Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Uchiha Sasuke instinctively retorted.

“Impossible.”

His voice was loud, his tone filled with absolute certainty.

“Your ninja profile clearly states you only possess Water, Earth, and Fire chakra natures. Where did you get Lightning Style chakra?”

As a ninja, gathering intelligence was a mandatory skill. Being one of the Konoha 12, Uchiha Sasuke had naturally collected information on the others, including Hyuga Neji.

He stared at Hyuga Neji, his brows furrowed into a tight knot, his eyes filled with obvious skepticism.

Hyuga Neji remained silent. He didn’t speak, merely raising his right hand and forming a single hand sign.

His fingers flicked in front of him, moving so fast they left only a blur. The moment the sign was completed, a blue spark of electricity danced on the tip of his finger.

The lightning was thin and bright, wrapping around his fingertip like a blue thread.

It crackled faintly in the air, emitting a sharp popping sound.

The corner of Uchiha Sasuke’s eye twitched. His pupils shrank, and his mouth parted slightly.

“How is that possible?”

His voice was strained, carrying an uncontrollable sense of shock.

Hyuga Neji lowered his hand, and the lightning vanished from his fingertip.

He looked at Sasuke and said, “I originally only had Water, Earth, and Fire chakra natures, but after coming here, I somehow gained Lightning and Wind as well.”

He paused.

“Right now, I should possess all five chakra natures.”

Uchiha Sasuke’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He looked at Hyuga Neji, then down at his own hands. He wanted to say something but didn’t know what to say.

The scene unfolding before him completely exceeded his expectations. Any normal ninja knew exactly how difficult it was to acquire a new chakra nature later in life.

Yet, Hyuga Neji had somehow mastered Lightning Style.

Namikaze Minato was equally astonished. His brows furrowed slightly, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

“Truly incredible. Chakra natures are innate. It is exceedingly rare for a normal person to acquire them later in life unless they undergo extensive, long-term training.”

He looked at Hyuga Neji.

“But it doesn’t seem like Neji acquired his Lightning and Wind chakra through that method.”

He paused.

“Could you tell me how you obtained them?”

As a former Hokage, Namikaze Minato naturally understood the sheer difficulty of adding a new chakra nature.

It required prolonged, intensive practice to truly master. This was directly exemplified by the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Sarutobi Hiruzen earned the title ‘Professor of Ninjutsu’ precisely because he mastered all five elemental jutsu. Aside from his innate chakra natures, the rest were acquired through rigorous training—a fact that was no secret in Konoha.

But in all these years, the ninja world had only produced one Professor of Ninjutsu. That alone proved how monumentally difficult it was to master additional chakra natures later in life.

It required vast amounts of time, energy, and practical application. It wasn’t something achieved overnight.

Yet, how long had it been since Hyuga Neji mastered Lightning Style?

Moreover, everyone present knew exactly what Neji had been doing recently. None of them had seen him engaging in any intensive Lightning Style training.

Hyuga Neji was just as confused. He pursed his lips, his expression serious.

He thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“I’m not entirely sure either. Although I haven’t slacked off recently, I know how difficult it is to master additional chakra natures.”

“I didn’t pay much attention to it before, but before I knew it, this was the result.”

His tone carried a hint of bewilderment, as if he couldn’t quite understand what had happened himself.

Uchiha Sasuke was getting anxious.

Perhaps he had reservations about becoming a Jinchuriki earlier, but the moment someone else showed the desire to compete for it, his competitive instincts kicked in.

Whether he wanted it or not was one thing, but having the opportunity snatched away was another entirely.

It was human nature.

He looked at Hyuga Neji, then at Pikachu, and finally turned his gaze to Uchiha Taiga, seemingly hoping the man would issue an order.

Since arriving at Amegakure, he hadn’t relaxed for a single moment, yet his rate of growing stronger wasn’t fast enough.

No.

Accurately speaking, his growth rate was already incredibly fast, much faster than when he was in Konoha. But it still wasn’t enough to satisfy Uchiha Sasuke.

Because there were simply too many powerhouses here. So many that it felt like anyone could easily defeat him.

It was a terrible feeling.

So, despite his initial resistance to becoming a Jinchuriki, seeing such a massive beast still tempted him.

Yugito Nii seemed to realize something. Her brow twitched, and the corners of her mouth curled up into a faint smile.

