I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 378 and 379: The Battle for the Throne and the East-West Showdown

Tokyo University, Archery Club Dojo.

The sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.

"Zheng".

With a clear, crisp twang, the arrow flew from the hand, graceful as a startled swan and as lithe as a swimming dragon, tracing a beautiful arc in mid-air.

"call out."

Standing under the wide and bright eaves of the archery club, Uchiha Naruto stood with his back straight and his figure slender. His pure white archery hakama outlined his extremely beautiful shooting posture.

He remained calm and composed, neither arrogant nor impatient, maintaining his composure, and didn't even glance at the distant target sixty meters away.

He seemed unconcerned about the outcome of the arrow, or perhaps he had absolute confidence in it.

With a "thud," the arrow struck the bullseye, penetrating halfway into the ground, its tail feathers trembling slightly.

Seven or eight arrows were already stuck in the same target, and without exception, they all hit the bullseye.

Naruto Uchiha calmly placed the second arrow, which was resting on his right pinky, onto the seven-foot-long Japanese bow, drawing the string and preparing to release it. His movements, from nocking the arrow and drawing the bow to drawing the bow, were as smooth as flowing water, displaying elegance and handsomeness.

Although archery emphasizes that regardless of the occasion, the archer should maintain a dignified and elegant posture, adhere to the eight principles of archery etiquette, and have a pure and clear mind, so that the archer's mind is in harmony with the shooting posture, and that every arrow is delivered with sincerity.

However, Naruto Uchiha's initial reason for choosing archery in high school was very mundane, and could be summed up in one word: cool.

In terms of coolness (and showing off), Kyudo far surpasses Kendo.

Although Kendo has a wider audience and seems more imposing and powerful, the uniform and hakama, along with protective face shields, torso armor, and gauntlets, leave athletes drenched in sweat and exhausted like dead dogs after a match or training session.

They were far inferior to the archery club members, who wore pristine white hakama uniforms and remained spotless and elegant during the competition.

There are many skilled swordsmen in the ninja world, but very few who use bows and arrows. It is estimated that only Kidomaru of the Sound Four and Sasuke Uchiha, who uses Susanoo, are among them.

The arrow of Indra from the second pillar is truly powerful and cool.

After practicing archery for several years, although Uchiha Naruto only scratched the surface of the so-called essence of archery, "truth, goodness, and beauty," he was able to cultivate a sense of tranquility during his archery practice.

Shooting arrows while calmly pondering things is a habit that Uchiha Naruto has developed in recent years.

"This time, we guided Xianmen into the secret realm of the 'Nanka Shrine' to enhance his strength, learn some secrets about the Sharingan, and at the same time lay the groundwork for the origin of the Uchiha clan."

Naruto Uchiha stared intently at the target sixty meters away with the sharp eyes of a hawk, but in reality, he was multitasking.

For years, Naruto Uchiha secretly used a crow summoning beast with concealed aura to protect those close to him.

The Uchiha Sage is now the second most powerful superhuman after Uchiha Naruto, the mastermind behind everything. As a sensory-type being, he was already troublesome enough, but after unlocking the three tomoe, it became even more complicated.

Naruto Uchiha was deeply worried about his elderly father.

Since protecting oneself secretly isn't an option, one might as well protect oneself.

The Uchiha clan's genjutsu within the Naka Shrine undoubtedly greatly enhances the strength of the Uchiha Sage Sect. The Izanagi technique is even more of a life-saving charm; even if used merely as a resurrection coin, it grants two extra lives.

"Although I made some artistic modifications inside the Naga Shrine, I didn't tamper with the Uchiha clan's stone tablet. Hmm, just for now," Uchiha Naruto thought to himself.

The stone tablet left by the Sage of Six Paths can be gradually deciphered using the Sharingan, Mangekyou Sharingan, and Rinnegan to reveal more of its contents.

The Mangekyou Sharingan's power allows it to control the Nine-Tails; this wasn't something Naruto Uchiha added.

Before his death battle with Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha only had three-tomoe Sharingan, yet he deciphered this great secret from the stone tablet.

Once the eyes evolve into the Mangekyou Sharingan, one will be able to decipher the secret of how to steal the eyes of one's closest relatives and evolve them into the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, as well as the most important last words left by the Sage of Six Paths.

When Yin and Yang are united, all things in the universe can be obtained!

In terms of emotional sensitivity and understanding of love, the Immortal Sect is more like an Uchiha than I am.

It's not impossible that one day he might be triggered and awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan.

The power of the Mangekyou Sharingan is far too dangerous.

At that time, Naruto Uchiha might have to delete something from the inscription.

Preparing a spare pair of Mangekyou Sharingan was unnecessary for Naruto Uchiha.

After all, with the help of the system's points, Naruto Uchiha could easily evolve into the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.

