Deep within the forest of Training Ground Four.
The completely soaked chakra nature test paper, softened after absorbing so much water that its weight had increased dramatically, fell to the ground like a lump of white sludge.
Plap.
The three brothers all took a step backward, each wearing a different expression.
“Tōru,” Uchiha Sasuke said, still not understanding what had happened.
“Why did you ruin the paper?
Now we can’t take it home to show Dad.” Tōru withdrew his empty hand, an innocent expression written plainly across his face.
“…I don’t know either.
It suddenly turned out like this.” “There’s no need to worry.
The test paper is disposable anyway.” Uchiha Itachi gently shook his head.
“But Tōru, your situation is extremely unusual.
Water and Fire are mutually counteracting chakra natures, so it’s rare for a single shinobi to possess both.
And…” His expression became solemn as he looked into Tōru’s eyes.
“Your affinity for Water Nature is extraordinarily high.
It’s so strong that it actually surpasses the Fire Nature traditionally inherited by the Uchiha.
I’m afraid no one would believe it if we told them.” “Is that a bad thing?” Sasuke looked at Itachi strangely, his expression full of curiosity.
“Why don’t you look happy, Big Brother?” “If Tōru is willing to become a shinobi, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad.” Though it wouldn’t exactly be good either.
Itachi crouched down and explained to the two of them.
“Water Release may not have the greatest offensive power, but it excels in its enormous range.
It can easily alter terrain and destroy wooden structures.
With Tōru’s affinity for Water Nature, as long as he has sufficient chakra, he could probably use B-rank Water Release techniques almost like forbidden techniques.
And that’s without even considering the presence of natural water sources nearby.
“Can you imagine how excited the clan members would become once they found out about this?” He could already imagine Tōru standing behind their father, controlling raging floods and rivers that swept through the entirety of Konoha while their father laughed uproariously in front of him.
According to the clan’s records, before the founding of Konoha, when the Senju and Uchiha were still enemies, Senju Tobirama—who had not yet become the Second Hokage—had once unleashed Water Release techniques on a scale resembling an ocean against the old Uchiha settlement, completely destroying the clan’s residential district and causing massive casualties.
Now that they had a chance to repay the Senju in kind, there was no way their vengeful clan members would let the opportunity pass.
More importantly, as long as Tōru’s Water Release became powerful enough, the Sarutobi Clan, which also specialized in Fire Release, would be thoroughly countered.
And within Konoha, there were very few Earth Release shinobi capable of countering Water Release.
Even if shinobi could survive a flood and fight while standing on water, what about the civilians and Academy-level shinobi who couldn’t walk on water?
Itachi didn’t dare imagine any further.
“Let’s make an agreement.” He looked at Sasuke and Tōru.
“If Father asks about what happened today, we’ll only say that Tōru possesses both Water and Fire Nature.
There’s no need to tell him exactly what happened when the chakra nature test paper reacted.” He then turned specifically to Tōru and warned him, “If Father gives you another test paper, just refuse as you normally would.” Tōru nodded deeply in agreement.
“But why hide this from Dad?” Sasuke didn’t quite understand.
Being noticed by their father should have been a good thing, shouldn’t it?
Previously, Tōru simply hadn’t cared about their father’s opinion.
But now even Big Brother was helping him hide things from Father?
Was their father’s approval really that unimportant to them?
“Sasuke, once Father finds out about this, Tōru won’t have any freedom left.” Itachi sighed.
There were many things whose true reasons he couldn’t explain to Sasuke.
Sasuke wouldn’t understand them yet.
“Father will be pressured by the clan’s jōnin to train Tōru in Water Release and raise him as a secret weapon.
You won’t be able to see him anymore, and you won’t get to eat Tōru’s cooking either.” And that’s without considering what the clan members might do to increase his ocular power…
Itachi paused, then stared directly into Sasuke’s eyes.
“Do you really want that to happen?” “N-no.
I don’t.” Sasuke’s face paled as he shook his head.
“But Dad wouldn’t do that, would he?” “He is the Uchiha Clan Head before he is our father.
He has to consider the future of the clan.” Itachi sounded as though he understood Fugaku, but his tone had become noticeably colder.
He remembered when he had awakened his Sharingan at the age of eight.
His teammates, Tenma and Shinko, had been killed by the masked man.
His father hadn’t cared in the slightest that someone had lost their life.