She didn’t say anything, merely standing there and watching the youths.

Nagato took the initiative to clear up the confusion.

His voice was calm, but his words were clear.

“The reason is actually quite simple.”

Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Neji, and Namikaze Minato all turned to look at him.

The three of them stared, waiting for him to continue.

Nagato met their gazes. “Because of the food.”

Namikaze Minato was baffled.

His brows furrowed, confusion evident in his eyes.

Food?

What did food have to do with chakra natures?

He couldn’t figure it out.

Nagato didn’t hide anything and continued, “The food they eat is specially made. It’s a unique diet Amegakure uses to nurture the younger generation, prepared from plants rich in natural energy.”

“Given enough time and sufficient quantities, it makes it very easy for someone to master all five chakra natures.”

Standing nearby, Uchiha Taiga nodded slightly and added a comment.

“That’s right.”

His tone was casual.

“This is a research project spearheaded by Nagato. It’s been implemented in the village for a few years now, and it seems the results are quite good. As for the outcome, well, you’ve seen it yourselves.”

Namikaze Minato was utterly shocked.

His eyes widened sharply, his pupils shrinking, and his mouth falling slightly open.

He looked at Nagato, then at Uchiha Taiga, and finally at the young ninjas standing not far away.

His voice grew tight.

“Does that mean… every ninja in Amegakure has mastered all five chakra natures?”

His tone carried an irrepressible sense of awe.

Uchiha Taiga nodded.

“You could say that, though their proficiency varies. After all, a ninja’s strength isn’t solely determined by how many chakra natures or jutsu they know, but by a multitude of factors.”

Namikaze Minato’s heart pounded. How could he not understand Uchiha Taiga’s words? As a former Kage, he knew better than anyone that a ninja’s strength was multifaceted.

But… having all five chakra natures as a baseline? That alone put them leagues above ordinary people.

He stood there, looking at the young ninjas of Amegakure, then gazing out at the distant village, his mind churning with countless thoughts.

At this moment, he once again realized just how extraordinary Amegakure was.

Simultaneously, a faint sense of worry for Konoha crept into his heart.

With Amegakure possessing such a foundation and hidden depths, Konoha couldn’t possibly compare.

If a conflict ever broke out between Amegakure and Konoha, how long could Konoha hold out?

He didn’t dare think any further.

Uchiha Taiga then spoke up.

“It seems the Sasuke kid isn’t interested.”

His voice was casual.

“In that case…”

Before he could finish, Uchiha Sasuke interrupted him.

“I’m willing!”

His voice was loud. He stared at Uchiha Taiga, his tone firm and devoid of any hesitation.

Hearing this, Hyuga Neji could only remain silent. His brows furrowed slightly, a hint of disappointment in his eyes, but he said nothing.

He just stood there, staring at the ground without a word.

Seeing this, Uchiha Taiga grinned.

“Haha, good.”

His voice boomed, carrying a sense of satisfaction.

“Everyone will get their chance.”

He paused, looking at Uchiha Sasuke.

“But let’s get one thing straight. If you become a Jinchuriki, you have to work for the village.”

His tone remained casual.

“While I don’t care much about that, Nagato does. If you become a Jinchuriki and run away, don’t blame Nagato for hunting you down.”

Nagato’s expression remained calm.

He stood there, hands in his pockets, his red hair fluttering slightly in the wind. There was no emotional fluctuation in his Byakugan, but his gaze was dead serious.

He stared intently at Uchiha Sasuke, his gaze heavy, like a ruler measuring something.

Uchiha Sasuke met his gaze without flinching.

His back was straight, his chin slightly raised, and his eyes shone brightly.

Looking at Nagato, he spoke.

“I know.”

His voice was calm.

“I accept.”

Nagato looked at him for two seconds, then nodded.

He didn’t say anything else, simply withdrawing his gaze.

Pikachu stood nearby, lowering its head to look at the black-haired boy.

Its large, bright eyes reflected Sasuke’s figure.

It tilted its head and spoke.

“Pika pika!”

Its voice was loud, carrying a cheerful tone.

Sunlight shone down from the sky, illuminating its body and making its yellow fur gleam.

Uchiha Sasuke looked at it, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Then, he turned his head to look at Uchiha Taiga.

“When do we start?”