"My current Ninja Orb is just enough to unlock the Level 5 Eternal Kaleidoscope, but..."

Naruto Uchiha's expression was cold and stern. He raised his longbow above his shoulder, and with a slight loosening of his fingers, the taut bowstring sent the arrow flying.

离！

A beam of arrow whistled through the air, piercing the bullseye directly and brutally, and disappearing into the soil behind.

"Xianmen, he also has a sorrowful wish, hoping for redemption through the Taishan Fujun sacrifice."

Just thinking about this gave Naruto Uchiha a headache.

Taishan Fujun was merely one of Uchiha Naruto's aliases. The so-called Taishan Fujun Ritual, the supreme Yin-Yang Dao technique that could bring the dead back to life, was entirely fictitious.

One lie requires countless more to cover it up.

Not to mention the colossal lie of bringing the dead back to life.

"Among the ninjutsu in the Naruto world, there are quite a few that can revive the dead."

Naruto Uchiha let out a soft breath and calmly put away his bow and arrow. It seemed that the practice was temporarily coming to an end.

The ultimate form of spirit summoning is the Impure World Reincarnation technique.

For example, the Reincarnation Technique that Chiyo used on Gaara, a life-for-life exchange.

And the highest level of resurrection technique that truly brings the dead back to life, the Heretical Reincarnation Technique.

"Although the resurrection ninjutsu is of little use to me, I can't help but plan ahead."

Naruto Uchiha has already obtained Hidan's immortality. Unless he is completely annihilated, leaving no trace, killing him is simply impossible.

Even if Naruto Uchiha is completely wiped out, he can still make a comeback.

Naruto Uchiha planted the Cursed Seal of Heaven on more than one girl. Even if his main body was in trouble, he could be resurrected like Orochimaru was resurrected from Anko's Cursed Seal of Heaven, thus gaining several lives.

But resurrection is something that everyone else in this world dreams of, even if it's just a clay doll resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation.

Even better than flesh and blood.

As long as Naruto Uchiha doesn't release the Edo Tensei seal, the dead can live on indefinitely, which can be considered a form of immortality.

"The Impure World Reincarnation is an S-rank summoning jutsu, which requires leveling up the summoning jutsu to LV5 to unlock. Like the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, the skill bar is still missing."

Naruto Uchiha hesitated.

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Between the Eternal Kaleidoscope and the Impure World Reincarnation, it's truly a dilemma after much deliberation.

In terms of personal strength growth, it's definitely better to allocate points to Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan and unlock the complete Susanoo for greater power.

However, Naruto Uchiha was also wary that his power expansion would stimulate the Crimson Moon to recover more quickly.

The primary purpose of the Impure World Reincarnation technique is to resurrect an immortal group of the dead for use as combat power.

But there were no supernatural beings in this world before. Even if Qin Shi Huang were reincarnated, he could not possibly summon the million-strong army of terracotta warriors from underground to help him.

Of course, it would be very interesting to be able to reincarnate ancient people from Earth.

As someone who enjoys having fun, Naruto Uchiha was somewhat tempted, but rationally he suppressed any inappropriate thoughts.

"Does this mean I can only become a dream-fulfilling master like Kabuto, using the Impure World Reincarnation technique to make up for the regrets of the immortal sects and certain individuals?"

Naruto Uchiha chuckled to himself, thinking:

"By the way, we'll repackage the Impure World Reincarnation as a youthful version of the Taishan Fujun Festival to complete the world view of the mythological revival that we created before."

Well, there's no need to rush. Let's think about it some more.

After pondering for a moment, Uchiha Naruto took off his protective leather boots and put away his bow and arrows.

"Clap clap clap!"

At the entrance to the archery training ground, a burst of applause suddenly rang out. A young male teacher, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, walked in while clapping.

"Takikawa-sensei." Uchiha Naruto nodded slightly to the visitor.

Takikawa is the instructor and club teacher of the archery club at the University of Tokyo. He has curly hair and a handsome, delicate appearance.

To achieve a seventh dan in archery at this age is truly a gift. Eighth dan and above are usually attained by middle-aged men with gray hair who have worked their way up through experience.

"To hit a target 60 meters away with ten shots, even I might not be able to do that."

Takikawa, the seventh-dan player, withdrew his gaze from the target and said with great admiration:

"Uchiha-kun, your archery skills are good enough to get you into Akamon as a special admission student for Tokyo University."

You flatter me.

Uchiha Naruto said calmly:

"I wonder what business you have with me, Professor Takikawa?"

"Uchiha-kun, I'd like to recommend you to participate in this year's National University Archery Tournament," Takikawa 7th Dan said bluntly.

Naruto Uchiha's eyes flashed, and he slowly asked:

Is it a "throne" or a "war between East and West"?