He had merely continued feeding the fish while happily congratulating Itachi on awakening his Sharingan and “truly becoming a member of the Uchiha.” From that moment on, Itachi had never expressed his true thoughts in front of his father.
He had simply observed in silence.
Yet the more he saw and heard, the more resistant he became toward the so-called “pride of the Uchiha.” If it weren’t for how much he loved Sasuke and Tōru, he really wanted to leave this family.
Very, very badly.
“Sasuke, if you’re determined to become a shinobi, remember this.” Itachi gently stroked Sasuke’s young face.
“Sometimes, being more talented than others only means you’ll be exploited and consumed sooner.
If it were possible, I truly wish you and Tōru had been born in the Land of Fire’s capital rather than in a shinobi village, and rather than as members of the Uchiha…” Faced with such an abnormal wish, Sasuke suddenly felt as though he’d been plunged into an icy cavern.
He didn’t know how to respond.
Tōru looked deeply at Itachi.
He remembered how Itachi had repeatedly refused his father’s attempts to have him participate in the Chūnin Exams.
It seemed Itachi understood very well that once he became a Chūnin, he would inevitably become involved in increasingly complicated conflicts.
He’s only ten…
Yet he has already seen through the nature of shinobi as expendable tools?
For the first time, Tōru felt that Itachi had a harder life than he himself had at thirteen or fourteen.
Back then, Tōru had been consumed by hatred for demons and guilt over his sister and Sabito.
Those emotions had at least given him an inexhaustible motivation to keep moving forward.
He had never needed to ask himself why he was alive.
But Itachi understood rationally that he was an expendable tool and could still continue living without wavering, refusing to be consumed by despair or a sense of meaninglessness.
That couldn’t be summarized merely as “maturity” or “precociousness.” There was also a hint of stubbornness, as though he were constantly prepared to push back.
Tōru grabbed the hem of Itachi’s clothes and said sincerely, “Don’t push yourself too hard.” Uchiha Itachi froze.
After a long while, he finally gave him a brilliant smile.
And with that, the morning’s training came to a complete end.
After the three brothers finished lunch, Itachi said, “Rest is also part of training.
You two can sleep here for a while, or go swimming in the shallow lake over there.
I need to leave for a bit.
I’ll be back this afternoon.” “Huh?” Sasuke immediately understood.
“Big Brother, do you have a mission today?” “Yeah.
It’s a C-rank mission.” Itachi nodded.
“It’s a commission from the daimyō’s household, so I have to arrive on time.” The daimyō governed from the capital of the Land of Fire.
However, most of his family members other than his eldest son enjoyed vacationing in Konoha.
For example, the daimyō’s wife had more than a dozen cats, and several of them would go missing every day.
Finding lost cats had practically become a routine mission for Konoha’s Genin—and the rewards were surprisingly generous.
“Then come back early, Big Brother.” Sasuke looked reluctant to let him go.
Being alone with Tōru while fully awake was a considerable test of his patience.
He genuinely wanted to talk to Tōru, but Tōru always managed to say things that made him angry.
“I’ll try.” Itachi rubbed Sasuke’s head.
“When I come back this afternoon, I’ll teach you the trick to using the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu.
“In the meantime, don’t argue with Tōru, and don’t sulk and refuse to talk to him.” “Okay.” Sasuke imitated Itachi’s tone.
“I’ll try too.” Itachi smiled and poked Sasuke on the forehead before turning to leave.
But Tōru stopped him.
“Wait.” Tōru opened the bottom compartment of the lunch box and took out a fox mask, handing it to Itachi.
“This is for you.” “A good-luck fox mask?” Itachi immediately understood what Tōru meant.
“Thank you, Tōru.” After saying that, he waved at his two brothers.
With a Body Flicker Technique, he vanished from the spot, leaving Sasuke stunned once again by how cool it looked.
He immediately declared that he wanted to learn it.
What neither of them knew was that although Uchiha Itachi had left, another pair of crimson Sharingan were blazing with red light from the shadows of the forest, watching their every movement.
…
“Tōru.” Under the shade of a tree, Sasuke lazily leaned against the trunk.
His right hand skillfully tossed a kunai into the air and caught it again, hoping to coax an expression of “envy” or “I want to learn” out of Tōru.
But Tōru simply lay down at the edge of the shade, his eyes reflecting the white clouds overhead.
