At the sa ti, within the Uchiha clan…
Fugaku and Itachi sat across from each other.
"I'm sorry, Father. I disappointed you," Itachi said softly, lowering his head.
Fugaku had been strict with Itachi since he was a child. At the age of four, he had taken him to the battlefield to teach him the harsh realities of the shinobi world.
Itachi understood his father's expectations and had trained diligently.
Yet today, he had been defeated in a single blow.
Yami's speed was overwhelming. Itachi's eyes could follow it, but his body couldn't keep up.
And… there was sothing else that troubled him.
"Don't apologize. Learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu at your age and using it to attend class the whole day is already impressive," Fugaku said in a low but satisfied tone, showing no disappointnt.
Itachi's talent had exceeded his expectations.
"As per the Hokage's request, you will fight Shimura again tomorrow. If you perform well, you may be allowed to graduate early," Fugaku continued.
"Don't worry, Father. I will do my best to defeat him," Itachi said seriously.
"Tell everything that happened today. I'll help you analyze it."
"Yes."
In truth, there wasn't much to say—he had been taken down in a single move. But he still voiced his doubts.
Fugaku frowned. "Uchiha shurikenjutsu… and Shisui's Body Flicker Technique?"
"Shisui is likely training Shimura."
Itachi couldn't help but ask, "Then why didn't Shisui tell ?"
"Foolish!" Fugaku scolded. "This is Shisui's mission. Shimura is Danzō's grandson, do you think information about him can be leaked so easily?"
"If Shisui had told you, it would have caused major trouble!"
"I understand, Father," Itachi said, bowing his head further.
"A shinobi must be careful with their words and actions. Always think before you speak," Fugaku admonished, then waved his hand dismissively.
"As for tomorrow's battle, your chances of winning are slim. But don't be discouraged, Uchiha's true strength doesn't lie in basic ninjutsu or taijutsu, but in the Sharingan."
"Speed alone isn't everything. Once you awaken your eyes, you will surpass Shimura Yami soon enough."
After listening to Itachi's description and making his own deductions, Fugaku knew the gap between them was too wide to be closed in a short ti.
"Go rest. Even if you lose tomorrow, you must display your talent and strength to the village. That way, you can graduate early."
"Yes."
Returning to his room, Itachi lay in bed, replaying the mories sent back by his Shadow Clone.
Sleep did not co easily.
---
Hokage's Office
"Hokage-sama, these are the test papers of Uchiha Itachi and Shimura Yami," Kazama Shuichi said, placing the docunts on the desk with a conflicted expression.
Hiruzen, busy reviewing other reports, didn't notice his troubled look. He simply nodded and gestured for Shuichi to leave.
Half an hour later, after finishing his paperwork, Hiruzen picked up the test papers, eager to assess the academic performance of the two students.
As expected, Uchiha Itachi's paper was flawless. His level far exceeded that of an average first-year student.
But when Hiruzen looked at Yami's test…
He froze.
What the hell is this?
Yami had answered all the multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions correctly, earning full marks.
But the essay section…
Especially the last question…
BANG!
Hiruzen slamd his hand on the desk.
"I've been Hokage for twenty years, and my only accomplishnt is banning casinos?!"
"Danzō, this is your fault! How did such a good child end up like this? You bastard!"
---
anwhile, in another location…
Danzō, in the middle of arranging a new round of secret missions, suddenly sneezed twice. His expression darkened.
"Damn Sarutobi Hiruzen… He must be jealous that I have such an outstanding grandson!"
---
The night passed quickly.
With the exams over, the Academy was about to enter a month-long break, and the once lively campus had beco quiet.
Except for one place, the training grounds where the first-year students had tested the previous day.
A row of tables had been set up along the edge of the clearing. Sarutobi Hiruzen, Danzō, and the two other elders sat behind them.
A dozen shinobi stood around, including Uchiha Fugaku.
Word had spread, and many others had co to watch.
Konoha had never lacked geniuses, but this situation was different.
One was a mber of the Uchiha clan.
The other was the grandson of Shimura Danzō.
With such a background, their match had instantly beco the talk of the village.
Had it not been for many Jōnin being away on missions, the audience would have been twice as large.
---
At precisely nine o'clock, Yami and Itachi stood ten ters apart, just as they had yesterday.
But this ti, both were here in person.
The referee had been changed from the rookie Chūnin Kazama Shuichi to an Anbu in a cat-masked disguise.
"The battle rules are as follows," the Anbu announced in a cold voice. "If one participant loses combat ability or the referee determines they can no longer continue, they will be declared the loser. Now, before we begin—"
"No need."
Yami interrupted him without hesitation.
The Anbu frowned, his gaze turning cold, but before he could speak, he suddenly felt multiple killing intents lock onto him.
His expression stiffened, and he quickly composed himself.
"This is the rule, Shimura."
"I already made the Seal of Confrontation with him yesterday. This is just a continuation of that fight—there's no need to be so formal."
"…Fine." The Anbu reluctantly stepped back.
---
Hiruzen smiled at Danzō. "Danzō, your grandson is quite… unique."
Danzō, however, didn't even look at Hiruzen.
"No, your Asuma is still better."
Hiruzen's smile vanished.
Recently, his youngest son had been in a rebellious phase, arguing with him at ho almost daily. It had beco a major source of frustration.
And now, Danzō had deliberately poked at his sore spot.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, seated nearby, struggled to hold back their laughter.
These two old n had been bickering since childhood. So things never changed.
(To be continued.)
***
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