"Of course, it would be best if you participated in both," Takikawa 7th Dan said with a smile.

The All-Japan Student Archery Championship is a national team tournament; the East-West Student Archery Selection Tournament is a selection tournament for intermediate and advanced individual archers, selecting 13 archers from each of East and West Japan to compete for the title.

These two events are the most watched competitions in Japanese university archery.

It is held annually in early November at the Ise Grand Shrine archery dojo.

However, not all universities in the country are eligible to participate in the Throne Decisive Battle and the East-West Showdown.

Only universities and athletes who qualify through the regional archery league selection tournament are eligible to participate in both major tournaments.

In terms of individual competition between East and West, the Tokyo Metropolitan Student Archery Federation, where the University of Tokyo is located, has 6 out of the 13 spots in the East Army, while the Hokkaido Student Archery Federation, which is also in the East Army, only has a pitiful 1 spot due to its vast territory and sparse population.

"Won't others have objections to me, a first-grader, attending such an important competition?"

Naruto Uchiha's eyes flashed, and he asked.

In Japanese clubs, seniority is a serious factor, and even outstanding newcomers may not be able to secure a formal spot in competitions.

"Archery is all about style! Just by standing on the field, Uchiha-kun has already won half the battle."

Takikawa 7th Dan, grinning, gave a thumbs-up and said:

"Am I right, 'the noble young master of archery'?"

Upon hearing this, Naruto Uchiha's lips twitched, and his expression immediately paled even more.

In his second year of high school, Uchiha Naruto, having nothing better to do, participated in the National High School Tournament and made a name for himself by winning the championship.

Because of his handsome appearance, and the fact that he was the son of the Uchiha clan chief, he was given this extremely chuunibyou (delusional) nickname by the archery media reporters present.

Afterwards, the Supernatural Police Department summoned the relevant media outlets and banned the related news from the internet, but it still circulated within the small circle of the archery community.

A nobleman who practices archery.

Even someone as shameful as Naruto Uchiha would feel embarrassed; Takikawa, the seventh-dan, really knows how to bring up the most sensitive topics.

Naruto Uchiha opened his mouth to refuse.

"Please! Uchiha-kun, please grant my request this time, considering I've covered for you when you missed the archery club activities. Otherwise, our Tokyo University archery club will be forever overshadowed by Meiji University and Waseda University."

Takigawa, the seventh-dan master, acted very unlike a teacher. He clapped his hands, bent down, and pleaded earnestly.

Seeing how humble Takigawa 7th Dan was, it was difficult to refuse.

I did receive some help from him when I was in the archery club at Tokyo University.

Naruto Uchiha used the archery club dojo as a place to clear his mind and organize his thoughts. He wasn't enthusiastic about archery training and only trained sporadically. There were some complaints within the archery club.

However, Takigawa, a seventh-dan player, held him in high regard, and the fact that he shared the surname Uchiha prevented him from acting out.

"Takikawa-sensei, I can participate in the selection for the East-West showdown."

Naruto Uchiha casually replied, "But as for team battles, forget it. Even if I participate, it won't make a difference."

The Tokyo Metropolitan Student Archery Federation has only one spot available to participate in the Throne Deciding Battle.

The team battle consists of five players. Unlike the Jade Dragon Flag competition where the winners fight again, even if an individual player is outstanding and achieves a perfect score, it is difficult to turn the tide.

The archery club at Tokyo University is not a strong archery school. Even if the Uchiha clan participates in team battles, they will most likely be defeated in the selection tournament.

Even though archery team battles don't emphasize teamwork like baseball or soccer, team cohesion is still essential.

Uchiha Naruto politely declined the offer.

"Alright. Then please, Uchiha-kun, do your best to win the crown in the East-West individual duel."

Takigawa, a seventh-dan player, didn't haggle and agreed immediately, as if afraid that Uchiha Naruto would regret it the next second.

"That's hard to say, after all, the national competition is full of top players."

Uchiha Naruto said, contradicting himself.

Archery competitions are not direct competitive sports; otherwise, Naruto Uchiha wouldn't have been able to bully the younger opponent.

"The finals are at Ise Grand Shrine..."

Naruto Uchiha's eyes flashed, and he murmured:

"If I remember correctly, the sacred object of Ise Grand Shrine is the Yata no Kagami, one of the Three Sacred Treasures symbolizing imperial power."

I apologize again for letting everyone down.

This time, I'm experiencing an unprecedented writer's block. In short, I've been thinking too much and writing too little. The main plot, side plots, and various characters are all tangled together like a mess, giving me a huge headache. I want to unravel the mystery, but I don't know where to begin.

However, I've roughly figured out the ideas leading up to the end, so I have a better understanding of the situation.

I promise not to take any more leave this month.

(End of this chapter)