He seemed to be contemplating their shapes.
Moon Breathing has ten times the analysis difficulty of Flame Breathing.
Sun Breathing should probably be the same.
Itachi has the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and I can gain three hundred-thousandths of Moon Breathing analysis per hour.
Even if I collect that progress three times a day, it would take a full ten thousand days.
More than twenty-seven years.
That’s far too long…
Besides Itachi, Father, Mother, and Shisui also have the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
If I came up with some excuses to have them cast genjutsu on me, perhaps the progress would increase much faster…
Just as Tōru was thinking about this, his twin brother Sasuke suddenly entered his field of vision.
Sasuke was kneeling on all fours on the ground, staring intently at Tōru’s eyes as though trying to see right through him.
“What are you doing?” Tōru asked in confusion.
“If you want me to train with you, I’m afraid I’ll have to refuse.
We’re too far apart.” With this body’s physical strength, I should be able to punch a hole through the circular boulder Master Urokodaki placed on the mountain—the same one Tanjiro split before the Final Selection.
“Who said you could possibly beat me if you don’t train?” Sasuke proudly snorted, completely misunderstanding what Tōru meant.
But a moment later, a trace of loneliness appeared on his face.
“But if you actually got serious, you’d surpass me immediately, wouldn’t you?
“Your body is so strong, you’re so powerful, and even your chakra nature affinity is ridiculous.” Sasuke’s voice grew quieter and quieter, forcing Tōru to sit up so he could hear him.
Sasuke pursed his lips and stammered, “Y-you wouldn’t happen to…” “Wouldn’t happen to what?” Tōru patted Sasuke on the shoulder.
“Explain.” “I mean!
“Could it be that you knew from the beginning that I’m useless, so you pretended you didn’t want to become a shinobi and pretended not to care about Dad’s attitude toward you just so I wouldn’t feel so pathetic?” Sasuke finally said what had been in his heart.
“If that’s the case, I don’t need your pity.” The summer breeze passed through the canopy above them, producing a pleasant rustling sound.
After the cool breeze swept past, Sasuke lowered his head in shame and turned away, his eyes reddening.
Uchiha Sasuke had been an unyielding child from a young age.
When Tōru first began doing housework, Sasuke had wanted to prove himself as well, only to make a complete mess of everything.
When their father criticized him, he had become so flustered that he could barely sit still.
Tōru, meanwhile, had interrupted directly and asked when they could start preparing dinner.
Although Sasuke had never said so, he was genuinely envious of how easily Tōru could accomplish things that neither he nor even Itachi could do.
But as Sasuke gradually became more mature, he came to understand that the things Tōru was good at weren’t what the clan members or their father valued.
This was a village of shinobi.
A place where only the strong had any real presence.
Possessing strength and becoming a shinobi like his brother was what would earn their father’s approval.
Around the age of four, Sasuke had begun pestering Itachi to teach him shurikenjutsu, the Clone Technique, and the Uchiha’s Fire Release.
After a year of training, he felt that he had finally found something he was better at than Tōru.
He had even felt a little sorry for Tōru.
Because Tōru didn’t want to become a shinobi, he had to endure his father’s disapproving looks every night.
Until last night.
His younger brother, who had never trained before, had somehow awakened the Sharingan.
Then Father had said that “Tōru’s talent is even greater than Itachi’s and Shisui’s.” Sasuke had immediately felt troubled.
This morning, when Tōru effortlessly picked up the lunch box and ran such a long distance without even becoming winded, Sasuke finally understood what their father had meant.
And he realized he hadn’t been imagining things.
Gradually, details he had never considered before began surfacing in his mind.
For example, the size and weight of the vegetables whenever Tōru went shopping.
Every summer, Sasuke would be drenched in sweat from the heat, while it was always pleasantly cool around Tōru.
Whenever Sasuke went outside, their mother would remind him to be careful.
She rarely said the same to Tōru, even though he often carried large amounts of money with him.
Because their mother had realized long ago that Tōru hadn’t suddenly become strong yesterday.
He had always been strong.
Thinking about it carefully, in this family— He was the only one who was completely treated as a child and a weakling!
“Why are you crying?” Tōru began to feel troubled.
He wasn’t Shinobu Kocho.
He didn’t know how to comfort children.
“Answer my question first.” Sasuke stubbornly stared at Tōru.
