"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
In the Forest of Death, a young boy in black landed gracefully after spinning in mid-air.
The shuriken he had thrown followed a complex trajectory, colliding with various targets hanging from the trees before hitting their marks with precision.
Such a masterful display of shurikenjutsu was something even a jōnin might struggle to achieve, let alone a chūnin.
Yet this boy, who appeared to be only five or six years old, performed it with ease, his expression calm and composed.
In fact, he seemed slightly dissatisfied with his own speed and movements!
"Itachi, still practicing?"
A cheerful voice suddenly rang out.
A black-haired boy with a round nose, Uchiha Shisui, appeared on a nearby tree branch.
"Shisui-nii," Itachi acknowledged, his tone finally showing a hint of emotion.
"Father and Mother are busy preparing for tonight's fireworks festival. I had some free time, so I came here to practice my shurikenjutsu."
He offered a brief explanation before asking in return:
"What about you, Shisui-nii? Don't you have missions today?"
Shisui, who wasn't wearing a mask at the moment, simply smiled and replied:
"No, I just happened to be passing by."
"Tonight's fireworks festival is important. We need to ensure the village's safety from the shadows."
Hearing that Shisui had to carry out missions even on such a significant holiday, Itachi's eyes flashed with admiration.
"I envy you, Shisui-nii. You get to fight for the peace of the village."
Itachi's words were filled with genuine admiration.
Shisui chuckled.
"It's the first time I've heard someone envy a person who has to work on a holiday."
Though he laughed, Shisui understood Itachi's feelings.
Itachi's mindset was already different from that of other children.
While other kids dreamed of spending the holiday with their parents and receiving the gifts they longed for, Itachi wished for all the villagers of Konoha to enjoy the festival together.
As for gifts?
The peace of the village and the happiness of its people were the best gifts he could ask for!
That was the difference in perspective.
But clearly, Itachi didn't yet have the ability to achieve such a goal.
"Itachi, you'll be starting at the Academy soon, right?"
Shisui thought for a moment. Itachi was almost old enough to enroll in the Ninja Academy.
"Once you enter the Academy, you'll learn more about what it means to be a shinobi."
"If you perform well, you'll graduate quickly and become an excellent ninja."
Shisui encouraged him with enthusiasm.
Itachi, however, remained unimpressed.
"I've already sneaked into the Academy to listen to some classes."
"To be honest, that place feels more like child's play."
"Compared to the real battlefield, the knowledge they teach there is trivial."
As he spoke, Itachi's expression darkened.
He was once again reminded of the time his father, Fugaku, had taken him to the battlefield.
It was a place filled with deceit, betrayal, and slaughter—a living hell.
It was also where Itachi first began to believe that hatred between people could never be erased.
Sensing the negative emotions emanating from Itachi, Shisui sighed in frustration.
Honestly, he didn't understand why Fugaku had taken Itachi, who was only four years old at the time, to the battlefield.
Could someone so young truly comprehend the meaning of life and death?
However, there wasn't much Shisui could do to guide Itachi on this matter.
He simply patted Itachi's shoulder and said:
"Just enjoy tonight's fireworks festival for now. Your little brother is about to be born, isn't he?"
At the mention of his brother, the coldness in Itachi's eyes finally dissipated.
"I understand," he replied.
Shisui breathed a sigh of relief.
At least Itachi still had bonds to hold onto.
As Danzo-sensei had once said, as long as a person had bonds, they wouldn't easily fall into darkness.
Before leaving, Shisui gave Itachi a tip:
"Remember to go to the Hokage Rock tonight. It's the best spot in the village to watch the fireworks."
With that, he disappeared in a flash.
"The Hokage Rock, huh..."
Itachi silently noted Shisui's advice.
After cleaning up the practice area, he quickly headed home.
When he arrived, his mother, Uchiha Mikoto, had already prepared everything.
She was wearing a brand-new kimono and fresh accessories.
Despite her pregnant belly, her elegance remained undiminished.
However, Itachi noticed that Fugaku was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't look around. Your father said he's busy tonight and needs to lead the police force on patrol."
Mikoto walked over and gently took Itachi's hand, chiding him:
"You two are really something. You clearly care about each other, but neither of you can say it out loud."
Hearing Mikoto's words, Itachi awkwardly pulled his hand away.
In a small voice, he retorted:
"That's not true."
His tsundere attitude made Mikoto smile warmly.
"Alright, alright, it's not true then!"
"Let's just say you're taking your little brother to see the fireworks festival, okay?"
As expected, changing the approach worked, and Itachi finally agreed.
"Mother, let's go near the Hokage Rock."
"That's the best spot to watch from."
Itachi quietly reminded her.
Mikoto was surprised.
"Oh? How did you know that?"
"Kushina also told me to go there."
Itachi's response was simple:
"I heard it from a friend."
As for why Kushina knew?
Well, she was the Hokage's wife, after all!
As the Hokage's spouse, finding out the best viewing spot was as easy as it got.
And so, Mikoto and Itachi, mother and son, finally set out together—a rare occurrence.
As the sky darkened, the streets grew increasingly crowded with villagers.
