Arc 1 - Awakening - Part 3

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Surface merging technique. At its core, it was the perfect spying ability. With that said, it could also become a threatening assassination tool, if used right.

Then again, he was the creator of this technique… No one knew it better than him. He vaguely remembered passing it down[1], but he didn't think anyone learned it after him.

If Jun had to give it a difficulty rating, it would probably be considered an A-rank technique. In comparison to the great fireball, which was a C-rank, the surface merging technique was much harder to learn and master.

This was due to the fact that it drew heavy inspiration from Zetsu's signature technique, mayfly.

To master the technique one required tremendous chakra control, as well as expansive knowledge of the human body and it's composition. Once used, the technique would allow one's body to mimic a surface down to the molecular level.

By using this technique, one could completely merge with their surroundings, completely eliminating their presence and chakra-signature. In a merged state, the user wouldn't require air to survive.

Recalling all of the details, Jun lifted his hand and performed a one-handed ram seal. Filling all the cells in his body with chakra, Jun performed the technique and slowly started to sink underground.

If someone were to see him, they'd probably think he was a ghost.

Fully concentrated, Jun allowed his entire body to submerge underground, where he started moving around.

'As I thought… The speed is way to slow. Its as fast as walking.'

Although this was a disadvantage, the technique more than made up for it with its advantages. Satisfied, he continued to train.

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Time seemed to fly, and soon, the sky was almost dark. Realizing how long he had spent training, Jun came out of a tree and landed on the ground, exhausted.

Catching his breath, he wiped off the sweat and walked back to the cabin, where Aito was waiting. Seeing him arrive, he jumped up with excitement.

"Aniki! I heard that you've passed the exam!"

"Did you ever doubt it?"

"N-no… Anyways, congrats! Akane told me to tell you that we should go celebrate at her place, she's even prepared a feast for us!"

"Really? I mean… I won't reject her hospitality. Let's go there after I shower, hm?"

"Sure, I'll be waiting outside!"

If she was going to go out of her way to prepare dinner, saying no would be too rude. Jun decided that a little fun wouldn't be that bad.

After showering, he put on some basic clothes and left with Aito.

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[1] So here's where some plot-fixing happens. The surface merging technique is actually referred to as the 'hiding in surface technique', by the fandom. We first saw it through Orochimaru back in the forest of death, but it was never really explored, not including the few people who were listed as having it. It was never mentioned in the databooks either.

With that said, since Madara is also listed as a user in the wiki, I decided to make him the originator of the jutsu. Although you already read it, the backstory that I fabricated goes along the lines of him studying Hashirama's and Zetsu's abilities. Then, he passed it on to someone and a few people learned of it as a result. I hope it makes sense to you all!

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Going through the now-familiar Uchiha complex, it wasn't long before they reached Akane's residence. Like last time, Aito called out to her.

"You're here!"

Grinning from ear to ear, Akane rushed out of the house and hurriedly opened the gate.

"Hurry! The food's getting cold, and grandma is getting impatient!"

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Granny Mai had a soft spot for both Aito and Jun. Having known their parents well, she couldn't stand seeing them suffer. With a warm smile, she let them eat as much as they wanted.

Not afraid of losing any face, Aito ate like a madman. Although his brother's food was good, granny Mai's was definitely better.

Having trained all day, Jun also ate quite a lot. Seeing his brother enjoy himself, his opinion of both Akane and her grandmother rose quite a bit. Granny Mai treated them like her own grandchildren, effectively becoming Aito's mother figure.

The night went by slowly... Jun and Aito ate to their heart's content, enjoying the company of both Akane and her grandmother.

Watching Aito pat his enlarged stomach, Granny Mai laughed out. Being over sixty years of age, it came out a bit hoarse.

"Little Jun. I heard you passed the academy's graduation exam? How did it go?"

Hearing this question, Jun nodded and took out his forehead-protector, letting everyone see. Excited, Aito got closer and inspected it with his little eyes.

"Whoaaaa… It's a real forehead protector! Bro, you're a ninja now!"

"You actually made it… I never thought I'd see the day. I'm so glad!"