“Did you say you didn’t want to become a shinobi because you didn’t want me to feel so pathetic?” Deep within the forest, the Sharingan narrowed slightly.
Someone was clearly eager to hear the answer as well.
Given how much Tōru doted on Sasuke, he was absolutely capable of doing something like that.
Tōru took a deep breath and answered quite formally.
“Absolutely not.” “Why?” Sasuke froze.
“Why don’t you want to become a shinobi?” “You should ask yourself why you want to become a shinobi.” Tōru immediately countered.
“Because Dad, Mom, and Big Brother are all shinobi—” “So you’re simply imitating them?” “But Dad also wants us to become shinobi…” “Then you’re simply choosing your goal according to your family’s traditions and their expectations of you.” Tōru’s deep eyes focused on him.
“Even if you don’t know what you’ll do after becoming a shinobi, as long as you possess strength, as long as your father and clan recognize you, as long as you make the Uchiha famous, is that enough?” “…” Sasuke stared at Tōru in astonishment.
This was the first time Tōru had ever spoken to him at such length.
It was almost as though he were making up for all the words he hadn’t said over the previous several years.
“Is there something wrong with thinking that way?” Isn’t that what every member of the clan was doing?
Far away, Uchiha Fugaku also frowned.
He was worried that Tōru might be filling Sasuke’s head with strange ideas.
Tōru didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he stared at the clouds overhead for a long while.
One particular cloud looked remarkably like Gyomei Himejima with his palms pressed together in prayer.
“Sasuke, you’ve chosen to become a shinobi.
But have you ever thought about what you’re more likely to face than ordinary people?” Tōru turned toward his twin brother, whose features resembled his own.
“Have you ever thought about one day crossing blades with someone, only to find yourself surrounded by rivers of blood and fields of corpses?” That was the scene inside the Infinity Castle when they fought Muzan Kibutsuji.
They had been forced to step over the bodies of their comrades to move forward.
“Have you ever thought about watching your friends and family be murdered before your very eyes by an enemy who couldn’t be reasoned with?” His sister and Sabito’s mutilated corpses had appeared before his eyes.
“You’ve only seen the shinobi of the clan being respected.
“But do you know that they’re merely the ones who survived?
“You casually choose to make yourself someone else’s weapon as a profession, without knowing that you might be killed, without understanding the pain of losing your family and friends.
“All for empty words like ‘fame,’ ‘glory,’ and ‘pride,’ you give up everything—and even revel in it.” Tōru raised his head, squinting slightly against the sunlight.
“Children who know nothing and have never seen another choice are deceived into becoming shinobi through beautiful words.
“Then, once they’ve witnessed the cruel truth, the hatred and pain caused by the deaths of their loved ones are used to keep them trapped in the identity of a shinobi.
“The conflicts and competing interests between the people who wield the tools are transformed into mutual hatred between the tools themselves, and that hatred is passed down from generation to generation as though it were perfectly natural.
“Until it becomes common sense.
“You asked why I don’t want to become a shinobi?” Tōru glanced at Sasuke.
Sasuke’s head was already spinning from arguments he couldn’t fully comprehend.
“This is why.
“I’m not prepared to destroy a life I know nothing about simply because someone gives me an order.
“I only want enough strength to protect the life I have now.
That’s enough for me.
“And to accomplish that, I don’t need to become a shinobi…” Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Applause rang out.
But it wasn’t Sasuke.
Uchiha Tōru and Sasuke turned simultaneously.
A strange young man was crouching on top of an earthen wall ten meters away.
But in the next instant— Whoosh!
He appeared directly in front of the two boys.
A Body Flicker Technique no weaker than Itachi’s.
The young man’s appearance possessed the handsome features characteristic of the Uchiha, but his eyebrows were raised high, giving him an irritable appearance.
He was the one who had been applauding.
“I never thought I’d hear words like that from the son of the clan head.” A mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“Such twisted reasoning isn’t something a child like you could have come up with, is it?
Did you hear it from the clan head?
Or did that coward, Uchiha Itachi, tell you this?” “Don’t you dare insult my brother!” Hearing Itachi called a coward, Sasuke angrily stepped in front of Tōru and raised the kunai in his hand defensively.
“To avoid running into me, he doesn’t even go to the clan’s Training Ground anymore.
He runs all the way out here to hide.
