me. You won't take me alone on missions, will you?"
Shrugging, Fuma drank a bottle of orange soda, grabbed a pair of wings, and said while chewing, "Do you think it's easy taking care of a fool like you?"
"If there's another idiot, sensei can't handle it."
Minato snorted, "But I graduated first in my class!"
Fuma flicked Minato's forehead, consoling him, "Alright, alright, you were five when I started taking you out for fun."
"And Jiraiya-sama? There's an elite jounin selection in the village the day after tomorrow. Watch how your sensei handles him!"
Minato's eyes lit up, and the spicy Kushina looked over curiously.
"Elite jonin? They're just jonin."
"But with the recent possibility of war, the jounin class usually has a lot of pride. They need to rank everyone to avoid command issues."
Minato blinked and asked, "Sensei, can I watch?"
Kushina also raised her hand, "Kushina wants to watch too!"
Fuma glanced at them, quickly finished the newly served grilled meat and rice, and said, "You can watch. The day after tomorrow, at 8 AM, gather at the Hokage building, and I'll take you in."
Fuma then stood up, left a stack of ryo notes, and vanished with a parting shot, "Alright, my foolish student, your sensei is off to train. Stay here with your little girlfriend."
Watching Fuma disappear almost instantly, Kushina, despite the teasing, excitedly asked Minato,
"Who's that uncle? He looks so cool!"
Minato wiped his face and said helplessly, "My sensei and big brother, he's taken care of me since I was little. We're very close."
"He was recently promoted to jonin and is now my mentor!"
"But don't be fooled by his unserious demeanor. To me, he's the second strongest after the Hokage!"
Kushina, holding her chin, curiously asked, "That uncle seems strong, but he was just promoted to jounin. Won't he make a fool of himself the day after tomorrow?"
Minato patted Kushina's head, "Don't worry."
"Let's go, let's have some ice cream. We can't waste the money sensei gave us!"
Kushina blushed from the sudden head pat and whispered, "Alright, let's go."
Minato felt secretly pleased, thinking, "Sensei's advice is always right!
To win a girl's heart, just spend money and say flowery words, and success is halfway there!"
Minato encouraged himself silently, "Keep it up, Minato!"
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