Hearing both Aito and Akane's comments, jun couldn't resist teasing them a little.

"Haaa… So you really didn't believe in me… That makes me so sad…"

Putting on a hurt expression, Jun watched both of them get anxious from the corner of his eye. Finding it amusing, he laughed a little.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Don't worry, I'm not mad."

Watching them interact with each other, granny Mai smiled warmly- Seeing the forehead protector, she closed her eyes in heartfelt relief.

'I hope you two are watching from above… Your son has become quite the man!'

Resisting the urge to cry, she slowly stood up and started picking up used plates. Seeing this, Jun and Aito also got up, helping her out. If they came into someone's house, ate their food, but didn't help out, wouldn't that be rude?

Suddenly, a loud voice came from outside.

"Jun! Come out if you dare!"

Recognizing who it came from, Akane put on a worried expression. Looking at Aito and Jun, she was surprised to see that they were completely unaffected. Fearful, she hurriedly pointed to the garden outside.

"Hurry! If you leave through the back, they won't catch you!"

Hearing this, granny Mai got scared. The fact that they were being bullied had been kept a secret between the three kids, so it made sense that she didn't know.

"Don't worry, big sis, granny. We'll be right back."

"Don't-"

"You don't have to worry, Akane-san. We're just going to take out the trash."

With a reassuring smile, Jun turned around and left, followed by Aito. Now by themselves, Akane and her grandma were left staring at each other.

"You have some explaining to do, young girl."

"I-I…"

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Ren stood in front of Akane's house, fists clenched.

During the past few days, he had the time to reflect. After his father berated him for being a sore loser, he took a hard look at himself.

He, the son of the clan-head, was a genius of his generation. He had emerged above all competition and became the rookie of the year. At this point, he felt like he was a notch above others.

On a fateful day, he met Akane. Since the very first day, he became captivated by her looks… Gathering up his courage, he decided to confess.

Alas, she rejected him, stating that she already had someone she liked.

At that point, he felt his world crumbling apart. His ego had become so inflated, that this blow completely shattered his will... Ren wasn't stupid, and could easily tell who this person was.

Ever since then, because of jealousy, he mercilessly beat him every time they met. Some times, he would even wait for him to come out of his cabin to have a go.

Deep down, he knew that what he did was wrong, but he was unable to stop himself. Just seeing Jun and Akane together drove him insane.

Standing outside her door, he waited for Jun to come out. Today, he would settle things once and for all.

As he prepared himself mentally, the door slid open. Looking up, he saw Jun's handsome figure walk out, followed by his little brother. They both looked unperturbed... As if he wasn't a threat.

"Jun! I challenge you to a one versus one, with no ninjutsu allowed! Do you dare!?"

Walking out of the front terrace and onto the street, Jun crossed his arms as he threw dismissive a glance at Ren. Seeing right through him, Jun knew he just came to regain face.

Irritated, he decided it wasn't worth it to play with spoiled brats.

"You still haven't learned your lesson? What do I gain from beating you up a second time…? Stop wasting my time and leave immediately."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

'Jun defeated Ren? Just what is going on...'

Watching from behind her door, Akane couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ren had done a good job of silencing his subordinates, so that word wouldn't get out of his loss.

Ren clenched his teeth in frustration... Jun's look told him that he was trash in a million different ways, making him angrier than he had ever been before. Only his father ever looked at him like that.

"If you defeat me… I, Ren, will become your dog! I swear upon the Uchiha name!"

"Now you're talking…"

Smiling, Jun's opinion of Ren slightly rose. Finally, the kid was growing some spine.

"Alright, I'll fight you… But only if you can beat Aito first. If he wins, you'll become his servant as well."

"What!? Who do you think I am!?"

Ren felt insulted… Fight a ten-year-old? He still reeked of his mother's milk!

"Aniki, are you sure about this…?"

"Mhm… Now go and show him how much you've learned in the past few days."

"O-ok…"

A bit nervous, Aito walked out and stopped right in front of Ren, who was at least a head and a half taller. Looking up at his opponent, a look of determination flashed through his eyes, startling Ren.

'When did I agree to this?'