And you still say he’s not a coward?” As he spoke, he looked behind Tōru and Sasuke.
Three other boys, all around the same age, emerged from the forest.
“What do you three think?” The three exchanged glances, seemingly wanting to say something.
But when they saw the impatience in the leader’s eyes, they quickly nodded in agreement.
“Who is he?” Tōru looked around at the positions of the four people, somewhat confused.
They appeared to be clan members, but why did they seem to have come here looking for trouble?
“That guy is Uchiha Enka.
He challenged Big Brother at the Uchiha Training Ground before, but a clan jōnin stopped him.” Uchiha Sasuke glared angrily at Uchiha Enka.
“If it weren’t for him, Big Brother and I wouldn’t have to run all the way out here every day.” “Oh?” Tōru suddenly understood.
So he was like Sanemi from the Demon Slayer Corps?
Someone who constantly came looking for trouble with him for seemingly no reason, but actually didn’t harbor any real malice?
Besides, the word coward was considerably gentler than the insults Sanemi Shinazugawa had hurled at him.
Tōru activated the Transparent World and glanced at the four men.
Judging by the volume of chakra visible around their brains, Uchiha Enka possessed a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, while the other three each possessed a One-Tomoe Sharingan.
According to Itachi, those three possessed Genin-level chakra reserves.
They had probably already graduated from the Ninja Academy.
“All right.
I’m too lazy to waste time arguing with two brats who don’t understand anything.” Uchiha Enka arrogantly raised his chin.
“I happened to hear a senior clan member say that Uchiha Itachi was training at this field, so I came here specifically to find him.
“But I only found the two of you.
“So where exactly did that guy go?
“Did he hear I was coming and hide again?” “What does it matter to you where Itachi is?” Sasuke retorted.
“You’re fifteen and still a Chūnin.
What right do you have to shout around here?
Big Brother Shisui said that Itachi has already reached jōnin level.
He’s stronger than you by who knows how much!” A vein bulged on Uchiha Enka’s forehead.
The other three wore expressions of disbelief.
Uchiha Shisui might not have been respected by the clan elders because of his position, but he was publicly acknowledged as the clan’s strongest shinobi.
If he had personally evaluated Itachi…
“You’ve got some nerve saying that.” He glared at Uchiha Sasuke.
“I’m a jōnin-level shinobi.
I only failed to become a jōnin because that bastard Mito Kado En deliberately targeted me!
“Besides, I’ve been looking for Uchiha Shisui for a long time.
He’s just like your brother.
Neither of them dares show up in front of me!” “Wait.” Tōru interrupted him and analyzed the situation seriously.
“If the villagers dislike you and that’s why you couldn’t become a jōnin, then repair your relationship with them.
“If you keep coming here to cause trouble for Itachi, eventually even your own clan members will dislike you.” Uchiha Enka fell silent.
He stared quietly at Tōru.
At that expressionless face that somehow seemed to be mocking him despite showing no emotion at all…
Something inside him suddenly snapped.
He waved to one of the followers he had brought.
“Bind the two of them and take them somewhere out of sight.” Uchiha Enka’s face twisted into a vicious grin.
“If Uchiha Itachi refuses to fight me, let these two brats spend the night hungry in the wilderness.” Deep within the forest, Uchiha Fugaku saw what was happening and prepared himself.
Given Sasuke’s personality, he would definitely resist.
He would also definitely be subdued.
Once the brothers felt helpless and developed a desire for greater strength, Fugaku would descend like a hero from the heavens, stop the situation from getting any worse, and conveniently punish the junior who had recently caused so much resentment among the clan members.
It would change Tōru’s attitude while simultaneously repairing their somewhat stiff father-son relationship.
Two birds with one stone.
However, just as Fugaku took his first step forward, he saw the boy carrying the rope approach Tōru.
Without warning, the boy clutched his stomach and dropped to his knees.
Tōru placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder and gently hooked his foot behind the boy’s leg, allowing him to fall naturally onto the ground.
I hit him a little too hard…
“Sorry.
Itachi has been very tired lately.” Almost in an instant, Tōru had bound the boy who had just attempted to tie him up so tightly that he couldn’t move.
Inosuke: ?
“If you’re only here to challenge Itachi for a spar, please don’t disturb him.” Tōru calmly looked at the remaining three.
“Leave.”