Anbu Training Base.
This place was more open compared to Root.
The training ground was open to the sky, but access required rigorous identity checks.
Only Anbu members or those granted official authority by the Hokage could pass through the checkpoint and enter.
Though called a training ground, in reality most of Anbu's operations took place here—personnel deployments, mission assignments, squad formations, and rank promotions were all handled here.
The Anbu were an assassination force directly under the Hokage's command, answering only to the village leader himself.
To join the Anbu, becoming the Hokage's subordinate and receiving direct orders from him was the lifelong dream of countless shinobi.
Only those with clean backgrounds, exemplary conduct, and unwavering loyalty to the village were selected for Anbu service.
Of course, these were the standard criteria for regular candidates. Exceptions did exist.
After Minato Namikaze became Hokage, many changes took place within the Anbu.
As the Hokage's most trusted unit, Anbu recruitment had always been extremely exclusive.
Normally, recruits were chosen exclusively from among civilian ninja families, because clan-born shinobi often prioritized their clan's interests during missions. Sometimes, such loyalties even reduced mission success rates.
So before Minato became Hokage, very few clan shinobi ever made it into the Anbu.
Once he took office, however, Minato quickly noticed some flaws in this system.
By excluding clan-affiliated shinobi, many elite ninja who could have greatly contributed to the Anbu were overlooked.
He also realized that Konoha's prestigious Uchiha Clan longed for official recognition.
Thus, Minato started talking with the current head of the Uchiha Clan.
Minato acknowledged the Uchiha's contributions, while Fugaku Uchiha pledged his full loyalty.
When they met, it felt like two souls finally seeing each other.
Back in his office, Minato decided—alright, send me your clan's finest shinobi!
Since Anbu needed the best of the best, let the Uchiha be the first to provide top talents!
This gesture symbolized Minato's goodwill toward Fugaku Uchiha. Even before officially taking office, he had already sensed the growing tensions between the Uchiha Clan and the village.
With this move, Minato sensed a notable change in the Uchiha's stance toward Konoha.
Fugaku, understanding the Fourth Hokage's intentions, fully supported closer ties between the clan and the village.
Previously, before Minato's appointment, Fugaku had received orders to deploy to the front lines. With support from fellow Uchiha shinobi, he once dreamed of earning enough achievements to compete for the Hokage title.
But later events revealed just how deep the conflicts ran between his clan and the village—conflicts nearly impossible to resolve under the watchful eyes of Konoha's higher-ups.
Hoping to become Hokage? That was pure wishful thinking! He no longer had any real chance at all.
Luckily, when choosing between the two leading candidates for Hokage—Orochimaru and Minato Namikaze—the victor was Minato, a civilian-born shinobi.
And the Uchiha seemed to have seen a glimmer of redemption.
Although Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, was one of the Sannin and a disciple of the great Jiraiya, and technically speaking, also a successor in the Senju lineage,
he did not cling to outdated ideologies.
Instead, he believed that the clan and the village could actually coexist harmoniously.
Thus, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, had offered a lifeline to the Uchiha Clan, a clan that seemed to have run out of options.
"Shisui, no missions lately?" Shisui and Itachi sat side by side at the rest area; Itachi asked.
"Mm, it's been pretty quiet recently," Shisui replied without looking at Itachi beside him, his expression barely shifting.
Although they were inside the Anbu training base, there was no strict requirement here to wear masks or use codenames when talking with others.
In the village, Anbu members usually concealed their identities under masks and black cloaks.
Even their real names rarely appeared in official records.
But this didn't mean these people didn't have names—it was simply to prevent retaliation from enemies during missions.
Here, everyone was safe, so there was no need for those odd codenames.
Itachi was about ten years old now. He had spent one year graduating from the ninja academy, then trained with senior clan members for another year.
Afterward, he directly applied to join the Anbu.
Despite his young age, Itachi's talent and strength were exceptional, and many compared him to the former prodigy Saitama Uchiha.
"You're still thinking about Nagare... That wasn't your fault!"
Itachi sat nearby, knees pressed together, his black cloak draping onto the floor.
His sharp, contrasting eyes reflected the somewhat sorrowful figure of Shisui.
"It's because I wasn't strong enough that Nagare..."
Staring down at his feet, Shisui seemed lost in thought, his eyes even showing a faint shimmer of moisture.
Several close friends had left him—one by one. Years ago, his closest comrade, Saitama Uchiha, died on the battlefield.
Then just last year, Uchiha Nagare, his fellow Anbu teammate, sacrificed himself shielding Shisui during a mission.
One fell far away while the other perished right before his eyes.
Yet both deaths brought boundless grief to Shisui.
"Nagare wouldn't want you like this either... You must keep living—for his sake too!"
Itachi understood how Shisui felt. He knew Uchiha Nagare as well, having fought alongside him on the Mist frontline.
"Whenever I get some free time, I can't help but remember those fallen comrades."
Shisui nodded slightly, his expression turning more resolute.
He wasn't one to dramatize his feelings, but some deaths demanded to be remembered forever.
Just like Saitama's—and Uchiha Nagare's.