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Not giving Ren any time to complain, Aito immediately got into the offensive. Running up to him, he threw a direct hook at his face.

Surprise by the kid's speed, Ren lifted both arms and blocked the hit with his forearm.

Seeing his punch getting parried, Aito faked another one with his left arm, before rotating on his right leg and lowering his body to deliver a spinning kick.

Deceived by the fake, Ren got hit right in the stomach, sending him back a few steps.

Bending back his suspended leg and lowering it to the ground, Aito got back into his stance.

Akane watched their exchange, disbelief written all over her face. When did Aito get this strong? Ren was unable to keep up with his speed and precision!

Seeing Ren clench his stomach in pain, Aito was also surprised. Was Ren always this weak, or did he get that much stronger?

"You little… I refuse to believe I'm weaker than you!"

Ren had never felt this humiliated. He was fighting a ten-year-old kid, yet he was unable to see his attacks coming?

Gnashing his teeth, he ran up to Ren and jumped up, spinning in the air before delivering a powerful kick towards the head.

Seeing the look on his face and the amount of power behind the kick, Akane worriedly ran outside.

"Ren! You'll kill-"

Suddenly, a firm hand stopped her, locking her in place... It was none other than Jun.

"Whoa there, Akane-san. Relax, just watch."

"...!"

Seeing the kick coming, Aito shifted his body ever so slightly, accurately dodging it.

Taking advantage of the fact that Ren was in the air, he placed both hands around his leg, before shifting it a little.

Because of this, Ren lost his balance and plummeted on the ground, injuring his elbow upon impact.

Making use of this opportunity, Aito tightened his grip around Ren's leg and wrapped his own around it, performing a leg lock.

"Please surrender... I don't want to break your leg!"

To Akane's surprise, Aito had completely dominated the fight. Completely taken aback, she couldn't help but look towards Jun with a curious look.

With his leg now apprehended, Ren struggled to no avail. No matter what he did, he just couldn't get out of the leg lock.

Looking up, he saw Akane and Jun, both watching. Noticing Akane's smile, a dark flame lit up inside him as he roared in anger.

"NGAAAAAH! I REFUSE TO LOSE!"

Suddenly, his strength increased several folds as he grabbed Aito's legs, forcing them off his own. He then picked the boy up by the collar, throwing him against a wall.

"Aito!"

Akane cried in fear as she ran up to him, checking his condition. With her help, Aito got back up, cleaning off the blood trail from his lips.

"Interesting... To awaken the Sharingan at eleven... Not bad at all."

"Sharingan?!"

Hearing Jun's words, Akane and Aito disbelievingly shifted their gaze towards Ren.

There he stood, fists clenched and breathing chaotically. His eyes had now become as red as blood, with a small tomoe hovering around his pupils.

'What did he just say…? The Sharingan?'

Realizing what he had just done, Ren placed a hand on his face as he made sense of the situation. Looking around, he noticed his vision had tremendously improved, and he could even see the others' chakra.

"What just happened…?"

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Confused, Ren looked at Jun, who smiled and crossed his arms.

"Congratulations, you've awoken your Sharingan."

Those words only served as confirmation. Although he would normally be happy about such a thing, there wasn't even a trace of happiness in his heart. In it, only bitterness remained.

He was bitter. Bitter about the fact that he won through cheating… Bitter that needed the Sharingan to defeat a ten-year-old kid.

Because of this, he was unable to rejoice.

Subconsciously directing his gaze towards Akane, he noticed her frightened look, as if he was a monster. Next to her, Aito needed assistance to stay on his feet.

Seeing the way she looked at him, Ren's heart shook as he turned around and fled… he ran across the complex, reaching the woods surrounding it. Once he was completely alone, he sat down near a large tree and desolately watched its leaves dance along with the cold, night wind.

Even though she wasn't there, Akane's frightened expression was the only thing Ren could see.

"What has become of me?"

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The rest of the night went by quickly. After saying goodbye to Akane and her grandma, both Aito and Jun went back home.

Because he got hurt during the fight, Aito requested a piggy-back ride, and after a lot of nagging, he finally got what he wanted.

