NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 23: ch23
"Ding! The host has successfully pulled off a forceful act, and Pretend Points +6666!"
"Ding! Pretend Points are being automatically allocated: A-level Wind and Thunder Body Flicker Technique +3333, B-level Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation +3333."
"Ding! A-level Wind and Thunder Body Flicker Technique (7777/10,000), experience is not full. Please continue to act like a host to upgrade your abilities!"
"Ding! B-level Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation (6667/10,000), experience is not full. Please continue to act like a host to upgrade your abilities!"
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The system notifications rolled in, marking the allocation of Pretend Points. Both his Wind and Thunder Body Flicker Technique and Great Fire Annihilation Jutsu received significant experience boosts, but Ethan Uchiha couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed.
"Why isn't any of this experience going into my Mangekyō Sharingan?" he mused. With each use, Mangekyō would only bring him closer to blindness, so leveling it up was crucial.
"I need to show off more," he thought, realizing that scenes like this—where several Kage-level figures and elite Jōnin were present—were goldmines for accumulating Pretend Points. Unfortunately, opportunities like this wouldn't come often.
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Meanwhile, Ethan's father, Fugaku Uchiha, observed his son's display with a strange sense of déjà vu.
"Why does this seem so familiar?" he muttered, recalling the last time he visited Ethan at his grandfather's house. Back then, Ethan had broken through from Chūnin to Jōnin, and the scene had played out almost exactly like it was now.
"Elder, your grandson..." Hayato Uchiha turned to Isaac Uchiha, Ethan's grandfather, as if seeking an explanation.
Isaac remained silent. He had no words for what was unfolding before him. This was indeed his grandson, but this exaggerated personality certainly wasn't something he'd passed down. When Ethan had boasted earlier, "My grandfather always says...," Isaac could feel his blood pressure rising.
"This kid... where did we go wrong?" he thought, exasperated.
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The surrounding spectators, though impressed by Ethan Uchiha's strength, were equally exasperated by his endless posturing.
"Damn it... and he's still showing off!"
Yet, with Ethan's current level—having just broken through to Kage-level—it was hard for anyone to deny him the right to gloat.
After all, standing at the top wasn't something just anyone could do.
---
At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi and his entourage approached.
"As expected of Senior Isaac's grandson," the Third Hokage said with a kindly smile, "this old man could never compare."
Isaac Uchiha, though smiling humbly, was beaming with pride. "Lord Hokage, you give too much credit. The boy is just a bit more talented than most."
Internally, Isaac was anything but humble. His grandson had unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan, for crying out loud! But, as an old hand in the world of politics, Isaac knew better than to show his full pride openly. The more talent one flaunted, the more attention—and enemies—one would attract. Modesty, even when unwarranted, was a tool to avoid becoming a target.
The Uchiha clan had learned this the hard way. While their younger members, often headstrong and brash, flaunted their power, those older than twenty-five had been weathered by the harsh realities of life. They knew that strength without wisdom was a dangerous thing.
The clan had faced ostracization for seven years following the Nine Tails attack. In that time, Konoha's disdain for them had only grown. If Ethan were the clan leader, Isaac thought, would he have stood for this? Or would he have led the clan to another village where they could thrive, free from Konoha's disdain?
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"Lord Hokage," Ethan Uchiha addressed Hiruzen with calm respect, showing none of his earlier arrogance.
Hiruzen smiled warmly. "Yes, Konoha is fortunate to have a genius like you. I'm sure you'll make great contributions to the village once you become a Genin."
The Third Hokage's words were full of praise, but Ethan wasn't fooled. He knew better than to trust this "kind" old man. Despite the friendly demeanor, Ethan could sense Hiruzen's lack of genuine goodwill toward the Uchiha clan. The Hokage might be smiling now, but Ethan wouldn't put it past him to strike when no one was looking.
"As a Konoha Shinobi, contributing to the village is an honor for every ninja," Ethan Uchiha responded loudly, his voice full of false sincerity.
The people around him were taken aback by the sudden shift in tone.
"Huh, didn't you just say you were lonely at the top?" one of them whispered.
Now, he was acting like the model ninja, ready to serve the village at all costs. His sudden change in attitude was so transparent, even the veterans in the crowd couldn't help but roll their eyes.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was certainly not fooled either. He knew a performance when he saw one. But in the game of politics, appearances were everything, and Ethan Uchiha was playing the part well enough for now.