"Damn it! Isn't this guy just an ordinary jonin with three tomoe Sharingan?"
"Had he been hiding his strength all along?"
The three ninjas from the Root organization couldn't hide their shock.
As a group even more secretive than Konoha's Anbu, Root's influence across the village was far beyond what most could imagine.
Before the Uchiha massacre, they had already gathered precise intelligence and evaluations on every member of the Uchiha clan.
Uchiha Haru was, of course, included.
An ordinary jonin with a fully matured Sharingan.
Because of his bloodline, his combat ability was naturally stronger than a typical jonin.
But now, Uchiha Haru's display of pupil prowess, combat adaptability, and ninjutsu strength clearly placed him in the elite jonin tier.
Not to mention his ability to form hand seals with only one hand...
Even within the entire village, how many shinobi could manage that?
"So what? If the three of us attack together, what could possibly go wrong?"
One of the Root operatives spoke coldly.
In the next instant, all three launched their jutsu simultaneously.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Style: Water Wave Technique!"
Three elemental techniques, surging toward Uchiha Haru.
To be selected by Danzo and inducted into Root, their skills were naturally formidable. Even if they were only using basic techniques, no elite jonin could take them lightly.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Technique!"
Flames spewed from Haru's mouth, lighting up the area as they scattered like fiery comets.
The scorching chakra missiles blazed forward, intercepting the incoming attacks and forcing the three Root operatives to leap away and dodge the flaming barrage.
The destructive force was staggering.
"A master of Fire Style... impressive," Haru muttered.
Ordinary elite jonin wouldn't be able to block a coordinated ninjutsu assault from three Root shinobi.
But he had.
Part of it was due to his Sharingan, which amplified his perception and reaction speed.
But more importantly, he had mastered Fire Style.
Under his control, the flames intensified, turning his counterattack into a lethal wall of fire.
His blood-red three-tomoe Sharingan gleamed with excitement. Holding off three Root operatives simultaneously—and even gaining the upper hand—was something he had never thought possible before.
Then, without warning, his expression darkened.
His senses picked up new signals.
Footsteps. Dozens of them. And the sharp hum of kunai in flight.
Ninjas. A lot of them.
One, two, three... ten... twenty-three...
They wore standard Konoha attire, but their masks were different from regular Anbu—more intricate, more menacing.
"Root," Haru muttered.
They didn't speak. They didn't hesitate.
As soon as they arrived, dozens of them unleashed jutsu in unison.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Style: Water Wave Technique!"
...
[Simulation Failed!]
Haru stared at the floating line of text.
But he wasn't disappointed. If anything, he was excited.
Even though the simulation ended in failure, his performance during the Uchiha massacre had far exceeded his expectations.
He had fought off three Root members alone, holding his own and even gaining ground.
If the chaos hadn't drawn the attention of surrounding Root operatives, he might have actually won that one-on-three.
More importantly, this was only his first simulation.
His potential was far from fully tapped. He had only unlocked a few basic abilities.
With continued simulation, stronger talents would surely come.
That thought filled Haru with determination.
But it also showed him the enemy's terrifying strength.
He had prepared for more than a decade to survive the Uchiha massacre.
His timing, his escape routes—all meticulously planned.
And yet, he had still been found.
Yes, there were many paths out of the Uchiha district.
But only a handful of true exits.
As long as Root guarded those exits, they had the whole area under control.
If Haru wanted to avoid both Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito, he would have to confront the guards directly.
And take them out without making a sound.
Otherwise, he would face the same result again:
Overwhelming numbers. Impossible odds.
Drawing in more Root operatives or alerting Itachi and Obito would be disastrous.
But silently eliminating Root ninjas was no easy feat.
Not with his current strength.
Haru narrowed his eyes.
The Uchiha massacre was far more complex than he had ever imagined.
To survive it, he had to simulate again—and again.
Each simulation meant a new chance. A new power.
That was what he needed most right now.
Unfortunately, he was still stationed with the Konoha Military Police.
He couldn't stay there and keep simulating without drawing suspicion.
From experience, he knew that entering a simulation was like stepping into another reality.
His awareness of the real world dropped to near zero.
If he lingered too long, someone would notice.
And his shift was almost over.
He had only stayed because he had just obtained the system.
Now that the first simulation was complete, it was time to head back.
Haru's home was in the eastern edge of the Uchiha compound—a remote corner.
It suited his personality: cold, solitary, and proud.
Haru was an orphan.
Both his parents died during the Third Shinobi World War.
Tragic, yes.
But it also gave him the privacy and freedom to hide his secrets.
To guard them.
Upon returning home, Haru didn't waste a second.
Time was precious.
Every new simulation was a chance to refresh his talent pool and grow stronger.
But before launching into the next simulation, he needed to select one ability to carry over.
[Would you like to solidify one of the following talents?]
[+100 Eye Power (Blue): Increases Sharingan perception and clarity.]
[Fire Style Mastery (Blue): Greatly enhances the power of Fire Style jutsu.]
[One-Handed Seals (Blue): Allows use of ninjutsu with a single hand.]
Three blue-tier abilities.
No need to overthink it.
They would likely be replaced later anyway.
He refused to believe he would go an entire day without pulling a single purple or gold tier ability.
That was statistically impossible.
In the end, Haru selected [+100 Eye Power].
As a Uchiha, any improvement to his Sharingan would strengthen him across the board.
Of course it had to be his first choice.