On the way back, Aito buried his face in Jun's back, looking very satisfied.

"Aniki, did I do well?"

"Yeah, you applied everything I taught you so far. From your balance to the way you pivoted, using the ground as a power source. It was a masterful display for someone your age."

Aito was ten. It was quite a feat for him to defeat a Genin in pure hand-to-hand combat, especially one of Ren's caliber. Ren was much stronger physically and had more endurance, but he was beaten with pure speed and precision.

"Thanks, Aniki."

Aito's words trailed off as he fell asleep on his brother's back. Seeing this, Jun smiled warmly, getting reminded of Izuna once again.

Arriving at the cabin, Jun tucked Aito in bed, making sure not to wake him up in the process.

Hopping onto his bed, Jun once again stared at the ceiling, relishing in the peace and quiet of the night. He had to admit that having company was better than being completely alone.

Thinking about what was ahead, Jun yawned.

'Tomorrow will be an important day. I wonder who my teammates will be... '

In his head, he already had ideas, but alas, he wasn't the one who made the choice. Leaving it up to fate, he fell asleep.

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Back in the street where the fight had taken place, an eerie wind blew during the quiet night.

In the darkness of the unlit neighborhood, something came out of the ground… Although it looked human, it's pale skin and green hair made it hard to believe.

Half of its face seemed to have been ripped off, as large, white spikes grew out of the right side of its body.

Opening its mouth, it spoke in a hushed, eerie voice.

"Interesting…"

With a creepy smile, Zetsu's golden eye flashed in the darkness before he completely disappeared, leaving no trace.

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All nine students that passed the exam gathered in a classroom, waiting for their sensei to arrive. They hadn't been told who they'd be partnered with, causing unrest within most of their hearts.

After a while of waiting, the first Jōnin arrived, sliding the door open. He was huge, standing at almost two meters in height. His stomach was covered with a plate of armor, which had the Akimichi's symbol engraved on it.

Watching him enter, Jun wondered if this was going to be his sensei.

He slowly walked up to the front and faced all of the students. The Jōnin then cleared his throat and called out three names. Unfortunately, Jun wasn't one of them.

Hearing their names get called, the three students excitedly smiled and followed their new teacher outside.

After a while of waiting, another person entered through the door. This time, he had white, spiky hair that was tied up in a ponytail. Under his eyes, he had two small red lines that stopped at his cheeks.

Grinning, the Jōnin called out three more names.

"Hyūga Nozomi. Namikaze Minato. Uchiha Jun. I want to see you on the rooftop in five minutes!"

With that said, he smiled and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Hearing this, the only girl left in the room looked at the one who had just been picked. If looks could kill, the Hyūga girl would've already died a gruesome death. How lucky did she have to be, in order to end up with the two most handsome guys of the class?

Back in his corner, Jun had taken a mental note of his sensei's appearance and demeanor. Although it ringed a bell, he wasn't sure of this person's identity, making him grow curious.

Getting up, he joined his two teammates as they left the classroom and headed up to the academy's roof.

Once there, they noticed their sensei resting on the handrail. He was wearing a dark kimono that complemented his white hair, giving him a mysterious vibe.

Noticing them, he smiled and pointed at a small bench in front of him. Once the three Genin were seated, he cleared his throat and spoke up.

"Ahem… Let's start with our introductions… Shall we? My name is Jiraiya, nice to meet you."

Seeing his students eagerly nodding, Jiraiya became more comfortable and continued speaking. After all, he'd have to stick to these three for a long time.

"Hmm… Let's see... Next, I want you all to tell me your names, likes, dislikes, and dreams for the future! Of course, since we're all gallant gentlemen, we let the ladies go first."[1]

Jiraiya then pointed towards Nozomi. She was pretty, like everyone in her clan, and had long, black hair that was tied up at the end.[2]

"My name is Nozomi, from the Hyūga clan. I enjoy reading books and dislike uncultured people. As for my dream… I'd like to become Konoha's leading historian!"

Being from the Hyūga clan, Nozomi had access to many records of the past. From a young age, she was interested in the world's history and could be said to be very knowledgeable for her age.