Thinking of Nagare, Shisui slowly raised his hand toward his right eye, feeling its warmth, almost as if sensing the presence of his fallen companions.
"Sometimes, I imagine—if Saitama and Nagare hadn't died, maybe they'd be sitting here with us now, chatting idly and bored just like this."
A smile formed on Shisui's face as he looked toward Itachi beside him.
"I heard your younger brother is starting school soon. Do you plan to accompany him?"
"It's Sasuke we're talking about, right? Of course I'll go! Father and Mother are both so busy these days, only I'm available!"
Itachi smiled warmly, his eyes filled with tenderness—purely the affection between brothers.
Definitely not some strange forbidden romance or anything like that.
"Now that Minato-sama has become Hokage, the relationship between our clan and the village is gradually improving."
"Next month, I will apply for a promotion. I think I can definitely handle the position of Anbu Captain. What about you? When will you try leading an Anbu squad?"
Shisui began chatting with Itachi about Anbu matters.
As one of the earliest Uchiha ninja to join Anbu, Shisui's performance had been widely recognized by everyone, earning approval from many colleagues.
From an ordinary member to squad leader, then to platoon commander—he was about to become one of only three Anbu Captains in the entire Anbu organization.
Though he said it was just an application for promotion, everyone knew it was practically guaranteed.
Becoming one of Anbu's three Captains also signified further improvement in relations between the Uchiha clan and Konoha.
At the same time, Shisui would become one of the most powerful figures in Anbu, second only to Namikaze Minato, the department head.
"I heard two out of the three Anbu Captain positions will be vacant this time. Who's taking the third spot?"
Itachi, without the heavy burdens he'd carried before, chatted casually while gossiping.
"The other position goes to Kakashi-senpai! He's the Hokage's disciple, with formidable strength. Especially his combination of Lightning Release and swordsmanship, it's absolutely amazing—exactly like Saitama back in the day!"
Shisui's eyes shimmered slightly, probably recalling something.
"So it's him..." Itachi nodded as an image of a cold-looking ninja with silver hair and a masked face appeared in his mind.
"Come on, Itachi!" Shisui placed his hand on Itachi's shoulder and patted it several times in encouragement.
At the same time, he looked up at the sky, apparently reminiscing about something.
"I will lead our clan toward glory; nothing can stop me!"
"Yeah, I believe in you, Saitama!"
Shisui recalled the vow Saitama made during their childhood, a smile forming on his lips.
These words felt like they were spoken only yesterday—they still echoed clearly in his ears.
"Saitama, I'll help you fulfill your vow!"
Shisui's eyes gleamed with determination as he became filled with renewed vigor.
He had great confidence in his own strength, especially after experiencing Nagare's death.
Thinking about this, Shisui slightly closed his eyes and once again placed his right hand over his eye socket. The pulsation of his heartbeat seemed to flow from his palm into his eye. He could feel unwavering faith and power surging within.
"Itachi, let's grab dinner next time. Right now I need to handle something!"
Shisui stood up, brushing off his robe around the waist area where no dust actually existed.
"Okay!" Itachi didn't move, merely tilting his head upward as a gesture of agreement.
While walking away, Shisui grabbed the mask hanging at his waist and pulled it on.
Although things had been quiet lately, there had been a major incident a few days ago that he hadn't looked into yet. But from the subtle clues, he could tell there was something very strange about this case.
"Itachi, you're here!"
Right after Shisui left, another figure approached.
The silhouette was clearly feminine, and from the voice, quite young.
"Oh, it's Izumi! What a coincidence. You're here to rest too!"
Itachi lifted his head, looking at a smiling face full of warmth.
Her smile made her eyes curve into crescents,
and near the corner of her right eye sat a small black mole.
"Yes, I am!" Izumi said, carefully smoothing the hem of her black robe before sitting down beside him gracefully.
Itachi didn't seem at all awkward about her sitting next to him. Izumi was his classmate—same clan, same year—though he himself had graduated after only one year at the academy. They were close enough for this not to be awkward.
In fact, she was one of the few female friends Itachi had.
Despite being a girl, Izumi's talent was no less than others'. She'd graduated from the Ninja Academy in two years,
and joined Anbu only about a year later than Itachi did.
"Um... Itachi... are you free tonight? There's a new theater group in town — they do plays no one's ever seen before. Would you... like to go with me?"
Izumi kept wringing her hands, her legs pulled inward, eyes fixed on the ground, and her cheeks slowly turned pink as she spoke.
"Tonight..." Itachi paused, thinking, as if still deciding.
"Yes, tonight..."
Hearing his response, Izumi's tone grew more hopeful.
"I promised Sasuke I'd teach him [shuriken] techniques tonight though..."
Itachi looked hesitant, poking at his temple thoughtfully.
"Ah... then forget it. You should go home and teach Sasuke — he needs you."
Izumi felt disappointed but quickly agreed when she heard that he wasn't free.
"How about tomorrow? Do you think you'll be free then? We could go together tomorrow!"
Itachi turned sideways, a smile creeping onto his face.
"Great!" Izumi blinked, then exclaimed loudly, surprised by this unexpected twist.
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