Starting with the Uchiha clan, they began cultivating demonic arts.

Chapter 31 Changes in the Book of Demonic Path Inheritance

"Ugh!"

With a scream, the puppeteer who was manipulating several kunai with chakra threads had his throat slit by Asuma and collapsed to the ground.

The puppeteer, having lost his puppet, was like a tiger without teeth and claws. Despite his fierce resistance, he was ultimately defeated by the combined forces of Asuma and Red.

With the addition of one soul to Uchiha Touyu's inventory, Asuma and Kurenai finally gained experience in life-or-death battles with ninjas. Ultimately, the puppeteer's life provided these resources.

Asuma's face was flushed and he was panting heavily after killing someone—not because he was too physically exhausted, but simply because he was too nervous after the killing.

Killing one's own kind for the first time would be shocking for most people. Due to his personal experience, Uchiha Tou didn't care much about it, but for Asuma, who was not yet ten years old, the impact was much greater.

Fortunately, the ninja training they had received since childhood helped Asuma and Kurenai quickly regain their senses, though their demeanor changed somewhat.

After eliminating this small squad of ninjas, the rest of the journey was no problem. Hyuga Hizashi's squad quickly delivered the storage scroll to the battlefield hospital, completing the mission handover.

After returning to Konoha, Hyuga Hizashi submitted his mission report and, unsurprisingly, was summoned to the Hokage's office by the Third Hokage.

"Hizashi, is everything you said in the report true? Uchiha Tou is actually that strong?"

After reviewing the report provided by Hyuga Hizashi, the Third Hokage, though knowing that this elite member of the Hyuga clan would not speak nonsense, still asked with some doubt.

The strength displayed by that marginal Uchiha, whom Hyuga Hizashi mentioned, was truly terrifying!

Although Hyuga Hizashi was just 20 years old, he could already be considered an elite Jonin thanks to the bloodstains on his Byakugan. He believed that he was no match for Uchiha Tou, who was at least an elite Jonin.

A thirteen or fourteen-year-old elite Jonin would be almost impossible for an ordinary ninja without a bloodline limit; only top-tier bloodline ninjas could accomplish such a feat.

After hearing the Third Hokage's question, Hyuga Hizashi answered with absolute certainty:

"Uchiha Tou's strength has definitely surpassed mine, and he is probably much stronger than an ordinary elite Jonin."

"The ordinary Chunin of Sunagakure are basically killed in one move, while that special Jonin only exchanged two moves with Uchiha Touya."

"In my judgment, Uchiha Tou's strength should at least reach the level of an elite Jonin, and it is very likely that he has the strength of a quasi-Kage."

Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage took a couple of puffs on his pipe, frowned, and then asked:

"So, did you see Uchiha Tou's Sharingan? To what extent did he develop his Sharingan?"

Hyuga Hizashi paused for a moment, then said:

"The Sharingan? Touyu's Sharingan is only at the two-tomoe level right now, it hasn't been developed to the three-tomoe level yet."

"I see... Alright, I understand. Thank you for your hard work, Hizashi. Go back and rest."

The Third Hokage secretly breathed a sigh of relief and sent Hyuga Hizashi away.

Having been mentored by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi also possessed an extremely deep understanding of the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan.

The Uchiha's Mangekyou Sharingan can be maintained at the level of three tomoe, but it is impossible to disguise it as a two-tomoe Sharingan. In other words, the two-tomoe Sharingan is Uchiha Hiu's true level, and there is no possibility of hiding it.

As long as the Mangekyou Sharingan hasn't been activated, the Third Hokage doesn't need to worry too much. Although Uchiha Tou's talent is indeed quite amazing, regular ninjas still have a certain limit.

Even if one can become a near-Kage at the age of thirteen or fourteen, and then become a Kage in a year or two, that only means that one's strength has grown faster. To break through the Kage level without relying on a bloodline limit is almost impossible.

Uchiha Touya clearly didn't have much talent in developing the Sharingan bloodline. The Third Hokage even thought that his ability to awaken the two-tomoe Sharingan was due to his own exceptionally strong ninja talent.

"I wonder how this kid suddenly awakened the Sharingan when he was ten years old? Oh well... no matter what, it's such a waste to have such a genius in an ordinary genin squad."

"Fortunately, his relationship with the Uchiha clan isn't great either, so there's no need to worry about the Uchiha clan's influence on him. Although Danzo didn't stir up the darkness in his heart, he did create an irreparable rift between him and the Uchiha."

"But that kid's personality is hard to deal with... It's definitely out of the question to let him join a department like the Anbu, and if we just send him to the front lines... I wonder if he'd be willing?"

The Third Hokage had no doubt that if his arrangements for Uchiha Touyu were not to his liking, then at best he would only go through the motions, or even defect directly—something Uchiha Touyu was certainly capable of.

The other party neither believed in the so-called Will of Fire, nor had any deep ties with Konoha Village, and didn't even care about his reputation or what others said. In the Third Hokage's view, Uchiha Hiu was definitely not a qualified ninja. But it was precisely for this reason that the Third Hokage could not use him as cannon fodder—after all, he was indeed capable of defecting.

If they were just ordinary genin or chunin, and they acted so cowardly and selfishly, the Third Hokage would have had plenty of ways to discipline and control them—of course, genin and chunin wouldn't even catch the Third Hokage's eye.

Having reached the level of Uchiha Hiu, his strength undoubtedly made the Third Hokage much more tolerant. In fact, it was precisely because of his disregard for the big picture that the higher-ups became more cautious in their arrangements for him.

After pondering for a moment, the Third Hokage, still unable to find a solution, decided to talk to Uchiha Touyu. Given the talent this young man had shown, Konoha would have a second White Fang in just a few years.

Even if this young man doesn't enter the upper echelons of Konoha due to his personality, his Kage-level strength alone makes it impossible for anyone to ignore his opinion.

While the Third Hokage was struggling with how to arrange things for Uchiha Touyu, Uchiha Touyu himself was also looking at the black Demonic Path Inheritance Complete Book in his mind with some surprise.

Below the Book of Demonic Inheritance, a small altar appeared, with three tiny wisps of black energy constantly swirling within it.

One of the strands of black energy appeared to be stronger, while the other two strands were relatively weaker. Clearly, this was the offering that the priest made to the Book of Demonic Inheritance.

As for the origin of the black aura, Uchiha Touya only needed to recall his own actions to know for sure—it was from those three unfortunate ninjas he had killed.

The stronger wisp of black energy likely originated from a special Jonin, while the remaining two wisps came from the two Chunin.

(End of this chapter)