"Very good… What about you?"

Shifting his gaze towards Minato, who sat in the middle, Jiraiya signaled for him to go next.

"I'm Minato. Namikaze Minato. I like the hidden leaf, and dislike feeling powerless over anything. As for my dream, it's to become a Hokage that the people respect."

Minato's voice was very calming, and in a way, it contained certainty to it. Just being around him made others feel at ease. Looking at him, Jiraiya massaged his chin… He had already taken a liking to the boy.

Jun was next in line. Shifting their gazes towards him, they all had curious looks.

"What about you?"

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[1] For those who didn't catch the meaning behind this scene, either by my lack of detail in the delivery or by mistake, this small meeting is supposed to mark the start of an old tradition! After Jiraiya, Minato and Kakashi both asked their Genin the same question. Writing it with this idea in mind made me quite sentimental.

[2] Nozomi's hair is similar to Neji's, albeit not entirely the same. If I had to make a comparison, I'd say she's very similar to Hanabi.

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Faced with everyone's gaze, Jun decided to be completely transparent. After all, he'd be around these people for the foreseeable future. Also, his opinions on all of them were quite high.

"My name is Uchiha Jun. I like strong opponents and hate weak ones. As for my aspirations… To bring true peace to this world."

"...!"

Hearing his student's words, Jiraiya was pleasantly surprised. Although he was young, his aspirations already aligned with his own. Satisfied, he couldn't help but rejoice… He had hit the jackpot with these three.

"True peace? And how do you plan to do such a thing?"

Curious about Jun's way of thinking, Jiraiya hit the crux of the matter. Depending on his answer, he would make an initial judgment of his character.

This question made Jun think for a second, before answering.

"I don't think that true peace can be achieved in one's lifetime. What's important, is to foment the future generation in a way that, they'll understand each other and not start meaningless wars. Of course, it would be easier to just rule over them with an iron fist, or perhaps even put them all under a Genjutsu... But that would be morally incorrect."

"Well said."

Clapping his hands in praise, Jiraiya's mental image of Jun skyrocketed. He had finally found someone that thought like him… It's just… He never expected that it would be a kid.

'Could he be…? Well… There's no use thinking about it. That person and I are fated to meet, so it doesn't matter when we do.'

Even if Jun wasn't the child of prophecy, he would still do his best to teach him. After all, he had no way of knowing who it would be...

Nodding his head in satisfaction, Jiraiya smiled from ear to ear.

"I definitely like you three… Alright, it's settled. Tomorrow morning, let us meet at the third training ground! We'll do some survival training."

With a mysterious smile, Jiraiya once again disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a small tadpole behind. Seeing it wriggle on the ground, Jun picked it up and finally understood.

'White hair, toads… I knew the name sounded familiar. So it's the monkey's disciple… Interesting.'

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Third training ground.

Jun, Minato, and Nozomi sat in a circle, waiting for their sensei to arrive. They watched as the sun rose, enjoying the fresh air of the forest. Nozomi was reading a book, completely isolated from the outside world.

Feeling the awkward silence, Minato spoke up, breaking the ice.

"So what do you two specialize in? I think it would be useful to know each other's strengths and weaknesses since we're going to be in a team together."

"I'm a speed-type. I'm really weak defense-wise. What about you?"

Nodding, Nozomi stopped reading and pitched in.

"I'm mainly a sensor, but my taijutsu is also good… My weakness is also physical resistance. I'd say I'm pretty frail."

Once again, only Jun was left. Acting like he was giving it some thought, he vaguely answered the question.

"No weaknesses that I can think of… I'm pretty good all-round."

"..."

Hearing his words, both Nozomi and Minato smiled awkwardly. How cocky could one be? Were all the Uchiha like this?

As if he was completely oblivious to their thoughts, Jun had a serious face, indicating he truly meant what he said. Actually, he was holding back his laughter.

"Ehh… I guess that's good? Anyways, it's nice to meet you two, I hope we get along!"

"Same here."

Impressed by Minato's temperament, Jun shook his hand. It had been a while since he'd seen someone so calm and humble at his age.