hapter 136: My Struggle! Exploded!

hapter 136: My Struggle! Exploded!

Hatake Residence

"Konan-nee!"

Under the flurry of flying paper shuriken, Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Shisui were dodging in a disheveled state. Every now and then, one of them would get nicked, but thankfully the injuries were nothing more than superficial scratches.

"This is to train your dynamic vision and reflexes. The battlefield doesn’t care about fairness—threats can come at you from any angle, even the most unexpected ones," Uchiha Yosuke said with a playful tone.

Standing under the shade of a large tree, Yosuke smiled as he teased. "Konan, your chakra control has improved again. You've managed to take this technique to an impressive level. Don’t hold back with your paper release; these minor scratches are nothing to worry about—I can always heal them later with my medical ninjutsu."

Konan, who was controlling the relentless barrage of paper shuriken, nodded slightly at the praise, but her focus didn’t falter. Meanwhile, Kakashi and Shisui continued their frantic dodging and blocking with kunai, visibly worn out.

“No ninjutsu allowed!” Yosuke added with a mischievous grin. “This is about physical endurance. The more chakra you conserve, the longer you can train. Push yourselves—this is how you’ll grow, young ones.”

Kakashi muttered through gritted teeth, "What a sadistic sense of humor."

At this point in his life, Kakashi had yet to face the tragedies that would make him the stoic man of the future. His personality still had room for some youthful frustration. On the other hand, Shisui nodded seriously, his determination unwavering.

“I won’t let Yosuke-sama down!”

Yosuke, still seated under the tree, narrowed his eyes as he watched them train. In his hand, he held a single leaf, small arcs of lightning flickering across its surface. He was carefully controlling the currents, ensuring the leaf remained unharmed.

"Yosuke-sama, your mastery over Lightning Release grows more impressive by the day," Konan commented respectfully, her tone warm yet sincere as she stood nearby.

Yosuke glanced at her and smiled. "You’re no slouch yourself, Konan. Learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu already? That’s no small feat."

Konan, ever gentle and modest, smiled at the praise. Yosuke reached up, plucking another leaf from the tree and placing it in her palm.

"When you’re studying sealing techniques under Kushina, make sure to explore Wind Release as well. Besides an old geezer, Kushina is the strongest in Konoha when it comes to Wind Release. If you infuse your Paper Release with Wind chakra, it’ll become even sharper. Only Fire Release would be able to counter it—but for now, don’t overburden yourself with too much at once."

As Yosuke patted her head gently, Konan’s expression softened into one of pure enjoyment. She nodded with determination. "Don’t worry, Yosuke-sama. I’ll give it my all!"

“By the way, how are things in the Land of Rain? How’s Nagato doing?”

“Nagato’s been doing well,” Konan replied. “Over the past two years, under Yahiko’s guidance and the Oreki uncle’s( Oc Uchiha ) training, he’s grown tremendously. His ninjutsu is becoming incredibly powerful, and his chakra reserves are immense. Recently, though, Yahiko’s invited him to…”

As Konan continued her report, Yosuke’s face reflected a satisfied smile. Though Nagato and Yahiko were still closely connected, their bond wasn’t as deep as it had been in the original timeline. That small change made all the difference.

“Shisui may only be five years old, but he’s already showing extraordinary talent in speed.”

While Konan’s paper shuriken rained down relentlessly, it was evident that the speed at which Kakashi and Shisui were forced to react was increasing.

Yosuke’s eyes glinted with interest as he observed the two young boys in the yard. Kakashi’s talent needed no elaboration—his abilities were enough to make even those with bloodline limits envious. The fact that he was naturally attuned to all five chakra natures was a gift that left countless shinobi in awe. Most shinobi spent years mastering even a second chakra nature, yet some, like Kakashi, were born with it all.

And then there was Uchiha Shisui. Known in the original timeline as "Shisui of the Body Flicker," his skills had made him a legend during the Third Shinobi War. While he was younger than Kakashi, the difference wasn’t substantial.

With the intel he’d gathered about the orphaned Shisui, Yosuke knew he’d stumbled upon a diamond in the rough. If he didn’t take Shisui under his wing now, that would truly be a waste.

...

Half an hour later, near the pond in the backyard, Kakashi and Shisui collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted and gasping for air.

“Use these to soothe your eyes,” Konan said with a gentle smile, pulling out a bottle of eye drops she’d prepared earlier.

“Training your reflexes and dynamic vision will always strain your eyes at first,” she explained. “Once you adapt and learn to coordinate all five senses, it’ll get easier.”

As she administered the drops, Kakashi couldn’t help but grumble. “Konan-nee, let’s be honest. By the time we adapt, you’ll just speed up those paper shuriken of yours.”

Konan chuckled, but Shisui, ever eager and obedient, quickly applied the drops to his tired eyes. Despite his fatigue, his wide-eyed excitement was unmistakable as he turned to Konan.

“Konan-nee, while we’re resting, could you tell me more about Yosuke-sama’s stories? The ones in the books!”

The five-year-old Shisui beamed as he pulled a red book from his ninja pouch. His enthusiasm brought a smile to Konan’s face, and even Kakashi, despite his feigned indifference, couldn’t hide his curiosity.

For young shinobi like them, the tales of legendary figures were a welcome escape from their often monotonous lives. Knowing these stories were based on real events only fueled their intrigue.

“Alright, we’ll take a thirty-minute break. I’ll tell you some stories.”

Konan smiled as she carefully retrieved her own red book from her ninja pouch.

My Struggle had become wildly popular ever since its fifth volume, The Second Shinobi World War, had been released two years ago. Since then, three more volumes had followed:

The Shinobi World at War,

The Revolution of the Five Great Villages,

My Political Career.

Each volume offered a different perspective on the shinobi world, blending real, vivid accounts with captivating storytelling.

---

As Konan’s gentle voice narrated Yosuke’s legendary exploits, Shisui’s eyes sparkled with admiration.

“Yosuke-sama’s journey is so inspiring!” the young boy exclaimed, clutching the book tightly. “In the clan, many people see him as an idol, but I admire how he strives for peace and dreams of ending war.”

Even Kakashi, typically mature for his age, couldn’t help but nod in silent agreement.

“And of course,” Konan added with a soft smile, “Yosuke-sama is also incredibly kind.”

Far away, beneath the shade of a tree, Yosuke overheard their conversation. Glancing toward the Hokage Rock in the distance, he smirked to himself.

“This is just the beginning. During the Second War, I fought to survive. But in the Third War… that will be my stage!”

His gaze sharpened as he thought about the bloody conflict to come.

“I know how brutal the Third War will be… and how to shape it to my advantage.”

(End of Chapter)