Seeing the lively scene, Mikoto couldn't help but sigh:
"It's been so long since I've seen such a lively atmosphere!"
Due to the war in previous years, the fireworks festivals had been quiet and subdued.
This year, as the first festival after the war, everyone was eager to take to the streets and celebrate.
While Mikoto was busy taking in the sights, Itachi's focus was entirely different.
He was silently observing the streets and rooftops, trying to identify the hidden sentries stationed around the village.
However, his thoughts were soon interrupted.
Mikoto had finally spotted her best friend on a rooftop.
"Kushina, over here!"
She waved and called out.
Kushina, standing on tiptoe, gestured for Mikoto and Itachi to join her.
As the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Kushina had her own designated viewing spot and couldn't wander around freely.
Mikoto understood this and quickly led Itachi over.
"Where's Minato?"
Mikoto asked as soon as they arrived.
Kushina pouted, her tone tinged with annoyance:
"He said that as the Hokage, he needs to stay on duty during such an important festival and told me to be careful!"
Mikoto sighed.
"It seems we're in the same boat. My husband said the same thing!"
The two women, having found kindred spirits, began to vent their frustrations to each other.
Meanwhile, Itachi, bored by their conversation, turned his attention to the boy standing beside Kushina.
If he remembered correctly, this was Danzo's young disciple—Kabuto.
Noticing Itachi's gaze, Kabuto politely greeted him:
"Hello, I'm Shimura Kabuto."
"I'm Uchiha Itachi."
Itachi responded with equal politeness.
To be honest, Itachi at this stage wasn't like other Uchiha children.
When dealing with strangers, he maintained basic manners and courtesy.
He wasn't like a certain Sasuke, who would look down on others from the start.
As he watched the bustling crowd below, Itachi couldn't help but mutter:
"Such a boring event."
This statement immediately resonated with Kabuto, who nodded in agreement.
"You're right. I'd rather spend this time doing a couple more experiments."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, fully agreeing with Itachi's sentiment.
If it weren't for Danzo's orders, he wouldn't have bothered coming out to watch fireworks.
This attitude surprised Itachi, and he began to take an interest in this peer.
After all, he had never met anyone his age who shared his perspective.
He nodded and said:
"I'd rather do a hundred more shuriken training sessions."
Before Kabuto could agree again, Kushina shot them a dangerous look.
Being naturally cheerful, outgoing, and extroverted, she couldn't tolerate their negative remarks.
Ignoring her pregnancy, she grabbed both boys by the scruff of their necks and scolded them:
"You little brats, sit here quietly and watch the fireworks! Don't ruin our fun, you idiots!!"
Kabuto, now held in the air, immediately shrunk back like a little quail and said:
"I'm sorry, Kushina-nee."
Hearing the term "nee" (big sister), Kushina's anger subsided somewhat.
She set the two boys down and clapped her hands.
"Behave yourselves, okay?"
Itachi looked utterly helpless.
He never expected the Hokage's wife to act like such a tyrant.
Kabuto was about to mutter a complaint when a sharp whistle pierced the air.
He immediately stood up and leaned over the railing, looking down at the street below.
The crowd, like a receding tide, parted to make way for the tracks in the middle of the road.
Then, a massive steel head emerged!
The two headlights at the front of the locomotive shone like the eyes of a beast, exuding an intimidating presence.
With another loud whistle, the train began to move.
It roared like a monstrous beast, black smoke mixed with sparks billowing from its chimney as it slowly advanced along the tracks!
"What is that?"
"Is it some new kind of weapon?"
"It looks so cool..."
Whispers and murmurs spread through the crowd as people speculated about the strange machine.
Itachi, too, was intrigued.
"Do you know what that is?"
He asked Kabuto curiously.
Kabuto nodded and explained:
"That's a new mode of transportation designed by Danzo-sensei and built by the factory. It's called a train!"
"What does it do?"
Itachi pressed.
"It transports goods, supplies, troops..."
"It has countless uses."
"With trains, goods can move quickly across the world. Deserts can get water, wastelands can get food—it's a game-changer."
Despite his young age, Kabuto spoke with a maturity that surpassed most adults when it came to his area of expertise.
"Goods... food... water..."
Itachi fell into deep thought as he processed Kabuto's explanation.
It wasn't just Itachi. Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru, and others were also observing the train with keen interest.
"Danzo, what are you planning now?"
Hiruzen muttered, his expression wary as he watched the steel beast spew smoke and fire into the night.
"Interesting..."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he instantly grasped the train's potential.
But the most excited of all was En Oyashiro, the newest member of the Commerce Department.
As soon as he saw the train, his eyes lit up with ambition.
"With this, I can dominate the world of trade!!"
And so, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the train finally reached its designated spot.
It slowed to a halt, and one by one, the carriages behind it were opened.
In the next moment, countless bursts of light erupted from within.
Colorful flames shot into the sky, illuminating the entire night!!
Fireworks of every hue exploded above Konoha, casting a glow of hope on the faces of the villagers.
They cheered and celebrated.
They didn't care about the train's significance or value.
All they knew was that tonight's fireworks—
Were beautiful!!
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